With tomorrow marking the official start of spring* (who doesn't love spring!), many active types are feeling an additional springiness in their step. Yesterday, the Northeast experienced temperatures in the mid 60s, providing near perfect conditions for an array of outdoor activities, including running. For novice runners, this weather offers added motivation to get outdoors and greet the season with fresh air in your lungs and newly thawed ground beneath your feet.
For serious runners, this weekend kicks racing season into high gear with the L.A. Marathon and NYC half marathon, among many others. Here in Boston, the countdown to Marathon Monday has officially begun, with runners taking to the streets to squeeze in their final long training runs before April 19. (Though I won't be out there this time, I'm running with you in spirit!). Fundraising season, too, is in high gear, with many runners opting to raise money for local and national charities such as the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge Running Team, a cancer-fighting behemoth that has raised more than 30 million dollars in the past two decades. The team's coach, Jack Fultz and champion of the 1976 Boston Marathon, is an OmGal.com reader, who even dropped in on a yoga workshop of mine last year to prep yogi/runners for race day and talk about the psychological parallels between racing and yoga. He's Om Gal's go-to resource for running tips and insight, like his knee-preserving, calorie-scorching, running-simulating indoor running workout (one of my favorites), shown here.
Speaking of workouts, whether you are a recreational runner, Marathon Mama, or elite athlete, yoga is a perfect complement to your training. It helps keep you healthy and free of injury as you prepare to lace up your sneakers this spring, for a casual jog after a long winter hibernation or the culmination of months of arduous training. The video below, shot at Stil Studio in Dedham, MA before my Yoga for Runners Workshop last month, by Nabil Aidoud of FiVi.com, includes a few of my thoughts on how yoga can keep athletes fleet of foot this spring and beyond. [File under: Friday, I'm in Love with Spring!].
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4 comments:
this was a great workshop...my friends who came all learned a lot and had fun. Great job Om Gal!
my friend from chicago is flying out for the marathon in april. ill be there!
Biomechanists will say, "there haven't been any studies that support the idea that Yoga reduces injury rates" or "stretching is counterproductive". Both are true for more ballistic activities, but long distance running (marathoning) doesn't exactly fall into that category. Yoga builds core strength, improves single leg strength and balance, and awakens body awareness... all critical pieces to the distance running puzzle.
As the weather turns warmer, many sports enthusiasts will begin hitting the trails, courses and fields for spring athletics. Before they do, there are some steps they should take to get ready for action.
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