Marathon Mania: The excitement is building in Chi-Town! With The Chicago Marathon little more than 3 weeks away many of you will be doing your final long run before kicking off the taper this weekend. CARA’s Ready to Run 20-miler along the lakefront on Sunday is sponsored by Newton this year (huge WOOT for Newton cuz I love them). I was SO tempted to get down there for the 20 miler and the festivities that go along with it, alas 20 miles is probably the last thing I should be springing on my crankazoid hip at this point. I’ll be happy with 15 or 16 miles.
Yoga for runners: My very first running injury was ITBS, which clobbered me 2 weeks after running my first Chicago Marathon in 2007. I ignored the warning signs completely. Live and learn. Now I stretch, strengthen and foam roll religiously. Since it’s National Yoga Month I wanted to share my favorite yoga stretch for the IT band. Here’s Lizard:
From plank position, bring one foot up next to your hand on the outside. From here, if possible, go down to your forearms. Hold and breathe.
Turn the forward foot out and lower so you’re almost sitting on the side of your hip. Feel the stretch in the ITB. Look here for other poses runners need most. Remember to get in on Athleta’s great yoga giveaway and free weekend classes. The prizes are too good not to!Thanks to Athleta for sponsoring!
Becoming a Mudder: My maiden voyage into the mud is just a couple of days away. I am excited! I am nervous! I don’t know what to wear! Time is running out so register here and use code HealthySliceDisc to save $10!
Are you racing this weekend? Tapering?
I have a love/hate relationship with Lizard but it does help 🙂
Good luck and have fun with your mud run!!
Hi Marcia! Hope you are better after the injury. I did a lot of yoga when we lived in India.
My mud/obstacle run is this weekend, too, but I’m so busy reassuring my friends how fun it’ll be that I haven’t had time to get nervous yet. 🙂 I’m pretty set as for shoes (my…ummm…well-ventilated old pair of trail shoes) and shorts, but I’m not so sure on a top yet. Something cute that won’t get ruined in the mud….
Good luck with your mud run and your long run!
I really don’t do a lot of stretching, but with my ITB last year and my feet this year, I’ve been stepping it up a bit after longer runs. I need to get better, though.
The longer I run, the less flexible I become. I’m so jealous of your ability to do yoga. I pretty much fall over every time I try to pose 🙂 Good job!
Have a great time at the mud run!
We are tapering already since our marathon is on September 30th. Just a 12 miler this weekend, crazy that I can say that “just”. haha
That mudder is going to be a blast- can’t wait to hear about it! No tapering here… trying to ramp up some miles again, finally. It feels good. 🙂
I’m pretty good at stretching, doing yoga most days of the week and foam rolling. If I don’t, my IT band hates me!
i love a good lizard… move! haha. It stretches out those hip flexors too!