Some questions for graduates...

[casdix]

I graduated about 6 weeks ago and have some questions for you!

- I know this has been asked before, but do you still do a warm up and cool down walk? The reason for asking is that on the pilot podcast which some of us have trialled, there is a warm up run and a cool down run (and they say you can walk if you like) - I wondered if this has altered anyone's view?

- On the pilot podcast, has anyone figured out when, in the podcast, you've run for 30 minutes. They tell you when you've done 25 mins, but they don't actually come in at the end and say "that's it". I know I could look at my watch but it's hard when I'm running and sweaty and don't have glasses on :-).

Thanks for your help,

Carol

[Greg_M Graduate]

I haven't heard the new podcasts but I always do the warm up / cool down walks. Sometimes break into a light jog but always do it.

[TJFlute]

Hi Carol,

Well, it's personal, but I still prefer to do a warm up walk and then some active stretches. I think if you have time it is a sensible thing to do because running can be very hard on the joints and muscles. I also have a half mile steep hill just outside my house, so there's no way I'm running up that with cold muscles!

I also do a cool down walk (down the steep hill!)and then stretch for about 5-10 minutes after each run.

I think that any precautions you can take to prevent injury is worth it. so I would probably do this even if my area was flat.

I didn't like the fact that there was no warm up walk time on the podcast (and said so on the review) because basically once you took away the warm up jog and cool down jog you were only left with 20 minutes of running time. So I still do a warm up walk before putting that particular podcast on, even though it is a very slow jog at the start.

Theresa

[MaryAB Graduate]

I regularly do that podcast and still do a 5 minute walk before I start it, I usually walk to the top or a hill and start running when I get to the top.

I run right to the end even though it does go into cool down after 25 mins, then i walk maybe 5/10 mins to get home.

I plan to always walk before and after, even when i'm a proper runner!!

[Hidden]

I still do the 5 mins warm-up walk, like TJFlute the first five mins from home are quite steep plus it is first thing in the morning and I need to get myself going. Then I try to start slowly and build up. I don't always do the cool-down walk now, I just drop pace and I always walk the last 50 yards otherwise when I get in I feel a bit dizzy!

[ribena-berry Graduate]

I was the one who asked this a while back & all the replies I got recommended carrying on with the warm up & cool down walk.

I do the 5 mins religiously before and after each run - especially after someone (ShelleyMcB?) warned of the perils of not cooling down properly!!!

[drillfielder Graduate]

Yes, I'm definitely keeping on doing the warm up and warm down including a few stretches. Have invested in a countdown timer app for timings when running. Can be set to give either count down or count up warnings by individual or multiples of minutes.