Press

RUNNERS AND YOGA --- A MATCH MADE IN NIRVANA
written by Melissa Deutsch for the Tidewater Striders' newsletter

We runners are a tough bunch. Over the course of a mile, our feet will strike the ground around 2,000 times with a force two to four times our body weight. Our quadriceps are strong, our hearts stronger, and our lung capacity enviable.

Along with all the benefits of running, we often discover aches, pains and injury along the way. Runners tend to have problems with the joints, muscles, and tendons of their feet, legs, hips, backs and necks. These running injuries are caused by imbalances in the runner’s body that develop over time. The front body, hamstrings and quadriceps are typically overdeveloped compared to the back body. The hip flexors are often tight and a runner’s posture can be somewhat hunched.

One approach that successfully addresses these imbalances is yoga. Yoga is a terrific cross training option for runners. It stands alone as a lifelong inquiry into the body, mind, and spirit and can also act as an addition to the athlete’s workout schedule to offer immediate relief to those seeking more ease in their bodies.

Runners tend to do well in yoga because of their body awareness and focus. Runners often seek yoga to find relief from the tension and inflammation that can become chronic in muscles and tendons, leading to subsequent maladaptive skeletal shifts that perpetuate the original problem. These imbalances cause discomfort and can even sideline runners. In yoga, the focus is on opening the body and bringing both strength and flexibility to muscles so that the skeletal body can function in proper alignment. With improved alignment and absence of excess tension comes increased and more efficient use of energy.

I encourage all runners to branch out and explore the benefits of yoga. There are many types of yoga and styles of teaching it. Find the right fit, and you might find faster times as well as inner calm.

Melissa Page Deutsch has been running for 30 years and practicing yoga for 11 years. She will complete her 200 hour yoga teacher training in March, 2008. In conjunction with Running Etc. and The Space Above, Melissa is offering a free workshop, Runners’ Yoga, on 3/9/08, 4-5:15pm, at The Space Above yoga studio, 202 W. 22nd St. This workshop is limited to 15 registrants. Please call Melissa directly at 408-1279 or e-mail bdmaps@cox.net to register or for more information.