Cool down with a mile jog and do some more stretching afterwards. Learn to breathe right when you do your lifts. The worst mistake you can make while lifting is to hold your breath, warns personal trainer Cathy Vasto. That simply tightens the muscles that you want to keep loose. Inhale while you prepare to lift the weight, then exhale while lifting it, inhaling again while lowering it.
Rest is always an important component of any training program.
Sometimes rest is important for the mind as much as for the body. So Friday is the day when you don't have to think about what course you're going to run or how to fit your workout into a busy schedule. You can even skip taking a shower, but if you brush your teeth, don't forget to floss. Take a day off. Often I like to rest two days before a race, then use the day before to do some light jogging and stretching to loosen my muscles and also to relieve some of the pre-event nerves that come with competition.