
By Jeremy Berger for Men's Journal
This won't be the first time somebody tries to get you into yoga. Yoga converts are evangelical: There's the peaceful friend who wants you to find your heart center; the intense friend who dips out of work for Bikram and comes back 10 pounds lighter; and the insane friend who invites you to yoga, on a paddleboard, in the ocean, and then posts photos on Facebook to prove it's a real thing. Now there's us: Our modest proposal is that yoga will make you a better runner, improve your form and balance and decrease your susceptibility to overuse injuries of the lower extremities, including plantar fasciitis, achilles tendonitis, patellofemoral (knee) pain, IT band syndrome and trochanteric bursitis (hip pain). Yoga will also improve your focus before and during the race, when mental staying power is as important as physical endurance.
We worked with yoga instructor and endurance sports coach Sage Rountree, which is actually her real name, to identify 10 yoga poses that will improve your running game. Rountree, herself an accomplished athlete, has worked with everyone from Olympians to ultrarunners to us average folks, and is recently the author of The Runner's Guide to Yoga. "We're not trying to get runners to touch their toes or get their feet behind their head," says Rountree. "We're trying to keep them fluid through the range of motion they use for running, so there isn't a hitch in their stride that leads to an overuse injury." That, and it'll keep you from curling up and looking like a shrimp during the last leg of the race. Her word, "shrimp."

This position works all kinds of muscle groups -- thighs, groin, abs -- and improves flexibility in the split-legged position that's similar to a running stride.
Benefits: Encourages a fluid range of motion and helps with plantar fasciitis, knee pain and ITBS.

Benefits: Encourages a fluid range of motion and helps with plantar fasciitis, knee pain and Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS).

This is a traditional yoga pose that lengthens your back and stretches everything from the arches up through the shoulders. It also builds upper body strength so you don't end up with tree trunk legs and broomsticks for arms.
Benefits: This pose encourages a fluid range of motion and helps with plantar fasciitis.

Benefits: Child's Pose is a mild stretch for the lower body. It should also help with focus and relieve tension.

Benefits: Encourages a fluid range of motion and helps with plantar fasciitis and ITBS.

It's not as easy as it looks. This position strengthens the muscles in your neck, back, and the backs of the arms and legs. You'll find that it improves your posture, especially toward the end of a marathon-length run, when those core support muscles start to give way. Plus, you'll have a little more protection from lower back injuries that start to plague us in our thirties.
Benefits: Improves posture, helps prevent injury.

The important thing with the boat is to keep your back long and straight, strengthening the core and the hip flexors, which are hard to target but get hammered during runs.
Benefits: Improves posture, helps prevent injury.

Along with stretching a whole range of muscles, the Dancer position improves balance, which is something we don't talk about enough in running. It seems obvious: If we don't fall, we're balanced. But better balance means a more efficient stride and fewer injuries (overuse and otherwise) from landing improperly -- all the more important if you're running in minimalist footwear.
Benefits: Improves balance and helps with plantar fasciitis, knee pain, ITBS and hip pain.

The supported fish is an ideal pose for recovery. It's also very easy. Just lay down on your back, reclining over a rolled blanket. Stay there for 20 breaths or more. This stretches out the chest and encourages deep breaths.
Benefits: Helps with recovery and relieves tension.

Benefits: Helps with recovery and reduces swelling.