Yoga For Runners

Many have asked me what's my secret to the longevity of my running game. Well, it's never been a secret I've ever withheld from anyone and I always answered with a simple one word answer -- Yoga. Of coarse there are dozens of variations and teachings of Yoga.

It all started over twenty years ago as I threw down my last two pack-a-day Marlboro for the last time. I remember the words of the master runner George Shannon and what he did. No use in re-inventing the wheel. If George said his Yoga exercises improved his running...then that was good enough for me. I never questioned it again and always blended in a fifteen to twenty poses routine after each run. George set a world record for the fastest sixty year old runner. Running and Yoga always had to blend in harmony with my schedule. Meaning with the type of work I did, often never allowed me to go to a gym or studio. There was never an established time of when I was to get off of work. So, that's what attracted me to running. My runs always started and ended at my front door.

Running is cheap! Mainly just the cost of a pair of running shoes. Yoga is the best for stretching your muscles. Very important to a runner because running tightens your muscles. After your run your nice and warmed up so that's the best time to do your routine of Yoga. If the weather was so bad I couldn't run outside, no big dill. Hit the treadmill! A good treadmill will run you about a thousand dollars but it's not something you have to start with. I saved up for a couple years before able to buy one.

Once again, the beauty of Yoga is it takes more or less no cost. After coming in from my runs I'd just hit the floor while watching TV going through my poses. I hope I'm painting a good picture here about an exercise program that anyone at any age can afford. Yoga and running will equip you to be one of the healthiest people in your neighborhood. As you can afford it you'll want to get some good running shoes. I always ran in a pair of Asics Trainers. In time you'll find the best brand you like to run in. It took me a couple years of trial and error before finding the best running shoe, I liked.

After a year of running you'll finally get to where you can go through your Yoga routine pretty good as you become more flexible. A few days during the week you'll have some no run days, so on those days just do your floor exercises of Yoga. I never went to a Yoga class myself. You might do the same as I did. I went to a book store and found the best book I could find on Hatha Yoga. That's how I learned out of a book by reading and looking at the pictures and diagrams.

Of course now we have the internet and all the CD's and DVD's to learn from. Everyone likes to learn in the best way each of us like to learn. Your choose of audio, reading, classes, seminars the list is endless. Running is all about being as relaxed as possible while breathing deep rhythmic breath, without much thought. Yoga will give you a runner's advantage over runner's who don't practice Yoga. Running is all about smooth graceful strides without strain! As a deer gliding across a valley. Your running strides will become longer, more stream lined. Yoga will allow you to increasing continual effortless flow of strides as you pass your competitors in your age group.

Gary Cooper is an expert in article and attraction marketing. He is a veteran runner having ran in well over one hundred races. Gary lives with his wife of over 30+ years in the Dallas area. Stop by his blog for dozens of tips to improve your running at whatever age group your now in. [http://cooperpublishing.com]

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