Yoga Bear and no more Boo Boo

No piiiicinik baskets here!  We have embarked on the world of yoga and pilates.  Note in photo number one (well, the only photo), Rip demonstrates a perfect example of the downward, reclining cat, while John struggles in his upward dog pose.  The Yin and the Yang if you will.

My yoga instructor had to, ahem, encourage me in my sideways tilt, and my lame knee won't allow me to do the basic "legs crossed" pose, so I modified.  Wow, is your leg supposed to bend like that?  Why do I want to do the "pigeon?"  I had to explain:  "I'm a runner."  "Oh," he says, "say no more.  Just keep coming to yoga, and you might want to try to roll out your fascia with a foam roller before class."  I'll keep that in mind.  I really will.

Let's not just add yoga, let's add pilates as well.  I've heard that's good for your core and butt.  Whew!  Need that for sure.  Not that it was totally too easy, or slow to progress, but after the first 15 minutes of "warm up" moves, I was feeling a little sleepy.  That is until I woke up this morning with sore everything.  Really?  Really?  It wasn't too bad when we swung our leg forward and backward a few times (boring!) but then, without rest or recovery, she made us hold it out behind and pulse (ouch!) and then without rest or recovery, out to the side, front circles, back circles, pulses (are you kidding me?), and then without rest or recovery, she MADE us contort our leg the other way ... more pulses.  That did wonders for my hip.  Then all over again on the other side.  Pilates are totally cool.

Without a doubt, the stretching and the natural form movements have already helped me.  My hip/low back irritation, inflammation stuff is so much better.  My knee shows very little swelling and is no longer an issue.  As I watched the yoga instructor kneel down to turn on the stereo, I noted that he bent his knees, both knees totally and comfortably.  I can't remember the last time I could do that.  Flexibility is a big part of overall wellness and fitness and I am looking forward to getting my downward pigeon stork working for me.

Cross-training continues but I was able to run a fairly brisk 11 miles last week on a slightly sore knee and still screaming achilles tendon ... but with each run it feels just a bit better and since I don't run that often, I am giving it time to heal.  Tonight I will run in the pool and do a set of 6 sprint 50's swim and some ab work and I will consider it a great workout.

I can't wait until I am able to get on the track for intervals or compete in a race, but until then I am trying to enjoy all the facets of fitness.