Hitting The Mat

As I sit here, just back from a hot yoga class, I am drinking my herbal tea-I know how very yogi of me.  I love yoga.  I should take that back.  I like yoga, I love hot yoga.

I was first really introduced to yoga my senior year at Carroll.  Yes, the one class I needed to graduate was only offered the spring semester of the year of the rat during just the perfect summer solstice.  So, I needed 10 more credits to keep my scholarship.  I conned my friend Kenric into taking Water Safety Instructor with me since we were already life guarding at the YMCA and teaching lessons.  It was our chance to shine and eventually get another .50 cents on our paycheck.  I also chose to take yoga.  And some other random ones in my minor of Philosophy.  Yes, my parents were so proud that I was getting a yoga education at a private college.  CHA-CHING!

Then, picked up the love of yoga again while living in LA.  I think that yoga is mandatory to live there...to carry a mat, wear dark shades and drink Kambucha. Still I loved the synergy of my mind and body.  I was hooked.  Upon moving back to Billings, I continued my daily once a week practice. Incorporating it in my life as routine.  

In 2011, I started Hot Yoga.  I didn't really incorporate it too much because of my job and would try to hit a class here or there.  It wasn't until summer of 2013 that I really worked it into my life.  At that time I needed balance in my life and calmness.  Plus, I started marathon training for the first time and it was a good contrast to pounding the pavement.  A mental break and a body break..of sorts.  I attribute it to healing and staying injury free.  Now, I do everything I can to take multiple classes. Out of all the things I have done athletically, I am most proud of the time I hit my mat and see what my body is capable of.  And sweat my ass off...well...at least the water weight of my ass.  I set many intentions through out classes over time: Thanking my body, quieting my mind, stretch out my hips and that damn right shoulder.  It's a great core exercise and let's just say it, you look like a bad ass balancing your body weight on your forearms.  I am still working on fully nailing crow pose. But, most of all, I am not afraid to fall...to fail...because it's just me...and my mat.  Why do I love hot yoga?  I love it because I detox my body.  And I love it because it allows me to go deeper since my muscles are warm.  I get a greater benefit of my body all around.  The best thing is, I have been inspired, humbled, cried, scared, proud and healed a hurt ego and heart on that mat.  I have deepened friendships and created new ones...on that mat.  I have said that my running feet show hard earned miles, my cycling feet say the same and "I need to repaint my toenails and shave my legs" on that mat..don't deny you do it too.  There is no competition on the mat.  Life is shut out for 60-90 minutes of pure sweat and intention.  I have been mentored by some amazing teachers and yogis. Yoga has made me more grateful and thoughtful.  I know, can you imagine me before?!  

So, go to a class-yoga or hot yoga..and transform your perspective of yourself.  Be present.  Believe in the Power of Now.  And walk out better than you walked in.  

Namaste.

The Road to the LA Marathon 2015

Well, it's the day after the 20 miler.  Thank goodness for Aleve, Epsom Salts and Hot Yoga.  I am not too bad.  The 20 miler is a mental thing. Anyone who tells you it's not, is lying and you have every right to tell them to their face that they are a liar.   I heard a song in my  hot yoga class this morning. It resonated with how I am feeling right now, in this moment.  Plus, it's an old school Counting Crows song.  Therefore, I may also feel like putting on a flannel and hitting a college class tomorrow :-).  Enjoy.

Color Blind

I was a little nervous for the 20 miler.  It's the last of the real long runs.  It's the run where you have been on your feet the longest.  20 milers take no prisoners.  It took me two days to shake our 18.5 miler.  I feel apart at 15.5 miles.  It was hot and we hadn't trained for that yet.  I was dehydrated, behind on my fueling and I walked more than I had yet on any run.  That combination mind fucked me for two days.  But, I finished.  My partner finished.  It took me 4 days to feel normal from being dehydrated.  You have to let the bad runs go and move on.  Our next 14 miler was great.  Our 20 miler went well.  I am very happy with it.  That does not mean it didn't hurt.  That does not mean I didn't want to quite at 11 miles.  I just told myself, "One foot in front of the other.  Keep pumping your arms."  It was nice that my training partner and I stayed together and talked the whole way. Someone to distract you and just talk for over 4 hours was needed.  We then celebrated with food at Steve's Cafe.  Then I went home and recovered, napped and eventually showered.

This is the first race that I have really trained for while working a full time job.  I started the job and training essentially the same week.  That was challenging of itself.  Finding time to train for the marathon, keep up some form of Triathlon training and keep sane-proved difficult at times.  Anyone who has trained for a race knows there are ebbs and flows of emotion-ranging from happy-tears-hungry-hangry-beyond exhausted.  There was one point I tried not to cry in Old Navy...yes actually had to tell myself not to fall apart in Old Navy because I was hangry.

But, all through the soreness and the above-mentioned emotional distress, I am glad I have a friend who asked me to do this.  I am not running for time, I am running to finish.  We have had cooler temps here and snow-where LA has had heat.  By 7 am there it is already 60 degrees if not close to it. I know we have the advantage of training in altitude and sea level will help, but it will be hot and we may melt.  But you can't change the weather, you can only change your attitude.  So, I will enjoy every minute and embrace the pain and smile.  I have enjoyed the journey and I will in enjoy the trip to LA and the trip to the finish line.  Thank you to everyone who has shared miles with us.  Thank you Kelli for our talks on our runs and pushing me to complete this with you.

Best part of winter training-Cookie Runs!  Here are just some of the pictures we took after our runs!

Just like the song says-I am ready, I am ready.  We are ready.  #LA2015