Just Cool It...and don't skip the cool-down

What happens after the run?

There are many benefits to warming up before a run (or a race), but did you know a proper cool-down is also beneficial? Taking a few minutes to cool down not only benefits your body, but also your mind. It gives your heart rate a chance to return to normal as well as your breathing.

And let's not forget about the muscles that made the workout possible. A little stretching and TLC will enable them to relax and cool down as well.

That said, every body is different, and every runner has their own preferences. Time is also a crucial factor...for many of us, once the run is done, we usually have somewhere else we need to be.

Although I don't invest a great deal of time in the cool-down, I still try to do a few things following every run. Even a few minutes of simple stretching is better than nothing.

Here are a few of my tried & true cool-down  tactics:

If time allows, I take a short walk. Often times, this may just be walking the last 2-3 blocks back to my house after a run, or even just some pacing back and forth following a race. A lot of times, my dog, Max, will be waiting for me at home, so I'll take him around the block. That's a win-win, for both of us.

For myself, nothing feels better than some inverted stretching. The forward fold is one of my all-time favorite yoga positions; the gentle pulling of the hamstrings, while bent over, feels so relaxing. I also vary my leg position while bending over.

 

Often times, I do a few of my warm-up drills, but in a more slow, controlled motion. Anything to keep the legs moving, if even for a short while, will help ease the muscles as your breathing and heart rate return to normal.

Depending on the length of the run, nothing beats the legs up the wall.  This feels especially euphoric after a long run, which (for me) is anything over 8-10 miles. The key is finding adequate wall space!

Now that my knee has almost completely healed, I'm embracing child's pose like nothing else. I think I can feel every muscle in my entire body stretch and release in this pose.

Finally, if time allows, a few minutes of twisting always feel great!

Anyways,that's a small preview of my cool-down routine. It's rare that I'll have time (or available space, if I'm at a race) to do all of them all of the time. All of them, though, are definitely worth the investment for a few minutes following some time in the running shoes.

How about you? Do you spend a few minutes cooling down after a run or a race? Got any favorite stretches or yoga poses?

I'm linking this with Kim and Zenaida for the Tuesday Topics Link-Up

**I'm also linking this with Debbie and Marc  for the Running Coaches' Corner

By the way...are you following me on social media? You can find me at these various platforms:
Let's connect : Facebook Instagram  Pinterest Twitter