I stumbled into my first yoga class after a kickboxing class at an old gym. I was on a try something new kick and decided I would stay for the 60 minute Hatha yoga class. I have always been pretty flexible, so I thought Id manage to hold my own, despite not knowing the name of a single pose. What I also did not know was the other benefits practicing yoga would bring.

Im hardly an advanced yogi, but I have been practicing yoga pretty consistently for about 10 years. I havent yet mastered Salamba Sirsasana (headstand) without a wall or come even close to Galavasana (flying crow).

As a runner, yoga has been both a teaching tool as well as a way to balance the physical strains of running and keep my body healthy. Heres what I have learned from yoga that I take with me when I run:

While I try to incorporate stretches into my pre and post-run routines, the mental benefits of a yoga practice still make attending class once a week a worthwhile investment for me. Im lucky to have one of my favorite yoga instructors, Rebecca Pacheco, teach in a studio just blocks from my home, but there are still some weeks, especially recently, when even that seemed too difficult to fit into my schedule.

Fortunately, Rebecca has a knack for social media and also, conveniently, a passion for running (she ran the Boston Marathon in 2009). In addition to the many videos she has posted on her own website, rebeccapacheco.com, she is the face of the recently launched Runners Worlds Yoga Center. The site has 2 25-30 minute classes posted so far, as well as several other short videos of useful yoga poses for runners. Rebecca even throws in some of her usual jokes, which even though Ive heard more than a few times, still make me smile.

I tried the videos this past month, when snowstorms and travel kept me from attending classes in person. Its not an exact replacement, but much more structured than my own home practice, where some extra savasana can lead to a nap on my living room floor. For a new yogi, the classes are a good introduction to yoga. I found that hitting the pause button to extend a pose or asana made the classes a bit more challenging for me.

This morning, I treated myself to a yoga class with Rebecca at Inner Strength in Watertown after a chilly 5.5 mile run. I find I usually have a better yoga practice after a run, perhaps because I have lower expectations for myself on these days. And after the speed skating loop I ran around the ice-glossed paths along the Charles, the warm (ok, hot) studio felt amazing.

As I begin my marathon training, I know yoga will be an important part of my weekly routine, both to stay physically healthy and mentally balanced. When I cant get to the yoga studio, I can take advantage of resources like Rebeccas videos from home.

Ive just got to be a little flexible.

Continued here:
Yoga for Runners - Run Along - Boston.com