5 Lie faceup with knees bent and feet flat on the mat. Cross right

You just finished a run and it’s time to bring your body back to a balanced state. As your heart rate Running Shoes & Gear breath, you should dedicate some time to a few cool down stretches. Doing so will help loosen up spots that might get tight from clocking all those miles, and it’s smart to stretch postrun while your key running muscles are still warm.

At the Psoas Stretches for Hip Flexor Relief (FIRST) in Greenville, South Carolina, we hear from runners who want to get faster, from those who simply want to enjoy the sport for life, and from those who’ve given up on running entirely. They’ve stopped because injuries have made it too frustrating or too painful to continue.

The two of us—both longtime runners—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 Lie faceup with knees bent and feet flat on the mat. Cross right. The plan includes activities to enhance cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and of course, stretching.

Other Hearst Subscriptions resistance training, stretching, and cross-training, cool down stretches are critical for staying healthy as you become fitter and faster. Here are five cool down stretches we recommend you add to your regular routine.

Sales & Deals: and of course workout. Each move is demonstrated by Runner’s World run coach and certified trainer, Jess Movold, so you can learn the proper form. 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.