Stretch It Out

I've learned as you get older, you need stretch more. I always stretched a lot when I was younger. Always put my head down and did the time before.

Now I know I need more stretching and more often. I stretch briefly before I leave the house. Now that of course is the worst time because my legs are just cold and static, especially at 6am. But it gets my blood going a little. And my Achilles needs a lot of work on it (which I do nearly constantly during the day). So I start my run and get my heart rate up and my legs limber. At the 1.5 or 2 km mark, I stop at two places that afford good stretching. There's a fencing behind the temple that is the perfect height for my both put up my foot at angle to stretch my Achilles and high enough that I can kick up my foot to do an L stretch. I take about five to ten minutes here doing my legs. Sometime if I need more I stop at an old police box and hold onto the window bars and push down on the edge so I can get some more stretching on my ankle.

Usually this is all I need in order to get a good run. Of course at anytime I feel I need to stretch, I will stop and do it.

After my run, I often stretch after guzzling water. A short run through for my Achilles again. But I usually wait until I am in the shower. I have a big enough tub that I can lean against the wall under the hot shower and stretch my calves out. I also like how loser my muscles feel under the water and run through my stretches. Though of course I don't do too much as I use too much hot water.

During my work day, I try and get some stretching. Even if don't need it. I do it. It makes for any easier day.

Now, I have found that if I don't run the day before, I have a really difficult time with my legs. So I need to take it slower during warmup AND stretch even more. I would love to run more and rest less, but at the moment that is something I won't be able to do.

So get out there, stretch it out, and enjoy the run!


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