GOOOOD MORNING! I am getting really excited AND nervous for my race! I definitely dreamt about crossing that finish line last night! :)
Time for.... POWER BREAKFAST! It's not just the pre-race dinner that counts, it's the whole day before!
I "healthed up" French toast by using 3 egg whites as opposed to whole eggs.... delish!
Using egg whites seemed to make the French toast most "crunchy" as opposed to soggy. I'm usually too cheap to toss out half an egg, but the improved taste was worth it!
On the side I ate my last remaining banana.... time to go to the store! :)
And, of course, real maple syrup for dipping and a coffee. I feel AWAKE and FUELED now!
I'm off to my yoga class, and then I'll be back for lunch!
Yoga for Runners
I've never been a diehard practitioner of yoga, but I've been known to break into a dogward dog in the middle of my work day in order to relax. :) And, of course, I love to stretch and relax! So far, I've tried two different types of yoga:
- Bikram Yoga: Bikram yoga, or "hot yoga," is preformed in a sauna heated from 95 to 102 degrees. Bikram yoga is a series of 26 postures, each performed twice. You burn LOADS of calories! The key to Bikram is wear as... little... clothing... as... possible. It's too hot for more than a sports bra and little shorts. You also want to drink a lot of water before, during, and after class--you literally drip sweat. Bring a towel!
- Ashtanga Yoga/Power Yoga/Vinyasa Yoga: Each of these three styles links poses together in a long, choreographed, rapidly moving sequence. No breaks! You've got to know what you're doing before you go to class, or it's hard to gracefully "flow" in between positions. Start off with a introductory course. Personally, I like this style more than hot yoga.
Yoga has numerous mental and physical health benefits. It's a great tool for runners as it increases body flexibility and endurance. Mentally, it prepares you for physical challenges and releases stress. Don't worry about being unfamiliar with the poses; yoga is a judge-free zone! :)
Don't have a studio to go to? Watch this video to learn some introductory yoga poses to try out after your next run. They make my legs feel SO limber!
Anyone else out there use yoga as part of a training program?
32 comments:
GOod morning to you, too!!
You're going to be great in that race tomorrow, no worries!!! :0)
Yep, I just started doing yoga for flexibility and strength purposes, as a complement to my dance training - I do the Vinyasa version the most.
I am a Pilates girl, but this is great yoga info. Yum! French Toast!
You'll rock that race...no worries!
Good luck tomorrow, I bet you will be fabulous. I can't wait to hear all about it. Your French Toast looks yummy.
Enjoy your day!
I would love to give "hot yoga" a try! I've heard about the super calorie burning and sweat dripping ... sounds like a day at the theme park to me! Ha! :)
I've tried yoga once, but couldnt get into it. Done pilates a bunch of times though. Good luck on your race this weekend - sure you will do great!
i love to do yoga on my rest days .. i also went on yogadownloads.com, where you can download audio classes onto your ipod and view a pdf of the poses it takes you through. all of the 20 minute classes are FREE to download which is a greeeattt way to get in a short workout, especially for people who usually neglect stretching - like me!!! Try Yoga for Runners (20 min) and Yoga for the Core (20 min). Longer ones cost about $4 each, but you have them forever!!
Hey Caitlin! Good luck tomorrow!
By the way, you inspired my new fitness goal! Check out my blog post today!
that breakfast looks great! i always make my french toast with egg whites.. haven't had it in a LONG time though!
i should do yoga more, but haven't had the time lately! i'm not the biggest fan because it's slow and painful (i prefer fast-paced exercise) but i always feel so good afterwards!
have a great day before the big race!
I usually do a few sun salutations every day. It is just so invigorating! but I can't seem to get into long yoga classes.
Have a great day! in 24 hours u'll be a running machine!
Can't wait to hear all about your race. You're going to do great!
I try to do yoga once a week. It really relaxes me and helps get all the kinks out. I did a www.yogatoday.com workout yesterday. Really good.
Oh, a few years back I was doing Bikram once a week. I really enjoyed it, but it was winter and cold here so it felt great when we got out of class. In Florida, I can't imagine you would get that cold rush, though. LOL!
Hey Caitlin,
I am not a vegetarian, but eat meat very rarely. I counted up my grams of protein yesterday, and it was way lower than it should be (especially for a runner). I saw that you drink Muscle Milk Light. Would you recommend it for protein? Would flavor(s) do you like? I saw that it is 190 cal for 2 scoops, plus the milk you use. Do you use one scoop? Thanks!
I do yoga 2-3 times a week (especially after my long run). I used to do it every night before bed, but life has gotten a little crazier since starting grad school! I love how relaxed I feel afterwards. And after a long run I think it definitely helps to stretch me out. I do the Namaste Yoga program that's on FitTv. They have one that's for distance runners and it really stretches my legs out and feels great!
Good luck with your half marathon tomorrow! You're gonna do great and I can't wait to read your race report! :)
yep I had to do Yoga!!! I did power yoga and it was like my own personal massage session. Good luck on your race!
I did yoga after a run for the first time earlier this week and loved it! The combo of sweating and working my muscles hard, then stretching them out feels sooo good. I used to dance and was very flexible, so I'm hoping more yoga will get some of that flexibility back. I like Vinyasa, but I've never tried Bikram.
It's not an official program, but I do yoga several times a week to keep it real. I like ashtanga the best.
amanda and shawna - thanks for sharing those links!! Awesome!
foodie - that is really, really sweet. and, i think you picked an excellent goal! i know you can do it, because… seriously… if i can, anyone can! i used to be such a couch potato!! C25K is a great program and i’m sure you’ll be sprinting around the block soon enough!!
Allison - Muscle Milk Light is pretty much my post-run savior, because I know how important it is to have a protein and carb-rich snack after a long run. I really like the Cookies and Cream flavor. I usually only do 1 scoop + 1 cup skim milk, which works out to about 190 calories and 23 grams of protein. I just prefer the taste of the 1 scoop + milk compared to 2 scoops and water. However, I have drank 1 scoop + 1 cup water when I'm looking for a lower-calorie snack.
The only issue I have with Muscle Milk Light is there are some artifical sweetners in it and the ingredient list is loooooong. I try to limit my consumption of artifical sweetners, so having Muscle Milk Light every other day or so isn't a big deal to me.
The other type of protein powder I use is Pro Health ImmunPlex Bio Active Undenatured Whey Protein. It's a more "natural" approach to protein powder and significantly lower in calories than Muscle Milk. I usually use two scoops of ImmunPlex, which has 80 calories and 19 grams of protein (so, 6 grams less protein but 110 fewer calories than two scoops of Muscle Milk Light). You can buy it here:
https://prohealth.com//shop/product.cfm/product__code/PH143
arg that link didn't post.
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https://prohealth.com//
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I LOVED your rant. :)
Ill be thinking of you tomorrow!
love,
An Avowed Rodney Yee yoga dvd user.
My dear husband is training for a marathon and he is doing yoga along with it. Which is great because it gives me a yoga partner.
You are so right about the meals the whole day before the race that matters-- not to mention during your training. So many people focus on carbo-loading the night before a race, but if you haven't properly fueled before and after your training runs, no amount of carbs will help. It's great seeing how you do that on a daily basis.
And I try to do a little yoga almost every day, too-- mostly just my Baron Baptiste DVDs, since he has a lot of hip-opening stretches and much of his yoga is athlete-specific.
I've never really gotten into yoga... tried it a few times, including hot yoga, but it's just not my thing. I'm a total pilates girl :) I really enjoy the stretching and abs workout aspect of pilates, and also that it's faster paced and doesn't involve awkward positions held forever like yoga :)
I need some carbssss. I think I'm gonna go make some French toast, too. Well, no - I'm craving savory. I guess it's back to the ol' eggs-in-a-basket. =]
Good luck in your race. If I wasn't working, I'd come watch!
During the summer I went to a few yoga classes. I really enjoyed the stretch, but wasn't really feeling the instructor. I may give it another try after the marathon.
Don't be nervous, you are going to do great.
although, i do like the stretches in the video you posted and will remember them for after runs! i've never had those done in a yoga class i've attended, but have heard of those stretches before as being good for runners.
No, of course not! I'm going to be working all weekend anyway. My normal days off recently have been Thursdays and Fridays, soooooo. I'm off today, but I have a crap ton of cooking to do. Oh well, at least it'll make for a fun blog entry =P
I prefer pilates over yoga becuase you get the stretching and the strengthening.. this week I am going to be trying the pilates reformer and the tower classes. I will let youknow how that goes. But the pilates/and yoga both help to open up my stride and allow me to run faster!
http://sportsnutritionliving.wordpress.com
I go to a 90 min. hot yoga class every Sunday morning and LOVE it! It is relaxing yet challenging and is a great calorie burn. For anyone looking for a more challenging style of yoga, a bikram/hot class is a good option!
Thanks so much!!!
i have heard wonderful things abotu yoga incorporated into running training. i just bought a dvd and have been trying to work it in (although that isnt going too well right now).
good luck this weekend!!!!
I love egg white French toast.
Good luck with your race!!!
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