How to Warm Up Before a Race

Anytime you run a race and the first mile of the race felt the toughest, it's because you did not warm up. A proper warm up will loosen up your muscles to run and warm up you blood so that it makes it easier to run fast from the start. Warming up will also help prevent injury. So what do you need to do to warm up properly before a race?

1. Drop off your gear and use the rest room.

2. 45 minutes before the race begin your warm up with a 15 minute run at 30 seconds slower than your long run pace. Around 10 minutes, run 200 meters at race pace. This will wake your muscles up and let them know it's time to race. All this time you should be wearing running pants and a top with long sleeves to assist with getting your body warm.

3. Go to wear you had dropped off your gear. Take off your warm up clothes. Switch your shoes to flats if you are running with them. Have a drink of sport drink to increase your blood sugar. Go find a free bathroom and use it.

4. Run for another 10 minutes about half way through run 200 meters at race pace.

    

   Now you are ready to get onto the starting line.

    

   Another trick is to prepare a small disposable water bottle fixed with a sport cap attached containing sport drink. It's small enough you can carry with you when you warm up and take into the starting queue before the race. You can dispose of the bottle before the start of the race.