Yoga has brought me so many benefits, physically and mentally. The impact it has had on my running has been immense, before yoga I did not listen to what my body was telling me, not paying any he’d to stiffness or niggles.

Yoga has taught me to listen to what my body is telling me, how it is feeling in any particular moment, it has added discipline to my stretching and recovery after my runs. From a physical point of view the strength and flexibility I have developed on the mat; namely in the core, quads, hamstrings, and hip flexors, is unquestionable and this has enabled me to run more efficiently and stay injury-free.

So should you try yoga?
I say yes, yoga is for everyone from the mum to the athlete and there is a class that will suit every individual’s need. From yin yoga to vinyasa, there is an array of classes to choose from. My tip would be to find the local yoga practices in your area and give them all ago until you find one that meets your needs.

So what lasting benefits has yoga brought me?
Yoga has helped to correct my running form, I have overcome muscle imbalance in my body, strengthening my stabilising muscles, my core and lower back have never been stronger. Yoga has given me a progressive, effective method of stretching out and realigning my body before and after a tough run. Yoga has vastly increased my proprioception (my body’s awareness of itself interacting with space ie: uneven ground) and also my innate reactions to correct for these moments. Also, I am a lot more aware of how my body feels at any particular time, and what I need to do to adjust it, even mid run.

One of the deepest benefits yoga has brought me is a new found mental focus, and awareness of self. While practicing yoga, a big emphasis is placed on focusing on your breath and mindfully awareness of your postures. I have brought this focus outside of my yoga practice which has affected the way I think and focus in everyday life now.

Rolling it up
Now that the intensity of my training is back to previous levels (prior to the injury), there is a trick in how I am practicing yoga. It is not logical or practical to mirror an intense running routine with an intense yoga routine. Your yoga practice should have a converse relationship with your training: Currently as I am ramping up mileage and churning out hard workouts I am sticking with relaxing and slow stretching classes. When my training eases up again most likely come this winter, I will increase the intensity and frequency of my yoga workouts.

Sage Rountree (a yoga instructor, triathlon coach) says it best in her book The Runner’s Guide to Yoga, “Runners are conditioned to push through pain, but bringing that competitive attitude to yoga can be a recipe for disaster.” “Focus on yourself, not what the person on the mat next to you can do,” and realise there’s plenty to gain from a less-than-perfect practice.

So many runners are hard on themselves when they have an off day, whereas in yoga you’re encouraged to accept the body and mind that you have on that day and push it as far as it will go. This is a valuable way of thinking that has brought a new found ease to my running. I would like to finish by saying that runners should start to think this way too, and accept the body and mind that you have on that particular day, don’t worry about your pb’s or what you have done in the past – simply appreciate your running, and enjoy it each and everyday.

The post Running and Yoga: A good combination? part 2 appeared first on Fast Running.

Yoga has the potential to do so much good; improving strength, flexibility, and mental focus that it’s surprising that so many runners don’t know a downward dog from an upward dog.

We hear from one runner, about his experience combining yoga and running.

In October 2016 I sustained a fairly big injury (from a runners perspective). I was cross training on my bike, and in process of climbing up a hill when I felt a tear at the back of my leg. I would later learn that I tore a tendon, namely the popliteus tendon. At the time I played down the seriousness of the injury, thinking I had simply overstretched the top of my calf, not thinking for a second that it would impact my running. I was determined to continue with my training, and for the following 4 weeks I attempted to run through the pain. I was kidding myself, and each time I was forced to stop with the pain. I would wait impatiently for a couple of days and try once more, only to pull up again.

This was the first injury I had picked up in over two years, and because of this I lacked the awareness to recognise what my body was telling me. The knock on effect of this was that I did not have the self discipline to allow the body to rest, rushing back too quickly each time trying to run. Eventually I could take no more and had to face up to the seriousness of the injury, so I went to a local physio, who diagnosis was that I had damaged the populates tendon in my right leg, and advised me to rest completely for four weeks. Running was out of the question during this time, stretching being the only resistance I should put on my leg.

However, the physio did suggest I try a yoga class. I thought why not, after my repeatedly failed comebacks I had nothing to loose so I looked up local yoga practices and found one close by. Unaware of what to expect, I kept an open mind, because I didn’t really have another option that was productive to fill my previous ‘running time’.

I was determined to give it my best if I could get past the first class. The first practice I attended was a slow class, focusing on long slow stretches (It seems like a long time ago now but this was my first ever hearing of a pigeon pose) and breathing techniques.

I was surprised how much I got from the class, I left feeling renewed not only physically but also mentally. I wanted more, and that first week I attended four different classes. Two of the classes where more physically challenging than I had anticipated, but I found this rewarding. The feeling of pushing my body out of its comfort zone brought back the feeling I have felt all too often with endurance running.

Being exposed to these different types of yoga classes opened up my eyes, and I devised a weekly routine that give me the mix of the slower relaxing classes (focusing more on stretching and breathing), and faster, more physically classes (focusing on balance and pushing the body into shapes it wasn’t accustomed to). For the next four weeks I followed this routine, and week on week I noticed a notable improvement in my flexibility, balance, focus and ‘awareness of self’.

One of the most valuable things that I have learnt from yoga is the idea of always being aware of our body, and how it feels in any particular moment. Yoga became my new running, and I looked forward to it everyday. I never imagined that I would experience similar feeling for yoga that I have for running.

After this initial month and after another visit to the physio I was slowly able to start running again. I ran only on flat surfaces, avoiding hills and taking two recovery days between runs, trying not to do too much too soon. Now that I could run (somewhat cautiously) again, the automatic thought was to stop going to yoga, I had running back in my life, I didn’t need yoga anymore. However after experiencing the benefits yoga has brought me, both physically and mentally during the 4 short weeks I could not just stop going, could I?

Read Part two

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While some love this early start in the morning, other’s hate it or don’t have time, and wait until the evening when they feel more awake and energised. Starting the day with a run or exercise can result in many positives, including; boosting your fitness, burning body fat, and many psychological benefits that will positively impact the rest of your day.

One runner shares their approach to running early in the morning.

What gets me up everyday at 5.30am?
For me nothing quiet beats the peacefulness and tranquility of running at this time of the day. The roads are clear, the air is cleaner, and it is just me with my thoughts. If you are lucky enough to have a running route close to a river, try it in the AM, the sounds of the river and wildlife at this time of the day are something else.

Even going to the gym at this time of the morning brings its own peacefulness. It is definitely a lot quieter for one, and you get to avoid the 8am-9am rush before work. Going to the gym at 6am gives me the time and space to focus on my drills / workouts, without feeling rushed to vacate a space on the mat or bench.

In a way, I suppose I am lucky that getting up early and feeling alert enough to get on with my tasks now comes naturally to me. This wasn’t always the case though, it does take self discipline and some getting used to initially, especially in the first few weeks, but if you keep it up, I promise it will soon become second nature. As an added benefit you will have a achieved something before 9am, leaving you more focused and productive for the rest of the day.

Below are some tips I have found that will help you start training in the morning.

1. Picture waking up early, running — and enjoying it. So for just a few minutes before bed, think about waking up to your alarm and feeling energised. Then, imagine getting ready and having a great run. If you can do that regularly, it’ll only help you see yourself as someone who likes running in the morning. And then you can make it a reality!

2. Ensure your morning routine is simple. Running in the morning has to be as painless as possible, and you want it to be as easy as possible to get out the door. So have your running kit ready to go the night before, in the morning brush your teeth, get a quick bite, lace up your running shoes and get going. Do nothing but the bare minimum. Ideally, it should only take you 5 to 10 minutes to get ready.

3. Do what’s necessary to wake up. Set your alarm across the room so you have to get up and out of bed to turn it off. Then, once you’re up, flip on the lights. And, of course, be sure to warm up before working out in the morning.

4. Have a few bites to eat and water. Eating too much before a run isn’t great, but you will feel better if you eat something.  Try a banana or a slice of toast with peanut butter, and then drink a cup or two of cold water. This will get your metabolism going, and give your body fuel for running in the morning.

5. Make it a non-negotiable. While we all like to hit the snooze button, you need to be strict with yourself and avoid it at all costs. Getting up and out of bed is the hardest part of running in the morning, so hitting the snooze button and procrastinating doesn’t do anything but make it more likely that you’ll go back to bed.

6. Ease into running in the morning. If you’re not used to running in the morning getting up a couple of hours earlier than you’re used to is not going to be easy. Try gradually waking up earlier and earlier, and don’t be afraid to get up for early morning runs every other day, just so that you have some sleep recovery time in the beginning.

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