What to do after 100 mile training?

After an ultra like Leadville I usually take a few weeks off.  So far its been two months of not running.  I am trying to sort out my body by unwinding the torques and twists that have resulted from years of postural neglect as well as a previous whiplash injury in my early twenties. A slight hip rotation here and thoracic torque there may not cause symptoms in everyday life or even during a few hours of running but these discrepancies become apparent in ultra distances and symptoms due arise.  Stride length should be around 180 steps per minute regardless of how fast you are going.  Imagine how many steps that is during a marathon (2-5hrs) and now during a 100 miles.  Ok, I did hike much of that but still that is a lot of steps and force exerted through an uneven body.  Obviously, in my case one side may take more of the brunt then the other (ie right back) and over time that will most likely lead to pain and injury.

So in the meantime I have been enjoying hiking in the mountains, grinding up the chief, yoga and waiting patiently for the snow to fall so I can start skate skiing and immerse myself into a new adventure of ski touring.

Currently, yoga is a new love that I have discovered a short three weeks ago.  I have been practicing yoga at  The Yoga Studio in Squamish.  Each week, I’ve experienced a new teacher that has brought a different element to the practice.  Lydia, Sarah and Annie all have a unique way of making a newbie feel welcomed,  inspired and uninhibited.  When I am there I just let myself go!  The class is a balance between strength and flexibility with emphasis on the core and working on the tensegrity series.    Tensegrity is a word that manual practitioners like myself tend to use when looking at the body and how it functions and moves.  I tend to say a lot that “everything is connected”.

Tensegrity, tensional integrity or floating compression, is a structural principle based on the use of isolated components in compression inside a net of continuous tension, in such a way that the compressed members (usually bars or struts,bones) do not touch each other and the prestressed tensioned members (usually cables or tendons) delineate the system spatially. via Wikipedia.

At the end of each yoga class the teachers read a meaningful exert, poem or prayer for reflection and thanks.

Today we were given an opportunity during our last few minutes to give thanks in silence to what ever came to our thoughts.  Andrew and my parents filled my jar of thanks today.

Have fun out there!

Kristie

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