[This article originally appeared in the
June 2003
issue of Runner's World
magazine.]
Q.What's the purpose of
cooling down after a hard workout? What happens if I don't do it? --T.K.,
Cumberland, MD
A. If you skip the cooldown, it's unlikely that
any great tragedy will befall you. Nevertheless, there are many good reasons
for cooling down, not all of them scientific. For one, a nice slow jog gives
you an opportunity to savor the achievement of completing a workout, and a
chance to swap laughs with your training partners once the tough stuff is
done.
As for fitness benefits, end-of-workout jogs can be used to turn
medium-mileage runs into higher-mileage days. A couple of extra miles at the
end of a regular workout will train your body to keep moving even when it's
tired. This is especially useful if you're gearing up for a longer race such
as a half-marathon or marathon.