Over trained and in intense pain from an elongated marathon/Ironman^TM training regime it all came suddenly, crashing to a halt. I was physically unable to train for my next race, the Dublin Marathon. Twelve-weeks away, my joints, lower back and leg muscles had had enough and I was paying with the pain of not looking after the one thing most of us don't practice well; flexibility. A friend suggested yoga; that was when I was introduced to Yoga for Runners and Christine Felstead.

I was committed to Dublin through signing on to raise funds for a charity. I was facing a double let-down. With Christine's help I began working through the yoga sequence of poses and my major muscles began to lengthen. The result was an automatic release of referral muscles. My lower back was freed from crippling pain and my body began to regain some of the balance lost in training. Still there was work to do and it was seven weeks before I could resume even the easiest of runs.

My stride began to open up more naturally as my knee and hip joints felt free to move within their full range of motion. I actually began to feel a greater flow of energy to all parts of my body, and that included my head. Stress just seemed to flow out of me.

Inside five-weeks prior to Dublin, I managed a few "longish" runs and flew off to Ireland, yoga mat in hand and expectations out the window! From the start, I felt loose and not under any pressure. I went out at a pace I felt I could hold, tagging onto a group of men aiming for a 3:10. That was 6 minutes clear of my PB in Boston earlier in the year so I had my doubts. To my surprise and delight I finished ahead of that group and yes, I made it over the line in 3:10.

I realized then that yoga was necessary if I had any hopes of staying race fit. As every runner will tell you, yes, flexibility is a key component in training success but putting it into practice, well we all know the answer to that. I am now trained through Christine Felstead's Yoga for Runners^TM teacher training and help others to feel the same benefits I experienced. I currently teach private sessions in the UK as part of my overall holistic health program that also includes holistic nutrition and reflexology.

	Completed Christine Felstead's Yoga for RunnersTM Level 1 Teacher Training, 2006
	Completed 4 Marathons and 1 Ultra Marathon
	Completed 1 Ironman Triathlon and Other shorter distance Triathlons
	Qualified Nutritionist and Reflexologist