My running world

My running world has been rocked! I'm STILL hobbling! Seriously!? Yes, seriously. This pain seems to migrate. It's landed in my hip.

So I was doing Crossfit to make me stronger... because my glutes and hips are weak. Well while I think that most certainly works and I truly enjoy the badass factor and having my butt kicked on a regular basis it was taking a lot out of me and I NEED to be running... and running comfortably!

I've tried all the typical stretches for runners and while they help they aren't fixing the problem.

My solution... I need to be a yoga runner! HUH?

Let's back up YEARS and YEARS ago ... about 1999 or 2000. My very FIRST running injury. I had conquered the marathon and was getting ready to start training for my second. Obviously since I'd already done it once it was time to do it faster. Naturally one would prepare for this said faster marathon by going from a steady 9:30 min / mile to jumping in with the fast dogs at about 8:30 min/miles on DAY ONE! Yes surely that is the best course of action... or not. I ended up with compartment syndrome and sidelined. BOO!

I don't do the sit around thing real well so when a friend of mine said she wanted to take this month long intensive yoga course that met 5x/week I said 'SIGN ME UP!' 530 in the a.m. EVERY day of the week. EEK! It was hard for this late nighter to get up that early, but I paid big bucks for this thing... I WAS GOING TO BE THERE! Be there I was.... and I'll be damned if I wasn't able to run after it was all said and done. I am so inflexible, but saw such great improvements.... started running again and didn't do yoga again until I, um, got injured again. Why am I so damn smart!?

Anyway... back to present day and the year of injuries. Why not go back to what I know works? I mean I did do 2x/week for 2 weeks recently and felt much better... and promptly replaced what seemed to be working with crossfit! What the hell is the matter with me!?

So here we go. I ordered some DVDs (bc I am too cheap to go to a yoga studio), I quit (er, put off) Crossfit for now and am DEDICATED to getting this shit worked out. I am tired of limping around like an 80 year old.

Life has been pretty crazy lately so I could also use the mental part of the yoga. :) I'll let you know how it's going.... and if it helps the ol' hips.
I ordered:

Shiva Rea - Power Flow Yoga (yea I can TOTALLY do what she's doing there)

Rodney Yee - Power Yoga Flexibility

Along with my trusty yoga I'll be doing all my hip exercises .... check out the MYRTLE routine video in THIS post. You'll also find me doing the other squats and lunges.

I'll also be doing some MAJORLY challenging (I jest) exercises such as these:








What are  your go to 'get back in the game' exercises? Do you do THESE types of things through out your running program to PREVENT injury? (Clearly I did not... I DO NOW!)

It's worth the few minutes it takes you to do these exercises. Do them BEFORE your run as part of a warm up... even if it means you have to cut your run a few minutes short to do them. Your body will thank you!! I promise.