The Marathon

Dear Yogis,

If you ran the Marathon last weekend, you’re amazing! I hope you got your time. I have a few thoughts about yoga for runners (below). When you get back on the mat, you will probably need 'restorative' yoga session, not a full-on Ashtanga practice! Take it easy (and write to me if you want more explanation than this)

1) feet-up-the-wall is an easy hamstring stretch with the back completely supported. You can flex and point and rotate from the ankles here too. You can part the feet, wide legs, and do an inner-thigh stretch as well. All nice.

2) You can stay there and do pigeon pose by putting one ankle on the opposite thigh and drawing that (opposite) knee towards you. Then the other side!

3) You can ‘iron’ up and down the spine by placing the soles of the feet onto the wall, push away, knees and hips over the shoulders and roll up and down with the breath. Nice and easy shoulder stand without holding it. You don't even have to come too far up. Just a bit of massaging the length of the spine.

4) You can pull the knees into the chest and drop them over to the side, arms out in a 'T' shape, and get a supported spinal twist. Then the other side!

5) Now you need to roll over onto your front and do quad stretches.  Start in Sphinx pose. Reach right arm back to hold right foot. Ease in and out of the stretch with the breath. Then the other side!

6) Finally, this is fun for the hamstrings and other strings:  You need a yoga belt.

Freebies

Triyoga says; ‘Free class for marathon runners - Bring your medal into triyoga between the 24th April and 1st May and enjoy a yoga class on us for that week’. They do this every year! Here’s the schedule. 

Home Studio

We’ve been trying out The Moon Sequence in classes this week. It seems to go down well. It’s a sequence devised by a teacher called Matthew Sweeney who is based in Australia and it’s a gentle practice. Take a look at the Moon Salutation here. It is repeated seven times: Have a go and let me know what you think.

If you haven't been to my home studio you can book for a class here! It's small, you'll find great company with lovely yogis. Monday and Tuesday classes are at 7.30pm. Wednesday and Thursday classes are at 8.00pm.

Have an excellent weekend, whether you’re running or stewarding!