"Just feel free to get into Child's Pose when life requires it. . ."
I attended a yoga class last night -- hot yoga like I did for awhile with Rick. I feel very virtuous, because I'm pretty sure that means I "cross trained." Maybe. I feel so stretched out and good, I think I'm going to keep doing yoga 1-2 times per week. I think it will be good for balance and flexibility and, above all, heat training for WS. I hear WS is hot. Hot yoga is hot. There ya go! Plus, the instructor has great suggestions, like the one quoted above.
If anyone has opinions about whether yoga will be a good use of time for cross-training, let me know. The class is an hour and a half -- when it's all said and done it's about 2 hours of my night. I don't think that two hours would be better spent running, but I suppose it might be better spent at the gym lifting weights or something. I do need to start doing more hill climbing, I know that. I might try to incorporate hill repeats at Lone Pine one night a week. I'm a little panicked after blogger Meghan DNFed at her 100 mile race (and she must have been in first place?!?!? when she dropped due to extreme dehydration). It's a reminder of the very real possibility, even if training is optimal.
Anyhow, it's a little early to think about that. My training is in its infancy -- neither optimal nor failed yet :-)
11 comments:
"DNFed at her 100 mile race (and she must have been in first place?!?!? when she dropped due to extreme dehydration). It's a reminder of the very real possibility, even if training is optimal."
But we are not going to find ourselves in that postion, our we?
I understand that heat adaptions are somewhat short lived but take place in a relatively short time period. I think a lot of BW runners concentrate the most on heat training for a month or so before the run. I have also read of BW runners that heat train during off season. Whatever, I think the yoga is going to help you a lot.
I'll be your hill training buddy if you're in the market for one ;).
One of my favorite yoga instructions, as we all stared at the ceiling holding one leg perpendicular (some more so than others, i.e., me) was: "don't forget to thank your hamstrings today." Can you imagine getting out of your office chair and just going into child's pose? "Excuse me. I am going into child's pose for a minute."
As for me I did yoga when I was letting my stress fracture heal and even though I never became flexible and always looked wrong, it did feel good. But if I'd been able to, I would have rather used the time to do something else - it was just: I couldn't. So, my extremely helpful answer to you is: I don't know! Well, a lot of people swear by it, that's for sure.
I was just reading in my gym newsletter how "Some of you may think that Pilates is a woman’s workout – but you’re wrong!" Granted it was geared toward getting men (i.e., studly men) involved but I still thought that was a stupid way of putting it. Heaven forbid something be a woman's workout.
As for heat training. Remember, Nikki trains in Bozeman right up till WS and manages the heat somehow. You can do it!!!!!
(That's not to say Meghan did anything wrong!!! At all!! You're right, it's always a very real possibility to DNF and it's good to stay humble although I can see that's not something you're ever in danger of violating.)
The drawback of yoga (to me and people like me) is -- how to say this -- when the instructors talk about anything other than the pose and remind you to breathe. I'll leave it at that :p
That's interesting about your newsletter. It should say "Pilates: Not just for hospitalized and bedridden anymore." (Isn't that how it was developed?)
You're right about Nikki. Do you know how she trains in the winter? Does she still run trails/snowshoe? Does she mostly XC ski in the winter? She ought to jump on the online coach bandwagon. I'd gladly be her first student. Karl Metzler (sp?) is doing it now -- $100/month. If you just had one student that would be a lot of beer money :-)
Joe -- I will not let myself get dehydrated. I will have the luxury of pacers who will be bossy and force me to eat and drink. Supahstar.
Leanne, maybe when your knee isn't tweaking we should start that. If we did just two trips up Lone Pine that would be 6 miles total.
Or you can come out to my place and run the road to the cabin over and over! I'd be happy to head to Lone Pine with you as well.
As for hot yoga - I looked into it, but thought I'd pass out! Just how hot is it?
hee-hee...that'd probably be good, huh? thanks for looking out for me.
P.S. I don't think you'll have anything to worry about at WS! You learned a lot from Le Grizz and as planned out as you had everything for the 50-miler, you'll be more than set for the big 100.
A lot of winter sports where she kicks ass as well (snowshoe, XC skiing). One tough cookie!
$100 isn't too bad. You should see Scott Jurek's rates.
I feel like there's enough advice floating around to coach yourself. But it would kind of be nice to just have someone write out your plan so you don't have to think, and second guess. Even coaches have coaches (like shrinks have shrinks?).
My yoga instructor read us a lot of Mary Oliver. I will also leave it at that. :p
How can you live in mountains and NOT do hill training? :) One of the great things about where I live, you are FORCED to do hill work cause the valleys are pretty short.
I think yoga would be a great complement to your running. Just stay hydrated in there!
Danni,
I used to teach Bikram yoga (I assume this is what you're talking about as Hot Yoga). It is awesome, and gives quite a heat training. While it is all that, the real heat training should begin about 3 weeks prior WS (I mean, earlier is better, but the REAL stuff). Per Scott Jurek, who used to train me:) Speaking of your requests on race reports, I got them linked on my blog, there are 3 for WS. No, nothing bloody, though crap happens (sometimes literally) during a 100 mile slog. I can also outline you some points from Scott's training (for free, I don't drink beer:)) if you shoot me an email. Like a guideline. It's a real bummer Meghan dropped, she pretty much was my bet for the win and 18 hr finish time. Live and learn...may be it was exactly that, from WY winter to TX heat wave plus the speed she held (hard to keep drinking when you blast). She'll be back, she is strong and lively.
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