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@Kit_L It's a prestigious road race,I'm not going to win the race however I'd like to shave some time off my previous 10k race (53.17),I'm going for 52 minutes. I run three times a week,bit over 6k on Tuesday,8k tempo run on Thursday and a long run on Saturday 14k.I'm not talking my pulse daily but I'll start doing it

In your annual schedule, how important is this particular race to you? That's Q.1. Next, what is your current weekly running schedule? And are you taking and recording your resting pulse daily? Once I know those details, I may be able to suggest something practical.

@Kit_L I have a 10k race Sunday,what should I do in the lead up so I'm fresh going into it?

The cold is still kicking around enough that I don't think a heavy session would be wise. I did do a few sets of 1 of most of what I've been doing lately (archer pushups, single leg squats, pullups, L-sit (3s), single arm hangs (~5s/side), single leg Romanian deadlift w/24kg) just to do something. Just a gentle stretch session today All planes of neck movements - no pushing, just relaxing and seeing how it all feels today. Elbow back bend + c-shape - both pleasant. I liked the looking back toward my heels with the back bend today. The c-shape especially was a nice stretch for my middle/upper back particularly some of the one leg further forward than the other variations. Lying rotations - no pushing here either, just being present with the sensations and relaxing on the out breath. Foot sequence - I can tell that I haven't done this one in a while. That said, I have quite a bit of controlled movement in my toes now (at least compared to when I started) and I can feel the difference that makes to the suppleness of the foot generally. SBS session 2 - the labelling of sensations in this one is a nice addition. My mind still wants to wander more than usual (which might be that it's had more time away from practice than usual).

> ended up catching a cold (started about 6 hours after my last post) not a terrible one Wishing you a speedy recovery.

A quick update on the state of LRP this week. I ended up catching a cold (started about 6 hours after my last post) not a terrible one, but enough that LRP attempts just became naps for the first couple days--something that's very unusual for me. I'm now coughing enough that relaxation is not happening when lying on my back, so my sessions are likely to be walking with an emphasis on being present for the next little while. My current plan is to restart the SBS recordings when I can reliably avoid needing/feeling like I need to cough for the length of a session.

Thank you both for your time. I really appreciate it and will begin some deep relaxation and those stretches. I had my own stretches and bodyweight exercises I was doing including the prone butterfly, but I will work on the pike and pancake as well. Gratefully, Chad

Hi, yes, I feel better now, I would say the issue is practically gone and I have slowly started doing more strength training. What did it for me I think was working my legs, stretching them every way possible, as often as I felt they could handle it (2-3 times a week or so). (Pike and Pancake (plus the one stretch below) stretches were my main ones, I can now do full pike, still some ways to go on the pancake ). I also practice meditation usually before which I think helps, also I notice a big difference if I had a sauna before in how deep I could go. Doing this I discovered where exactly the tension was and how to work it out, for me something like this position really hit the spot: (But I would stay static in it also and sink as deep as possible prying my legs apart pressing my groin towards the ground (helps to have kind of a slippery surface below the legs so they can slide, I used bare skin against martial art mats that are quite soft (nice for the knees) and relatively glidey)). Thanks again to @Kit_L for the original advice I received, spot on 🙇

Follow the same suggestions I made to @jonatan; you can't go wrong. Ask questions, by all means.

Hey @jonatan , I have nearly the exact same issue as you, but I have had it for over a year now. No acute pain from an injury, but dull aches and densitization. Did you ever find any resolution to your issue? Thanks in advance, Chad

Day 537 of stretching and flexibility journey In short: saw a physical therapist, received an ultrasound, and learned that I tore the bicep femoris tendon After 4 weeks of this injury, while recovery has occurred (just glacially), I decided to see a (well respected in the local London dance community) PT and turns out, I tore the bicep femoris tendon. Here's the ultra sound clip: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-fV3fUK-fcU Honestly, I cannot recall which exercise — or exercises – that could've caused the tear 4 weeks ago but I recall I had only felt the pain come on 24 hours later; apparently, this is normal, since it takes about 24 hours (or so) for the fluid to rush to the location in the body (from what he shared with me). Nonetheless, I'm happy I got a diagnosis and silver lining is that I learned that I should be including eccentric loading exercises for my hamstring to strengthen the ligaments and tendons surrounding the muscle, not just all the plyometric exercises that I've been doing increasing. Lack of knowledge on my side and never considered working the ligaments and tendons so now I know. With this new understanding, I now regret (useful emotion) dancing for 4 hours the day following the tear (4 weeks ago). I likely exacerbated the issue. Finally, this injury has solidified my understanding of where the bicep femoris is located and feels like in my body

My PB for the 8k was 41.19 I ran it in 40.38 Sunday

When I've recovered from yesterday, I'll give that one a try. I mix it in occasionally and always find it has good results, but nearer the beginning of my stretching journey it had more intensity than I wanted. I still associate it with that, but it's probably just the thing now. I will keep you updated on the SBS recordings.

The wall quad–hip flexor may help to unlock that: https://stretchtherapy.net/wall-quad-hip-flexor-if-you-do-only-one-stretch-today-this-is-the-one/ Do this first, then re-try the seiza leaning back quad one. And do let me know how you go with the SBS recordings; they progress from the first to the last.

I had more time than often today, so I did a longer session today. My weight is holding pretty much steady and I'm continuing to get leaner so I'm going to stick with my current eating habits for a while. The once a week strength training continues to be quite effective for me. I do miss more frequent sessions through the week, but I walk and do a couple easy runs (generally 2/week) to get some movement in along with my usual limbering. Strength portion: 1x12(alternating after 2 reps/side) full depth single leg squats + 1x8 alternating thigh to parallel (or a bit below) single leg squats as a finish. I should have mentioned this last week, but I always forget just how far forward my knee ends up going with these when I haven't done these in a while. The upside of forgetting that is that I've evidently spent enough time on preparatory exercises to break through the 1-3 rep max per day plateau that I've gotten stuck on in the past. 1x5/side + 1x10 alternating archer pushups - slight reduction in rest compared to last week. I'm still getting used to finding the right position for my hands in this movement and then where my body should be in relation to my working arm to get the most out of it. 2x5 kneeling ab-wheel roll outs. I feel these in the lower part of my core at the beginning and in my whole core (and upper back/shoulders) by the end. 1x15s/side one arm body weight at 110% bodyweight. My shoulder activation when I do these holds is increasing as well which is good. Though I miss the stretch down the side when I do them relaxed. 2x8/side single leg Romanian deadlifts with 24kg. My hamstrings have been feeling pretty much normal since my last stretch session so I'm hoping that continues. These were not enjoyable after the Floor L-sits 2s full, 10s tucked. It isn't much, but the after effects of the ab-wheel and everything else are making themselves known. With the tucked ones, I worked on bringing my hips up and forward to increase the intensity somewhat. Some remarkable triceps engagement with that moving/pressing the hips forward. 4,3,3,2 pullups - The usual isometrics on the way down and at the top. Stretching portion: Wide leg elephant walks - Pleasant tonight. Just gentle explorations of movement and sensations. They morphed into Cossack squat transitions at the end when I wanted to shift the emphasis a bit. Tailor's pose - still very challenging for me. I did it today free sitting (away from the wall) and grabbed hold of my feet to keep my back vertical. I had more stretch sensation with the contraction to open my legs. I think this might be a better technique for me at this point than against the wall just based on the sensations and where the stretch was and the movement I saw when contracting. Quad + hip flexor lunge - I'm starting to really appreciate the intensity of this one. I'm also slowly untangling the sensations in that intensity into smaller pieces. Floor shoulder stretches (palm up and palm down) C&R - I haven't done these in a while and I can feel the difference. A good reminder that even if the range of motion is still there, regular practice increases the ease of getting there. Hamstring Lunge - Not real pleasant at the beginning this evening, but I stayed with it until I felt myself relax after going deeper with the contractions. Exercise 13 from S&F. Part of my usual limbering sequence works exercise 12 so it's less of a priority. Exercise 13 (arm over the top of the shoulder) feels stiffer than it did, and I had quite an increase in depth with the C&R on both sides. Seated rotations - blissful today. These worked just the right spot in my mid-back just beside the spine. Floor seated piriformis - tight to start, C&R and much more comfortable at the end. "Baby flops" - Less asymmetry between the sides now than there used to be and my preference for which leg is forward is diminishing as well. I found a truly delightful stretch on the tighter side of the stretch with both sides, on the right it was towards the side of my lower back and on the left it was a spot near the top of the hip. Seiza <-> leaning back quad stretch. The fronts of my ankles are tighter than they were the last time I did this, but it's still a fairly comfortable position. My quads are quite resistant to stretching though. Back bends - nice stretch through the front with these, especially the lower area I felt at the beginning of the ab-wheel roll outs. Child's pose at the end to finish things off. LRP. I started working through the SBS recordings from 2014.

Feeling at ease in one's body beats having lots of money

Being able to be genuinely relaxed in daily life is the greatest gift you can give yourself, I believe.

Thanks,I'll put that into practice.It seems relaxation improves many different things

Stay as relaxed as you can (check how high you're carrying your shoulders from time to time) and you will go well.

My best 8k was 41.19.Thanks,I hope it goes well too

That is a pretty good pace. I hope Sunday goes well for you.

Did an 8k run tonight with the group.We went around in 43 minutes so we were going a nice clip.Jogged a few laps after to bring the heart rate down and to flush the waste products (hydrogen ions) out of the system.Probably was close to the anaerobic threshold during the run,going for 40 minutes on Sunday in the 8k race

What do you think is causing the sciatic pain?

Day 531 of stretching and flexibility journey A bit radio silence from me for last week or so. The sciatic pain abated and then most recently increased in pain significantly; the uptick in pain — concentrated recently behind the knees and preventing me from getting into a squat position as well as a prayer / seiza position – has to do with physical movement practices. At the forefront of my mind is "the body whispers before it screams" as well as "pay now or pay later." Though I now typically (partially due to my involvement with ST community) choose to pay now, in this particular instance (of my sciatic pain) I am choosing to pay later; this past weekend I danced (despite my body whispering loudly) since this is a once a year event that I was very excited for (communal gathering). Also, I am further delaying the much needed rest since I have a planned trip to Lithuania for a dance workshop and competition. Following next weekend, I will wind down my dance practice and training for several weeks and strictly focus on rehabbing my sciatic pain in my right leg I am more or less been limping for the past 2 weeks, on and off.

The elephant walks are sore alright