A student of our Hot Yoga wrote us a testimonial about how Hot Yoga has helped her significantly improve her running and it’s worth a read!
Firstly, I am no athlete. I love running but I run for myself, I have never competed (except with myself). So I run for fun, to try and beat my times and for the bling (medals). Over recent years I have tried to challenge myself a bit more in relation to speed, distance and endurance but I remain “average” in relation to performance.
I started coming to Yogafurie for one reason only – the heat. In March I did a 30 days for £30 at Yogafurie in preparation for my attempt at the Marathon Des Sables. All I wanted was some acclimation training. I had done a bit of YouTube yoga previously and found I quite enjoyed yogafurie’s hot yoga as well as the heat. In April I did the MdS.
I got back from the desert and continued to run but life turned to sh*t a bit with a close and traumatic bereavement and then my brother had a stroke (aged 51). Where I had always turned to running to rescue my head, life was getting in the way and my performance dropped off and I found I was falling out of love with running. I was bereft.
My partner pointed out that when I had been coming to hot yoga regularly prior to the MdS I had been notably more chilled and calm. He suggested I try to find that calm again by joining Yogafurie and seeing how it went. So I did. I also took two months off of running training – I still ran, but no more than a 10k. And I make an effort to come to Yogafurie at least twice if not 3 times a week. I have been doing that since June.
I’ve been picking up my running again and as I was explaining to Ed this morning I have noticed an exponential improvement in my performance and I attribute that to the regular yoga.
Through the yoga I have found an increased awareness of the space my body occupies. That amazing sensation of making what seems like the most minor adjustment and feeling a whole range of movement and space unlock. I have been able to transpose that to my running form and the benefits have been incredible. Further to that I have been able to really stay focussed and present in my running which is something I have only learnt through regular yoga practice – before my mind would’ve been in a million places when I ran. Everything from writing a shopping list to conversations I had 20 years ago! Now I am able to run and just appreciate the sensations in my body and stay in that very moment.
That may all sound like a load of yogi, hippy nonsense to people who don’t practice. But the evidence for me is clear. I can normally knock out a half marathon in 2 hours give or take…This weekend I ran Cheltenham Half Marathon in 1:47 and I knocked a whole 7 minutes of my previous half marathon PB. 7 minutes!!
I have found my calm in real life too.
If you’ve never tried Yogafurie hot yoga before try our 30 days for £30 and see what it can transform for you in your life.
