I was a late blooming runner. All through high school and college I was under the impression that I wasn’t born to run. I had weak ankles and weak knees and I had never really run or done anything athletic. And then, at the age of thirty, I met a female Marine who boldly told me that anyone could run… that no one was born unable to run. Well apparently all I needed was plan!
I started running a little here and there but it was so exciting doing something I didn’t think I could do that I started running more and more. Thank goodness for yoga! Even with yoga I was starting to experience aches and pains; shin splints, plantar fasciitis, back pain….
Recently some of my students have been training for 1/2 Marathons and others have been mentioning these same issues and asking for solutions. There are already so many solutions out there and I always recommend that my students talk to a doctor and/or do some research on their own but here are my favorite solutions :)
Oofos recovery sandals – these soft, curved, funny looking sandals will help you recover and feel better so much faster than your usual flip-flops. They cost about $50 dollars on Amazon.com. All you have to do is wear them << how easy is that!?!
j/fit set of three muscle massage balls – there are a lot of massage balls out there but these balls are my favorite because they come in three densities and instructions for which to use where. At the beginning and end of your day place the ball under the arch of your foot and stand on the ball and roll it back and forth and all around :) If you have painful feet in the morning this will change how you feel about getting out of bed! You can get them on Amazon.com for around $15.
Yin/Restorative Yoga – this style of yoga has changed the way I approach new adventures. Keeping your connective tissue pliable and your skeletal structure in good order you can feel great and get more out of all of your adventures. Check out the description under the classes tab.
A final note… Strengthen your outer hips! Weak outer hips are the culprit of many runner’s ailments. Talk to your yoga instructor about what you can do to keep your outer hips strong and ready for your next run :)