Do you warm up and cool down? And still manage to do something in between? As always share your top tips and weekend triumphs and woes below the line

Having spent yesterday in a ‘Leadership in Running Fitness’ course, I definitely set a PB for time spent talking about, thinking about and discussing running in one day. Actually doing much of it, not so much, though I don’t think I’ve ever done so much warming up (for drills, and as participant in demonstrations) in my life. Personally I’ve always subscribed to the ‘best warm up for running is running’ school of thought - the first mile of a long run, or an easy mile on the track before a session, followed by some drills. Though I’m sure I don’t get the balance right something - I’m pretty sure this morning’s run commute was about 40% warm up and 55% cool down ..

So warming up I’m probably ok on. But cooling down and stretching, not so much. The trouble is, like most people I suspect, my runs often end in a hurry - at work, with no time for anything other than a quick shower. Or at home, and running late for a children’s party/playdate/violin lesson chauffeur duties/insert other my-life-is-so-glamorous activity here. I’m sure that a bit of stretching would be an excellent idea, post run, but oddly though I can find the time to run an hour before work, I can’t seem to find two minutes to stretch my calves. Tell me I’m not alone! Together, I’m sure we can crack this. Albeit really really slowly because we’ve all been sitting at our desks for far too long and every muscle in our bodies has seized up and apparently the two minute walk to the canteen is now basically an ultramarathon.

So, over to you. Your top tips on not going straight from run to deskbound hamstrings of concrete, as well as your race reports from a weekend of racing. That’s the Monday morning debrief: come for the group stretch, stay for the stories. Now, everyone, stand on one leg and hold that ankle behind you ...