For those post graduation, I was wondering whether you still include a 5 minutes walk both at the beginning and end of your runs. I was wondering whether I could cut the time down or whether I'm more likely to suffer injury if I do.
Thoughts appreciated. Thanks!
I just do about 3 minutes warm up these days which is about the time my Garmin takes to get a signal. I often just do about 2 minutes at the end of my route but always stretch once I'm home.
I always do. This is principally because I have a friend, who is my age (45) who has done 50 marathons in 50 days, and when I asked him how he stayed injury free: the answer was: a long warm up, and a cool down with lots and lots of stretches ( and ice baths on this occasion!)
I've had an injury not long after graduating, from not doing the warm up or cool down /stretches ( a race for life) and it took me five months to recover, so i don't think it's worth the risk.
50 marathons in 50 days??? 
Really???
No wonder you were inspired to do 5x100!
Staggering!
I dropped the 5 minute warm-up walk for a couple of runs, thinking I was fitter and maybe didn't need it (and was impatient to get started) - and pulled a hamstring two minutes after starting the second. So I'll be making sure I continue with the warm-up walks when I restart in a couple of weeks.
I never skip the warm up and the cool down+stretch. Being overweight, running is quite hard on my joints. I truly believe that they (with the crucial day rest between each workouts) kept and will continue to keep me away from injuries. I love running too much to take the risk of having to wait 5 weeks up to 6 months for an injury to recover.
Good luck! 
I'll always do the warm-up walk (it's uphill from my flat so walking up it beats running up it) but maybe not for the full 5 minutes and always give myself at least 3-4 minutes cool down before I get home for a chance to cool down and stop breathing like a steam train.
Well worth keeping it up to avoid injury but perhaps not so strict on the time involved.
I always do the 5 minutes walk at the beginning and end of my run plus a warm up and a long cool down with streching.
I too was getting impatient and probably a little complacement, skipped my warm up and walk and ended up injured - no running for a month after that so never again!!
Yep, always walk for about 5 mins before as briskly as I can, shaking out my arms as I walk and concentrate on my breathing, making sure I take several deep breaths before I start running.
And I always walk back for however long it takes to get home!
That was 20 minutes the other day - I was hot and tired and I didn't want to risk overdoing it as I was going away on Sunday for an overnight birthday treat walking in the Brecon Beacons! When I did my last 10k, I really pushed hard to do it and could barely walk for the next two days!!
Thanks everyone. X
Warm up/cool down for longer distances
Warm Up / Warm Down
Food and warm up/cool down walk.
When do you stop the warm up and cool down walks?
