Yoga for Runners - Yin Yoga for Shin Splints

Let's start out with a little bit of brutal honesty here: I am not, nor do I claim to be a runner of any sort. I've got a tough enough time with a steady jog - more of a hop, really - to ever consider actual RUNNING to be a pleasurable activity. Bless those of you that find a joyful release and peace while running because that will never be me. I wish I could love running, I really do, but I just really don't... like, at all.

Post-Color Run 5K Fun

I've had flat feet for as long as I can remember which has caused me to have chronic foot, knee, and low back pain. I wear orthotics in my awesome pair of Asics running shoes, but no matter what my body just does not like the feeling of running. My asthma likes to kick in when I start noticing the soreness in my lower body. All around, just not my recipe for fun.

While enthusiasts might enjoy that runner's high, if I had to think of one feeling to attach to my running career it would be this:

SHIN. SPLINTS. 

Goodness gracious. Every. Single. Time. And it really sucks.

So why on Earth would I even consider running, then? Well, for one I really should try to run, I mean it is good for you. My lungs and heart could use some toning. But honestly, the only reason I'm writing this is because my girlfriends put together a team for the Color Run and it just so happens that "Run a 5K" is on my bucket list. Not sure why, but it's written in ink so it stands.

So I ran that 5K.

Was it fun? Hell yes.
Did we finish? Of course!
Would I do it again? Nehhhhhh....

I have not run that much since high school, I can guarantee that. Hips, hammies, and OOHHHH WEEE those shin splints. It's 2 days later and I'm still sore.

So here's a sequence I've been practicing at home to help ease the pain of shin splints, tight hamstrings and hips that I hope you can enjoy with me!

I like to think of this as a "Yinyasa" flow; meaning that there's a small bit of vinyasa-style flow before slowing it down to take it deep. The muscles have a chance to get warmed up and I find that it just feels better. I know many of you high-energy runners out there might crave a hot sweaty flow to make things feel better, but it just won't. Here's the thing -- whether or not running is your thing, you need to slow it down to get relief.

Enjoy.

Yoga for Runners (1 Hour Yoga Sequence)

1. Begin standing with 10 rounds of Breath of Joy
2. Surya Namaskar A 2X
3. Hang dog to Warrior 1 3X each side (5 breaths)
4. Vinyasa through
5. Bound angle with zipper toes
6. Down Dog, raise R leg
7. Low Lunge hands to thigh - lengthen upper body (3 min)
8. Stay in Low Lunge, bring L hand to knee/inner thigh and pivot upper body toward inside of leg to twist (2 min)
9. Runners Lunge, toes tucked (2 min)
10. Lizard (3 min)
11. Ardha Hanumanasana w/ blocks (3 min)
12. Pigeon (5 min) *If mermaid/king pigeon is in your practice, enter this first for a juicy quad stretch*
13. Childs (2 min) 
14. Repeat steps 6-13 on L side
15. From a kneeling position, tuck your toes underneath you and spread them as widely as comfortably possible. Sit your hips onto your heels, applying as much pressure as comfortably possible. This is an intense stretch, but it gets the job done. This stretch is so intense for me that I have to close my eyes and do nothing but breathe. If I stick with it long enough, I'll start to see colors on the insides of my eyelids. So don't hate me for this stretch, you may release a lot of stuff. It's good though. (2-5 min, depending on how long you can take it)
16. Reclined fish on bolster, legs straight or in bound angle (5 min) 
17. Legs up the wall

If this sequence still leaves you needing more relief, try my favorite natural cure: Deep Blue Rub. You can find it here on My doTerra Shop.