15/01/2026
This is part of my warm up before I run.
I do this because I want to care for my body, not just get the run done.
I want running to be something I can keep coming back to long term, not something that slowly turns into an injury source.
I usually start with my feet, especially in the morning.
Waking them up with pressure, rolling them out, and then moving into the ankles, dorsiflexion, plantar flexion and circles. I’ll often do this standing on one leg so balance, hip flexors and feet are all coming online together.
I spend time opening up the toes, particularly the big toe. It plays a huge role in forward motion when we run.
From there I’ll do marching on the spot, knees lifting high, staying tall, feet landing back underneath me. It’s not about moving forward, it’s about control, strength and connection. I often do this on my Solemate for the extra foot opening and balance challenge.
Using the Solemate from adds so much to this warm up for me. It brings balance and foot work into almost every exercise, rather than treating them as a separate thing.
I add spinal rotations to warm up movement through the spine, calf raises to prep the lower legs, single leg squats and lunges to fire up the glutes and posterior chain.
I usually finish by walking backwards up the driveway. Backwards walking lights up the posterior chain in a way forwards walking just doesn’t.
Warming up properly matters.
It builds strength and resilience, reduces injury risk, and helps my body feel ready to run the distance.
This isn’t about a perfect routine, it’s just one example of how I warm up, shaped by how my body’s feeling on the day and how it felt after the last run, so I can keep doing something I love.
Morgan xx
