An article from running times
The Abbreviated Warm-up
What is the best way to do a short warm-up routine?
By Stephen Pyle
As featured in the July/August 2010 issue of Running Times Magazine
In 2004, 101 runners lined up at the start of the Olympic men's marathon in Athens. When the race started at 6 p.m., the temperature was 80 degrees Fahrenheit and the relative humidity was 40 percent.
Instead of doing their usual warm-up, many of the marathoners shortened their pre-race routine, which is saying something given the minimal warm-up most marathoners do. Before toeing the starting line, many of the men sat indoors; some even put on ice vests to keep their core temperatures cooler. Among those wearing an ice vest was Meb Keflezighi, who went on to score a silver medal.
Granted, most of us aren't obligated to race when it's too hot, as the Olympic marathoners more or less were. Still, it's likely you'll find yourself at a hotter-than-ideal race. In that situation, should you do your full warm-up routine? Or is there a point where warming up can lead to melting down, and an abbreviated warm-up makes more sense? And, regardless of weather, what if simple logistics necessitate curtailing your warm-up? What if you oversleep or traffic is bad or you get lost and have scant time before the start? Should you do all of your normal prerace activities, but less of each, or perform triage and do close to full versions of one or two aspects?
Read on here.
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