Now that we’ve established a need for a warmup, how do we go about warming up most effectively?
First rule of thumb: Have a plan! Things to be considered include travel time, prep time (getting bike together, waxing warmup skis) socializing/checking people out, warmup time (oh yeah, that), and getting to the start on time.
Second rule of thumb: Get there with enough time! I like to give myself at LEAST 30 minute before the warmup EVEN STARTS to make sure I actually have enough time. This 30 minutes is used to pin numbers, tie shoes, find water bottles, etc. so that when it’s time to warmup, you can actually warm up instead of screwing around.
Third rule of thumb: The shorter the race, the longer and more intense the warmup. For racing a 5K, I will probably prescribe a 30-45 minute warmup. For a marathon, maybe only 20 minutes. For a mile? Probably an hour. Ya dig?
Fourth rule of thumb: Length and intensity of warmup also change by temperature. If it’s cold, you need to work a little more to get all the systems heated up and revvin’ right. If it’s warm, you need to make sure you don’t overheat, so you lessen the warmup a bit.
I like to start with a basic form of:
Low Intensity for 5-20 minutes
2-3 intervals progressing from just under threshold to just above race pace
Low Intensity for a few minutes
Strides/sprints/jumps
5-10 minutes of walking/chilling/chatting
From this basic outline, change some things around, and figure out what works best for you!
