• Static stretching (continuously holding a stretch position) is preferred over dynamic stretching (stretching through continuous movement) due to lower risk of injury.
• Stretching prior to exercise can be helpful for warming up the muscles, but flexibility benefits are incurred when the muscles are warmed up following exercise. Therefore the most important time to conduct a full stretching session is after the person finishes their workout.
• Stretching can decrease pain and soreness after exercise, however no evidence supports the theory that stretching immediately before exercise can prevent overuse or acute injuries.

Hamstrings:

Tight hamstrings are one of the most common problems runners of all types encounter. Tight hamstrings place extreme pressure on the lower back and hamper posture and performance. When these muscles are gradually and gently pulled or stretched, they become more engorged with blood and the nutrients necessary for function. The pelvis returns to a balanced level, stress is reduced on the lower back and the flexion [myoneural] reaction at the knee responds effectively.

Hamstring Stretch:

• While lying on your back, draw your left knee into your chest. Clasp your hands around the back of your thigh and press your thigh into your hands. Keeping the thigh taut, slowly extend your left foot to the ceiling until your leg is straight. Extend your heel towards the ceiling (point with the heel, not the toes). Keep the right leg extended, with the right thigh pressing down and toes pointing up throughout the stretch. Switch legs and repeat. Variation: Do this stretch with a strap or jump rope around your raised foot, which makes it easier to keep the leg fully extended.
• This is great for the hamstrings, calves, shoulders and lower back. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and then place your hands shoulder-width apart on the floor in front of you. Straighten your knees but do not lock them and lift your buttocks up high so that your pelvis tilts, making the lower-back arch. (downward dog from yoga)

ITBand:

The Iliotibial band (ITB) is a thick fascia that runs up the outside of the thigh. Fascia is like sausage casing and the ITB is a thickening of that sausage casing. It originates up by the top of the hip and ends on the outside of the knee. Two main muscles addressed when dealing with ITB syndrome are the Gluteus Maximus and Tensor Fasciae Latae muscles.Essentially the ITB is the linkage between the pelvis, upper leg, and the lower leg. Most distance runners will experience tight ITBs. Therefore, runners & walkers are encouraged to perform these stretches on a daily basis.

ITBand Stretches

• Put your hands on your hips and cross one foot over the other. Tighten your quads, then inhale and stretch your torso up. On an exhalation, bend forward at the hips (not the waist), coming down as far as you can. Rest your hands on the floor or on a support for balance if needed. Once down, "pull" your feet toward each other without actually moving them, to engage the iliotibial band. When you come up, keep your back straight. Repeat with your legs crossed the other way. Lastly, uncross your legs and repeat the forward bend with your feet placed hip-width apart, quads taut. Again, pull feet toward each other without moving them.
• Sit with your feet flat on the floor and slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Place your hands on the floor behind you for support. Place your left leg across your right knee, pushing the right knee in and down. Make sure you keep your right hip and foot flat on the floor.Lower the knee until the outside of your thigh becomes taut.
• Lie on your back with your left leg straight. Bring your right knee, bent, back toward your hip. Rotate your right heel toward your left hip. Grasp your right ankle with your left hand and your right knee with your right hand. Pull both equally and evenly back toward your shoulders. When the buttocks becomes taut, hold at that point.

Calves:

The calves are made up of the Gastrocnemius and the Soleus muscles. These two muscle groups also connect with the Achilles Tendons. If these muscles and tendons are tight they will most likely lead to further injury. Tight calves can lead to shin splints, plantar facitiis, and Achilles tendon tears. It is important to understand that all three of these areas need to be stretched to avoid injury.

Calf Stretches:

• Gastrocnemius: With your hands on a wall, slide your right leg back two or three feet and lean forward onto your left leg, knee bent. To stretch the right calf, straighten the right leg and firmly press the heel onto the floor or ground while letting the hip come forward. Point the toes of your right foot forward, not out to the side. Repeat with the left leg.
• Soleus: With your hands on the wall, slide your right leg back about two feet and lean forward onto the left leg, bent knee. Bend the right knee as much as possible while keeping the heel pressed firmly down on the floor. Repeat stretch with the left leg.
• Achilles Tendon: Stand close enough to a wall that you can touch it with the palms of your hands without leaning. Lift your left heel off the floor by bending the knee. While keeping your right foot flat on the floor, bend your right knee and lower your body. At this point the tension should be closer to your Achilles tendon then the calf.

Quadriceps:

The quadriceps muscle group ("quads") is made of four muscles along the front of the thigh. They all share the tendon that encloses the kneecap and attaches to the top of the shin, and they extend the lower leg. Three of them just work the knee joint, and the fourth, the one on top and in the middle of the front of your thigh, also helps raise the thigh (along with iliopsoas). Trigger points in these muscles can cause pain in your knee and all along the front and outside of the thigh as far up as the pelvis. Trigger points in quadriceps are one of the chief causes of knee pain in runners.

Quadricep Stretches

• With one hand on the wall for support, use the other to grasp your foot behind you. Keep your standing leg firm (keep the quadriceps taut) and stand up tall. As you draw the heel toward your buttocks, press the bent knee forward without actually letting it move too far in front of the standing leg's knee. Gently tuck your tailbone forward at the same time, which will increase the sensation of lengthening in the quadriceps. Repeat with the other leg.
• Lie on your right side with your right knee bent at a 90-degree angle. Bend your left leg and hold onto the ankle with your left hand. Gently pull your left heel in toward the left side of your butt. As soon as you feel a stretch in your left quad, slowly lower your left knee toward the floor behind your right knee. Hold and repeat with the other leg. Perform this stretch 2 or 3 times both before and after running.

Shins:

The shins are located on the front of the lower leg and can become very sore and irritated from increasing mileage too quickly, running on uneven or hard surfaces, not strengthening the area and not stretching. It is important to keep the calves, which we have already discussed and the shins flexible to reduce the risk of injury.

Shin Stretches:

• Kneel on a carpeted floor, legs and feet together and toes pointed directly back. Then slowly sit back onto your calves and heels, pushing your ankles into the floor until you feel tension in the muscles of your shin. Hold for 10 to 12 seconds, relax and repeat.
• In a sitting position, trace the alphabet on the floor with your toes. Do this with each leg. Or alternate walking on your heels for 30 seconds with 30 seconds of regular walking. Repeat four times. These exercises are good for both recovery and prevention. Try to do them three times a day.

Please note: We are have moved our starting location to Cypress Bend Park! 

Full marathoners: Same route as last week, but with a nice little neighborhood tour in Gruene for that extra mile.

Half marathoners: Same route as last week.

Directions for both:

Start at Cypress Bend Park

Out of park

R on Peace

L on Mather (immediately out of park)

L on Union

R on Lincoln/Garden

L on Comal

L on Faust

Go to Faust Bridge (2 miles)  HALF GROUP TURNAROUND

Full group continue over Faust Bridge

L on Ridgewood

R on Church Hill

Curve left on Post to Old Austin Rd

Keep curving left to parking lot along Loop 337

Right at parking lot

R on Industrial

L on Gruene Rd.

Water will be close to the intersection of Hanz & Gruene Rd.

CHANGE FROM LAST WEEK: R on Sunnybrook after you pass Gruene Lake Village and before you enter historic Gruene

L on Fox Glen

L at end of Fox Glen

R on Clearwater

L on Hunter until it meets Gruene Rd again

Follow Gruene Rd down the hill, across the river, under the Loop, past Torrey Park, up the hill to Veramendi 

L on Veramendi

L on Common

R on Peace

Back to park

Volunteers needed!

Do you have friends or family that would like to show their support and help work a water table? Each color group rotates responsibility for finding volunteers to staff the aid station each week. Here is the upcoming rotation schedule. Contact your coach or site organizer if you have a volunteer to help!