For months I have had my Brighton Marathon training plan
ready but have been waiting for cooler temperatures and the start of September
before I really took a good hard look at it.
The other week I did just that and was surprised to see it
wasn’t as full of the long, mile pounding runs I thought it would be. In fact,
up until Christmas there is much more of a focus on building strength than
there is on racking up the miles!
A new thing for me, which brought more fear than miles and
miles of running, was the introduction of weekly Stretching/Yoga/Pilates
sessions. I was afraid of this for two reasons:
1. Yoga Bunnies – my visions of yoga classes are lots of
beautifully toned and flexible ladies cracking out wonderful shapes and being
able to hold them FOREVER!
2. Price – a quick internet search resulted in lots of fun
and exciting looking classes but with a price that made my eyes water. The
thought of spending £10+ a week is an impossibility on my wage.
Fortunately, the charity I work for was just beginning a 10
week Pilates course… for FREE and for beginners. Without a moment’s hesitation
I was signed up and looking forward to my first class.
For someone who has little to no core strength I pleasantly
surprised myself with my ability to keep up and even cracked out a 1min plank –
it has been awhile since I have even attempted a plank after taking on the
Shock Absorber Ab Challenge earlier this summer!
I found the focus on breathing really beneficial and the
hamstring stretches were like a gift from the heavens for my poor tight legs.
Earlier this summer I saw how much strengthening my core helped my running and
I am looking forward to seeing the benefits of the Pilates. I am already
enjoying a more ache free existence.
What other training do you do to complement your running?
Have you tried Pilates?
That's so good that you get to do a Pilates course for free! I tried it once but didn't get on with it but would like to try it again. I really want to try Yoga but like you I've found it too expensive; the places near me are all so expensive and you have to have membership rather than paying class by class. I do need to invest in some other activities to complement my running though, you have got me thinking now! :) xo
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I had never got on with it before but it shows the importance of finding a class which suits you. There must be other organisations offering it for free... have you thought about googling for your local time bank? I got a free Brighton marathon training plan and consultation with a running coach through a time bank. Xxx
DeleteGreat post hun. I agree with yoga and pilates helping your running form. I've heard that strengthening your core really helps reduce the likelihood of stitches during running :D
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