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Restorative Poses for Runners:
 One of the best ways to relax after running is to raise your feet. Variation's include the following: lay flat on your back in front of your living room couch, or against your bed. Raise your knees to your chest, press your butt against the bed or front of the couch, and lay your legs onto the top of the bed or couch. Your back is flat on the floor, your hamstrings are pressed against the upright and your calves are resting on the horizontal surface. Put a pillow or pad under you head. Sink into the floor. Relax. Feel the pain and soreness drain out of your legs where the blood has pooled. This is a great restorative pose after a long run. When you are ready to get up, roll to your right side, and lay in fetal position on the floor. It often helps to raise your right arm over your head to craddle your head. Slowly lift yourself up by pushing up with your arms, lifting your head up last. Sit cross legged for a few minutes and feel the restored and calm.
The final posture of a yoga session is always savasana -- the corpse pose or final relaxation. An excellent variation of this pose is to put a bolster or big pillow under the knees. Let your feet and knees fall open in a relaxed way. Lay with your palms up, open to the sky, arms separated from the body. Use a pad under the head so that the chin is slightly tilted downward towards your heart. I find that when I sleep at night after long runs, and put a pillow or bolster under my knees, I relax better, I do not feel any pain or residual soreness in my legs, and wake up refreshed and well rested.
Use an eye pillow during savasana, when napping or sleeping at night. These are 3 x 6 inch cloth pillows usually filled with flax seeds and often scented with lavender and hops, herbs that induce sleep. The weight of the pillow on your sinuses is restful and all light is blocked out by the pillow. Eye pillows may be purchased through the Yoga Circle.
RETURN TO YOGA FOR ATHLETES
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