S-T-R-E-T-C-H On Your Off Days

There have been several articles recently by “experts” about the benefit of running fewer days and resting more.  This is especially true for the over-40 (or 50) crowd.  Running three or four days a week can help you train for a race and stay healthy doing it.  Over-training is the sure way to injuries.

But, if you feel healthy and want to run more days what do you do?  Certainly cross-training is a good option.  Light weights, swimming, biking can all help keep your fitness level up while resting your joints and running muscles.  But as you age, do not underestimate the benefits of stretching.  A short warm-up followed by a series of exercises for your back, hips, hamstrings, calf muscles and more may be the best use of your time.  Improving balance and flexibility will not only help your running but will help your overall fitness and health as you age.

Mix It Up On The Treadmill

February in Michigan presents challenges for outdoor running.  The lower the temperature drops, the more people drop out.  Temps in the 20’s lose some of the serious runners, temps in the teens lose the more hardcore but single digits will drive all but the really crazy runners inside.  So, how do you keep the treadmill run interesting?  There was a simple tip in Runner’s World recently that has helped me the last couple weeks.  Every quarter or half mile change a setting on the treadmill.  You can speed up a couple steps, slow down a little, increase or decrease your incline.  The mere fact that something changes can add interest to the run.  And during that quarter mile between changes you’ll be thinking about what to change next which keeps your mind focused on something besides the basement walls.  And of, course some great tunes on the Shuffle can help.