Yoga for Dusk Runners

Before I got into yoga, running was my main thing. This was way before all the marathons and fun runs became so popular. I would wake up extra early in the summer, lace up my shoes and take an hour outdoors to get my dose of sweat. When the school year began, I would do it as soon as I got home. Late in the afternoon, right before it got dark. Once I started working, dawn and dusk running just didn’t work for me. My schedule became so tight that I could barely squeeze in a workout. Aching to get good runs in, I pushed myself to do it late in the evenings after work.

Having tried running at different hours of the day, I realized that I performed best at dusk, when I wasn’t too sleepy (I’m admittedly not a morning person), not bothered by the heat, and not too tired and ready to sleep. The thing about it, however, is that when you train hard from dusk until late in the evening, the body gets so amped that you may have trouble sleeping at night. We all know that rest is essential to recovery and the quality of sleep you get greatly affects the quality of your performance the next day. I’m not just talking about how you perform in running, in the gym or in any other sport, but also your day-to-day activities. But if the only time you have to run is after work or school hours, there’s always yoga to help slow you down and get you ready for the rest of the evening.

You don’t always need a mat or take a class to reap the benefits of a yoga practice. Here’s a short sequence (literally shot after a late afternoon run) you can follow no matter what your flexibility level is. Be sure to take at least 3-5 long, slow breaths (through the nose) for each pose.

1. URDHVA HASTASANA (Upward Salute)

Bring your feet together and your big toes to touch or feet as wide as your hips. Circle your arms far up and overhead, spreading through the fingers while still keeping your shoulders away from the ears. Pull up through the spine to release any compression from running.

Take a couple of sidebends from here, have your right hand grab on to your left wrist, send your hips to the left and bring your arms to the right. Keep the chest open by driving the left shoulder back and in line with the right. Come back to center, switch your grip and do the left side. Take Urdhva Hastasana again after, this time reaching your arms back to take a small backbend.

2. UTTANASANA (Intense Forward Bend)

From Urdhva Hastasana, Bring your palms together bringing them right at the center of the chest as you dive forward into your forward fold. Although it’s called Intense Forward Bend, you have several options to come into the pose safely. Remember that the goal is not to touch your toes, but to keep your legs as straight as you possibly can to get into your hamstrings.

3. MALASANA (Garland Pose)

Step your feet wider than your hips and come all the way down into a deep squat. Turn your feet out, pointing in the same direction as your knees. Bring your palms together, pressing the thumbs right at the center of your chest and using your elbows and upper arms to push the knees out to the sides.

Variation: Add a twist (literally) by bring one hand out to the side, past your foot. Use this to bring the right knee out further slightly, and extend the opposite arm up, twisting slightly through the torso.

4. HIGH LUNGE TO ANJANYESANA (CRESCENT LUNGE)

Come back to Uttanasana, this time allowing your knees to bend slightly so you can frame your feet with your hands. Step your left foot as far back as you can and keep your back heel lifted. With the front knee bent, start to reach your arms high up as in Urdhva Hastasana—chest open, shoulders drawn down.

Tip: Find your balance easily in this pose by pressing both big toes down

To transition to Anjaneyasana (if you have no knee issues), simply bring both hands down to frame your right foot, bring the back knee down while keeping the front knee stacked over your front ankle. Sink your hips towards the earth. If you find the knee moving forward, past the ankle, simply walk the rear knee back further to create more space for your hips.

Advance option: Grab on to the back foot with your hand and bring it closer to you. Shift your weight forward slightly so you’re resting on the base of the thigh and not so much on your kneecap. Switch sides and start at High Lunge.

5. PARSVOTTANASANA (PYRAMID)

With one foot forward and both hands on your hips, start to straighten out both legs by pushing your hips and thighs back. Keep reaching your chest forward as you slowly fold over your front thigh. Keep your hands on your hips or bring them down onto the ground while still keeping both legs straight and constantly pressing the back heel down. If this isn’t doing much for you, your feet may be too close to each other. Walk your back foot farther behind and then straighten it out, driving the heel down until you get a strong (sometimes painful) stretch around the hamstring and calf area.

Advance option: For a more intense stretch (and a challenge for your balance), bend the back knee so you can interlace your fingers behind it. Keep your spine long and your chest close to your front thigh as you straighten out both legs.

5. AGNI STAMBHASANA (FIRE LOG)

If you choose not to sit on the ground, find a bench or a chair and stack your shins over each other. Make sure the top ankle is over the bottom knee (the top foot should hang to the side a little bit) and the top knee right above the bottom ankle. If the top knee can’t touch the bottom ankle, sit upright and slowly work on driving the knee down. If the knee has settled onto the ankle, take the stretch deeper by walking your hands forward and fold.

If stacking the shins is not an option, just bring the shins in front of each other and fold with your legs like this.

Whichever option you wish to take, make sure you do the left side.

6. ADHO MUKHA SVNASANA (DOWNWARD FACING DOG)

Bring your hands as wide as your shoulders—spreading through the fingers, feet as wide as your hips with toes pointing directly forward. Drive your hips up and back, draw your shoulders away from your ears and keep your back flat. Drive your chest towards your thighs as you try to straighten out your legs and press your heels down.

Take 3-5 breaths here, then step your feet in between your hands. Start to roll yourself back up to stand and come back to the first pose, Urdhva Hastasana with one long deep breath. As you exhale bring your palms together in prayer in front of your heart, whisper a quick “thank you” to your body and release.

Keep coming back to the sequence after running and you’ll be flowing through it in no time. Namaste. x

Photos shot at Ramada Benoa Hotel, Nusa Dua, Bali