Back in the 'Hood

Today I worked out at the JCC, where I used to work out everyday but now I almost never go there due to its distance from my house. It was wonderful to be back in a familiar place with familiar people. Even people I didn't realize knew me came up and said hello and that it was nice to see me. It is such a warm and comforting feeling to be a part of a community and I definitely miss that.

I also really miss the yoga at the JCC! Even though many aspects of the JCC fitness center are outdated or lacking compared to other gyms, the yoga program at the center is outstanding and surpasses many of the larger gyms in our area, including the mega-gym that I belong to on the north side of town.

I had a wonderful workout today with Fenella. We did a 90-minute modified Ashtanga primary series practice, with lots of challenging poses, like firefly and crane pose. I was sweating and pushing my limit and realizing that I need to do a better job of keeping up with my yoga practice since I can't get to the JCC as often as I used to.

While engaged in the practice and feeling the response of my body to the various poses, it became clear to me how beneficial and complementary a yoga practice is to a runner. It stretches all the muscles you are using and keeps them supple and flexible to help prevent injury. Everything in life is about striking a balance. I need to work on intensifying my yoga practice to match the step up in my running schedule. Yoga Journal provides some insight into this very subject here.