Runners: 5K Race Warm up

conchita962

Hello runners! I just finished C5K (YAY!) I have typically walked 5 min as warm up, which may not be enough I am thinking.. What should I start doing to warm up, especially before a race?

Thank you for your input...

kac7700

I got my 5K PR walking more than a mile prior to the race. I would say since you have to be there early to line up anyway, get a good 20 minutes of walking in, and you'll be fine.

wolfchild59

I just wandered around the start area where everyone gathered before the run at no more than a meandering pace. Then, while in the starting corral I did a few very light upper leg stretches. And I ran in my best 5K time to that date. Did about the same thing before a 4.5mi race as well and also had my best time.

But overall I'm not a fan of stretching cold muscles, so I never stretch prior to a workout, cardio or weights. I wait until after or breaks between sets for stretching to stay loose.

AZTrailRunner

I just wandered around the start area where everyone gathered before the run at no more than a meandering pace. Then, while in the starting corral I did a few very light upper leg stretches. And I ran in my best 5K time to that date. Did about the same thing before a 4.5mi race as well and also had my best time.

But overall I'm not a fan of stretching cold muscles, so I never stretch prior to a workout, cardio or weights. I wait until after or breaks between sets for stretching to stay loose.

I like to go for a 10-15 minute easy run.

SmartFunGorgeous

I finished my 3rd race today, and all I've done for any of the races is walk around before the race began; however! I didn't stretch today afterwards, and I regretted it big time (though I did to a cool down walk). Once I got home (it was just a five minute drive from my house), I leashed up the dogs and went for about a 2 mile walk to warm my legs back up again and then I stretched, and I seem to be okay again, but just wanted to share, since I think the cool down is equally important to the warm up.

(And you're never supposed to stretch cold muscles, like the others have posted.)

wolfchild59

Really? A 15 minute run for a 30 minute or less run seems like overkill to me, but everyone is different.

AZTrailRunner

Really? A 15 minute run for a 30 minute or less run seems like overkill to me, but everyone is different.

The last thing you want to do is take off racing hard with cold muscles. That's a great way to get muscle cramps, pulls, or tears. Short sprints or fast-paced races require longer warm-up times. Just because it 'hasn't' happened to you, doesn't mean it won't.

Now if you are just going to run a 5K at a casual jog, then you don't need a warm-up. But I think most people sign up for races to run them as fast as they can.

IronmanPanda

Generally speaking the shorter the race the longer the warm up should be. Or so I've been told.

wolfchild59

I get to my races about an hour before start time and walk the entire time until I'm in the corral to start. I'm not a sprinter, by any means, but I average about 9:30 a mile pace, so it's not totally casual jogging either. It's gotten me personal bests at each race and no post race pains or issues of any kind, in fact after any run is the most energized I feel, so I'm happy with what I do.

girlontherun5

Well, I'm running a 5k race tomorrow but before it I'm planning on running a very easy 8k....kind of a long warm-up I've been running for years and I generally run much farther on my Sunday run. I don't run 5ks too often anymore so I think it will be O.K...I'll let you know tomorrow... I'm hoping if all goes well to run easy for the 8k and give it all for the 5k race. But at the same time, the 5k is just for fun for me and I'm not too concerned about what my time will be.