Putting it all Together

September, the beginning of Fall, the start of a new school year for those attending. Many embrace this time to get back to a routine that they may have fallen out of over the Summer months or to start new ones.  With this theme in mind, I feel it’s time to put everything together and lay out my entire post run sequence for you. As I have covered every other pose over the last five months. Where has the time gone? Did I mention Fall is my favourite time to run?

Starting in Tadasana, Mountain Pose:

Standing with your feet hip width apart, begin by grounding through the four corners of the soles of your feet, feeling them rooting into the earth, whether on your mat on in the grass.

• Option to lift your toes and stretch them out as you place them back down onto the mat may help you feel more grounded.

Stacking knees over ankles, hips over ankles and shoulders over hips, the spine begins to lengthen as you lift through the crown of your head. Growing taller with each inhale and becoming more rooted into the ground with each exhale.

Rolling your shoulders back and down, keeping them away from your ears. Arms at your sides with palms face forward and fingertips reach towards the ground.

 Allow your gaze too soften or your eyes to close while taking six to eight breath’s here to begin to calm the body.

Coming into Forward, fold or Uttanasana next:

 Inhaling your arms up overhead and exhale as you swan dive forward. Making sure to hinge at the hips, not the waist, as these joints are made to move this way. Bending your knees as much as needed.

* Those who have any lower back pain or injuries should keep their knees slightly bent in this pose at all times. 

Drawing the belly in but allowing the abdominal muscles to relax.  Once in the fold the belly can land on the thighs if this is comfortable.

Hands fall wherever they are comfortable. They can dangle freely or take a hold of opposite elbows for a stretch across the shoulder blades, for a more restorative feel.  Alternatively, they can also come to rest on the calves or take hold of the ankles to increase the stretch in both the calves and hamstrings.

Take a six to eight breath’s (or more) here to continue to calm the body and allow the spine to decompress.

When you are ready you will begin to come into Plank Pose:

 Planting your palms on the ground in front of your feet and, again, bending the knees as much as needed.

Pressing through palms and each finger pad and engage your abdomen. Begin to step your feet back behind you, one at a time, coming onto the toes.

Shoulders come directly over wrists and arms are strong. Torso and hips are inline and parallel with the ground. Neck is neutral, creating a length from crown to tailbone.

 Staying here for a few breaths, pressing through the palms and each of the finger pads and keeping the core engaged.

When you’re ready, come into Downward Facing Dog or Adho Mukha Svanasana:

Inhale and slowly start to raise your hips towards the sky, allowing your legs to stay as straight as feels comfortable without locking them. Making sure to keep as much of a bend in your knees as needed.  Reaching heels towards the ground, creating a stretch in your hamstrings and calves.

Your head comes in between the biceps as your arms extend. Continuing to press through your palms and each finger pad, specifically the thumb and index finger.  Widen your shoulder blades and press them towards the tailbone.

Taking a moment to peddle out your legs, or “walk your dog”, by pressing one heel towards the ground as you raise the opposite. Don’t stress if your heels don’t touch the ground, this takes time and practice. A nice stretch after a run of any length!

Coming into Revolved Side Angle Pose or Parivrtta Parsvakonasana on the right side once you’ve walked your dog:

When you’re ready, inhale and lift the right leg up, coming into three-legged dog. A variation of Downward Facing Dog. And exhale as you tuck your knee to chest and plant your foot between the hands. Helping forward if it doesn’t quite make it.

Staying strong in that back leg, the foot can remain planted on the mat, placing support, like a blanket, under the heel if it lifts.

Making sure your front knee is inline with your ankle, begin to revolve open the chest to the right. Keep your left palm planted as your right arm raises and finger tips reach towards the sky.

• Another, more advanced option, is to come up into high lunge and bring your hands to prayer at your chest.

• Revolve your chest open to the right and tilt your torso towards the mat so your left elbow can come in front of your right knee.

  o Option to stay here, in prayer twist, or open arms, left finger tips reach to the ground and right finger tips towards the sky.

Gaze lands wherever is comfortable for your neck, whether is be down on the right foot, to the side or up at the finger tips. Staying here for six to eight breaths.

The next posture in this sequence is Runner’s Lunge.

 From the first variation of Revolved Side Angle Pose or Parivrtta Parsvakonasana bring your right hand back down to the ground to frame your right foot. Check that your front knee is still inline with your ankle. Taking a deep inhale, hands push off the mat or ground as the torso begins to rise, coming into a high lunge, your torso tilts forward over your front leg.

• From the second variation your torso untwists to face forward and hands come to prayer position in front of the chest. Staying in a high lunge position as your torso tilts forward over your front leg.

 Shoulders roll back and down as your arms come in line with the torso, fingers reaching towards the heel of the extended leg. Your gaze falls a few feet in front of the top of your mat.

• To modify, if needed, the knee of the back leg can lower to the mat, allowing for more stability and support in the pose.

The goal is to create a straight line from the crown of your head to the heal of your extended leg, regardless of how you bring yourself into the pose. Staying here for another six to eight breaths, enjoy the feels of this hip opener after all the kilometres you just ran.

Coming into back into Plank Pose next:

Your hands lower back to the ground, framing your right foot again.  As before press through your palms and each finger pad, engaging the abdomen.

 Begin to bring your torso forward, coming onto the toes of your back foot, if not already. Step your front foot back to be inline with your back foot.

Again, your shoulders come directly over your wrists and arms are strong. Torso and hips are inline and parallel with the ground. Neck is neutral, creating a length from crown to tailbone.

Some may wish to do flow at this point, but it is not something that has ever felt right in my body after a run.  Probably because I am usually pretty sweaty and looking forward to a shower. I push back up into Downward Facing Dog or Adho Mukha Svanasana, take a few breaths to rest and peddle out or walk my dog before repeating the entire sequence on the left side.

When the left side is complete, I finish the sequence by once again pushing back into Downward Facing Dog or Adho Mukha Svanasana and begin to make my way into the last few postures of the sequence. After walking my dog for a few breaths first, of course.

Coming into Forward fold, or Uttanasana:

Making sure to keep a generous bend in your knees, begin to slowly walk your hands back to your feet.   Allow your legs to slowly straighten until you can feel as much of stretch in the hamstrings and calves as you wish to.

As before, place your hands wherever feels best. Draw the belly in but allow the abdominal muscles to relax.  Once in the fold your belly can land on your thighs if this feels good within your body.

 Once you’ve gotten comfortable in the pose, close your eyes if you wish, take a few deep breaths in through your nose and sighing out through your mouth. Feel the grass beneath your bare feet or the comfort of your favourite yoga mat and begin to let go. Hang out here for a while, feeling your spine decompress further as well as the many other benefits of the pose as well as the entire sequence you have just completed within your body.

 When you feel ready, begin to slowly roll up into Tadasana, Mountain Pose.

Staking torso over hips and shoulders over torso, making sure your head comes up last. As at the beginning, the spine lengthens as you lift through the crown of your head, growing taller with each inhale and becoming more rooted into the ground with each exhale.

• Again, you have the option to lift your toes and stretch them out as you place them back down onto the ground or your mat may help you feel more grounded.

Rolling your shoulders back and down, keeping them away from your ears. Arms at your sides with palms face forward and fingertips reach towards the ground.

Take a few moments with your eyes closed to just observe the sounds and smells of your surroundings. Feel the slow, deep pace of your breathing and the calmness of your heartbeat.

And there you have it, my complete post run sequence. This is, by far, my favourite way to cool down after a run. Especially when the weather permits me to take of my socks and running shoes and feel the grass under my feet. Doing this sequence also greatly reduces the amount I feel the run in my knees and back the next day. I invite you to try it out, modify it to fit your body and have fun with it!