Running the marathon? Try yoga

Those training for El Paso’s marathon have about 10 weeks before race day.

As a sponsor of the 2016 Springfoot Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K, ABC-7 is profiling the keys to success in the long-distance run, as Good Morning El Paso anchor Stephanie Valle trains for the 13.1 mile run.

An important aspect for many runners in the lead-up to the marathon on Feb. 19 is proper stretching and even yoga.

On a chilly Friday morning before sunrise, a group of runners finished with an hour-long run are stretching out on the lawn of the El Paso Country Club in the Upper Valley.

The group is following the lead of one of their own, certified yoga instructor Gretchen McElroy.

“It’s always best to stretch or do yoga poses and postures when muscles are warm, as opposed to when they’re cold,” said McElroy. McElroy, who leads yoga classes at Casa de Yoga in West El Paso, also has spent the last 25 years as a personal fitness trainer and 30 years running.

McElroy is an advocate of the benefits of yoga for runners, saying it creates balance for those who may have imbalances between their left and right side.

“I think it’s very important for injury prevention and longevity of running,” McElroy said.

As the runners held warrior and downward dog poses, McElroy walked them through deep breathing, and on holding the stretches as long as possible. McElroy said it’s important to not push past the point of the stretch reflex, and to simply allow for a deeper stretch of the muscle and joints.

“You want to keep your muscles supple. You want to keep yourself well balanced,” McElroy said.

Those who are interested in participating in the marathon are invited to a sign-up event at 1914 Lounge in the Union Plaza District downtown.

The ‘Very Merry Marathon Party’ runs from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 8.