Hot yoga offers a powerful yet often overlooked advantage for runners: heat acclimatisation.
We caught up with Colly, Studio Manager at Hotpod Yoga Brixton, to learn why it can make all the difference. And he should know – he ran the hottest London Marathon on record, in 2018, with a peak temperature of 24.1°C.
“Anything you practise in the heat is going to be beneficial for cardiovascular health,” Colly explains. “The environment mimics a more physically intense challenge, so how you respond to that is good for building resilience.”
At Hotpod Yoga, the classes take place in a heated, inflatable pod set to 37°C. The elevated temperature naturally increases heart rate and challenges your breathing – all in a controlled environment. Here’s how experiencing this can help come Event Day.
Improve your stress response
Hot yoga provides a safe space to observe and refine how your body responds to discomfort. Much like your long runs, it gives you a chance to get comfortable with the uncomfortable.
The Hotpod creates a space where you can focus on your breath and body.
“There’s not much else you can do in the heat besides slow down your breath, stay present with the pose, and notice how the sensations change,” Colly says. “Regular practise helps you get used to challenging situations and respond calmly, rather than panic.”
Over time, this exposure to heat builds mental resilience and improves your stress response. It trains your nervous system to stay composed rather than slipping into a fight-or-flight state.
Boost your recovery and joint health
Hot yoga is great for injury prevention in the lead-up to Event Day.
“Running requires repetitive movement, and certain muscle groups are going to get tight, tense, and even damaged in the tissues,” says Colly. “The heat helps make soft tissue more supple.”
The heat also increases blood flow, Colly adds, which helps oxygen and nutrients reach overworked muscles more quickly. It also accelerates the release of synovial fluid – the natural lubricant that keeps joints healthy and moving smoothly.
Practise self-compassion
Training for his first London Marathon in 2013, Colly realised just how seamlessly yoga and running can work together.
“I had transformative moments during my long runs, where yoga and running overlapped. Around 16 or 17 miles in and my body was crumbling, but I was just following each breath and staying so present with each foot landing on the ground, just taking it moment by moment.”
The same applies, he says, if Event Day turns out to be warm – it’s just important to ease off the pace. Think “party pace”, not PB pace – a more relaxed effort where enjoyment takes priority.
Having to take this different approach if it is going to be warm on Event Day can be difficult, especially when you’ve trained hard, but your wellbeing should always take priority. Colly notes that yoga’s holistic philosophy encourages you to honour your body’s signals and show yourself kindness.
“Yoga isn’t just about making shapes,” he says. “It involves meditation, breathwork, and channelling principles that help us treat ourselves and others better. You can bring that mindset to running. Maybe a PB isn’t happening today, but you can appreciate that it’s a beautiful day and you’re taking part in a great event.”
Curious to give it a go?
For runners, Colly recommends Hotpod's Nurturing Flow class – an hour dedicated to decompressing, resetting, and enjoying deeper stretches. Even one weekly session, he says, can make a noticeable difference, especially when balancing a busy running Training Plan. Hotpod Yoga has more than 60 studios across the UK. You can find the one closest to you on their site.
