Welcome to the March edition of The Peaceful Runner Newsletter - your free monthly resource for inspirational articles and quotes, healthy recipes and the latest news and trends in running.

In this issue:

1) Quote of the month
2) Article: Taking a Tumble while Running
3) Visualization Techniques for Runners
4) Yoga for Runners

Taking a Tumble While Running

I was out for a regular run when my unsuspecting toe caught on the edge of an uneven sidewalk block. I recently moved to the U.K. where many of the sidewalks (or pavements as they are known here) are made from large concrete squares. Over time these blocks have a way of moving with the thawing and freezing of the earth and becoming uneven; thus creating a perfect catch for the foot of a distracted runner (me) that day.

Because I was running on a decline, I was going at a faster pace. So when I tripped, I went flying through the air for what appeared to be forever. I finally came to a stop and landed on the ground -- my hand and knee taking most of the impact. I was a little shaken by the tumble and when I stood up my knee hurt. Fortunately, the only damage done was a cut on my knee and a torn glove, which saved the palm of my hand from getting a nasty cut. After walking for a little while, I settled down and my knee felt fine, so I began running again.

I think falling was actually a fortunate experience for me because I learned two things. First of all, how important it is to focus and pay attention to how I am running, i.e. my form. I think I was distracted at the time and I wasn't raising my feet properly. Since the fall, I have become more focused on my form.

Secondly, I realized that falling can make you become afraid of falling and that it is absolutely necessary to overcome this fear. A fear of falling will cause you to run more tensely. Then if you do fall, you can injure yourself badly. I constantly practice running in a relaxed manner--free from tension. I believe this prevented me from getting injured when I fell. If I allowed myself to develop a fear of falling, I would no longer be able to enjoy a relaxed run.

We must overcome all our fears to live fully and to run freely. The less afraid we are of falling, the less likely we are to get injured if we do fall.

Are you afraid of falling? Check out The Little Book of Falling (and Getting Up).

Visualization Techniques for Runners

Use these Visualization Techniques to help you achieve your goals.

Yoga for Runners

Check out this article which describes two yoga poses for runners that you can try now: Yoga for Runners.

Jackie

ThePeacefulRunner.com

facebook.com/thepeacefulrunner

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