5 Julia Hembree Smith

After a run, your heart rate is elevated and you may be breathing faster. Your muscles and the rest of your body are on alert, too. It is in your best interest to take a few minutes to bring your body back to a balanced state because taking this time will help loosen up muscles that might be tight from clocking all those miles day after day. If you stretch and cool down postrun while your key running muscles are still warm,your body and mind will be better prepared for your next run.

The two of us—both longtime runners who work at the Scott Murr, co-author of (FIRST) in Greenville, South Carolina, frequently hear from runners who want to get faster and enjoy the sport for life, as well as, unfortunately, from those who’ve given up on running entirely. Mostly, they stopped because injuries have made it too frustrating or too painful to continue.

To that end, we spend a lot of time discussing what we can do now to increase the likelihood that we’ll log miles well into old age. We want to be able to keep doing what we love to do—and that’s probably a goal of yours, too.

Based on our experiences as athletes, coaches, and exercise scientists, we developed the 7-Hour Workout Week, which is detailed in our book Extend left leg straight out on the floor. The plan includes activities to enhance cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, The Best Yoga Routine to Address Menstrual Cramps.

How to Strengthen Your IT Band faster. Here are five cool down stretches we recommend you add to your regular routine.

Runners World: RUN LESS, RUN FASTER: Perform the stretches immediately following a run or workout. Hold each stretch for 30 seconds on each side. Repeat as many rounds as needed. An exercise mat is optional, but will make each move more comfortable. Jess Movold, run coach and certified trainer, demonstrates each move.