In following up from yesterdays’ post, I am talking today about my efforts in learning to “Let go” of the physical and mental stress from running and training. I promise I won’t be talking about this stuff every day until November 23rd. It was too much to include everything in yesterday’s post, and this will be more specific to how I spent my Sunday combating the effects of training. Obviously one day won’t make 10 weeks of stressful training disappear, but its a step in the right direction.
I had stayed at my parent’s house on Saturday night to have dinner with them and some friends. Something about staying at my parents’ house is relaxing in itself- like I am back to being a kid who has no responsibilities. So being there I woke up in a good mindset- early as usual- and drank some coffee while catching up on blogs.
Learning to Let Go of the Physical Stress
I decided to go to a yoga class that is halfway between their house and my place. It’s the same chain as the one I usually go to, but I had never been to this location before. It was a 90 minute hot vinyasa class- my favorite. I got there nice and early and found out it was a sub. She introduced herself and went on to talk about how we were going to do a hip opening practice with some flows and holding poses for awhile to really let go of all the junk we hold onto in our hips. I wanted to run up there and hug her because that’s exactly the kind of class I was looking for. But I stayed on my mat and got into the zen mindset, whatever that is.
I think I have only taken a weekend yoga class one other time. Usually I go after work at 5:30. I realized very quickly that I do SO much better staying focused and relaxed during yoga when I haven’t been at work all day. I was actually able to relax and I was just picturing all of that “junk” just leaving my hips while I hung out in pigeon. Amazing. Even savasana was relaxed. Usually I am making lists in my head of 50 things I will do as soon as I step off my mat. This time I think I did it correctly by just letting my thoughts go.
After class I felt like a new person, mentally and physically. And it was a beautiful fall day. I even pulled over on my drive home to take a picture.
Part 2 of Learning to Let Go
After I got home it was time to get ready for part 2 of my mission to relax- a sports massage! I had a coupon for $10 off during my birthday month so decided to treat myself (don’t tell Rob….its a good thing he doesn’t read my blog…) So I get there not knowing what to expect because I’ve never had a sports massage and how about this coincidence: the girl doing my massage was also training for the Philadelphia marathon! I knew I was in good hands.(haha get it?) It was amazing and I had no idea how tight my back, shoulders, and hamstrings were. I clearly neglect those areas with the foam roller.
When I got home and was happy to have dinner cooking in the crock pot. I plopped myself on the couch with my laptop and a glass of wine, and embraced all of the relaxation from the day. If only I could carry a piece of that with me every day. It feels good that I’m learning to let go.
And finished off the night with some fro-yo. The cleaner eating I talked about yesterday started Monday:)
- What is your favorite way to combat the stress of running and training?
- Have you ever had a sports massage?
- Are you learning to get go of the stress of training and life?
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Sounds like a great day! I feel like I don’t totally deal with the training stress with any good relaxation, mainly due to life with my kids just not really allowing for it on the weekends. I’ve also never had a massage of any kind, but I know I could definitely use it and I carry a lot of tension in my muscles that I can feel.
I rarely get a massage, but I think I have treated myself to one before each marathon. If only they weren’t so expensive!
Pigeon + wine + froyo = hhhhheavvvvenasana
That should totally be a thing. Maybe getting wine and froyo after you hang out in pigeon for a while. Usually pigeon is far from heavenly for me, but afterwards I always feel wonderful!
I’m finding that yoga is the best pick me up – I really just seem to get into it and so I don’t manage to think about anything else going on in my life and I’m just able to focus and relax. I always come out of a yoga class feeling re-energised and ready to deal with everything again!
I’ve been feeling the same way about it lately! Not every class is perfect, and it took me a while to learn to truly appreciate yoga.
Sounds like a very relaxing day. A glass of wine and a hot bath usually work for me.
I love to take a hot bath also as a way to relax!
This sounds super relaxing! I have been meaning ot get back to yoga forever. Honestly the biggest obstacle keeping me from going (other than my work schedule) is how hard it is to park anywhere near a yoga studio in Berkeley. Pretty pathetic, right? I need to get back to it.
I think that’s a legitimate reason! I have to walk to my studio so bad weather keeps me from going all the time.
Your weekend literally sounds so perfect. If I was to describe how I’d relax, that’s exactly it. Froyo, yoga, massage, dinner with family. I love it all. I need to recreate one of those for myself. I also REALLY need to get to yoga. Whenever I read your posts, it’s like a big reminder for me. Maybe tomorrow night if work isn’t too crazy. Sports massages are my favorite- the more painful, the better 😉
Its tricky when you want to go to yoga to relax but you get more stressed trying to fit it into everything else that’s going on. Its usually worth it once I am there!
Yoga, wine and foryo is the best therapy ever 🙂 you should have more relaxation sessions like this. Letting go sometimes is hard, harder that said or assumed, but it is so important, for mental and physical health as well.
It’s definitely so important and I need to try to do some of this stuff more often! I usually try to make one day a week as relaxing as possible but many times it doesn’t happen.
I wish I would have gone to yoga during marathon training. It probably would have helped reduce injuries and stress. Froyo is also always a good idea 🙂
It can be hard to add yoga when marathon training since the running can take so much time, but if you can fit it in I definitely think it has its benefits!
That sounds like an amazing weekend! For a while I was doing a Sunday yoga class, which felt amazing after long runs. But work and life got busy and I let it fall off… I’ll have to start making that a priority again!
I also go through phases with yoga. I have a feeling when it gets colder I’ll stop going as much since I have to walk to the studio.
Yoga is the best!! I go to Yoga for Athletes on Wednesday mornings and I call it my “reset button”. I’m usually completely relaxed and chill for the rest of the day. I usually don’t know how tense I’ve been until I leave there.
Sounds like you had a great Sunday – relaxing and “resetting”.
That sounds like an ideal class! I wish they offered that at charm city yoga. I know what you mean about not realizing how tense you are until you leave class!
time with parents, yoga, massage, wine, froyo = wonderful couple of days!
It definitely worked out to be very relaxing weekend! (once I got all the errands out of the way:))
My favorite way is yoga but lately I have been doing a lot of pilates and I feel like it is a perfect combination of strength training and stretching all in one.
I haven’t been to pilates in forever but I think I would really benefit from the strength aspect of that type of class!
What a lovely day! So happy you were able to relax. I love spending the night at my parents’ house too, there’s just something about it.
Exactly, I feel like I have much less responsibility when I am there:)
Sounds like a very relaxing weekend. I plan on getting a massage this week as well. I always feel so much better when I get them after marathons. But I’m sure before wouldnt hurt either.
Enjoy your massage this week!
I feel the same exact way when I stay at my parents house. It’s not the house I grew up in, but I guess just waking up and having my parents there makes me feel stress free like a kid again. Plus it’s nice to have mom make breakfast, haha! 🙂
I’ve only had a sports massage one time and I can’t say I loved it, although i felt much better after it was over 🙂
They can certainly be painful, but in a good way I think! Plus I am used to the pain from foam rolling so much:)
That sounds like a wonderfully relaxing day. I think in our hectic lives and training schedules, it’s important to take the time out to just veg, relax, and enjoy life. Although I think a lot of us runners have Type A personalities so it is easier said than done!
Very true! We usually have so many things we want to get done that we often forget to take some time to relax.
Sounds so relaxing. Why can’t I learn to like yoga? I do find a Pure Barre class to relax me though. I am all unplugged and focused. I always leave there feeling great.
Its not for everyone, and it took me many years to actually start enjoying it. I think what matters is that you found something that leaves you feeling great!
I LOVE sports massage. But I cannot wait for the day I can get just a relaxing “normal” massage so I don’t have to be in pain the whole time LOL
Those types of massages are great too! Even more relaxing than a sports massage:)
All of those look like great ways to combat the stress of training, especially the frozen yogurt ;). I try to make Sunday mornings my relaxing time. After my long run, theres nothing better then doing some light reading or catching up on blogs while relaxing with a cup of coffee 🙂
Sundays are usually my relaxing time too! I am always the type that likes to get everything done early in the weekend so I have time to relax. Ideally, I like to do my long run, grocery shopping, and meal prep on Saturdays so Sundays I can relax…sometimes it happens, most times it doesn’t:)
oh that entire day sounds heavenly!
It really was!
That sounds like the perfect Sunday! I have gotten a massage after my last two races and they were incredible! It’s so easy to get wrapped up in training – especially when you have some major race goals – and I haven’t quite figured out how to step outside of that. But I think fully committing to a yoga class or getting out into nature might be the way to go.
Those are great ideas. I have just found that I can’t put too much pressure on myself for anything…if I force myself to go to yoga and I’m just not feeling it that day, it ends up being more stressful than its worth.
Sounds like a great way to relax to me! It reminds me that I need to make sure I get to yoga tomorrow. Sometimes it feels like a hassle after work, but it is always worth it. (Plus, its free!)
Free is definitely a bonus! I buy packages of 10 classes, so I can’t go all the time, but once a week seems to be a good balance.
I had a yoga class like this about 3 days before MCM and it was wonderful! I’m headed for a recovery massage right now! I love sports massages!!
I hope you enjoy your well-deserved massage!!