Operation flexibility

If you read my last post, and listened to the Running on Om podcast that I mentioned, you will know that I have been battling an injury for a long time now. More specifically, a difficult to heal and difficult to train through hamstring injury. Or at least I think that's the main problem?? The whole thing actually started out as pain and tightness in my glute, and then my hamstring got caught in the compensatory crossfire. But I'm not the only one who was at a loss for the ultimate cause. Two chiros, a PT, and two masseuses have all blamed different muscles and tight spots--no clear consensus or course of action for rehab.

But one thing was clear, my flexibility was REAL bad. Partially because I didn't want to accidentally over stretch my hammy, and partially because over the last 1.5 years of running, I just wasn't stretching. Like at all. I mean, I did some foam rolling and trigger ball work, but that's it. 

I know myself well enough to know that fitness classes work well for me by keeping me accountable (assuming I'm paying for them). So I figured some structured stretching classes could possibly help bring this hamstring fiasco to an end.

Enter: Hot yoga

The heat, the sweat, the deep breathing, the zen. It's glorious! And oh how I wish I had taken some photos of myself in poses before I started hot yoga, and then had some to show ya'll now. I feel like I have made big improvements in three weeks (but of course I'm no where near the pretzel-y people in the class). Even if yoga isn't helping my hamstring, it's definitely helping me find more joy in exercise!

My inspiration yogi runners: Ann and her amazing Runner's Love Yoga instagram (website here), Julia over at Running on Om, and Erin at Jasyoga.

I am LOVING this Oiselle outfit for hot yoga classes 

Here's to getting bendy!

A peek into the last year+ of my running

Despite the fact that my last blog post was filled with grinning photos of my Boston Marathon experience this year, running has not been going well for me in the last, oh, one and half years. Lucky for you, my 5 readers, I wrote a very distilled version of my running woes in the form of a question that I submitted to the Running on Om podcast in hopes that Julia and the wise Lauren Fleshman would tackle my current struggles. Do ya'll already listen to this podcast? If not, you should. If you are only into running, there are great running episodes for you. I started listening for the running content, but then stayed for the episodes that are more yoga/mind-body-connection/life journey oriented. I am totally hooked and want to be friends with Julia IRL.

Anyway, THEY PICKED MY QUESTION! Have a listen to this episode and tune in to the "Bricks for legs" segment to hear my question and their answer. Big thank you to Julia and Lauren for your thoughts and insights!

I assume that no one wants to read more posts on the back story of my current running situation, which can be summed up as "a half way injured struggle/ barely hanging in there". So unless I get requests for more back story and reflection, I will just carry on and talk more about where I'm at right now (in another post that is). In the mean time, go listen to that Running on Om episode!