Yoga Story of the Month: Jameson Clover

Jameson Clover says that before she started practicing, "All I knew about the Bikram method was that it took place in an irrationally hot and humid room, which is exactly what I was looking for! The yoga- yeah, whatever- but the climate is what, I thought, I was seeking."

Jameson is an ultrarunner, which is to say that she runs distances greater than 26.2 miles. She even signed up for her first 100-mile race...in Florida, in May! Florida is hot and humid, and Jameson wanted exposure to that type of weather in order to train. So she signed up at Bikram Yoga St. Johns, hoping the hot and humid room would help her prepare for the race.

"The yoga part of Bikram wasn't really on my radar- I was after the climate; but something strange happened and it happened early: I felt a pull to the room. I found myself craving it. The heat, the humidity, the buckets of sweat, the different experiences with different teachers, all of it...including the post-yoga kombucha. One of the great things about Bikram is the constant reminder that doing 1% of the posture, 100% the right way is still beneficial. This was perfect for me, because I suffer from a re-occurring ankle injury that limits my range of motion. 

"Since I started practicing Bikram yoga, my ankle is stronger and more flexible, and that translates to strength and confidence in my running. The potential physical benefits of yoga were not unknown to me, but this is the first time I have seen it in my own body. But more than the physical, Bikram yoga has provided an endurance practice for my mind. After 50 or so miles, a run becomes more mental than physical: Your body can do it, but will your mind allow it? This is true for my yoga practice as well. I think this is why I crave the room: it is the focus and test of will, which is also why I love running.

"Bikram yoga provides a safe place for me to be patient with my body. I find joy in my (slow) progression through the postures, especially the ones in which my ankle is still a limiting factor. By doing the same routine each time, it is easy to track the smallest of improvements. Slowly, surely, my body is healing. Being an ultrarunner, I ask a lot from my body, I push it when it begs to stop; Bikram yoga is far from easy, but at the end it feels like I have given myself a gift. Give and take, I am finding balance.

Jameson's advice for new students? "What your teachers say is true. Really. Go slow, do it right, be patient, come often, but also, come without judgment. The body and mind is wonderfully powerful, if you allow yourself space and time."

When you see Jameson around the studio this month, be sure to say "hi" and wish her luck on her 100-mile race!