According to Daniel's; the proper warmup pace before for an 8k race.

May as well answer a direct question. I like to have some easy running -- mile or two depending on individual preference, followed by some stretching and then some strides. Then the last thing you do (and here I tend to differ from many others) is a steady 2-minute (or even longer if it works for you) run at about threshold or little faster pace -- maybe even an 800 at near 8k race pace. This is to end about 15 minutes before the race begins (even a little closer to the race start if that works for you). Think of it this way -- when doing a series of interval 1000s, do you feel best on the first one? Most feel better on the 2nd or 3rd, so why not prepare for a race the same way? Why have your first rather prolonged, pretty hard run be the first 1000 of the race? Get it out of the way before the race starts. An additional benefit is if the last thing you do in warm-up are fast, short strides, then that is most likely how you will start the race, too fast. Granted some (poorly designed) courses narrow down too soon and you need to get out to have position, but if not the case try a more controlled start. Most important -- try various types of warm-up routines and use the one that works best for you, but try some during the season so you have some choices. No two people are the same (some identical twins tend to be)

Just JOG for cryin' out loud, until you get a light sweat going... then run HARD when the gun goes off.

Also, take off your watch, iPOD, leave your cellphone and HRM and JUST RUN.

Geeeeez. THIS IS A VERY simple SPORT.

Thanks Dr. Daniels. Im redshirting this semester so I have some time to figure out some of these types of things. One question on it. What do you suggest for the last 15mins. Just sit down and do nothing, maybe more stretching, light jogging, or what.

good GRIEF wrote:

Just JOG for cryin' out loud, until you get a light sweat going... then run HARD when the gun goes off.

Also, take off your watch, iPOD, leave your cellphone and HRM and JUST RUN.

Geeeeez. THIS IS A VERY simple SPORT.

everything in life is simple. However, if you choose to experience things, life and all its activities become more complicated.

.

If it's cold out put on some sweats and stay warm. If warm out just stay cool and maybe some light jogging (in both cases)

2 mile jog

stretch

1 mile jog

stretch

2x1 min. strides

anxious strides

BANG!

One hour before race jog 15 minutes to warm up or wake up.

Next 15 minutes, organize everything you need for race.

30 minutes before race, run 3 miles with first mile race pace+1:00. Second mile 20 seconds faster, and third mile another 20 seconds faster which will equal race pace+20 seconds.

You should finish 10 minutes before race. This will give you time to change shoes and go to the restroom. You should have a couple minutes to do strides to keep warmed up.

Your first mile of the race should be at the same effort as the last mile of your warmup. This effort will allow you to run 20 seconds faster than your last warmup mile and be at the proper effort for you to keep getting a little faster to run negative splits.

If it is a 5k race, I run the course for my warmup. It familiarizes me with the course and the race seems to go faster compared to the time it took to run the course while warming up. If it is a longer race, I run backwards the first 1.5 miles and turn around so I finish the last 1.5 miles of the course for the same reason as above.

I agree that an 800 at race pace is of great benefit compared to most who just jog a little and think some strides will properly warm them up. I think my type of longer sustained increasing pace warmup will allow you to better prepare your body for the race and allow you to better pace yourself, especially in the first part of the race where it is most important. With proper training, I don't believe anyone needs to go out too fast in a race even though about 95% of all runners do.

The two causes of going out too fast are improper warmup and too much effort. My warmup will allow you do both properly.

I use this warmup up to 10k. Beyond that, I reduce the warmup length and pace because my pace for the race will be slower.

Thanks alot guys(and gals?). Im too lazy to look at the orginal post but I think this is what my name was.('hmmm')First try is tomorrow. Kinda nervous haven't ran anthing under 6:30 pace all summer and don't have much confidence behind me but I think I can go sub 6 with no tempo and speed. Well Im going to bed but I probably can't sleep...

Off topic, but I would like to thank you Dr. Daniels for helping me achieve my running goals. I starting running as a freshman in High School and ran two years. After a college wrestling career I took running back up in my late twenties.

I've had running coaches before "in the flesh" but could not compare them to the quality information I've received by reading your two books. You were even nice enough to reply to some training questions I had in the past.

Looking forward to a few more marathons and then the Comrades Marathon in 08'.

Appreciate a class act like yourself here on these message boards.

Thank you

-Matt Manico

just incase people didn't know jtupper is jack daniels

I always enjoyed this kind of warmup:

3200m+1600m+800m+400m+200m+100m+50m+25m.

Of course, distances are aproximate. Or maybe 2400m+1200m+600m....works better for some.

3200m = superjog. 1600m = slight gallop. 800m = uptempo. 400m = surge. Etc etc etc. 25m = brisk.

In between each run, do what you need. ie washroom between 3200m/1600m. Don spikes between 800m/400m. Etc.

Dr. Jack Daniels does not have an apostrophe in his name.

After I moved to a warm climate, I found that when I raced in cold weather it helped to coat my legs in vaseline and then cover them in cocoa butter to keep my slow twitch muscles looser. I also wore gloves, a long sleeve sweat shirt and an ear covering. You can always remove clothing in a race.

Dr. Jack:

Thanks for contributing to this board. Know that it is much appreciated.

Hoovis 2

The biggest mistake people make in warm temperatures is to not wear sweat pants. I believe that you need sweat pants for your warm-up no matter how warm it is.

Orville Atkins wrote:

After I moved to a warm climate, I found that when I raced in cold weather it helped to coat my legs in vaseline and then cover them in cocoa butter to keep my slow twitch muscles looser. I also wore gloves, a long sleeve sweat shirt and an ear covering. You can always remove clothing in a race.

Yikes! Doesn't that stop your legs from sweating properly, once you start heating up? Plus having that gooey stuff on my legs would just drive me up the wall. It's the same as having sticky Gatorade on your face and hands near the tail end of the marathon. I always want to wash my hands, cause the end up being so damn sticky.

It worked well in Boston. I remember that it was wet and my hands kept getting washed. Anyhow, I was concentrating on running the race and ran my best Boston time that year.

The lesson is that you have to find out what works for you.

I certainly agree with jtupper especially about the 15 minutes of waiting or light jogging. I see so many runners sprinting very hard very close to the gun and think that they may be starting the race in oxygen debt. The 15 minute wait will prevent that.

I guess that with the interval-like run, the runner is priming some biochemical memory about dealing with oxygen debt. It just might take a 3 minute brisk run to do that. We call it "warming up" but really it may be more about activating biochemical path ways than just temperature. It wouldn't work to just sit in a sauna.

Jack, is there any experiment evidence about this–has someone found a chemical that tells muscle cells to get ready for lactic acid–or am I just having fun being a "theoretical physiologist?"

Tom

stride outs useless for a distance race warmup....but we all do them...