Saturday, July 02, 2005

Easy Day

ORN: 55 minutes, easy 4/2. I always start with a 5 minute warm-up walk, and finish with AT LEAST a 5 minute cool down.

Too many runners just walk out there door - or hop out of their car - and start running. Worse, they'll throw their leg up on something and pretend to stretch! OUCH!! Nothing good comes from stretching a cold muscle. But walking to warm up? It's a VERY good thing.

Many of the joint-type injuries that affect runners are simply caused by not giving all the joint-lubricating juices a chance to really get flowing. It's kinda like starting your car and then racing your engine before the oil has gotten warmed-up. You will do damage to your engine. You WILL do damge to your joints.

So, for me, 55 minutes breaks down to 5 minutes warm-up, 45 minute run/walk 4/2, 5 minute cool down. Try it. You'll like it. The investment in warming up and cooling down pays huge dividends.

Waddle on, friends.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi!

Just started running again this year..after a couple years off with injuries. You're my inspiration. Nice to know you're still out there...still on the web.

I would love to attend one of your clinics. Anything near Northern NY (like Lake Placid area) soon? Anything within an hour or two would do.

Well...gotta head out before temps and humidity climb. Thanks again, John.

Anonymous said...

Greetings - have just found your newsletter and blog as CDC will be my first time in your area.

Question - what do you play as a musician? (from your 2003 excerpt on this month's newsletter). I, too, am a musician. I teach music to high school students and continue to play my trombone. Am getting into the "art" of running even as we type.

Take care - and see you at CDC!

Bill.

Anonymous said...

Wow, am I glad you're doing this! It's very exciting to read your training log. In just a few posts you've made me feel a lot better about how some of my training runs have gone. Life keeps interfering and I have to revise my goals. It's good to know you have the same problems.

I'm cycling tonight, but have a 4 mile run tomorrow morning with speedwork. I have a two year old, so I let her play in childwatch at my gym while I use the treadmill. I know it's not as good as using a track, but it's the best I can do!

Thanks again for letting us read your notes! Whitney (passed by weiner dogs)