by Coach Brian Comer

On a recent trip to Seattle, I found myself on the University of Washington campus, in the shadow of the Conibear Shellhouse, home of the University of Washington rowing team. While of course being the current home of the team, it also holds its esteemed place in history as the home of the 1936 Olympic Team that went on to win gold in Men’s 8s. Over this past weekend, as I was watching “Boys in the Boat”, which detailed the story of the aforementioned legendary 1936 US Olympic Men’s Rowing Team, it dawned on me while watching some of the scenes surrounding the training, rowing really is a full body workout. At first glance, one might see it as mostly an upper body workout, but to maximize your rowing, it really takes engaging the legs and core as well. Truth be told, I’ve had athletes over the years ask me how rowing can be of benefit to their running and how to appropriately implement it into their cross-training regimen. My hopes with this article are to explain how you can use it as a cross training tool.

Rowing is a Full Body Workout

As alluded to in the introduction, rowing is in fact a full body workout. Even though rowing is done in a seated position, it helps build stability, something many runners lack given the singular-planed nature of running. I’m big on the concept of “building the whole athlete” and rowing will most definitely have you using muscles that you normally don’t use while running. While one might justifiably question whether rowing is really an accessible activity, chances are that your gym likely has a rowing machine or two. So just because you don’t live near open water or live in a cold weather environment, you can still get a good rowing workout in. 

Like all modes of cross training, rowing can help break up the monotony of running training and prevent injury. In addition, rowing can help improve efficiency and provide a low impact exercise option. Rowing can also increase force production (more speed with less effort) and improve endurance, even with a tight, concentrated time window. 

On the topic of injury prevention, rowing does this through helping improve one’s posture. To maximize your rowing, you need to make sure to not be in a hunched over position as rowing works the posterior chain, specifically the hips and hamstrings. In outlining these three key performance benefits of rowing for runners, who tend to be reliant on their quads. Renowned running PT Jay Dicharry states “rowing workouts offer a solution by helping runners to “find their hips, waking up and strengthening the posterior chain can help enhance stability and transition runners away from hunched, injury-inducing forms”. Like with all exercise, it is important to practice proper form and by nature, rowing is a hinge-based movement just as much as performing a deadlift in the weight room is.

How to Implement in your Training Plan

Jjust because you don’t live near open water or in a warm weather climate (this particularly didn’t stop the 1936 UW team, most of their fiercest collegiate competition hailed from northern states), doesn’t mean that there isn’t a place for rowing in your running training plan. In fact, due to the more controlled environment, it would almost be preferred to do these on a gym rowing machine. While with running, we often preach specificity, chances are the open water isn’t necessary for the runner’s rowing workouts as that isn’t the focus of performance. Plus, the added benefit of indoor rowing workouts is the ability to implement them year-round. 

Given the power benefits of rowing, sprints are easy to implement into training as is anaerobic threshold training. For intervals, you go based on time (again, improving our 2k row time isn’t a likely goal many runners reading this have) much like you would if you were programming intervals on an elliptical or bike. 

Not only does rowing have a place on higher intensity training days, but also on recovery days too. You can simply swap a running day for a rowing day and voila. Like running, rowing can help you improve not only your aerobic base, but your anaerobic capacity as well, both components that are necessary to maximize running performance. Often, you can even implement both of these in the same training session, a silver lining many runners may find helpful or motivating as runners tend to neglect the anaerobic or speed work necessary for improving race times. Total Row Fitness breaks it down in the context of their individual classes as every class “will incorporate both types of fitness, helping to improve your aerobic base (allowing you to go further) in pyramids, ladders, or mixed sets, and your anaerobic capacity (allowing you to go faster) through intervals, Big10s, and races ). This also highlights how one can really maximize the benefits in a short window because let’s face it, we’re all crunched for time every now and then. It really shows how rowing can give you more bang for your buck and not just be implemented when on an injury break or in need of a change of routine or scenery, but as a bonafide component of your training schedule.

Conclusion

To summarize, rowing is a very underrated form of cross training for runners. If on the runner’s mind at all, it is often on the back burner or simply not even considered as a cross training option. However, as seen in these outlined benefits, it very well could serve a place in your training plan regardless of where you are at in terms of your running. Do you seek to maximize your running performance? Rowing has a place for you. Simply looking to break up the monotony and get a change of scenery? Rowing can do that. Injured and looking to maintain or even build fitness during your time off? Rowing can do that too. All in all, I hope this article inspires you to embrace that rowing machine at your local gym and use it as a means of cross training. Or maybe like me when it came to the idea of getting around to writing this article, you were inspired to do so by “The Boys in the Boat” story. But like in all things when building consistency, it doesn’t matter if you go far or fast, but that you just simply go and give it a try.

Coach Brian Comer is a coach with Team RunRun. To learn more about him or to work with him, check out his coach profile.

Eccentric Calf Raises – Fix Your Injuries and Unlock Your Potential with Coach Brant Stachel

Elevating Performance and Injury Prevention

Eccentric calf raises are a powerful exercise for runners, offering substantial benefits in both injury prevention and performance enhancement. Particularly effective for addressing issues related to the Achilles tendon, tibialis posterior, plantar fascia, and general ankle health, this exercise is a staple in both rehabilitation (rehab) and preventative (prehab) routines.

Why Eccentric Calf Raises Matter for Runners?

Eccentric calf raises focus on the lowering phase of the calf raise movement. This eccentric motion is vital for building strength in the muscles and tendons of the lower leg, which are crucial for runners. The exercise aids in:

• Strengthening the Achilles Tendon: Essential for absorbing and releasing energy during running.
• Enhancing Tibialis Posterior Health: Plays a key role in supporting the arch of the foot.
• Improving Plantar Fascia Flexibility: Reduces the risk of plantar fasciitis, a common runner’s ailment.

How to Perform Eccentric Calf Raises

• Double Leg Version:
  • Stand on the edge of a step.
  • Lift heels slowly, then gradually lower them below the step level over five to six seconds.
  • The slow lowering (eccentric phase) is crucial; it’s where most of the strengthening occurs.
• Single Leg Version:
  • Use a railing or wall for balance.
  • Lower one heel below the step level, taking five to six seconds, then return to starting position.
  • Ensure to engage the calf muscle intensely during the lowering phase.

Performing these exercises regularly can significantly enhance lower leg strength and flexibility, crucial for running efficiency and injury prevention.

Check out this video to learn more. 

Implementing Eccentric Calf Raises in Your Routine

Incorporating this into your regular training routine is straightforward:

• Frequency: Begin with two to three sessions per week.
• Repetitions: Start with one set of 10 reps for both double and single-leg versions, gradually increasing as strength improves.
• Progression: As your calves get stronger, you can increase the number of sets or add weight for additional resistance.
  Time: 5-6 seconds on the eccentric portion of the calf raise has been shown to elicit benefits

Remember, consistency is key to reaping the full benefits of this exercise.

Beyond Injury Prevention: Enhancing Running Performance

While the primary aim of eccentric calf raises is to prevent injuries, they also play a significant role in improving running performance. Strong calf muscles and tendons contribute to a more powerful push-off during running, leading to increased speed and efficiency.

Step Up Your Running Game with Eccentric Calf Raises

Integrating eccentric calf raises into your training regimen can make a significant difference in your running journey. Not only do they fortify your lower legs against common injuries, but they also set the stage for enhanced performance, keeping you running stronger and longer.

Brant Stachel is a coach with Team RunRun. To learn more about him or to work with him, check out his coach profile.

There was a long debate on how to best incorporate strength training into a runner’s training program. While the consensus now states that strength training should be incorporated in some way in every runner’s training program, the age-old questions still remain – how much, how often, can you still get a good workout in a short amount of time, what about workouts with just bodyweight or limited equipment? As you’ll find in run training, everyone has different ideas on how runners should strength train, mostly based on their own personal experience, but also as is the case with running, there is no one-size-fits-all program.

Now there is another underlying question during the coronavirus pandemic. With gyms largely still being closed (outside of the exceptions few and far in between), people have had to be creative to get in workouts they would otherwise complete at the gym. In this article, I hope to offer some more ideas specific to distance runners on how you can get in your strength workouts, both during and after the coronavirus pandemic. While some may already have a training program that they implement to partner with run training, I hope to give you some ideas if you’re looking for something new to try or if your routine is starting to feel a little stale.

How to Strength Train at Home

This has become a big question in recent months due to the coronavirus pandemic, but it is possible to get in a good strength training workout at home with minimal or no equipment. Bodyweight workouts are a no-brainer and can be done anytime, anywhere whether that is at home, in a hotel room, or at the family cabin. The one caveat to bodyweight workouts is that it can become hard to progress with bodyweight workouts and to progressively load bodyweight workouts but there are some exceptions. It would involve swapping some exercises for new ones or by upping the difficulty on exercises you already do (instead of a traditional pushup, try decline pushups or instead of traditional lunges, try plyo lunges). An Internet search that can provide some inspiration in this regard and stroke your creativity are prisoner workouts. Once seeing a workout like “the deck of pain” (where you prescribe a suit with a particular exercise, face cards count as 10 reps, while aces count as 11) or Mike Tyson’s bodyweight squat routine while in prison, you’ll see firsthand how a deck of playing cards can lead to some creative workout regiments.

Regardless of budget, you can also find good equipment to build your own at home gym as well. I’m not even referring to barbells, squat racks, and the like, but I’ll offer my suggestions for an ideal minimalist equipment home gym that doesn’t break the bank. I also won’t be discussing DIY home gym equipment (but if you feel so called to go this route, then more power to you) though that is another Internet search that gets the creative juices flowing. I would say the cornerstone of a home gym are good dumbbells. I would personally suggest getting a pair of adjustable dumbbells because not only are they great in terms of storage (compared to buying several pairs of dumbbells of various weight) but they also have more range than you would typically get if you were to go the individual pairing route and not break the bank. Even shopping on the cheap and only getting weights in 5 pound increments, buying individual dumbbell pairs at various weight is still comparable in cost to the adjustable dumbbells, so may as well go for the convenience (and the more quality, durable product). Both Bowflex and NordicTrack have good pairs of adjustable dumbbells at various prices with similar ranges in terms of weight.

Another item I would suggest getting are resistance bands. They also store easily, are cheap and easy to find and are often quite applicable to use for running-specific exercises that are both lower and upper body. Exercise balls would also fall under this category and additionally they can help with progressing your workout (think back to the feet elevated or decline pushup vs. a regular pushup or placing your feet on the ball instead of the ground when doing glute bridges). These are different than medicine balls, although medicine balls are also what I’d consider great exercise equipment that you could put in your home gym if you have the budget and space. Jump ropes would also be good to have on-hand since sometimes you can’t beat the classics. While the cardio benefits are minimal compared to running, they still are a sneaky way to get some extra cardio in or to incorporate into a killer circuit. Plus, if you have children, jump ropes can be a way to get the whole family in on the fun.

As a bonus, two other things I would suggest for a home gym, so long as budget and space allow, are an ab wheel and a TRX Suspension System. A TRX has similar benefits to resistance bands but allows you to get more creative. The one caveat is that storage, or even finding a place to utilize it around the house, can be an issue unless you have a garage or a big enough attic or basement. An ab wheel is a personal spin of mine on at home workouts. They can be found at most fitness stores or online and typically run cheap while being easy to store. They are a different, if your looking for some variety, and an effective way to train your core, which are crucial running muscles.

Programming Strength Workouts Safely

One aspect of incorporating strength training for runners that tends to be the most uniformly agreed upon is the frequency of strength training sessions in a given week. Most would say that 2-3 strength workouts per week is the standard, ranging anywhere from 20-40 minutes per workout. You can certainly get good workouts longer than 40 minutes but recovering from the session needs to be taken into account. On the other hand, despite what many believe, you can get in a good strength training workout with less than 20 minutes as well, even just 10 minutes goes a long way. While this can come from the camp that 10 minutes is better than 0 minutes, we often do these kinds of workouts anyway while often not realizing it. Look no further than your post-run core routine to see a prime example of this. With these shorter workouts, as you’d expect, they can be done more frequently in a given week, as much as 5 times, because they don’t require as much recovery time as longer workouts would. Ultimately, you want to implement what is right for you.

Many people feel they don’t have enough time to add strength training to run training and to an already busy life, but these short post-run routines (which typically can be done anywhere and mesh well into post-run recovery exercises like stretching and foam rolling) prove that it can still be done amidst a busy schedule. If you feel you also fall under this category, completing full body workouts will also be more beneficial for you than to divide your workouts up by body part or by even doing an upper body/lower body split. For a runner, I would rarely build a strength program around body part splits, unless it was during a runner’s offseason or they are far enough out from key races that it makes sense to work on weaknesses. These kinds of splits are more often found in bodybuilding and while they have benefits for developing the whole athlete, it should be kept in mind that bodybuilding generally focuses more on looks and aesthetics rather than performance.

How Much Should I Lift and When?

Different strength workouts call for different protocols. The loads you lift in a circuit workout, where the emphasis is on completing as many rounds as possible and completing rounds as quickly as possible (minimizing rest periods), versus the loads you lift in a compound movement heavy workout, are going to look very different. Each of these workouts are trying to reach their own desired training effect that fall on opposite sides of the spectrum. There is no right or wrong answer here as both types of workouts have value. We aren’t just training different muscles, but also, different energy systems with these differing types of workouts.

Everyone should have days where they lift lighter and heavier much like how runners should have easy run days along with harder days like tempos, intervals and long runs. That is to ensure that, like with your running, your strength training workouts are also progressing over time as you get stronger and more fit. Just be sure that your strength workouts don’t detract from your run training, but rather, complement it. The biggest factors for individuals that should be taken into account are experience with strength training and past injury history when starting any strength program.

The biggest perk strength training provides runners with is that it helps with injury prevention. Runners move entirely in one plane of motion and strength training can help fix muscular imbalances and teach runners to not be so one dimensional, but to strengthen and develop the whole athlete. Heavy weightlifting workouts can be as important as strides and intervals in terms of developing a finishing kick. We train the aerobic system plenty while running or even during circuit training, but the anaerobic system benefits when we do short bursts close to max effort, both in running sprints and during a set of heavy barbell squats. This also trains the different kinds of muscle fibers found in our body. The slow twitch muscle fibers through steady aerobic exercise and the fast twitch muscle fibers through sprints and heavy lifting. For most, the fast twitch fibers disappear as you age and it the phrase “use it or lose it” very much applies as far as maintaining fast twitch muscle fibers. Runners have long been concerned, and some to the point of staying away entirely, of bulking up if they start lifting weights, but this won’t happen when putting in the running and cardio volume of an endurance athlete. So, while runners have long wanted to use that extra time to log more miles, that time would be better suited with a strength training workout.

Conclusion

As previously mentioned, while your strength training routine should complement your run training, you also want to make sure you are progressing in your strength training. During the pandemic, take it upon yourself to be extra creative in programming your at home strength training. You can program by workout type or you can incorporate multiple pieces into one workout. For those of you feeling really ambitious, another Internet search that gets the creativity flowing is playground workouts. It is a perfect excuse to get out of the house during the nice summer weather and get in some schoolyard jump rope and monkey bar pullups in. That being said, don’t commandeer Junior’s swing set so you can get in a set of pistol squats. More so now during the coronavirus pandemic, but if you go out to get in a playground workout in at the local park or schoolyard, if the playground has yellow caution tape surrounding it, or any other indication of being closed, don’t use that playground. Make sure to always abide by social distancing guidelines and to be cognizant of the high touch surfaces playgrounds tend to be.

Brian Comer is a coach with Team RunRun. To learn more about him or to work with Coach Brian, check out his coaching page.

Annelie Stockton is a coach with Team RunRun. To learn more about her or to work with Coach Annelie, check out her coaching page.

What are Form Drills?

Specific movements that help improve running ability. Start with slow dynamic stretching & work your way into faster movements. Form drills are designed to help loosen the body up, warm the body up for faster running, & improve form. Focus on staying strong, engage your core, & move efficiently. Do them all or pick some favorites & fit them in your schedule where they work best for you.

Benefits:

Performing drills consistently can help improve speed & running form, strengthen muscles & joints, & help with injury prevention.

When do to them:

There are many different ways to fit running drills in to your training. Some of my suggestions are

• After 5-10 minutes into an easy run use these drills to help loosen up if you are feeling tight or stiff, then continue the rest of your easy run.
• After an easy run perform these drills before doing strides (strides are 15-20 seconds of gradually picking up your pace to a hard effort)
• After a running warm-up complete the drills before doing your hard speed intervals (track sessions, fartlek, tempo, hills, etc.).
• You can also incorporate form drills into your cross training routine. After a short warm up (bike, elliptical, etc.) perform the drills and get back to the cross training OR perform the drills when you have completed your cross training session. Even while cross training, drills are a great way to work on running form without stressing the body.

How often:

I suggest form drills 1-3 times per week and performing 5-10 repetitions of each movement. You can spend anywhere from 5-20 minutes on these drills.

Arm Swings:

Slow skip & swing arms across the body.

Forward Arm Circles:

Slow skip & swing arms in forward circles.

Backward Arm Circles:

Slow skip & swing arms in backward circles.

Hamstring Stretch:

Reach opposite hand to foot.

Quad Stretch:

Swing leg behind & grab foot

Hip Stretch:

Squeeze knee to chest.

Side Shuffle:

Swing arms above head & move sideways.

Forward Leg Swing:

Swing leg forward & back, keep knee slightly bent & reach opposite hand towards foot.

Sideways Leg Swing:

Keep knee slightly bent.

Forward Hip Rotation:

Move leg backwards, Use hip to rotate leg, & bring forward, keep knee bent.

Backward Hip Rotation:

Move leg forward, use hip to rotate leg & bring backwards, keep knee bent.

A Skip Slow:

Bring knee towards chest & use “running arms.”

B Skip Slow:

Bring heel towards glute, swing leg through, & quickly snap the ground.

A Skip Fast:

Move quickly, focus on strong arms & core.

B Skip Fast:

Move quickly, focus on strong arms & core.

Butt Kicks:

Quickly bring heel to glute & use “running arms”.

High Knees:

Move quickly, keep good posture, bring knee towards chest, & use “running arms.”

Carioca:

Moving sideways, right leg goes up and over left, then behind left. Switch directions.

Annelie Stockton is a coach with Team RunRun. To learn more about her or to work with Coach Annelie, check out her coaching page.

Why Yoga?

For the first 3 years of my running career I suffered from sciatica on the left side of my body. It would come and go and there were times that the pain was so bad I could barely walk. I tried everything to help my sciatica but nothing seemed to work. It wasn’t until I found yoga that I noticed a difference. I have been practicing Vinyasa Yoga 2-4 times per week for about 4 years now and my sciatica has not come back. Yoga has allowed my body to recover quickly from running, stay injury free, enabled me to run higher mileage, train harder, and most importantly train consistently.

There are many benefits of yoga for runners. Yoga improves flexibility, core strength, stability, mental toughness and focus.  My favorite type of yoga is Vinyasa Yoga. It is a fast-paced class, the room is usually heated (not hot), and focuses on stretching and strengthening your entire body. Because it is faster paced, it is another way to get in some extra cardio instead of pounding the pavement. Vinyasa Yoga is great to do after an easy run or as a cross training workout.

In yoga, poses are done on both the right and left side, this exposes areas that may be weaker and helps you to strengthen these areas to create a balanced body. Although I had sciatica on my left side only, after practicing yoga I noticed my right side was actually the side that was weak and tight. The balancing poses and deep stretching postures in yoga are what really helped me build strength and stay injury free.

Yoga helps you develop a strong core; there will be various ab exercises, plank poses, and you will engage your core in all of the standing and balancing postures. A strong core is the center of a yoga practice and is also one of the most important parts of being a healthy and strong runner. There are poses in class that can be very challenging. You learn to hold poses, breathe through postures that are uncomfortable, stay focused, and to push yourself. These are all important tools that can be applied to your running.  

From my experience, the minimum effective dose of yoga is 2 days per week in an hour Vinyasa class. My favorite time to practice yoga is after an easy run, this could be immediately after or later in the day. After a hard speed session or long run I prefer to do some gentle yoga poses at home (see below). There are some days where I don’t have a full hour or access to a yoga class so I will do 15-30 minutes on my own with poses depending on what my body is needing (see below). Developing an at home practice is a great option because it can be done at any time.

As someone who loves running, I used to struggle with making time for cross training workouts. I have now realized how important it is to build a strong body for running with other forms of exercise. What I love about yoga is that it’s so effective even if it’s only done a couple times a week and it doesn’t require a huge time commitment. With yoga you get your strength training, core work, stretching, and recovery all in one.

If you are interested in incorporating yoga into your running routine, the Mind Body App on your phone is a great resource. The app will show you locations, class schedules, and pricing for nearby studios. Here you can find the right studio that best suits your needs.

Below are some yoga poses and sequences I like to use. You can do them as I have listed or take a little from each section. Find what works best for you ????  

My Favorite Poses for Running

My favorite yoga poses that have been the most beneficial with my running are hip openers. These poses help hip flexors, glutes, and low back. I try to hold each of these poses for about a minute and take deep, slow breaths with equal inhales and exhales. I find it helpful to count to 5 for each inhale and exhale. These poses might feel a little uncomfortable, however, you should not feel any pinching, pulling, or pain.

1. Yogi Squat
2. Lizard
3. Lizard with Quad Stretch
4. Pigeon
5. Cow Face
6. Child’s Pose, here I like to walk my fingertips to the left and right to find a deeper stretch.

1.2.34.5.6.

Vinyasa Flow

This can be used as a basic yoga practice to help you with strength, flexibility, and cardio. In this flow you will notice that your breath leads your movement. Focus on your inhales and exhales to get the most out of your practice.

1. (inhale) Start in Down Dog.
2. (exhale) step or hop between your hands to forward fold.
3. (inhale) half lift to a flat back, either hands on floor or shins, neck is long.
4. (exhale) forward fold.
5. (inhale) sweep your arms up overhead as you stand.
6. (exhale) bring your hands together, bend your knees, and fold forward.
7. (inhale) lift to a flat back.
8. (exhale) forward fold
9. (inhale) plant your hands step or hop back to a plank, or modified plank on knees.
10. (exhale) lower to Chaturanga, this can be done on your knees. Engage your core, keep your elbows in at your ribcage as you lower.
11. (inhale) Upward Facing Dog.
12. (exhale)Down Dog.

This can be a warmup for other sequences or done as its own workout. You can add variations to this flow to make it more challenging such as moving faster, hopping to the front and back, holding plank longer, and or adding chaturanga pushups. You can repeat this flow a few times or add it in with other stretches and poses depending on your needs.

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.

8.9.10.11.12.

Gentle Yoga

This can be done after speedwork and long runs. I like to hold each of these poses for 5-10 deep, long breaths.

1. Start in Down Dog, bend one knee at a time to stretch your calves.
2. Step your right leg forward between your hands and lower your back knee down for a low lunge. Keep your front knee stacked over your ankle.
3. From low lunge you can keep your hands on the ground or bring them up to deepen the stretch.
4. Straighten your right leg and press your hips back for half splits. Stay here or fold over your right leg to deepen the stretch.
5. Come back to your low lunge.
6. From low lunge, bend your left knee and reach back with your right hand to grab your foot for a quad stretch. If you cannot reach your foot use a towel to wrap around the foot and grab the towel.
7. Release your left foot and come back to a low lunge.
8. Walk your right foot to the left for pigeon pose.
9. Come back to Down Dog and repeat on your left side. If you are looking for a little extra you can add in Vinyasa Flow between poses (see above).
10. Once you have completed both sides, come back to your Down Dog. Walk your hands back towards your feet for a forward fold. Bend your knees as much as you need to find a nice stretch along your hamstrings. Here you can reach for opposite elbows and sway side to side, shake your head yes and no, and try to relax into this posture.
11. From your forward fold, turn your toes out and sit down to yogi squat. Separate your feet as much as you need to get your feet flat on the floor. Bring your hands to your heart, sink your hips, use your elbows to press your thighs out and try to get your spine straight. This pose can be very uncomfortable depending on how tight your hips and low back are, take some big deep breaths in and out your nose. I find it helpful to inhale and imagine all the new space I am creating in my body, and exhale to release all the tension and tightness I am feeling.

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.

Yoga for strength and core

This can be done in addition to the other sequences and or after any type of run. I like to add in core specific work at least twice a week.  

1. Start in Down Dog or Child’s Pose if you will be staying on your knees.
2. Shift forward to Plank and hold 5-10 breaths.
3. 1-5 Chaturanga pushups, this can be done on your knees.
4. Press back to Down Dog or Child’s Pose.
5. Shift forward to Plank and hold 5-10 breaths.
6. If you are in a full plank squeeze right knee to the center, right elbow, and left elbow 5 times. Repeat on left side.
7. 1-5 Chaturanga pushups.
8. Come back to plank and hold 5-10 breaths.
9. Side plank, hold or lift your top leg 5 times. Switch to other side.
10. 1-5 Chaturanga pushups.
11. Come back to plank and hold 5-10 breaths.
12. Come back to Down Dog.
13. Step your right foot between your hands, lift to a Crescent Lunge. Right knee is bent, knee is stacked right over your ankle, and left leg is strong and straight. Straighten right leg and reach arms up. Bend back in to lunge and bend arms, 3-5 times. Repeat on left side.
14. Down Dog or Child’s Pose to finish off.

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.

8.8.9.10.11.12.13.16.

Take breaks as you need, coming back to Down Dog or Child’s Pose. If you are wanting a little more of a challenge, hold the poses for longer and or add in more repetitions.

Yoga for Balance and Stability

I like to do this sequence after easy runs or on recovery days in place of a run.

1. Start in Down Dog
2. Warrior A, step right foot between hands, bend right knee, left leg is straight and left foot turned slightly out. Reach arms up overhead, hold for 5 breaths.
3. Release hands behind your back and interlace fingers for a shoulder opener.
4. Humble Warrior, fold forward with fingers interlaced, right shoulder should come inside the right knee and gently press the knee out to keep hips square, relax you head. Hold for 5 breaths.
5. Lift back up, place hands down and come back to Down Dog, repeat on the left side.
6. Down Dog.
7. Crescent Lunge, step your right foot between your hands, keep your front knee bent and back leg straight.
8. Sweep your chest to thigh, hold here, engage your core, lengthen through your neck and spine.
9. Shift forward to Airplane. Balance on your right foot, lift your left leg, flex your left foot, reach your arms back, and keep your hips square.
10. Lift your arms up over head as you bring your left knee to your chest, take one breath here.
11. Take your left leg back for airplane. Repeat 3-6 times.
12. Come back to Crescent Lunge. Plant your hands, come back to Down Dog, and repeat on the left side.
13. Down Dog
14. Step or hop your feet between your hands for a forward fold.
15. Sweep your hands up over head and come to a standing position.
16. Hug your right knee to your chest, you can hold your knee or reach for your big toe.
17. Extend your leg or knee to the right, reach your left arm out and take your gaze to the left. Come back to the center and repeat on your left side.
18. From standing, bring your right foot in for Tree Pose. Your right foot can be placed on your left ankle, calf, or inner thigh (the most important thing in this pose is to not place your foot on your knee). From here bring your hands together at your chest. For an extra challenge you can close your eyes; notice all those little muscles working and strengthening in your foot and ankle.

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.

Happy Running & Namaste!

Annelie

Team RunRun coach Annelie Stockton is a yoga instructor, a 3:10 marathoner, and a mother of two young kids, James and Mia