Prepare Your Body to Run

As a beginner runner coach, I’ve seen too many new runners sidelined by tiny aches and pains, things that aren’t serious, from a medical perspective, but which are very serious from the perspective of their impact on the runner’s success.

The information provided here will impact your success by enabling you to run with better form and greater comfort from day one, but even more importantly, hopefully, they will help you avoid the pesky injuries that too often sideline beginner runners.

Four Elements

  • Cardio walking

  • Strengthening

  • Balancing

  • Stretching

Cardio Walking

Walk a mile or two at a brisk pace before doing the exercises, stretches and balancing. How far?  If one mile is easy, do two. If one mile gets you tired, stick with that for a week, then gradually build to two miles.

Low Intensity Strength-Building Exercises

Toe-ups:  Can be done seated or standing. With foot flat on the floor, keeping heel on ground, slowly lift toes/forefoot as high as possible. Hold 3 seconds. This will seem easy, but after 20, reps, it will start to tire the muscles in front of leg. This exercise helps prevent shin splints.

Rockers:  Stand with feet about 10 inches apart. Rock onto forefoot and then back onto heels. Do this 25 times.

Toe walks:  Walk around, standing on forefoot. Do not go all the way onto toes because this will hyperextend the joint. Just walk around with heel lifted up off the ground. Do 25 steps.

Heel walks:  Walk 25 steps on heels.

Toe lifts:  With foot flat on ground, attempt to keep big toe on the ground and lift the other toes of that foot off the ground. Then do the reverse. Keep the other toes on the ground and try to lift big toe. Most people cannot do this, but over time, it will be possible.

Plank:  Start by lying on the ground, face down, feet a foot apart. Tighten core and pull bellybutton toward back. Lift whole body off the floor, onto forearms, contracting core muscles to hold body rigid. Don’t let head drop or hang down. Work up to a minute and then two.

Lateral walking:  Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Bend knees, but not too much; now walk 20 steps in one direction, sideways, keeping both legs bent. Then go back the other way. If this is not difficult, buy an exercise band; put it around legs, either upper calf or lower thigh. This will make it much more difficult. Do this every other day.

Flat back knee ups:  Lay flat on back with knees bent and feet on floor with the small of back pressing against the floor, engaging core muscles. Slowly lift one leg, keeping it bent, until the shin part is parallel to the floor. Then slowly lower to starting position. Repeat 20 times. Then do the other leg. Then do one more set with each leg. Do this daily.

Fire hydrants:  Begin on all fours. Holding torso parallel to floor, lift right leg out to the side and up as far as it will comfortably go, keeping it bent. Then return it to starting position, but don’t let it come to rest. Immediately repeat the movement, and do this 10 times. Then do this with the opposite leg. Repeat once more with each leg for a total of 20.

March in place 50 steps, bringing knees high, keeping back straight. Pump arms in coordination with legs, keeping core tight. Do this slowly and deliberately. Do not lean forward at the waist. Doing it slowly works core muscles better and requires more balance. This trains proper foot placement because it’s impossible to land on your heels. Do this daily.

Karate Kid Balance Exercise

Balance on one foot, then the other. While standing, lift one knee until upper part of leg is parallel to the ground. Hold core firm and straight. Do not lean toward knee. Keep hips level. Keep the knee of support leg, soft, not locked.

Feel free to put arms out to the side for balance. Hold 15 seconds. Repeat with other side.

Do this every day.

This strengthens the stabilizing, core muscles, and hips while working balance, but most important of all is that it strengthens the foot muscles, all 20, mostly involuntary muscles. This helps prevent many foot injuries.

One of the most common running injuries is plantar fasciitis. Strong feet will help to prevent this annoying and painful problem.

Dynamic Stretching

Dynamic stretching is ‘moving’ stretching. Basically, moving every part of the body through full range of motion. It should help you to feel loosened up and get blood flowing. It should feel good. Don’t reach far enough in any direction for it to be uncomfortable. Do this before any exercise and it’s a good idea to do it at least a couple times each day.

1. Arms: One arm at a time, swing each arm in a full circle, vertically, in each direction, as if winding up to pitch a softball; however, do it gently.

2. Arms: Swing both arms, at the same time, back and forth, horizontally, across front and then swing back to make a straight line.

3. Legs: Stand on one leg while swinging the other leg back and forth, from left to right, in front of the body. Then do the other leg.

4. Legs: Stand on one leg and swing the other leg forwards and backwards. Then do the other leg.

5. Ankles: While stand on one leg, left the other leg just enough for the lifted foot to clear the ground. Then rotate the foot in full circles a couple times in each direction. Then do the other foot.

6. Whole body: Reach overhead with both hands, stretching as high as possible.

7. Hips:  Bend at the waist until torso is parallel to the ground. Now, rotate upper torso, from the hips, in a 360-degree circle, by making a circle with hips.

Static Stretching

Too much stretching, or stretching that is too aggressive, is harmful. Do the following stretches every other day, on the same day as the above exercises, always AFTER the exercises, which you would have done after a brisk walking warmup.

  1. Reach for the sky. Stretch both arms overhead while standing on tiptoes. Pause 5 second. Repeat three times.

  2. Relax the back. Lay on back, knees bent with lower legs resting on chair or ball. Press back against the floor and hold for for 15 seconds, relax, and repeat 10 times.

  3. Tree/wall lean: Standing in front of a tree or wall, feet shoulder width apart, place hands on tree or wall and lean in, keeping legs straight and heels on ground. Lean until you feel a good stretch; do not lean until it hurts.

  4. Tree/wall lean with bent knee: Do the same thing, except bend knee. This changes the area of stretch to the lower calf. Hold 30 seconds.

  5. Quad stretch: Standing normally, lift foot up and behind. Grab it with the hand on the same side. Keep a straight body with tight core. Pull gently back and up on the foot to create a gentle pull in the quadriceps, a group of four muscles on the front of the upper leg. Hold 30 seconds for the first few days; then hold for 1 minute. Repeat with the other leg. Do twice.

  6. Hamstring stretch: While standing, keep leg straight, lift and rest it atop an object a foot off the ground, keeping ankle flexed. Lean in from hips with upper body, not bending the upper back, until a good, gentle hamstring stretch. Hold 30 seconds. Do both legs.

  7. Hip opener. Lay flat on back with knees bent and feet on floor. Then lift one foot with knee bent and pull it across in front of the other leg and rest it against the opposite upper leg. Then, clasp both hands behind the opposite thigh, and pull leg toward chest to stretch hip. If unable to get behind leg, start with crossing leg in front of the other. Hold 30 seconds.

  8. Shoulder opener. Lay on a foam roller with foam roller aligned with backbone. While resting on the roller, allow shoulders and arms to drop down to the floor to create a gentle stretch. Hold a couple of minutes if it feels good.