Yoga for Runners

Yin Yang...

Balance...

I have seen reference to their being a couple of different "sides" to exercise camps. Some are of the yoga-pilates extreme and at the other end of the spectrum is running. I think this is a silly perspective as I have always felt that yoga and running are the perfect compliments to one another and I know many opinions agree with me on that. In both disciplines, your potential is solely dependent on your body and mind's capabilities as opposed to equipment that could fail you, another person's judgment, the skill and cohesiveness of teammates, and other external factors. I love thinking of it that way.

Yoga assists you with your breath, with learning to quiet the mind and with strengthening your core, not to mention your mental focus. Very critical tools you need as a distance runner. Yoga keeps muscles and connective tissue fluid and pliable which obviously is going to assist in keeping you injury fluid and your running comfortable and flowing.

I have not yet read the Chi Running book. I will get to it at some point.But it has always seemed logical to me. I had someone pose a question to me the other day, "How do you do it? I get so bored after 5K." And that is my point, you have to quiet the mind and allow yourself to feel the breath and go inside. You go to that place, that zone, where you wit the sweet spot and can seemingly go forever. It is that balance, that cooperation of mind and body wherein if your hips feel tight or your legs heavy, your strong mind can get you through; focusing on your breath can help you overcome the distractions of physical fatigue, or other external elements.
I never run with an ipod,or on a treadmill with a TV in front of me, for these very reasons. I do not want to become reliant on external factors, aside from scenery or light conversation with a fellow runner, to get me through a run.

We had an inspiring talk in our clinic last night by Ann Green of Studio Bliss. She is a cancer-survivor, two time Olympian, mother, wife, and yoga instructor and a complete inspiration who has a yoga program designed for runners. Every Sunday, after our long slow distance run, we join Ann at her studio overlooking the Bay and do an hour or so of recuperative yoga. It truly is Bliss. If you are a runner and not currently practicing yoga at all, I urge you to give it a try. Your body and mind will benefit in more ways that you can imagine.

 "Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired in the morning, noon, and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired."
~ George S. Patton, U.S. Army General, 1912 Olympian