When faced with an injury halfway through training for her first race, Robson Store educator, Cayley, made the  decision to listen to her body and be a stand for the 7500 other runners who would need her support that day.

sign me up!

When I first heard about the SeaWheeze, I just knew it was something I had to be a part of. I’d never been a runner before but if there was one race out there to inspire me to lace up my shoes and hit the trails, it was this one. I signed up without really thinking about what I was committing myself to (21.1 is about 16 more kilometers than I’d ever run before) but I had caught a serious case of FOMO (fear of missing out) and there seemed to be only one cure.

Of course, after hitting that “register” button, I had all the reasons not to run, catch up to me – I’d never been in a race before (read: I’d never run regularly before at all) and I had no idea how to train for a half marathon. Lucky for me, I was invited to be a part of a special training group with Mike Porter, one of our amazing ambassadors at the Robson store. For three months, each of the five runners in the group would be receiving a weekly training program tailored to their run experience and their goals, as well as coaching, advice and support from Mike.

from 0 to 21.1 12k

I hit my training hard and fast; within just a few weeks I was running distances that I had never thought were possible for me. When I finished my first ever 12km run, I had such a sense of pride and accomplishment. After that moment, heading out for my runs was no longer a chore. So when I started to get a sharp pain in my left knee on one of my runs I started to get a little worried – running was something I had just started to enjoy and I wasn’t ready to give it up yet.

bottom line: listen to your body

When I told Mike about what I was feeling, the support I got from him was incredible. He sent me videos of exercises to try, kept me accountable to spinning as my cross-training so I didn’t lose fitness and recommended several different clinics for me to visit. Over the month of June, I saw a physiotherapist and a registered massage therapist more regularly than I saw some of my friends but the progress I was making was pretty slow. After a month off of running, I had a tough decision to make – I desperately wanted to run the SeaWheeze (especially after I’d convinced my sister and one of my best friends to run it with me) but I was still feeling that sharp pain in my leg and time to properly train was running out. I held off until the last possible minute but eventually recognized that I needed to give my body the time it needed to heal (which I’m still working on) without the pressure of a deadline.

this is my SeaWheeze

Once I made the decision to not run the SeaWheeze, my FOMO started to flare up again – I didn’t want to miss out on a weekend that I’d been looking forward to since I’d signed up in January. I stayed involved with the race through the Robson store and I was beyond excited to be at the Vancouver Convention Center on August 11th to cheer on the start and finish of the race. Once I had made my tough decision, I channeled my training efforts from running a half marathon to prepping for 7500 enthusiastic high fives.

i’ll runcouver again

I may not have been able to run in the main event this year but I certainly didn’t miss out. I learned a lot from my SeaWheeze experience – what I’m capable of and how to listen to and take care of my body. I know that I accomplished a huge goal by just learning to enjoy heading out for a jog, which is something that I’ll have forever. At the moment I’m focused on getting my knee in a good spot so that I can runcouver my favorite trails again soon. SeaWheeze 2013, here I come!

 It takes a lot to recognize when your body needs a break – and even more to overcome your own ego when faced with a setback. We think those who can’t run should cheer (or get involved in the race in some other way). How have you reacted in the past in the face of injury?

Whether you’re donning your first pair of trail kicks or training for your fifth marathon, adding a little yoga to your routine is a great way to amp up your run. Seattle University Village store ambassador, Erin Jasmine Taylor, shows us a five-minute, pre-run Jasyoga sequence that will help warm you up, align your stride and prevent injuries.

five pre-run poses to warm up your engine

For maximum benefit, complete the entire sequence in order and hold each pose for 5–10 deep breaths, engaging the muscles you need and relaxing the ones you don’t.

interlace and fold

opens chest and shoulders, stretches hamstrings

• start by standing hip-width apart. On your inhale, bring your arms overhead.
• exhale as you reach your arms out and back, interlacing your fingers behind you—use a strap or towel between your hands if it’s a struggle. Take a few breaths here to broaden the chest.
• fold forward, taking your arms up and overhead, keeping bend in your knees.
• shake out your head and relax your neck. Eventually release the interlace and drop your hands toward the ground for the last few breaths.

high runner’s lunge

(from forward fold)

trains the knees to stabilize, strengthens and lengthens stride

• take a long step back with your left leg and come into a lunge with your front knee at 90 degrees, tracking directly over the ankle.
• keep your back leg straight and your front knee stable over the ankle as you raise your arms overhead.
• find your balance, relax your neck and shoulders and breathe deeply—think less effort and more ease!

high runner’s lunge with side bend

(from high lunge)

lengthens side body, stretches top of the IT band and improves balance

• place your right hand on your right hip, bend your torso to the right and reach your left arm overhead and to the right—stretching the left side of your body.
• remember to keep that right knee stable over that ankle!

warrior III

(from high lunge)

strengthens ankles, legs, core and improves proprioception

• balance on your right leg and lift your left leg behind you as you drop your torso parallel to the ground.
• keep your arms out like airplane wings, or reach them forward.

low lunge twist

(from warrior III)

stretches hips and twists spine

• step your left leg back into a lunge, dropping that knee to the ground and releasing your hands to the ground.
• put your right hand on your right thigh as you rotate your chest to the right, while keeping your left hand on the ground.
• reach your right arm up and look skyward.

and repeat...

Return to your standing forward bend and repeat poses 2–5 with the opposite foot forward…

Now you’re ready to get sweaty and hit the ground running!

Erin Jasmine Taylor is the owner and head coach of Jasyoga, a mobile yoga studio that helps athletes around Seattle—from rec soccer players to NBA basketball players—find their flow. Special thanks to Nate Burgher for all the amazing photography!

One of the greatest things about running is that it doesn’t require a costly gym membership and just about anyone can do it. Despite it’s simple ‘one foot in front of the other’ nature, rookies and running vets can all fall victim to the same common running mistakes. Our

overstriding

Source: Newton Running

Shoes with overly elevated heel cushions make overstriding easy to do and one of the most common running problems. Overstriding occurs when a runner strikes the ground heel first with their foot ahead of their body’s centre of gravity. The stride actually creates a breaking effect, slowing you down and more importantly exposes yourself to high initial impact forces, which can lead to injury, specifically shin splints. To correct your stride, focus on landing mid-sole, keeping your strides short, quick and directly under your body.

weak in the knees

Running can make you feel as weak in the knees as being serenaded by Ryan Gosling (did you know he could sing?). Your knees, however, are often the victim not the cause. If you experience knee pain you should always consult your doctor, however, one cause can be the result of weakness in the external rotators of the hip. When your foot hits the ground, the leg internally rotates. This is normal. A problem arises when you don’t have enough strength to control the amount of rotation. The key is to strengthen the muscles responsible for the movement to help limit excessive rotation. Two great strengthening exercise you can do is the clamshell with a mini-band or try a one legged squat with a mini-band to remind the correct muscles to fire

The stronger and healthier your body is, the less likely it is that you’ll run into problems. Eating clean, hydrating often, sleeping consistently and, of course, training smart will all play into your success as a runner. If you need additional guidance, running coaches, like John, are a great way to help take your training to another level. How do you balance all the components of a successful training regime?

When a co-worker asked Alexis to attend the Baron Baptiste Foundation Yoga Workshop in Seattle, she was so flattered. Even as a beginner yogi, she'd heard about the legendary Baptiste in revered tones, but her immediate “YES!” gave way to concerns about her abilities.

Ten minutes after saying "yes," I wondered what I had gotten myself into. Two-and-a-half days doing hot vinyasa flow? My heart started racing. I began dreaming of excuses why I couldn’t go. It was an internal battle of the ages – I really wanted to go, but I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to keep up. I have a hip injury from a long-ago car accident, but the line where the injury stops and the excuses begin is blurry and gray at best. With a combination of excitement and trepidation in my heart, my co-workers and I headed off to the workshop.

baron baptiste retreat

As I stood in the lavender-scented warmth of the hotel ballroom, surrounded by 300 like-minded yogis of all skill levels, Baptiste took to the stage and began talking about the purpose of the weekend ahead. To say ‘magnetic’ when describing Baptiste is an understatement – his level of self-possession and genuine connection with us was immediately captivating.

He began the first evening’s asana portion by showing us the sequences of the Baptiste style of vinyasa flow. Every pose, and the order they go in, is intentionally planned to focus on awakening your inner truth. It was physically challenging but after five minutes I wasn’t worried about keeping up – I was so focused on being in the moment that I forgot all thoughts about looking good.

meditation

After breakfast the next day, we headed back to the hotel ballroom for a full day of asanas, thoughtful conversation and reflection. The day started off brilliantly – Baptiste led a meditation that was so transcendent I actually saw colors.

I was in upward dog sometime before lunch when I felt my right hip twinge with pain. I continued until we broke for break but by the time I'd returned to my room for a quick rest, I was in agony. I tucked myself into bed and used some of Baron’s meditation techniques to fall asleep.

perceived failure

Sunday morning, I was feeling WAY better. I thought to myself, “No more excuses. You took a break yesterday – but that’s not happening again today.” We started with a wonderful meditation and sharing session followed by the Baptiste style of Vinyasa Flow.

Within five minutes, I knew I was in trouble. My hip was throbbing like it was going to explode out of my skin. I hopped up and left the ballroom to take a breather. That breather turned into me sitting in the lobby for the remainder of the morning, consumed with my perceived failure.  When I went home, I felt extremely enlightened from what I had learnt but also ashamed that I hadn’t ‘completed’ the weekend.

post-retreat learnings

A few days later, my beautifully insightful co-worker Parker and I caught up. She and I had been roomies that weekend, and she wanted to hear about my experience at the workshop. I explained to her that I thought Baptiste was amazing and that I had learnt a lot about myself but that I was disappointed that I didn’t finish.

“Why didn’t you stay in the room after your hip started hurting?” Parker asked. “If I had known that you were sitting in the lobby, I would’ve dragged you back in there.”

I didn’t have an answer. I knew what her point was – not that I had to participate in the asana, but that I could still learn a ton just sitting on my mat, absorbing the energy around me. It dawned on me: the only reason I had sat outside was because I was afraid to look bad. Talk about an ‘a-ha’ moment.

I am still learning and growing from my weekend in Seattle. I’ve become more aware when I’m trying to save face – and in turn, have found my own truth. I can’t wait for Baron to visit Vancouver next so I can practice with a humble and happy heart, whether in a rockstar crow pose or lying on my mat – whatever is right for me.

Ask any runner and they’ll tell you there’s a distinct difference between good pain and bad pain. Bad pain is that sharp, unbearable pain which tells us to back off before you do some serious damage. Good pain, on the other hand, is that slightly burning and yet totally satisfying hurt-so-good type of pain.

Train in the good pain zone. Improve your running by using good pain as your training guide. Push yourself into that good pain zone but not so far into it that you wind up in the injury end zone.

Know the difference between good and bad pain. Picture your last great run, your heart pounding and the sweat pouring from your brow. There’s no question you’re working hard but deep down you know there’s more - that’s good pain.

Realizing the difference between good and bad pain will help keep you healthy.

Lets face it, running is going to make you stiff and sore. At times you’re going to wake up stiff and crawl up the stairs regretting those extra laps. This is completely normal, muscle soreness happens when you slightly over do it. Take a few days easy and you’ll be good to go. Overuse injuries happen when you experience extended, sharp pain. Your body is telling you to stop but your mind doesn’t listen.

Above all, listen to your body to prevent injury.

As a runner it’s very important, and at times extremely challenging, to follow your body’s orders. Your mind says go but your body says no. Don’t let mild soreness prevent you from your workout, but if discomfort is forcing you to question the run, you’re probably entering bad pain territory.

Stay in the good pain zone, follow your gut and you’ll improve enjoying every injury free moment.

View running running gear:

• Dash Tank
• Hustle Jacket
• Run: Dash Tight

Our muscles have areas called trigger points and when activated through sports massage they cause a relaxation to the entire muscle. This is easy to do at home –all you need is a small ball.

what to expect

• place the ball under your tight muscle
• find a trigger point by moving the ball around until you feel a twinge of good pain (not a sharp pain)
• apply a small amount of pressure
• slowly roll the ball down your muscle and hold on the trigger point for approx 10 seconds
• release and follow-up with some light
  stretching

My favourite option is a lacrosse ball but you can use anything you have rolling around the house. Here are some of my favourite trigger points for those notoriously tight runner muscles:

hip rotators

Lie on your side, place the ball under your hip and slowly roll towards the leg.

glute release

Lie on your back, place the ball under you bum and slowly roll towards the leg.

IT band release

A foam roller works well but you can also use a ball to roll down the side of your leg towards the knee.

quad release

Support your body weight with your arms, place your leg on the foam roller or ball and slowly roll.

calf release

Place the ball under your calf and roll towards the foot.

plantar fascia

Place the ball under your heel and roll along the arch.

This technique doesn’t replace a massage but it’s a great way to bide your time between visits. You can always count on me to have lacrosse ball on hand!

you asked

I have tight gluteals from a sacral fracture three years ago. What type of yoga would you recommend that protects my low back, opens my sacrum, and stretches my gluteals, hamstrings, and calves? Thank you. - Angie

a yogi answers

Yin Yoga is fantastic, just be aware of hurting your back. One of my early teachers told me that injuries are our best teachers! - Ted, lululemon Malibu ambassador

*Yin is a slower style of yoga that targets the connective tissue of the hips, pelvis and lower spine.

Do you have any favourite restorative poses? Share them with Angie by posting below.

what is ask a yogi?

Ask a Yogi is a yoga advice column that is published on Monday, Wednesday and Saturdays. If you have a yoga question for future yoga panels, please email askanexpert@lululemon.com.

you asked

I have a broken tailbone and always feel like a flake when I can’t do Boat or other butt balancing positions. Any suggestions or props to help with that? - Catherine

a yogi answers

Boat pose is an abdominal strengthening pose, so I would suggest modifying the pose so that you are still getting the benefits of the core strengthening. Depending on what your experience is, you could bring your hands behind you to support your weight, role the weight off your tail bone by bringing your low back to the mat and work your abs from a more supported angle.
If this still bugs your tail bone, just lay all the way down and get creative with crunches, and abs from your back.
Your practice is to not worry about keeping up with the specific poses of the class that aggravate your tail bone, but finding a way to stay present and powerful in your own way!

- Kinndli, lululemon Oakville ambassador

what is ask a yogi?

Ask a Yogi is a yoga advice column that is published on Monday, Wednesday and Saturdays. If you have a yoga question for future yoga panels, please email askanexpert@lululemon.com.

Rock climbing at Wasootch.

For years, climbing nearly destroyed my back and shoulders. The weight of large, heavy packs and equipment, especially when I was out mountaineering, wound my back into knots no one could undo. My massage therapist would do his best, letting out an audible and confused, ‘hmmmm’ as he worked away at my shoulder blades. Nothing seemed to work out the kinks, until yoga came along.

I didn’t start practicing yoga with hopes that it would resolve my back issues. A friend of mine invited me to go with her, and I simply jumped at the opportunity to try something new. Within weeks of starting yoga, however, I noticed that my back and shoulder pain had mostly subsided. All those downward dogs and spinal twists offered the perfect remedy to the wear and tear my climbing habits had caused.

Rock climbing  at Grassi Lakes.

I also didn’t anticipate the benefits that yoga would have for my climbing. Regular yoga classes actually improved my flexibility and core strength, which allowed me to push the limits in my climbing. This was the beginning of a beautiful relationship!

Now I am a committed member of a wonderful yoga community at lululemon athletica and in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, and it goes so far beyond finding relief from back pain. I am thankful to have found that yoga pushes my physical limits, challenges my focus, and restores my spirit like any good climb up a rocky face.

Tree Pose in the Okanagan! Does it get any better than this?

If you’re a climber, try yoga too! You won’t think anymore about how your body will pay for the awesome moves you pulled to ascend the route.

This blog post was written by Meghan, a keyleader and community guru at lululemon athletica Banff. She (obviously) enjoys climbing and yoga, and also loves to ski tour, hike, and camp in the backcountry. Meghan is also a freelance writer and loves writing about mountain culture, wellness, and the experiences of women in the wild. You can check out Meghan's website.

Time stood still. I was floating through the air upside down and actually took the time to think that I might die. I thought of the many things I still wanted to do, places I wanted to see. The cool things I was happy I’d done, and the many people in my life with so much love to share. It was not my day.

A second later I hit the ground head first from 10 metres above. My back explodes at L-1 like a pop can a kid jumps on and the vertebrae above and below break in nine places. I am stuck upside down in wind blown corn snow up to my ears and cannot move.

I am airlifted out of the glacier to the Whistler Health Clinic where my fears are confirmed Although I am alive, I am paralyzed from the waist down. Later that night I am sent down to Vancouver to be patched up to live in a wheelchair for the rest of my life.

Luckily, the doctors were wrong, and my spinal cord injury is incomplete vs. complete. But luck is an understatement. Nine years later, although I am considered 40% paralyzed below the waist, I have learned to walk again, learned to cross country ski, and even learned to snowboard again. Not everyone can do what I did. Most people with a spinal cord injury do not have the opportunity to get any muscles back and even if they do, they don’t get enough of what they need to walk.

So, I am lucky, but I worked hard at it. I set goals. I stayed positive and looked at the world with what I could do, not what I couldn't do. I took up yoga and believed that I could think my way into a pose even if I couldn't do the pose. I thought to myself to just try every day to do more, to learn more, to be strong and understand that if I fall down, it is because I am pushing the limits. In fact, I learned to walk again by falling down and getting back up and falling some more. Metaphorically I believe this is what success is all about – falling down and getting back up until you don’t fall down anymore.

Staying positive and looking for the positive aspect in everything I do is my key. I like to say I can turn two negatives into a positive. It sounds corny, but I believe it and I believe in myself. It doesn't mean I don't ask for help. It means that because I try to help myself in a positive manner, others will believe in me and help me too. All I need to do is ask.

Last month, I received an email from my super cool friend, Olympian Nicole Forrester, asking for people to climb the CN Tower with other national team members to raise money for the United Way - a charity I have always believed in. They help people ask for a better life, thus helping communities and families throughout the world.

I wasn't sure if I could do it, so I drove down to Vancouver and trained in a stairway doing 20 flights at a time and taking the elevator down and doing it seven more times. I figured I could do it, the 147 flights of stairs (1776 steps), in about 35 minutes.

Tyler and his team about to climb the CN Tower!

A group shot of the amazing athletes before climbing the CN Tower for United Way.

The team cheering for a great cause.

When I took the challenge two weeks ago I blew my attainable goal out of the water by clocking a time just under 20 minutes. Kayak Olympian and World Champion Adam Van Koeverden did it in about 14 minutes. Paralympian Stephanie Reid Lakatos ran it in about 17 minutes on her below the knee carbon fiber prosthetic, young Leah Robinson did it like me with some paralysis in her right leg and Wilfredo (Papito) Moré Wilson did it with just one leg and two crutches - was I ever impressed! As you can see, we are all capable of achieving greatness. As Muhammad Ali said, "It isn't the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it's the pebble in your shoe."

So here I am: climbing new mountains every day. Although there are several hundred things I can't do, there are several millions I can continue to do. I can't run and I can't jump but I can get up and be happy every day. I can set goals and achieve the seemingly impossible and I am not afraid to try. So in March of 2010, look for me racing in cross country skiing at the Paralympic games. I hope you are able to climb your mountains and leave the pebbles behind.

Namaste - Tyler

Check out Tyler Mosher's fan Facebook page for updates: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tyler-Mosher/42536243617

About a year before I started working at lululemon athletica, I injured my back at my previous job. I saw a chiropractor, three orthopedic specialists, a couple of massage therapists, and at least seven different physical therapists over the course of a year. I'm an athlete, but living with my injury left me feeling sorry for myself and totally resigned. Prior to injuring my back, my favorite activities were running, riding my bicycle, and lifting weights, and I was no longer able to do these things without increasing pain.

Recovering from my injury has given me a completely different definition to the word "fit". I used to think that fitness meant looking hot in a bikini and being able to complete a 5K in the top 30% of my age group. I now know that for me fitness means feeling good in my body, without comparison and without judgment.

It took me a long time to learn the importance of staying active without increasing pain. I decided to slowly build up to a level of fitness that I was comfortable with. I had several physical therapy programs that I was responsible for, so instead of completing them at home, I took them to the gym with me, along with my limitations so that I didn't re-injure myself. Some days I would hop on an elliptical machine, even if only for three minutes, simply because I wanted to get the feeling of running without all of the consequences. At the end of my workout, I would tell myself how proud I was for completing those three minutes on the elliptical. After all, it was three minutes longer than I'd done the previous day!

The main elements that helped me recover:

1) Yoga. Not only will yoga increase your strength and flexibility, but it will also boost your level of confidence and it feels really good. Maybe you won't be able to do all of the poses as well as others in your class, but the beauty of yoga is that it isn’t a competition. Everyone in the class is at a different level and nobody is comparing. Introduce yourself to the instructor and ask for modifications to poses that might be difficult with your particular situation. Soon you will start to recognize ways to modify certain poses on your own.

2) Meeting other people who'd been injured. If I saw somebody on mat at the gym doing the same physical therapy exercises in my program, I would approach them and get into a conversation. At the end of the day, it is simply encouraging to know that you’re not the only one.

3) Volunteering. I couldn't participate in the races and events that I used to do, so I signed up to be a volunteer. This is a very rewarding way to stay involved in the athletic community while you’re recovering, and you still get a free t-shirt.

4) Icing it. This was the most tedious thing to make myself do for my injury, but it's the easiest and most natural way to decrease inflammation. 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off, followed by 10 more minutes on. Do it. Often.

5) Reformer Pilates. My core wasn't quite strong enough to be able to do a group Pilates mat class, but the reformer supports your body throughout the workout to provide resistance, core strengthening, and flexibility.

6) Swimming. I learned how to swim to make up for the cardio I could no longer get from running or spinning. My boyfriend appreciated this because I burn off my bitchiness through cardiovascular exercise.

7) Living powerfully. Be proud of yourself for every step you take toward recovery. Motivational speaker, Brian Tracy, says "You become what you think about most of the time." What will your future will be like if you are constantly complaining and feeling sorry for yourself for this injury? Take back the power!

This is your body, the way it is and the way that it's not. You can spend your energy complaining, or you can choose to like yourself. Which of these choices leaves you feeling resigned and which leaves you feeling empowered? Ultimately, it is up to you.