Chartered Physiotherapists Karen Coughlan and Sinead Murphy have devised the following advice for athletes.

The objective of a warm up is to increase body temperature and blood flood to the muscles and joints of the limbs in preparation for training. The best way to warm up your tissues is to keep moving.

Start your watch to count down 10 minutes.

• Minutes 0-5: Commence a slow jog or quick walk
• Minutes 5-10: Increase the pace to a run. Alternate between a slow and fast running up to your training pace. During this period you can improve flexibility by varying your movement patterns to include high knees (fig. 1); heel kicks (fig. 2); or for those just out of the office trunk twisting. You need to keep moving at all times.

Fig.1

Fig.2

Fig. 3

Core Strengthening

Your "core" refers to your stomach, back and buttock muscles. Core muscles work to support the spine and pelvis helping to maintain your posture during activity.

A strong core leads to more efficient running and reduces the energy required for you to cover each mile.

Your core is activated by gently tensioning your pelvic floor or bladder muscles. The following exercises will challenge your ability to maintain this tension as you move the limbs or trunk. Try to maintain your back and pelvis position in "neutral" which is found mid way between tipping the pelvis forwards and back. Try to keep your back and pelvis steady throughout each exercise.

Core strengthening exercises can be carried out on days were you are not running or when you have recovered following one of your shorter runs. The focus during these exercises is on quality more so than quantity, therefore they should not be carried out when you are fatigued. The exercises are best performed in a circuit; spending initially one minute on each exercise working on slow, controlled repetitions, progress this gradually to two, then three minutes. Again, concentrate on maintaining control throughout the exercises not on the number completed

1) Opposites

Starting position: Laying on your back, arms pointing straight up to the sky, hips and knees at 90degrees as if resting on a coffee table. Focus on keeping your trunk and ribs connected with the floor.  Activate your core. Control lengthening of your right leg away from your centre, meanwhile lengthen the left arm overhead.  Repeat with the opposite side.

Starting Position

Starting position: As per the previous exercise. This time place your hands behind your head to support your neck which should remain relaxed through the exercise.  Activate your core. Control lengthening of your left leg away from your centre, meanwhile peel your head and shoulders off the ground twisting through your ribs/chest looking towards your right knee. Repeat with the opposite side.

Starting Position

2) The Plank

Starting position:  On your hands and knees. Hands should be placed slightly forwardsof your head, neck nice and long and back/pelvis in their neutral position. Activate your core and draw the knees 1cm off the floor to hover. Squeezing your buttock muscles push through your toes moving your body forward over your hands into the plank position. Return to hands and knees.
Fig.1	Fig.2

Starting position: As per the last exercise. The challenge here is to control your back as you use the powerful buttock muscles to lift the leg.  Activate your core. Tighten your buttock muscles to move the leg behind you. Keep the leg flexed at 90degrees and lengthen the foot towards the sky.

Buttock Strengthening

4) Squat

Starting position: Standing tall with the legs hip width apart, toes pointing forwards. Position your pelvis and back into "neutral". Activate your core. Slowly sit back into a squat as if sitting down onto a chair, your knees should move in train tracks between your hips and middle toes. Keep your weight towards the heels of your feet, lengthening through the sitting bones. You can use the arms to counterbalance as you perfect this exercise.

Squat

5) Heel Raises

Starting position: Standing tall on one leg Activate your core. Slowly push your weight upwards lifting your body onto your toes. Replace.

Heel Raises

6) The Lunge

Starting position: Standing with the right leg forward, left leg behind at strides length. Activate your core. Slowly sink down into the lunge as you keep the front leg upright. Try to keep the pelvis facing forwards at all times. Push upwards through the legs evenly to stand up.

The Lunge

Cool Down and Stretch

After running your muscles tend to shorten in response to the workload of the session. Static stretching will restore muscles to their normal length; this will reduce your injury risk. Ten minutes of cool down and stretch is a valuable investment in your marathon training. Start your watch again. Jog slowly or walk for five minute, stretch for a further five minutes.

Hold each stretch for 30 seconds. Gently move into the range where you feel the muscle tightens, do not bounce or push into pain.

Bring the heel towards your buttock on one side. Tighten the buttock muscles on this side to increase the stretching sensation.

Quadriceps

Place the left knee on the ground. Right leg forward. Tighten the buttock muscles on the left to stretch the front of this hip.

Hip Flexors

Calf Muscles

In walk standing. Feet pointing forward. Keep your heel in contact with the ground as you lean forward into the stretch.

Calf Muscles

Deep Calf Muscles

In walk standing. Feet pointing forward. Keep your heels in contact with the ground as you bend your knees sinking down into the stretch.

Deep Calf Muscles

Hamstrings

Lying on your back. Grasp the back of your knee and straighten the leg up towards the sky.

Hamstrings

Buttocks

Place your right foot on your left knee opening your right hip out to the side. Draw your left knee up towards your chest to feel the stretch in the back of your right hip.

Buttocks

Foam Roller Series

Iliotibial Band Release	Calf Muscle Release
Quadriceps Release	Gluteal Release

Karen Coughlan MISCP completed a Masters in Sports Physiotherapy (University of Melbourne 2004). She currently works extensively in sport from Cahir Physiotherapy, Craft Granary, Church Street, Cahir, Co. Tipperary (+ 353 87 932 2373)

Sinead Murphy MISCP MCSP completed a Masters in Physiotherapy (Kings College London, 2000) and Post Graduate Diploma in Sports Physiotherapy (University College London 2004). Based in Cork she currently works with athletes at The Locker Room, 25 Washington Street, Cork City (+353 86 885 0217)