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ASK LARA is a free advice column to help you with all of your running, fitness and nutrition inquiries. To ASK LARA — simply fill out the form at the conclusion of the column.
Q. What are the best yoga poses for running?
~Meridith from Brookline, MA
A. I am a big fan of yoga myself, and that’s because I believe yoga is a great accompaniment to running training. Stretching helps to return your muscles to their normal resting length. And, in my experience, many yoga poses seem to hit just the right spots. The following are just some of my favorites. Please be careful, especially if you are new to yoga. It is important to perform each pose properly. The help of an instructor or a class setting is often the best way to go.
Downward-facing dog
This pose is not just for animal-lovers. In fact, it is a fantastic pose for runners because it targets the entire length of the back of the legs, from high hamstrings down through the calves, achilles tendons, and heels.
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Why run?
Running carries with it the same benefits of all cardiovascular exercise: it helps reduce stress, strengthens the heart and lungs, reduces risk of certain diseases, increases confidence, brightens your mood, helps you sleep better, gives you more energy, and, in general, provides a better sense of well being. It is also a great way to burn calories.
How many calories do you burn running a mile?
Conventional wisdom says that, for every mile you run, you will burn 100 calories. But other factors play into the equation as well, including your running speed and your body weight. Generally speaking, a 135 pound person will burn about 100 calories per mile. A 200 pound person, running at the same speed, may burn 150. Obviously, the faster you run, the more calories you will burn.
Starting to run
Running can be stressful on your body, particularly on your leg muscles and knees. But you can minimize your risk of injury by following a few, simple tips.
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All athletes have a dark, furtive, and silent fear of getting injured. It haunts all athletes; from professionals like Meb Keflezighi who was forced to drop out of last April’s Flora London Marathon at mile 16, to casual runners like myself.
Recently, I was sidelined with tendonitis in my right hip a month before I was to participate in my first half marathon.
When I told my sister, she instantly identified with my anguish by saying “So, it must be like going to write a big term paper and having your computer break down the night before it’s due.” Exactly.
When your body seemingly and unexpectedly fails you, you are frustrated, confused, and scared. Fortunately, you can minimize your worries and expedite your healing by educating yourself on the potential pitfalls of regular training, proper care for your athletic body, and ways to prevent such injuries.
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Jim Fortner is a weekly, guest contributor to TFS. Also check out his own personal running and advice site: “Jim2’s Running Page”.
Any treatment for Runners Knee, or inflammation of the illiotibial band (pictured to the right), must be done in conjunction with stretching of the ITB and massage.
I use two ITB stretches … one for the knee and one for the hip. They were recommended to me by the Union Memorial Hospital’s Sports Medicine Clinic in Baltimore, MD the two times I went to them with ITB problems.
The ITB stretch for the knee is simply cross-legged toe touches. Stand erect and cross your legs just below the knee with your right leg in front, your right foot on the outside of your left foot and your toes pointed forward. Then, bend from the waist to try to touch your toes.
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You know those dreams where you show up to the fist day of school and your naked? I’ve been plagued by those dreams, not about return to school, but rather about re-joining the world of racing.
I dream that on race day I am naked, show up late and end up stuck at the front of the pack before the start line. Then, I run so slow that people start knocking me over while other runners point and laugh.
Sure, I used to run 5k’s as a kid, but when you’re young you can get away with not knowing all the rules of race etiquette. As an adult, you want to be able to show up on race day focused on having fun and performing your best; not on how to pass, where to line up or how to get a drink from the aid stations.
That being said - I have complied a guide to racing etiquette so that the only thing that’ll make you, and I, stand out from the crowd is just how darn fast we are! :-) Read the rest of this entry »
Warming up before you exercise helps to prevent injuries and lets you jump higher, run faster, lift heavier or throw further. Your warm-up should involve the same muscles and motions you plan to use in your sport.
For example, before you start to run very fast, do a series of runs of gradually-increasing intensity to increase the circulation of blood to the muscles you will be using.
Muscles are made up of millions of individual fibers, just like a rope made from many threads. When you start to exercise at a very slow pace, you increase the blood flow to muscle fibers, increase their temperature, and bring in more oxygen, so the muscles are more pliable and resistant to injury.
When you contract a muscle for the first time, you use less than one percent of your muscle fibers. The second time you bring in more fibers, and you keep on increasing the number of muscle fibers used in each contraction for several minutes of using that muscle.
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