I love the New Year.  There is always an excitement in the air when I set new goals and work to achieve them.  I love the challenges and especially love when I actually accomplish them.  Last year, I was prodded by my best friend to set the biggest New Year’s resolution of my life- run a marathon.  She had past experience running a race of 26.2 miles but for me, it was new territory.  I have always been a short distance kind of girl, running only 3 miles at once before the goal was set.  I am definitely the one that enjoys strength training over aerobics classes, believing my fitness talents to fall into that spectrum alone. I suppose that is part of the magic of achieving a goal, when you discover that your talents can expand, grow and even change.  With the help of books and other professionals, I was able to mix my new running talent with my love of yoga to create a 16 week training program that guided me to success.   

Experts agree that running a marathon will never be successful if you don’t take a well rounded fitness approach to it.  In addition to putting in the miles, you must condition your core body muscles, stretch your tendons and joints as well as create a positive mental attitude about yourself.  Without the mix of these three factors, you will most likely fail.  As I researched the excersises most commonly provided in these programs, it was obvious yoga would be a perfect fit.  Using basic yoga poses like SUN SALUTATIONS, WARRIOR, PLANK, BOAT, and more I could accomplish the same goals that these programs set out to do.  I was able to create a plan that fit my yoga mind frame to help me achieve the ultimate running goal of finishing a marathon.

Knowing that many of my students and DVD patrons are also runners, I thought you could benefit from this program as well.  I have provided the basic 16 week training plan along with short descriptions of most poses and techniques.  Find it at: http://bluemediademodvds.com/YogaChoice/marathonyogaplan.pdf .   Please keep in mind that this program worked well for me, a first time marathon runner.  I am not a running expert, but I did use expert advice in putting this program together. 

So, as you start your new year and if a marathon is on your horizon I hope this helps.  Happy yoga running!