Recently I’ve been getting reprimanded by Cameron to start warming up better before my runs. Typically I just head straight for the treadmill, since I like to get sh*t done, and I know we don’t have all night at the gym. Unfortunately as my calf and quad soreness start to increase with more half marathon training (and transitioning painfully from the treadmill to the pavement), I definitely feel the need for some kind of stretch and warmup before I start my run.

It sure can be annoying to wait, especially when you already feel hype from the pre-workout, but warming up the legs and core for even 15 minutes beforehand can really help build more muscle while preventing common running injuries.

At the *bare minimum* you should be doing these five before your run!

1. Sun salutation

2. Standing quad stretch

3. Half Squats (full squat can actually exacerbate injury)

4. Calf raises (tiptoes)

5. High knees & butt kickers

I tend to do 30 seconds to a minute of each exercise with 10 seconds of rest in between, then repeat the whole set. Sometimes I’ll also hold 15-pound weights in each hand when I do my calf raises. By this time I’m antsy and more than ready to start my run, but now with a little less risk of discomfort or injury!

What do you like to do to warm up? Or are you more of a hit-the-road type like me?