This is it! If you’re running the NYC Marathon on Sunday it’s taper time which means you’re feeling equal bits of excitement and phantom pains. Katy Lush, the founder of Chicago River North Pilates and Lush Living, specializes in restorative/rehabilitation exercises and shared these three stretches to do before and after the race.
The Doorway Lean
Grab the inside of a doorway with your fingers and step away until your elbow is straight. Walk your feet about 6” closer to the doorway and hang in a lean. Ahhhh! Bonus if you want to add a mini pull up!
When you’re running a lot you’re pumping your arms with bent elbows, front and back. The doorway lean is the antithesis of this by not only stretching your overly crooked arm, but also loading the tissues out to the side to keep shoulders happy. If you add the pull up, you add bicep and shoulder work which you don’t get any of while running.
Life Bending Lunge
Kneel on high knees (add a pad under your knees if needed). Step your right foot forward to a 90-degree angle in front of you. Take your left arm up to the ceiling and side bend over to the right. Feel that gorgeous psoas and hip flexor stretch. Bonus, add a small tuck of your pelvis.
Running involves a lot of hip flexion and spinal rotation and those quads take on a lot of force on impact. I love doing a lunge of any kind to counter that and since side bending is a complementary spinal motion to rotation, it’s nice to cross train with an added side bend to a lunge.
Walk On Uneven Terrain
You typically train on flat and level concrete. The Chicago Marathon specifically is known for being so flat and those feet would love to move between their joints. Find some rocks or pebbles to walk on. And bonus if you go barefoot.
Check out www.katylush.com for more!