Ready to hit the ground running, Seattle? The UW Medicine Seattle Marathon may be 100+ days away, but the training starts now.

To get race day-ready, we asked the experts at UW Medicine Orthopedic Health and Sports Medicine for advice on how to properly prepare for the big day.

Always warm up

Warming up before any exercise increases blood flow to your muscles and raises your body temperature, which helps improve your performance and lowers your risk of injury.

Before you start running, you can warm up by easing into it with a brisk walk or light jog to get those muscles moving — or try adding these dynamic stretches to your warm up routine.

Protect your immune system

Did you know running affects the immune system? Research has shown that moderate-intensity running can strengthen the immune system while high-intensity running can temporarily weaken it.

This doesn’t mean you should avoid long or hard runs — instead, we should run smarter with a focus on prevention. Check out these simple steps to help reduce your risk of illness.

Make recovery a priority

Active recovery can do wonders for the body and reduce soreness.

“Research shows active recovery increases blood flow to your muscles, which flushes out the cellular byproducts of exercise and can help get your muscles back to their normal physiology so you can get back out and train,” says Dr. Mark Harrast, a sports medicine physician and medical director of the UW Medicine Sports Medicine Center at Husky Stadium.

Pro tip: Try these cool down stretches after your next run or workout.

Take injuries seriously

Injuries happen. Learn the difference between sprains and strains and know to visit the doctor. If medical attention is needed, the team at UW Medicine can help treat common running injuries.
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