Warm up, cool
down
A gentle 5- to 10-minute warm
up before a run loosens you up and gets the heart pumping.
It also gets your breathing going and sends blood to the muscles
where it’s needed. A loose rule of thumb: The further your run, the
longer your warm-up should be. Cooling down is just as beneficial.
If you stop dead immediately after an 8km run, there’s a chance
blood will pool in your legs and you’ll feel faint. Finish the
distance, slow down to a walk, then come to a rest gradually.
Keep it slow and
steady
You’ll reap better benefits if you go slowly and steady
in terms of adding mileage to your distance covered. Adding 10%
each week to your run is a good rule of thumb. Remember that your
body has to adapt to what you are putting it through. The same
principle applies in the gym.
Leave some in the
tank
Eight out of every 10 runs you do should be run at
around a minute or so slower than your goal race time. If you’re
breathing heavily, you’re going too fast. Your lungs and heart will
adapt a lot quicker than your muscles, tendons and bones, as you up
the length of your runs. Regular running at an easy pace gives your
musculoskeletal system a chance to consolidate and catch up with
any cardiovascular improvements you are making.
continue reading
