The Trail Running Blog

9 Running Stretches to Help Run Faster

Stretching is a very important thing to do before you go on a run. Other things are just as important, like the right pair of running shoes, good form, and a good warm-up run. When we used to meet up for practice at 6AM during the summer, before we started our workout on the trail, we would start everything out with a good-paced warm-up lap, which consisted of a perimeter around our baseball fields behind the gym. The warm-up run was not meant to be so fast that it affected our actual run, but fast enough to start to break a sweat and warm enough to loosen our muscles and relieve any tension, which is what you really want to do.

With your muscles loose, stretching will be a lot easier, and will benefit you in many ways. Stretching is definitely important: first of all, as a preventative measure. Runners pull muscles all the time by not properly stretching. Keeping your muscles loose will also help in keeping your form while on a run. Your body won’t be tight and allow you to really focus on your run.

After a quick water break, we would gather around in a circle and perform our daily stretches. The following stretches will help you avoid pulling a muscle and allow you to have the best run possible.

Note: All stretches should be performed for about 10 seconds or so.
           Arm Stretches

1. Stand upright and try to reach the back of your left shoulder with your right hand. Use your left hand to help push your right hand farther back. Do the same with your other hand/arm.
2. Put your right arm in the air and bend it so that your elbow is behind your head. Grab your right elbow with your left hand and pull left. Switch.

   Hamstrings Stretch
   

3. We call this stretch “hang”. Standing upright, simply bend over forward and let your arms hang down. Your knees do not have to lock, but make sure to keep your legs straight. If you have never done this stretch before, you probably won’t get close enough to touch your toes. But if you hang long enough, you will get closer (and by doing this stretch more often, you will become a lot more flexible). Repeat with your right leg over your left leg and then with your left leg over your right leg.

   Quad Stretches
   

4. We call these “Flamingos”. Standing upright, bend your right leg back and hold your right ankle with your hand. To help maintain your balance, find a nearby wall or a running partner, or grab your ear with your free hand to counterbalance. Repeat with your other leg.
5. We call these “Squats”. Stand with your legs apart and bend down, as if you were performing a squat. Place both palms down on the floor and use your elbows to stretch your legs outward. You will definitely feel the burn.

   Groin Stretch
   

6. We call these “Butterflies”. Sit on your butt and place the soles of your feet together, so that they are touching and stick your knees out to the side. Try to move your feet as close to your groin. Initially, you will not be able to get as close, but will with time. It will also help to try and bend down to touch your nose to your feet too, but definitely more advanced.

   Hip & Lower Back Stretches
   

7. We call these “Hurdles”. Position so that you are going to do a butterfly, except straighten your left leg and using both hands, try and touch your left toe. Do the same with your right leg.
8. Sit on the ground with your right leg crossed over the left. Grab and hug your right knee, so that you feel the back of your leg stretch. You can also put your left arm over the right knee and twist your body clockwise. While stretching your lower back, you can crack your back as well. Switch to stretch your left leg.
   
   Calf Stretch
   
9. Get in a push-up position, but place your right foot over your left foot and stick your butt up in the air and flatten your left foot. Depending on how high in the air you stick your butt, you will feel your calf muscle stretch. Make sure you don’t pull your calf muscle this way, but also be sure that you do feel a burn in the first place. Do the same with your left calf.

If you follow these stretches (more or less in that order), you will help lengthen and strengthen your muscles, allowing a better range of motion for your arms and legs. All this, in turn, helps you perform better at runs and races, without doing much else.

This is probably not an extensive list of running stretches, but what I learned to do when I first started running. What other stretches do you do before a run?