Hi to all runners/walkers/joggers, racers! With the countdown bringing us ever closer to the Dublin Marathon, it is time to pull back on those long runs and start working on really priming our bodies for the upcoming event. Speed sessions, fartlek, intervals....they are the last focus sessions for those of you who hope to get good times in Dublin. However, as the training is curbed to preserve glycogen stores and allow for sufficient recovery - so too is the flexibility work. I could count on one hand the amount of runners I know who build focused flexibility work into their weekly training plan. For all others, its what happens as part of a warm down at the end of a run. So, during the week where maintaining flexibility and mobility should be our focus, instead pasta, oats and protein shakes take over. Don't get me wrong- nutrition is key in these last two weeks (some people do tend to take the 'carb loading' process a bit too literally though!) - but some attention needs to be paid to our flexibility too. Spend 6 or 7 minutes working the legs and lower body to get warm and increase the heart rate gradually. Gentle stretching is key here. You are not looking to wrap your ankles around the back of your neck this week (we can work on that next week) - you just want to remain as flexible as you were last week. Breathing in to prepare, exhale as you gently lower yourself into a stretch - you should never feel pain, just a gentle stretch awareness. Breathe in again to release the stretch slightly, then exhale to lower yourself into the stretch again. Stretching in time to your breath is a great way to relax your tissue and allow it to lengthen. Counting the stretch out can be a bit stressful so just think about holding a stretch for 6 or 7 breaths and think about relaxing more every time you breath out!
Please please please get back to me if you have any specific issues and we will discuss them here on the blog - you may be asking the question everyone else wants to know the answer to!!!
Alternatively, see me at the Clonakilty Waterfront Marathon stand (no 18 ) at the expo, and Ill give you a stretch there.
Happy stretching, Fiona ;))
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