Hey there, I'm Amy Golata, the newest member of MBT. I have never before mountain biked, but I plan to get into it this upcoming year. As Jason stated, I am a runner, but I am always open to new adventures. Let's begin with a little background...

 

I began running four years ago while in Texas. I was never very serious about running up until November 2004; I just ran to stay in shape. I had run a few 5k's, but never pushed my limits until this past September when I ran my very first, but definitely not last, marathon. I learned so much just by hitting the road and training in different temperatures, wind speeds, energy levels, terrain, and geographical locations (New York, Guam, Texas, and Colorado). Not enough research could have prepared me for what I experienced on my own. I would like to share my experiences from training with all you mountain bike enthusiasts and anyone else out there who is interested in being healthy and staying injury free.

 

Stretching is the key when it comes to staying injury free- and I'm not talking a quick 2-second stretch before you head out the door for your adventure. If you want to do it right, stretch before and after every workout. Those 5-10 minutes will save you the pain later on- trust me. I've experimented with not stretching at all and stretching very briefly so I can feel better about myself since in my mind I did stretch, but I have since come to the conclusion that a thorough 5-10 minute stretching session is the most important factor when it comes to starting off on the right foot, no pun intended...

 

Many injuries that occur affect the lower legs, to include shin splints and calf muscle tightness. I've had to slow down runs and even stop for a short time during runs because of the simple fact I did not take stretching seriously that particular day. If I had taken the time, I could have saved myself the pain and had an awesome run instead of a miserable run.

 

On www.runnersworld.com click on Mind & Body, then Stretching, for many different stretches and techniques. Everyone is different, so take some time to check this link out and see which one works best for you. Remember, take an extra 5-10 minutes before and after each workout and I guarantee you'll notice a difference in your performance!