You’ve put in the training and now you’re ready to toe the starting line for that running event. But one last question remains in your mind: how long should my warmup be? This is an excellent question that rightly assumes that some sort of warmup will be important to getting the most out of your race.
The warmup plays an important role in injury prevention and readies the body for the rigors of a race level intensity. Cold muscles are tight muscles; and tight muscles are more susceptible to strains and tears. A warmup raises the temperature of working muscles. It leads to vasodilation, or the widening of blood vessels, which increases blood flow throughout the body. This sends more oxygen to working muscles to produce energy to fuel your activity. The speed of nerve transmissions increases, along with the speed and force of muscle contractions. And joint mobility and flexibility are enhanced. In short, a proper warmup prepares the body to handle race level intensity from the time the starting gun fires.
As a general rule of thumb, the length of your warmup is inversely proportional to the length of the race. The shorter the race, the longer the warmup should be. In shorter races (or even in intermediate distance races for elite runners), the intensity from the start will be high. To be able to match that intensity from the gun, the engine needs to be fully revved up so it can fire on all cylinders. This requires a warmup that starts early and includes some higher intensity running to raise the heart rate and get the muscles firing at race pace and faster.
In contrast, the longer the race, the shorter the warmup needs to be. In longer races (or even in shorter races for novice runners), the racing distance tends to exceed a day’s typical training mileage. As a result, the intensity from the start is not as great. At these distances, the runner can use the beginning part of the race as an extension of the shorter warmup begun prior the starting gun. This especially applies to marathon racers who need a pre-race routine that provides a light warmup while conserving energy and muscle glycogen for the long effort ahead.
Regardless of the distance to be raced, I like to be at the race site at least an hour before the start. Even if you don’t need a full hour to warm up, this will ensure you have time to take care of pre-race logistics such as checking in and taking care of your bib number, timing chip, toilet stops, etc. It really is amazing how fast time flies in the hour before a race. This is where a rehearsed routine will help you make the most of that time.
Below are some sample pre-race warmup protocols. Choose one that works best for the distance you will be racing, your experience level at that distance, and the amount of time you are afforded prior to the race.
Full Pre-Race Warmup Protocol for Shorter Races (e.g. 10K, 5K, 3200m, 1600m, 800m)
| 60 minutes prior | 3-5 minutes muscle activation exercises |
| 55 minutes prior | 3-5 minutes dynamic stretching, leg swings |
| 50 minutes prior | 10-15 minutes easy running at warmup pace |
| 35 minutes prior | 5 minutes loosening skips and skipping drills |
| 30 minutes prior | Use toilet (if needed), take off warmups, put on racing singlet/shoes |
| 20 minutes prior | 4 x 100m strides with 90 seconds jog between |
| 10 minutes prior | Easy jog to starting area |
| 5 minutes prior | Calm walk to starting line, shake out legs to stay loose on the line |
Full Pre-Race Warmup Protocol for Longer Races (e.g. Half Marathon, 15K, 10K)
| 60 minutes prior | 5-10 minutes easy walking |
| 50 minutes prior | 3-5 minutes muscle activation exercises |
| 45 minutes prior | 3-5 minutes dynamic stretching, leg swings |
| 40 minutes prior | 5-10 minutes easy running at warmup pace |
| 30 minutes prior | Use toilet (if needed), take off warmups, put on racing singlet/shoes |
| 20 minutes prior | 5-10 minutes loosening skips and skipping drills |
| 10 minutes prior | Easy jog to starting area |
| 5 minutes prior | Calm walk to starting line |
Basic Pre-Race Warmup Protocol for Shorter Races (e.g. 15K, 10K, 5K)
| 30 minutes prior | 10-15 minutes easy running at warmup pace |
| 15 minutes prior | 5 minutes loosening skips, dynamic stretching, leg swings |
| 10 minutes prior | 2-3 x 100m strides with 90 seconds jog between |
| 5 minutes prior | Calm walk to starting line |
Basic Pre-Race Warmup Protocol for Longer Races (Marathon, Half Marathon)
| 30 minutes prior | 5-10 minutes walking |
| 20 minutes prior | 5-10 minutes easy running at warmup pace |
| 10 minutes prior | 5 minutes loosening skips, dynamic stretching, leg swings |
| 5 minutes prior | Calm walk to starting line |
Bare Bones Pre-Race Warmup Protocol for Late Arrivals
| 15 minutes prior | 5-10 minutes easy running at warmup pace |
| 5 minutes prior | Calm walk to starting line |
If you show up late to the start, don’t fret. In such cases, make the most of your time with the bare bones warmup and use the first part of the race as an extension of that warmup. This means you may need to adjust your race strategy a bit. Instead of going out at race pace, ease into that pace gradually after the first mile or so. You may even surprise yourself with a faster than expected performance due to the restraint you show in those early miles of the race.
The bottom line is that a good pre-race warmup gets your blood pumping and produces a light sweat. Find a routine that works for you and ritualize it before your races. This will lower pre-race anxiety and ensure you step on the starting line prepared for a good effort. Good luck, and remember to have fun!
