Strrrrretch It Out

Strrrrrrrretch it Out

First off, I want to take my hat off to all those who participated in one of the Detroit Marathon events on Oct. 21, whether it was a 5K or marathon. When you run (walk, jog, whatever) for Marathon Mission, you are making a difference in people’s lives! Way to go! Of course, I would remiss if I also didn’t recognize Marathon Mission founder, Lisa Harper, for completing yet another Detroit Marathon . . . #21! Truly remarkable.

Next, for those who did the long distance runs at Detroit . . . hopefully the soreness is gone by now, but one of the things that I think we forget, especially with the holidays now coming up, is SLEEP. I know I’ve talked about the importance of sleep before, but I do believe that if you get the proper amount of sleep, not only will your body feel better, but so will your mind – meaning you’re more likely to keep your resolve to stick with whatever your training is for that day . . . and maybe even have a little bit more self-control when it comes to all those TEMPTING holiday treats! : )

Finally, let’s talk about stretching. When I first started running, the static stretch was what you were supposed to do before AND after running . . . and sometimes in the middle of a run. Today, it’s about the active stretch, keeping your muscles engaged – I’m talking about stretches like butt kicks, jumping jacks, high knees, striders, and even walking lunges BEFORE your run. However, if you’re not used to doing lunges or striders, do them carefully . . . as I learned, if you haven’t done lunges, don’t go out and try to do 20 steps or something crazy . . . I’d recommend starting out with three (six steps) or you could risk pulling/straining a hammy. The idea behind the active stretch is that muscles perform better when they stay engaged . . . overly loose muscle that results from static (hold that stretch) is kind of like having a bike chain that is too loose (not near as efficient as a chain that’s engaged and snug).

Well, don’t forget to get out there and make plans to do a Turkey Trot and a Jingle Bell run of some sort – invite friends and family members to join you while you’re at it!

Have an awesome run today!

Dan