Warm-Up and Cool Down Strides

Strides are an essential part of our training. They should be done almost daily, and both warm-up and cool down strides should be run over a distance of 50-60m. Warm up strides should be done ahead of hard effort days, whether it is a workout or a race. Doing warm-up strides will help prepare your body to perform at its peak. Cool down strides offer the benefit of working on proper sprint mechanics, and are essential to speeding up the recovery process in your legs.

Warm-Up Strides

Workout Day Warm-Up Strides:
  • Get your spikes on (if wearing them) and do your first stride as fast as you can while staying relaxed; walk back equal distance rest
  • Next stride should be at the same effort (but will be slightly faster because you are more warmed up)
  • Continue until you are fully warmed up (5-6 total)

Meet Day Warm-Up Strides - 1st Race:
  • As you finish your 10-15min warm-up jog, do a stride as fast as you can go until you begin to fatigue, then stop
  • Get your spikes on (if wearing them) and do your first stride as fast as you can while staying relaxed; walk back equal distance rest
  • Next stride should be at the same effort (but will be slightly faster because you are more warmed up)
  • Continue until you are fully warmed up (5-6 total)​
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Meet Day Warm-Up Strides - 2nd & 3rd Race:
  • Jog for 5-10min at normal recovery pace, getting your heels up and getting some activity in your legs; your goal is to feel like your legs are awake and active again
  • Begin standard warm-up stride process
    • Get your spikes on (if wearing them) and do your first stride as fast as you can while staying relaxed; walk back equal distance rest
    • Next stride should be at the same effort (but will be slightly faster because you are more warmed up)
    • Continue until you are fully warmed up (5-6 total)

Cool Down Strides

​Recovery Day Cool Down Strides:
  • First stride at recovery pace
  • Second & third strides as fast as you can go while staying relaxed
  • Continue doing strides with each getting 5-10% slower until your legs feel good (4-8 total)​

Hard Effort Cool Down Process:
  • Take off your spikes (if wearing them) and put on your trainers as quickly as possible
  • Jog until you have completely caught your breath (your heart rate should be ~120BPM); this will take ~5-8min.
  • Cool down strides
    • First stride at the same pace as the fastest pace you went in your workout/race
    • Next stride should be 5-10% slower
    • Continue until your legs feel good (5-10 total)
      • Note: if you completely breakdown in your workout/race, it will require 10-12 strides to get your legs back to feeling how they should 
  • Legs up for 3-5min​ ​​​​​