Take care of yourself

What do you other fortysomethings do to warm up? I went on a run cold (minimal stretching) yesterday and was sucking wind and seizing up after a quarter-mile. I powered through and got 4.5 miles in, but it was way rougher than it should’ve been.

I usually do 20ish minutes on an elliptical before I run, and that seems to do the trick. Can’t bring one of those on race day, though.

 

46. I do nothing to warm up in the traditional sense.

I hop on the elliptical for 15 minutes and that warms/loosens me for the treadmill for 60 minutes at 4.2/15-incline.

 

41. It depends on the workout. When I do speed workouts - like 3 x 3 miles at a hard pace (under seven minutes) - I usually warm up with an 8- to 8:30-minute mile, stretch for a couple minutes, then hit it. On treadmill days, I'll just work up to speed. For example, if the plan is to run the bulk of the run at 7.5 mph, I'll do 6.5 for a few minutes, then 7.0 for a few minutes, then finally get up to speed.

So basically, I warm up by just taking things a little slower the first few minutes/miles and building up.

On a day like today, when I have to squeeze 18 hard miles into a relatively short window, not much, honestly. I just hit the ground running. My friends were horrified by this, by the way, when I vacationed with them a few weeks ago. As I've talked about here before, I might be a bit of an anomaly. I also don't go hard every single day. Easy days easy, hard days hard.

 

I’m 41 too. I can do a slower mile to warm up.

But if I just start running cold, I’ll hit my stride eventually, but that first mile, even at a slower pace, is just brutal. Happens that way on the bike, too. That’s why I stopped using the bike to warm up.

 

I don't know if there's much way around it, really, other than taking a really long time to stretch and warm up. And I don't know if it's an age thing. Happened in my 20s just as it happens now.

 

Cooling down may be as important as warming up.

The right way to warm up and cool down

How to cool down

Cooling down is similar to warming up. You generally continue your workout session for five minutes or so, but at a slower pace and reduced intensity.
Here are some examples of cool-down activities:
• To cool down after a brisk walk, walk slowly for five to 10 minutes.
• To cool down after a run, walk briskly for five to 10 minutes.
• To cool down after swimming, swim some leisure laps for five to 10 minutes.

A word about stretching

If stretching exercises are part of your workout routine, it's best to do them after the warm-up or cool-down phase, when your muscles are already warm.
Stretching can improve range of motion about a joint and flexibility. Stretching may also help improve your performance in some activities by allowing your joints to move through their full range of motion. However, studies haven't consistently shown that stretching helps prevent muscle soreness or injury.

 

I've found this to be the case, and meant to note that earlier. After the 3x3 workout, for example, I do another mile at a cool down pace, usually in the 8:30 range. But really just an easy pace, whatever that is on that day.

 

Most days, the only time I feel warm is after I’ve done my entire workout.

 

Another week in the book with varying numbers.

Spent Saturday and Sunday in Gotham. If you use the metrics @Azrael provided, I walked at least 10 miles. Probably more but I'll use 10.

Did the usual routine at the gym Tuesday thru today and finished with 300 minutes, 6,827 calories, 21.27 miles.

Last 7 weeks: 2,769 minutes (46.1 hours), 59,635 calories (not including 10 miles walking), 204.83 miles.

 

Finished my first (and possibly only) half marathon this morning.

Since it's important to set attainable goals, mine were, in order:
Not to die
Not to get scraped up off the road/gathered up by the cattleprod team (three hour time limit)
Finish in under 3:00
Finish in under 2:45

I did it! It was an awful day - like 53, overcast and wind whipping off the Bosporus, and I had shoulder surgery three weeks and one day ago, plus was on leave all last week and am doing PT so I haven't exactly been training.

Even after a hot bath and a cup of hot chocolate, I still feel like I've been hit by a truck, but am now downing Airborne in an attempt still conquer Goal No. 1.

And honestly, I swore I'd only do one of these damn things, but the weather was so bad that I know I could do better on a different day. I still hate it, but it's addicting.

 

Well, stop holding out! Time?

 

You're fast so you wouldn't be impressed, but 2:42:38. They text you with the time right after you cross the finish line.