Yoga in trainers (photo by Rosie Hallam)
I have a confession to make. I can’t touch my toes. Not without bending my knees, anyway…
But then again, nor can most of the runners I know. I’ve long suspected that being a runner precludes being flexible – but I recently went to a ‘yoga for runners session’, taught by Laura Denham-Jones who is not only a great yoga teacher but also a marathon runner. She believes that yoga is a great complement to a running regime and that the benefits go far beyond inching a little closer to those toes. In fact, she states that the biggest pay-off, as far as her own running is concerned, has been the non-physical aspects of yoga – for example, the focus on breathing and the emphasis on ‘staying in the moment’. She also believes that regular practice has helped her to avoid the injuries that blight many a runner. Read the full article, in the FT Weekend magazine 17th July or online.