By Erin Taylor, Jasyoga Head Coach

Lead legs. Booty lock. Zombie walk. Sound familiar?

Post-race can be, well, painful. I hear ya — the last time I ran a half marathon, I had a few beers afterward and didn’t stretch before I went to bed. The effects weren’t pretty — I was a hot mess the next day.

Just 15 minutes of yoga tailored for your running body can help reduce lingering race tension and stiffness. So, after you’ve completed your victory lap and celebration, use this short sequence to help kick start “reset” mode. This month, we’ve picked poses that address a few of the key areas we often hear runner chicks moan about post-long haul. So get in there and restore balance — your muscles will thank you tomorrow!

Spend about 10 deep breaths on each pose/movement…

All Fours Calf Stretch — For calf relief

1. From all fours, straighten your right leg behind you and tuck your toes under on the floor.
2. Gently rock forward and back on the ball of your foot, lengthening the entire back of your leg and stretching your calf — be sure not to lock your knee.
3. Try to keep your shoulders and neck relaxed.
4. Continue rocking or be still in a spot that feels like a good stretch.

Child’s Pose — To help wind down and reduce tension in your back

1. From all fours, drop your hips back toward your heels.
2. Your thighs can be touching to support your torso, or wide apart so that your torso to drop toward the floor.
3. Keep your arms extended out in front of you or bring your hands back toward your feet.

NOTE: If your knees are really uncomfortable like this, just lie on your back and hug your knees into your chest.

Prone Windshield Wipers — To restore hip mobility and give your quads a massage

1. Stack your palms to make a pillow for your forehead.
2. Bring your legs about hip’s width apart.
3. Bend your knees and flex your feet so that they face the ceiling.
4. Drop your shins toward the right, then take them all the way toward the left.
5. Continue to “windshield wiper” your shins side to side, feeling that the movement originates from your thighbones rotating in your rips so that there’s no strain on your knees.

Variation: “Criss/cross” your ankles — notice what part of the movement feels like more of a stretch and pause there for a breath (pulling the shins apart is a great stretch for those stiff outer hips).

Once you’ve hit up that trio of poses, go put your legs up the wall (just what it sounds like!) for at least 10 minutes to help recirculate the blood in your legs and reduce lower-body heaviness.

Major props to all you fasties who are throwing down this marathon month!

Namaste.

Talk about a hot start to the week: As many of you may know on Tuesday Kate Grace race fabulously in the Grand Blue Mile which is the USA 1 mile Championship in Des Moines, Iowa. She surged to the finish to win in 4:43:02. To add to the excitement of her race, we had Kara Foster formerly Kara Millhouse race in the Olympic Development 5k last night at the Penn Relays. She also won her race in a PR time of 15:47:66. Take a look at their post race interviews: Kate's and Kara's   

As you can see we had a fantastic start to a great weekend of racing! Here's a couple of the other races that we are anticipating to be great:

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http://bit.ly/14l2FZU

Eugene Marathon is going to be ...simply put...a bird invasion and several of us from HQ are going to watch!

Also on the schedule this weekend is the Standard Payton Jordan Invitational. Another hot meet to watch! Kim Conley in the 5k, Jordan Hassey in the 10k and lot's more..

Stay tuned for #oiselleteam results on the Athletes' Page Monday morning! Go Fast. Take Chances!

blog by @oiselle_mac

Last Monday. A day that reminded us that time is measured differently dependant on what it holds within its minutes. We woke up early, always three hours behind the other side of this rock, and met at Kristin’s house to watch the Boston Marathon.

We made predictions and yelled at the TV screen between bites of pretzel bagels. We tracked the Oiselle runners on Twitter. Their names and times listed at each check point. The letters and numbers called each runner to our minds. We imagined their feet headed toward Boston.  We imagined their faces, smiling or grimacing. In our mind’s eye we saw them run through Wellesley, past the Oiselle crowd at GettiGear, soaking in the cheers and thrill! I imagined my mama, Anne, there holding her sign and cheering. Where we’d always lined up every year that I lived at home.

After the elites finished, the coverage on TV petered off, and we all headed into HQ. We stole glances at Twitter during the Monday morning email checking silence. Suddenly strange tweets were popping up amid the runners’ excitement. An explosion. Two. A series of confused tweets and then photos I can’t erase. My entire body was cold and shaking.

I called my mama, she was crying, frantic. Saying that Lauren and Shanna had waddled off, both so pregnant, to try and get to the finish line and soak up the excitement.  I called Lauren, for some reason I got through. She was shaken, scared and safe. Later she told me she was running through a stairwell in the elite hotel knowing the time to get out of Boston was right that moment. Before everything was shut down.

We texted and called every last one of our teammates and friends, and friends of friends until we knew they were safe. Our little Oiselle family was safe. It was a relief, but the thought of everyone that was not safe hurt my heart, it crawled into my skin like a fever chill.

Our week, like yours, was a heavy blanket. In times like these, it is important to look for the light and turn your face to it, but it is also okay to grieve. To be silent and to be sad.  

Obama's words on April 18th were powerful. They made the most sense in the midst of the sadness, and they reminded me to remain hopeful.

“This doesn’t stop us. And that’s what you’ve taught us, Boston. That’s what you’ve reminded us — to push, to not grow weary, to not get faint, even when it hurts. We finish the race. And we do that because of who we are and we do that because we know that somewhere around the bend, a stranger has a cup of water. Around the bend, somebody’s there to boost our spirits. On that toughest mile, just when we think we’ve hit a wall, someone will be there to cheer us on and pick up.”

“Our prayers are with the injured -- so many wounded, some gravely. From their beds, some are surely watching us gather here today. And if you are, know this: As you begin this long journey of recovery, your city is with you. Your commonwealth is with you. Your country is with you. We will all be with you as you learn to stand and walk and, yes, run again. Of that I have no doubt. You will run again."

This running community amazes me everyday. Runners lift each other up in uncertain times, and carry hope for each other even when we lose it ourselves. We are honored to be a part of such a community in darkness and light.

Tonight we'll be running from Super Jock n Jill in honor of Boston. We will accept cash or check donations to be delivered to The One Fund Boston. Or simply come out to be a part of this great running community. Word on the street is the Brooks Beasts will be there too! Please visit our Facebook event for more information or to RSVP. Hope to see you tonight.

Oiselle team runners write about their experience in Boston:

Lauren Fleshman
Ellen
Paulette
Lisa McClellan
Meghan Manaois: reflection and race report
Lisa Booher

Boston-Boston-Boston! We are already planning are viewing parties and can't wait to not only watch Shalane and Kara back at it, but a whole flock of our #oiselleteam runners out there! This weekend is going to be another great mix of fast track races and pavement pounding road races! Here's the highlights from our team:

Sunday morning our team of women racing in Boston, will be joining the fabulous owners of GettiGear for a Boston Marathon poster making party! Festivities begin at 12:00pm. After that it will all be business, getting ready for race day. (GettiGear-91 Central Street)

Monday April 15th: Boston Oiselle Team entries: Meghan Manaois, Karen Giesler, Ellen Moss, Amanda Brown, Kelli Stilley, Stacey Black, Chris Hesse-Withbroe, Lisa McClellan, Andi Camp, Elizabeth Hutchinson, and Taryn Hand. We are so excited to follow their races after months of hard work!

Stay tuned for #oiselleteam results on the Athletes' Page Monday afternoon! 

Go Fast. Take Chances!