What a glorious morning for a run! Still loosely following the NRC 10k plan so today was the 'Next Speed Run. Highly recommended. The weather was perfect, the sun was shining, the run was great.
Just one question - the NRC speed runs and similar usually have a 5 minute warm up and then they tell you to stop and stretch. Can anyone enlighten me what sort of stretches I should be doing? Static? Dynamic? Something else?
Thank you for your collective wisdom runners! 
🏃🏃♂️🏃🏃♂️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃🏃🏃♂️
Dynamic for pre run .Static for post run . 🙂
But this is mid run, which is what's concerning me. You do a 5 minute warm up,then stretch, then do the tempo run. Just hoping to get some hints for the best stretches to do at this point - dynamic seem a bit OTT for releasing tensions, but if I do static it's not the right message.
tbh, when I have done the NRC speed runs I don't do extra stretches.But I always do the dynamics before leaving the house , then my 5 mins warm up walk
I love that run! I'm building up after a long break but I can't wait to be fit enough to start mixing things up again ☺️When I do those NRC speed runs I do static stretches after the warm up but I'm pretty sure dynamic would be better. There's a local running group who usually run when I'm out walking the dog. They have an actual coach with them and he has them doing lots of leg swings, squats etc after their warm up walk / jog. So I'd go with dynamic 👍
I'm really bad because I don't stop and stretch, so don't take any notice of me I usually don't pause the app, I just walk a few big strides while waiting for him to start the run, I wonder if it's somewhere on the app what stretches to do? I'll look
I sort of like the pause before the big effort of the speed run. If you find the stretches please let me know, I was wondering if they might be on the Nike Training app, must have a look.
I did have a look but couldn't find them
I’m like Sola. I never pause the app and stretch. In fact I hardly ever stretch (no one copy me, please!) I always (mostly) do a warmup walk first and a cooldown one after, but that’s it. Told you; do not copy me! Caveat though, I do a fair amount of yoga, often before I run, which may or may not make a difference.
I think yoga is stretching
It is …. but I don’t do it before every run. 😈
😃 some is better than none
I do warmup and cooldown walks and stretch a bit before and after. Probably should make an effort and do some yoga but need to get myself into a bit more of a routine for that. It's fine when I'm at home but if we're staying on the boat there's just no room (and it's too darned cold to do yoga outside lol)
No fun doing yoga when it’s cold either YLG. 🥶
I normally go a bit rogue at the start because I’m not through the toxic ten after five minutes of warm up running. I usually walk for five minutes, run for five minutes, start the podcast and do five more minutes of warm up run and stretch with a bit of a mix of (physio prescribed) short static stretches and dynamic stretches because I’m warm enough by then. Then get going on the main run. I like to have a short cool down run then a five minute cool down walk. More stretches at home. I’ve found stretching more helps enormously with aches and pains the next day after going faster! I don’t think I’ll ever ditch the five minute walk before and after from the c25k days!
I'm a fan of the warm up/cool down walks too. I start by doing my warm up dynamic stretches as I drink my coffee then get dressed and go out for the 5 minute warm up walk. Sometimes if it's really chilly I'll only do 3 or 4 minutes warm up as I want to move a bit more, probably not a good idea as I've read that cold weather is when you really need that slow start to warm the muscles.
I'm just not quite sure what to do after the warm up run. My guess is that dynamic is the better idea, just wondered if there's a middle ground?
If I was doing a speed run when it’s really cold, I’d spend longer warming up not cut short. I worry more about an injury when it’s colder.
I’ve not really thought too hard about those mid run stretches because I always do a longer warm up run than is on the guidance and I’m definitely warm by the time the main bit starts. One speed run (sorry, I can’t remember which!) said that the purpose of the initial run was to get you ready to stretch properly. Thinking about it, all the ones I do in that gap between the warm in and main bit are now dynamic stretches. I had a couple of physio specific ones after my fall but those aren’t part of what I was doing before.
I should probably say I’ve got no particular expertise at all here. I’m still pretty new to this type of run! Please just take this as what’s working for me!
So I do some dynamic stretches, then the good old 5 minute brisk walk…old habits die hard! I then start the run, really slow as recommended…and carry on without stopping the app, or stretching again.
At the end, I run until Strava and NRC agree their distance 😂…then stop the apps and walk back to the car/house…a minimum of 5 minutes. I then do static stretches ☺️
If I'm just doing a normal run I follow the same routine as you LottieMW , just run and don't stop until I'm done. This question is more about the NRC speed/tempo/fartlek runs that generally have a 'pause for stretching' included.
As far as I know…all the NRC runs have a 5-7 minute warm up run, followed by the invitation to press pause, stretch, bathroom break, or what ever is needed…then press resume to…er…resume 😉
All the speed runs I’ve done have that. Not the long/recovery ones.
oh…I’m trying to think now what CB said on the 7 mile I did this week…sometimes I just blank it out as I never press pause! 😂
I’ve definitely posted before about my inability to remember run commentary while running! I need some of CBDB ’s pegs!
🤣🤣 (pegs: my superpower 🦸♀️)
Regarding stretches, what I introduced during last summer, after being introduced to this routine via the Janes Dunne challenge we did, was as follows:
5 min warmup walk
Then this dynamic stretch James Dunne Stretch :
(Video below might not appear, in which case use link above)
Run
5 min cool down.
The annoying thing is that I “pegged“ that stretch to a specific route, as there was a handy signpost that I could use for this stretch (I stead of a wall as in the video), and in other routes, as the signpost is missing, I tend to not do the dynamic stretches either. The fallacies of my „pegging system“!
I googled and found this video. It’s seems a bit excessive mid run but it gives some idea of the type of stretches to do before a speed run and you could adapt. Hope it’s helpful (and the link works 🤞)
This is great-thanks for sharing!
🤣🤣 ⚖️⚖️⚖️ I think I need to do a few more years of yoga to regain the required amount of balance for these 🧘🏾♀️🧘🏻🧘🏽♂️. (Aah, too be young and healthy when balancing is no problem)
Thank you Frizzbomb67 , just what I needed.
Started with the first exercise just to see how it felt...doing fine until the standing on tiptoes bit. Looking at those lovely young athletes just made me realise how old and unsteady I am 😂 I can balance on one leg for a minute but I looked at the standing glute kickback and just thought 'how on earth do they even do that?'
Still, food for thought, I'll see if I can find a workaround where I can hold onto something while I try these
I thought exactly the same 😂😂
😂🤣
Speed Run.... hmm
Week 4 done and dusted
