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THINGS TO AVOID TO DO BEFORE A RUN


There are many  things we should do before each run, such as warm up and hydrate, and fueling. Also, there are plenty of things we shouldn’t do before a run because they can be damaging our training or racing.

 

Our goal is to avoid making pre-run mistakes so we can get the most out of our training, good run, and good energy so we can feel good.

 

THE WORST THINGS TO DO BEFORE A RUN

 

1.     STATIC STRETCHING 

 

Static stretching is a bad thing to do before a run.

 

It is not uncommon for runners to lace up their running shoes and go for some deep toe-touching stretches or one-legged heel-to-bum quad stretches.

 

However, static stretching actually will affect our running performance, making it more difficult, rather than help us get warmed up.

 

Instead, starting our running session with some easy walking or jogging to get our heart rate up and blood flow to our muscles, followed by a dynamic stretching routine that targets our glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves.

 

The dynamic stretching routine could include leg swings, lunges, squats, and calf raises. 

 

This will allow our muscles to warm up, increase our range of motion, and reduce the risk of injury.

 

2.     DRINKING ALCOHOL

 

Drinking alcohol truly is one of the worst things to do before a run. 

 

A glass of wine or a beer the night before our morning run may seem wholesome, but even if we don’t feel hungover, even a small amount of alcohol can make our run feel much harder.

 

Also, drinking alcohol disturbs our sleep. Some studies have suggested that drinking as little as 355ml- 12oz of beer can disrupt the most beneficial kind of sleep.

Waking up exhausted and unsatisfied is one thing, but we should know that not getting enough sleep actually means that our body doesn’t recover as well from all your running training.

 

Alcohol is also a type of drug, meaning that too much of it could leave us dehydrated during our run.

 

For runners who enjoy drinking beer, to drink ice-cold beer after our run, it will probably taste much better and we will feel better.

 

3.     OVEREATING TOO CLOSE TO YOUR RUN

 

Overeating is one of the worst things to do before a run. 

 

This is an easy mistake to make if we have a planned long-distance run or a race day and we feel the need to carb load before getting to the starting line.

 

However, eating too much right before our run can make us feel uncomfortable, and we might experience stomach cramps during our session.

 

When we’re running, our digestive system gets put on the back burner when it comes to what our body prioritizes. During our run, our blood won’t be pumping to our digestive system as much as it usually would, and our food will take longer to digest. 

 

This means that if we eat too much at the last minute before our run, it will sit heavy in our stomach and leave us feeling unsatisfied. 

 

Fueling before our run with a small, light, carbohydrate-rich snack at least 15-30 minutes before we head out. It could be something simple according to our running distance, like a medjool date, a toast with peanut butter or honey, an energy bar, or even just a small or half banana.

 

If we eat a larger meal before our run, we should give it enough time to digest. 2-3 hours we should do. 

 

Whether for a marathon training run, half-marathon race, trail running, or speed session, we should eat something before every run so we do not go out on an empty stomach. We should focus not to eat too much food and just leave a sufficient amount of time for our body to process it before we start.

 

Another recommendation is we can consume a simple energy gel, if solid food affects our stomach in general before running.

 

4.     NOT GOING TO THE BATHROOM

 

Once we make this mistake, we will be sure not to make it again. 

Nothing is more frustrating than being out on a run and realizing too late that we should have spent an extra few minutes sitting on the toilet before heading out.

 

But when nature calls, if we’ve got to go, we’ve got to go. 

 

Needing to use a restroom during our run is incredibly inconvenient as it can disrupt the flow of our run or just be a straight-up nightmare if there’s no toilet available.

 

We should also focus on the time spent on the toilet into our pre-run schedule, especially if we have a tight morning. We won’t forget this crucial time to save some extra minutes.

 

PRO TIP:

if we’re heading out for a trail run or an ultramarathon, we should bring toilet paper. We never know when we will need to go to the toilet or on the trail.

 

5.     IGNORING YOUR BODY

 

This is probably also one of the worst things to do before a run. 

 

Before a run, we should take a moment to realize how our body is feeling, and readjust our training schedule, pace, and distance.

 

If we are completely exhausted from all our training, we should remember that rest should be a key part of our training schedule.

 

If we have an ache or pain, that will not stop annoying us and keep getting worse. We should listen to our body. Maybe it’s time to lay off the running, or see a physical therapist.

 

According to our body, how we are feeling, we should make good adjustments to our training schedule to support our muscles, joints and body’s overall health.

 

6.     DRINKING TOO MUCH TOO CLOSE TO YOUR RUN

 

We all know hydration is essential for running, but drinking too much water before heading out the door is one of the worst things to do before a run.

 

Doing so will likely leave our stomach feeling incredibly uncomfortable. 

 

If we drank lots of water before a run, we may be familiar with that nasty sloshing sensation in our gut. That’s what we should avoid, but drink just enough good water.

 

Hydration is key to good and efficient running performance. We should drink enough but not too much.

 

We should focus on being well-hydrated in our daily life for health and wellness in general.

Eight to ten cups of water is the standard recommendation, but if we are somewhere with hot weather and humidity, or we run long-distance or exercise more, we should drink more, and consume good electrolytes.

 

We should take small sips of water or our electrolyte sports drink at regular intervals for pre-run hydration.

 

Taking small sips is important so we don’t end up with that bloated stomach feeling.

 

We should stop drinking 5-10 mins before our run, so we should be well-hydrated for our run.

 

Avoid Pre-Run Mistakes, Focus On Good Pre-Run Plans To Feel Better, Healthier And Stronger, And Full Of Happiness!

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