Jump to: What Is an Activation Routine? When Should You Do an Activation Routine? The Activation Exercises I Added to My Prerun Routine How My Activation Routine Improved My Running Runners know they’re supposed to do more than just run. Strength training makes you stronger so you can run harder and longer. Mobility exercises make you run more efficiently. Postrun stretching can help promote recovery. And activation exercises are designed to wake up specific muscles that you’ll need to run well. The problem is getting runners to do these things. I know. I’m one of them. I do my physical therapy exercises when I’m hurt or nearly hurt, only to abandon them when everything’s going well. It took this story assignment to finally implement an activation routine before my runs. But now, for just over a month, I’ve diligently followed my physical therapist’s instruction, and lo and behold! I have seen improvements in my muscle recruitment. Imagine that.…