Did you just hear that? That was me breathing in deeply before elaborating on my experience with Yoga.

Kitzzy made the following statement and asked questions about Yoga in the Runners’ Lounge this morning:

“I find yoga to be an excellent companion to my running to avoid injury, improve flexibility, and help relieve sore muscles after a
hard workout or race. Tell us about your experience with yoga as it relates to running. If you have not tried it, why not? If you have,
did it help? How often do you feature yoga in your weekly workout regime? What are your favorite yoga poses and routines? Pass on your
recommendations for your favorite yoga DVDs, instructors, podcasts, online resources, etc.”

I had my first experience with Yoga 2 1/2 years ago. At the time I was training for the San Diego Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon and used the gym I belong to for speed workouts on the treadmill, weights, and cross training on the stationary bike once the weather got warm that spring (we were still living in Santa Barbara every other week and I had yet to run in 110 degree temperatures).  The previous fall I had also started to take a couple of afternoon Pilates classes that the gym offered and although I enjoyed them I never really fell for the whole Pilates craze that was running rampant at the time. And then the gym started to offer a Yoga class on Saturday mornings! They already had a few Yoga classes on schedule for weekday mornings but since nothing will get in between me and my running shorts on weekday mornings I always passed up the opportunity.

During that particular training season I started to do my long runs on Fridays in order to leave the entire weekend open for play. A Yoga class on Saturday mornings was going to fit my schedule just perfectly. And thus it began!

Yoga had always been something I wanted to try and it did not disappoint. I was hooked immediately! For the first time in my life I had found something that calmed down my brain besides running. Chelsea, who taught the class is one die hard Yogi who can pull off a pose like this without batting an eyelash:

I would be lying if I said that first class was not challenging. But I liked the challenge. Whereas in Pilates I had hardly broken a sweat ever, after my first Yoga class I felt thoroughly worked out. For a long distance runner that’s an achievement! One I embraced and stuck with for the past 2 1/2 years. And it has remained challenging to this day, which is also a huge bonus. I am not so sure I would have stuck with it if it had gotten easier over time but let’s just say I am glad that it hasn’t. Over the years many members have dropped in and out of this class but a core group of us has remained loyal to ringing in the weekend by breathing in deeply and letting all that stagnant week’s worth of air out slowly. We don’t take ourselves too seriously and often get bewildered looks from the people in the cardio room who can see us through huge windows. Ask us if we care!

Chelsea always focused most on upper body strength, chest and hip openers, and every runner out there knows just how tight hips can actually get. Over time I have definitely seen the difference in my muscle definition, especially in my arms and shoulders, which are much more defined than they used to be. As for my hips. Well, they still scream every time we do our first lunge but by the time I leave they are nice and lose. Until next time.

Now, I do have to admit that not every week is all zen. There are weeks when even in Yoga I cannot quiet my brain and by the time we get to Savasana to finish our practice you can find me counting ceiling tiles, eyes wide open! But since I still get the strength building and stretching exercise in I don’t mind and those wired mornings are few and far between anyway.

About two months ago Chelsea quit (we are not supposed to take it personal, but whatever!) and we now have Madeleine. Who is lovely! And very different than Chelsea and at first I had my doubts. But, alas, I actually realized last Saturday that I actually enjoy Madeleine’s class even more than Chelsea’s. Something I would have shrugged off as impossible a few months ago. Madeleine really focuses on calming the mind, breathing techniques and stretches. And I love it! I now get my strength workout in my S.E.T. Class on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons (formerly the Pilates class, but turns out I was not the only one who felt Pilates was a waste of time!) so the new Yoga class is a well rounded addition to cover all the bases during the week.

Here are a few poses that make Yoga so appealing to me:

~ Ardha Matsyendrasana
~ Marichyasana I
~ Malasana
~ Garudasana
~ Vrksasana
~ Balasana
~ Supta Baddha Konasana

Saturdays have become the only day of the week I do not run and I look forward to hitting the mat every week. Namaste!

Today’s Running Tip: Try Yoga!

“Yoga improves strength and balance, but one of the best things it can do for runners is increase flexibility,” says Bruce Dick, M.D., a partner of Orthopedic Associates of Saratoga in Saratoga Springs, New York, who has been doing sun salutations since the early 1980s, when he needed to improve his flexibility for triathlon training. He still recommends yoga to his patients, especially those who think running a marathon is easier than touching their toes. “If you don’t have the flexibility in your hip flexors and hamstrings to create an adequate range of motion, your body will ask that motion to come from other joints–joints not meant to produce that motion. So you get early fatigue, early breakdown, and you expose yourself to injury.” ~ Source: Runner’s World