Everybody knows it’s important to warmup before any exercise, right? But the question is: “Do you? Do you warmup before your races?” I have a whole podcast that goes into the details; it’s Mojo for Running Podcast Episode #94, Warming Up Before Your Race. You really need to warmup before any run unless you plan to just do the first couple of miles at warmup pace, which is okay when you’re headed out for an easy run, but if you want to race, I mean really race, seriously, like I mean for a PR, then you must do a thorough warmup ahead of time. Below, I’ve llisted the five main benefits of warming up appropriately on race day.

Reasons Runners Should Warmup

• You’ll feel more comfortable during the first miles of the race.
• Warming up is the ideal opportunity for mental preparation for the race.
• You can start out faster because you won’t need to warmup during the race.
• A good warmup will go a long way toward avoiding injury.
• You’ll be much less likely to get a side stitch. (cramp in your diaphragm area)

Make this part of your pre-race ritual. It’s that important. Heck, it may just be the most important thing you do on race morning besides pinning on that bib. They say it takes 21 successive times performing the same act to make it a habit. So, starting with your next race, do a great warmup, and then do it for the next 20 races. By then, I guarantee, you’ll not only have created a habit, but you’ll also have realized the value because you will have notched quite a few more PR’s along the way.