My Two Cents on Stretching

So I see a lot of debate on whether to stretch before or after a run.

To me it's quite simple. Take a few minutes to get it done. Your body will thank you sooner and later.

Tight muscles are why I spent six months going to the physical therapist to get stretched and dry needled. I thought it was because I had a calf strain, but the real reason was that my muscles were tight.

Tight muscles are not able to absorb shock as well as muscles that are loosened and ready for action. I've taken the extra few minutes to stretch my hamstrings and my calves before and after every run (when muscles are warmed up, especially in the Georgia heat). Between that and adjusting to a midfoot strike, I've been healthy and it's been nearly a year since I had my calf outbreak that sent me to the therapist.

Funny story-- many years ago, I thought that when I lost weight I would be able to touch my fingers to my toes while my legs were straight. So I lost the weight, but I still couldn't get it done without bending my knees.

Turned out that my muscles were tight and that I was very inflexible. A regular stretching program takes care of that and prepares them for action.

Some decent weeks of running around here-- 25-ish miles each of the last three weeks, and we are on pace for a fourth this week. When there was no school there was no structure to my days and I'd run twice a week instead of five as is teh case now.

My monthly goal for each month in 2016 is to run 90 or more miles, and I'll make it this month to make it 50/50 on achieving this goal. On the months I've missed, I've come way short, but the times I've made it, I've only had a few miles to spare. So I was 70 miles short (380 miles at the end of May, behind the goal of 450). I should get a few miles back in June.