Yoga for Runners

Since January 2008, I've been taking weekly yoga classes at the False Creek Community Centre at Granville Island.
Led by Mike Dennison, this class teaches yoga postures that complement the needs of a runner's body.  Mike focuses on lower body work, helping his students relate to and focus on the numerous issues runners have with leg tightness,  core strength and the need to nuture a more "open" body.  Until I started this class, I really didn't understand what an open body was, but after a few months of practice I understood how the postures and awareness of the physical self were more than just some new age mumbo-jumbo, this was sound therapeutic advice.


Not only was I feeling more relaxed and energized during running, but I noticed my posture improving and an increase in my daily energy levels.  I was hooked.  Since the class I was attending took place on Friday evening, it was a great way to start the weekend and with 75 minutes of intense postures (ok, the last one is always savasana, or corpse pose, in which you lie on your back and do nothing) it was a guarantee of a good night's sleep.

Starting in January 2009, I began attending two classes a week, the second class being held at the Coal Harbour Community Centre.  Mike's Tuesday offering comes with a twist.  45 minutes before the class, he hosts a 30 minutes group run.  At first I was a bit hesitant to run for half an hour and then do 75 minutes of yoga, but after the first few classes I realized that running was an excellent way to loosen up the body in preparation for the class.  Since the Friday class does not provide a pre-class run and I do not have time to run before the class, I definitely notice the difference in mobility in the first 15 minutes of the Friday class versus the Tuesday class.

The number of runners varies quite a bit on the Tuesday run, but for the most part we split into two groups, those that go at a slightly faster pace and run without a walk break for the 30 minutes and those that run with Mike for a run/walk pace.

I highly recommend yoga to anyone serious about their running, even if you cannot attend a class specifically designed for runners.  Be ready for a serious workout.  Yoga may look like it is just a series of dance-like steps done in slow motion, but the subtle body strength required to properly move into and maintain even the simplest poses will have beginners soon sweating and complaining about sore muscles they didn't even know existed.  I recommend sticking with it for 6 months or so to the point where you've internalized the mental focus and body awareness concepts that are at the heart of a strong yoga practice.

You can learn more about Mike and his classes at Mike Dennison's Runners' Yoga.