Foam Rolling before and after running is critical to avoid injury. The following links are some of our favorite foam rolling techniques: Best Foam Rolling Moves

One of our favorite ways to map out a run at any location is the Gmap-pedometer. We have mapped out runs from Dover, New Hampshire to Sembach, Germany. Easy to use and you can save your routes. Gmap-Pedometer

You just finished running and you barely have time to shower and get to work, who has time (or desire) to stretch? Post-run stretching is done by less than 30 percent of runners. What are the benefits of making time for stretching after we run? Running is a continuous pounding and stress on muscles and the fascia (fiber that covers our muscles) that start at our feet and go all the way up to our necks. Depending on our running gait (form), we tend to stress some areas of our anatomy more than others and multiply that by however many times we run each week, and you have a body that gets beat up pretty good. Lack of specific attention to a post-run body, will compound the damage and can lead to tightness, that we do not even realize adversely affects our running efficiency and running gait. Tight, sore muscles and scarring of the fascia, is what we feel after a tough or long run and while it may not be avoidable, we can help ourselves start the healing process by post-run stretching.

No Finish Line Running finishes all group runs with this comprehensive set of stretches: Sun Salutation A

Why stretch before we run? Many of us roll out of bed, or jump out of our vehicles, do a few cursory stretches and then hit the road running. Often these stretches are somewhat stationary (static), and have no physical value whatsoever. Studies have varied about the value of pre-running stretching and the one consistent finding is that static stretching has zero value. The idea that our bodies can stretch a muscle that has not been active, is completely wrong. What science has told us, is our bodies function best when we warm up our muscles and prepare them for even more strenuous activity. This process is call dynamic stretching. Dynamic stretching essentially means that we actively move to warm up the muscles that we will put under stress during our running. Warm muscles react better to stress (exercise) and less likely to pull, sprain or tear. Warm muscles also perform at a higher level, which is important when you want to get to a certain pace immediately.

A strength training workout for runners that targets the hips and core. Complete workout two to three times per week. The Workout: Jumping Jacks (50) Standing Squats (without weights until comfortable) - 15 or 30 seconds Focus: Sit back and focus on the glutes doing the work. Keep your back neutral and eyes forward. Go as low as possible while maintaining posture. T-Pushups (without weights until comfortable) - 10 each arm or 30 seconds Focus: Slow controlled movements with a focus on the core controlling the downward motion of the arm (eccentric) Bridge with straight leg dip - 10 each foot or 30 seconds Focus: Keep hips even and core tight Plank rotation (hold each for 5 seconds) - 6 sets or 30 seconds Focus: Good strong core with back, butt and legs all aligned. Slow steady movements. Step Drops (Use support to keep balance) - 15 each foot or 30 seconds per foot Focus: Keep hips aligned and focus on the hips controlling the movement slowly.