Amy and I have had some recent conversations about the warm up miles of workouts. They are usually forgotten about by the time the run is over, with the speed work getting the real attention, even though warm up is such an integral part of the run. When the warm up does occasionally get discussed, it’s usually about how bad we felt during it.
For any sort of speed workout, whether it’s intervals or a tempo run, a warm up is key to making the workout successful physically. It gets our body warmed up and ready to run hard. Mentally though, sometimes the warm up can make us crazy!
The last couple weeks at track my warm ups have been very slow and uncomfortable. I am tired, my body is achy and this is where it really shows.
I have had experience with this before and I KNOW that a warm up does not make or break a workout. I know this yet still have problems with it, and it seems to be a common thing for runners. Even though we know it deep down, when our body feels bad during those first miles, we still tend to convince ourselves that the entire workout is going to be a bad one. Sometimes we even talk ourselves completely out of the workout or just let it get the best of our mental state.
Then somehow (though not always), the intervals start and the magic happens. Your legs show up, you continue to warm up, you run fast, you run faster than you have in a very long time, you are happy, you feel great and you forget all about those bad warm up miles.
The warm up got your body ready to go and it served it’s purpose exactly as it should.
This week’s track workout was a perfect example of the above.
Warm up: 2.1 miles @ 9:50 avg pace my legs did not want to move
Workout: 5 – 7 x 1000m with 200 jog/walk in between
1 – 4:36 feeling better, this might not be so bad after all
2 – 4:32 yay a little faster but I better be careful if I want to negative split these!
3 – 4:30 faster again, noticing a trend
4 – 4:28 alright it’s time to push it
5 – 4:24 seriously considered stopping while I was ahead on this one
6 – 4:15 talked into one more and pulled off a huge negative split!
I compared it to the last time I did 1000m repeats in week 4 and my average this time (4:28) was my fastest one last time… take that crappy warm up!
I cooled down to finish off 9 miles for the day and was very happy with this workout.
9.0 miles/1:16:32/8:30 avg pace
The next time you feel bad during your warm up miles, just remember that the warm up does not define the workout! Do not let a bad warm up ruin what is going to be a great run. Even if your legs don’t show up this time, they will very soon and the runs where they do click are worth all those ones where they don’t.
Do you ever struggle physically or mentally with warm up miles?
It’s sooo true!!! Good to know I’m not the only one. And way to nail that workout yesterday!
Yup- warmup miles can be sluggish….Before speed workouts,I try to purposefully keep myself in really easy zone 1 using my heart rate monitor :O
Uuugh I hate warming up!!!
I love seeing your workouts!! You’re my running idol!
I call those first 3-5 miles my “ugly miles” because they just aren’t FUN and I’m usually so discouraged.
Ugh my warm ups have been close to unbearable lately!
Eek…. my warm ups are pretty much non existent, aside from speed days.
Hi, Aron! Loving this blog thus far and felt compelled to comment here. I just wanted to say that I don’t always warm up with a slower jog first. Actually, I rarely do but now I’m thinking of doing so more often. I always feel crunched for time and just want to get out there and push it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this and I’m thinking of incorporating a warm up today with my run. Have a great one!
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I think you just broke into my brain and stole my thoughts. Girl, I could not agree more with you. The warm-up always freaks me out a little bit when I start going and think….it is hurting to do my miles at this pace…um, what about when I try to take off a huge amount of time. LOVED this post!! I too always forget about the warm up after the workout and only remember the speed work!
Warm-up for me on the track is the worst! I would much rather get to the good stuff…But it’s true – Warm-up is essential to training.
Cheers!
I think you said “Don’t judge a run by the first mile.” and I seriously live by that with my runs/warm ups.
Some days I have a hard time going slow at the start and I think it ends up being worse. I just need to remind myself that fast start = early burn out!
Great job on your speed workout.
YES! I thought today I should have linked that post to this one (http://www.runnersrambles.com/2010/11/the-first-mile.html)
Warm up and cool down miles can sometimes be the worst miles of my runs but I accept them for what they are and try to move on from them.
My warm up almost always sucks. I spend the time telling myself..”just make it through this, then the fun begins”
Sometimes during a warm-up I can’t help thinking that I’m delaying the inevitable! But I agree, if your warm-up is awful it does NOT mean your whole run will be awful.
I’ve been hearing a lot about active/dynamic warm-ups. It totally makes sense! I’m hoping once I really get back into running to incorporate warm ups like those and avoid those dreadful first miles
I’m totally with Michelle, going too fast the first mile of a run can lead your heartrate to spike, and this seems to bring on more fatigue during runs. I try to take my heartrate up gradually, but that is easier said than done, haha
I generally just warmup as part of my regular run, except for speed workouts when it’s very key to do a longer warmup like you did today so that your body is ready to run at whatever pace the workout calls for (during normal runs I find that I usually do my fastest miles in the middle of the run, because my body is fully warmed up, but its not fatigued yet)
The first two miles are the worst of any run. Then it gets better!
Warm up miles are so good for you!
I always hate my warm up on the treadmill! I always feel slow and my legs hate the first few minutes until they get warmed up! It usually a little different outdoors – Don’t know why!
Great post! How many miles do you recommend for a warm up? I usually do 0.5 miles and then start my tempo or speed workout.I think, it’s too short, but I’m not patient enough
YES! i totally struggle with warming up. i always want to just jump right into the workout. well usually, mostly i just want to start so i can end and feel bamf
I feel like I’m always in the “warm up” miles these days.
WArm up miles are the worst. It takes me a good 2 1/2 to 3 to get going. THat’s why my 5K times are so bad. It’s almost like there is a HUGE hand holding me back for those initial miles. Guess it’s a good thing since I’ll never start out a race going to fast
I am so easily psyched out with running! My warm up is slow or painful and I assume I won’t keep up with the group and so I don’t even try. I had your post in my mind last night. I did my warm up slow and consistent with the pack blazing past me. When it came time for the actual run, I kept up with my buddy in a faster pace group and we did our miles a minute faster than I usually do and it felt GREAT!
GREAT JOB!!!! Its so easy to psych yourself out (I do it too) but its the BEST feeling when we push through it and nail the work out! Thanks for the comment
Yes! This always happens to me. It tends to be: the crappier the warm-up, the better the workout. So bizarre.
i used to struggle so much with the first mile, but lately the second one has been tougher. can you write a post about cool down and post run stretches? i am so terrible at it, what do you do?
I had another request for this so I will do my best!! If I don’t give good advice I am sure there will be some in the comments. Will try to get something up this week.