Runners: 5K Race Warm up

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 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.)

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.

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.