Stretching is a crucial part of your running routine. It  helps prevent injuries and stiffness and leaves your muscles long and relaxed.

Always stretch after you exercise, not before when your muscles are cold. Think of your muscles like a piece of gum. If you try to stretch a cold piece of gum, it doesn’t give too much and when it does, it usually snaps. If you stretch a piece of gum that's warm and soft, it will stretch quite far before breaking.

You probably can't break your muscles, but overstretching can result in small tears in the muscle that may cause pain and increase the chance of more injuries.

Stretching tips

• Give your body a few minutes to cool down after exercising before stretching. Don't sit or lie down until your breathing has returned to a relaxed rate.
• Don't bounce while stretching as it may overstretch muscles and cause injury.
• Breathe and stay relaxed while holding a stretch.
• Hold each stretch until you feel the muscle loosen, about 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat each stretch two or three times.
• You should feel mild discomfort (the stretching sensation). If not, your technique may be incorrect.
• If you experience pain, ease off the stretch until the pain goes away.
• Don’t compare your flexibility to others. Everyone will have different levels of natural flexibility. Work on improving your own.
• Stop immediately if you feel severe pain.
• Don't stretch an injured muscle unless a doctor or physiotherapist has told you to.
• Stretch both sides of your body evenly.

Quadriceps (the front of your thigh)

• Hold on to something for balance (a wall or partner’s shoulder).
• Lift your left foot towards your bum by bending at the knee.
• Hold your left leg by the ankle or top of foot with your left hand.
• Keep your right leg slightly bent.
• Keep your knees together.
• Stand up straight. You will not get a better stretch by bending forward.
• Think of pointing and pushing your left knee towards the floor.
• Gently press your left hip forward, increasing the feeling of the stretch.
• You should feel the stretch in your left hip and thigh.
• Hold for 15 to 30 seconds.
• Repeat the stretch with your right leg.
• Shake legs out and repeat two or three times per leg

Calves (the back part of your lower leg)

• Take a large step forward so you can bend your front leg and keep your back leg straight.
• Keep the heel of your back foot flat on the ground.
• Keep both feet pointed forward.
• Bend your front leg forward until you feel the calf of your back leg stretch.
• Do not allow the knee of your front leg to go past your toes.
• Hold your upper body straight, do not lean forward.
• Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.
• Switch legs and repeat.
• Shake legs out and repeat two or three times per leg.

Hamstrings (the back of your thighs)

• Sit on the floor with one leg extended and the other tucked in towards your body.
• With a straight back, lean towards the foot that is extended.
• Once you feel a stretch in your hamstring, hold for 15 to 30 seconds.
• Switch legs and repeat.
• Shake your legs out and repeat two or three times per leg.

Inner thigh

Sitting stretch

• Sit on the ground.
• Bring your feet up towards your body by bending your legs, with the soles of your shoes against each other, letting your knees fall out to either side.
• Place your hands on your ankles and your elbows on your knees.
• Slowly bend forward with a straight back, pressing on your knees gently with your elbows until you feel the stretch in your inner thighs.
• Hold for 15 to 30 seconds.
• Shake legs out and repeat two or three times.

Standing stretch

• Stand with your feet spread about two to three feet apart and your hands on your hips.
• With your feet pointed forward, bend your left knee, bringing your weight over the bent leg.
• Your right leg will remain straight with your knee facing forward.
• Don't allow your left knee to bend past the point of your toes. If this happens, your legs are not spread out far enough.
• You should feel this stretch on the inside of your right inner thigh.
• You can lean your hands on your left knee for extra support.
• Hold for 15 to 30 seconds.
• Shift your weight over to your right leg and repeat the directions above.
• Shake your legs out and repeat two or three times per leg.

When to stretch

The stretches listed above should be done after every run. If you want to stretch at other times, make sure you have done a warm up of five to 10 minutes of moderate activity like brisk walking or easy running before hand.