In yoga recently (can't actually remember if it was last night's class or one of the classes this past weekend, but I thought about it in class, and more this morning), the instructor said something along these lines:
Try. Try the posture. Even if you can't do it all the way, you need to try. It's not just going to magically happen one day. You have to work at it. You get 1% better one day, and 1% better some other day, eventually that's how you make progress. Standing it out, watching it, not trying is not going to get you any closer. Just try it. Don't think about it, just try.
And I've been thinking about it a lot ever since. I look at some people around me in yoga and they look like natural yogis. The same way there are runners who can so effortlessly maintain a pace I struggle to hold for even just one mile.
I think on some level, I assume they can just easily stand on one leg, lock their standing knee, kick their other leg forward, flex their foot, lower their elbows below their calf, and touch their forehead to their knee.
That's the case for runners -- some people can easily and without training run at a pace that others could run for years and never attain. But hard effort is the same for everyone -- not the same pace, but the same effort. 100% effort is hard. And I think yoga in some ways might be more about effort.
When I had fallen out and was looking around during the second set, gathering my strength to make another attempt, I looked at the woman right in front of me. She had what I think of as a perfect yoga body, in perfect yoga clothes, and she was totally rocking the posture. She had her standing leg locked. She was lowering her elbows, tucking her forehead to her knee. And I noticed her standing foot was shifting a little bit. Different muscles and tendons seemed to be popping out in her standing leg.
It hit me like a ton of bricks.
This isn't necessarily easy for her.
Just because she can do the posture doesn't mean she's not working very hard to hold it.
It doesn't mean she could do it her first day (maybe she could of course).
It doesn't mean she can do it every set, every day (maybe she can).
Maybe she's not working at it, maybe it is fairly easy, maybe she's always been able to do it, maybe she can do it every time she tries. But maybe not.
But all that's definite is I'm never going to be able to do it if I don't try every class.
It's not going to just magically happen one day if I never work at it.
Hmmm.... deep thoughts.
Showing posts with label yoga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label yoga. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Monday, July 14, 2014
Weekend Update
I feel like I should say, what weekend?
I got back from Baton Rouge Friday night after a mixed success day. I got the case resolved, but not on the terms I envisioned. But it's nice to cross it off the books, especially since defense counsel was costing an arm and a leg.
Saturday's schedule (yoga-brunch-volunteer-friend over) looked like this:
7:30-9:00 Bikram yoga
9:15-9:40 home, shower, change
9:45-11 brunch with a friend
11-11:45 home, unpack suitcase, begin repacking for this week's trip
12-2 volunteer
2-2:45 errands
3-3:30 straighten up house
3:30-6 friend over (see photos), start cooking dinner and puzzle
6:30 hubby home, dinner, tv, early to bed.
And just so I have it documented somewhere, this past weekend (July 12-13) was the first time we officially hit 100 degrees! Insanely lucky, this is perhaps the latest it's been since I've been paying attention.
Sunday's schedule (race-yoga-Chinese-church) looked like this:
6:15 leave house to go to race
6:30 meet friends at race
6:45 run a couple warm-up miles with friends
7:30-9 race
9-9:45 hang out at race waiting for beer tent to open at 10 (then decide it's not worth another 15 minutes for a Miller Lite anyway, given how the rest of the day looks, and decide to head home), while hanging out with friends and attempting to cool off
10-10:15 change clothes
10:30-12 Bikram yoga
12:15-1 eat lunch, shower, change
1-4:30 Chinese class
5-6 puzzle, cook dinner
6:30 hubby home, dinner
7:10 leave house, gas up car, drive to church
7:30-8:45 church
9:00 bed
So yeah, what weekend? Haha, oh well, it was just very busy, almost no down time, but it was all stuff I wanted to do so I really shouldn't complain.
There was an obvious highlight to the weekend, below are three progress pictures. 750 pieces, and all that's left is crap leaves and dark tree/rock.
This morning had two notable happenings.
First, I found out I got an AG at the race yesterday, which is funny because I didn't even stay for awards since my time was so sucky.
Second, I twisted my ankle at boot camp on my very last frog leap. Yow. It hurt a lot for about two hours and it looks a tiny bit swollen now, but it seems to be better than it initially felt. I might take it easy for a couple days just to make sure it shakes out okay.
It figures, this would happen right as a "summer cold front" is coming. All I can say is that cold front better not bypass me (since I'm going to be working in Philly), and my ankle better be healed up so I can enjoy a glorious cooler run or three.
Saturday night, right before bed:
Sunday night, right before bed:
This morning before work (just a few more pieces...):
I got back from Baton Rouge Friday night after a mixed success day. I got the case resolved, but not on the terms I envisioned. But it's nice to cross it off the books, especially since defense counsel was costing an arm and a leg.
Saturday's schedule (yoga-brunch-volunteer-friend over) looked like this:
7:30-9:00 Bikram yoga
9:15-9:40 home, shower, change
9:45-11 brunch with a friend
11-11:45 home, unpack suitcase, begin repacking for this week's trip
12-2 volunteer
2-2:45 errands
3-3:30 straighten up house
3:30-6 friend over (see photos), start cooking dinner and puzzle
6:30 hubby home, dinner, tv, early to bed.
And just so I have it documented somewhere, this past weekend (July 12-13) was the first time we officially hit 100 degrees! Insanely lucky, this is perhaps the latest it's been since I've been paying attention.
Sunday's schedule (race-yoga-Chinese-church) looked like this:
6:15 leave house to go to race
6:30 meet friends at race
6:45 run a couple warm-up miles with friends
7:30-9 race
9-9:45 hang out at race waiting for beer tent to open at 10 (then decide it's not worth another 15 minutes for a Miller Lite anyway, given how the rest of the day looks, and decide to head home), while hanging out with friends and attempting to cool off
10-10:15 change clothes
10:30-12 Bikram yoga
12:15-1 eat lunch, shower, change
1-4:30 Chinese class
5-6 puzzle, cook dinner
6:30 hubby home, dinner
7:10 leave house, gas up car, drive to church
7:30-8:45 church
9:00 bed
So yeah, what weekend? Haha, oh well, it was just very busy, almost no down time, but it was all stuff I wanted to do so I really shouldn't complain.
There was an obvious highlight to the weekend, below are three progress pictures. 750 pieces, and all that's left is crap leaves and dark tree/rock.
This morning had two notable happenings.
First, I found out I got an AG at the race yesterday, which is funny because I didn't even stay for awards since my time was so sucky.
Second, I twisted my ankle at boot camp on my very last frog leap. Yow. It hurt a lot for about two hours and it looks a tiny bit swollen now, but it seems to be better than it initially felt. I might take it easy for a couple days just to make sure it shakes out okay.
It figures, this would happen right as a "summer cold front" is coming. All I can say is that cold front better not bypass me (since I'm going to be working in Philly), and my ankle better be healed up so I can enjoy a glorious cooler run or three.
Saturday night, right before bed:
Sunday night, right before bed:
This morning before work (just a few more pieces...):
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Yesterday's Developments
2 notable events yesterday (I'm using a very loose definition of notable).
1. Finally made it back to Bikram yoga! Funny that my first class back in the studio (I did several of the hour-long outdoor classes, but definitely not the same) was with the same instructor that I had on April 30, the last day of my 30 day challenge.
2. I'm in a new-to-me city!
1. Finally made it back to Bikram yoga! Funny that my first class back in the studio (I did several of the hour-long outdoor classes, but definitely not the same) was with the same instructor that I had on April 30, the last day of my 30 day challenge.
2. I'm in a new-to-me city!
Monday, May 5, 2014
Yoga Plan
I just saw this link and it's my new dream: http://www.doyouyoga.com/partner-yoga-poses/
I absolutely love partner/couple workouts in general. It started in 2005 when I ran the NYC marathon and I saw a couple running while holding hands. They had something cute on their shirts about how if they could make it through this, they could make it through anything.
And thus was born my dream of running a marathon holding hands.
Unfortunately, my husband has zero (maybe even negative) desire to run a full (he's done about 5 half marathons so far).
For the record, I may make my third serious play at getting him to do a full with me in the next month or so (glad he doesn't read this blog). I started raising the idea pretty much as soon as we started dating, but never really pressed it. The first time I seriously tried to convince him was immediately after his first half, because it struck me as the next logical step. No go. The second time I seriously tried to convince him was in 2008 when I decided I'd run the Marine Corps Marathon (and my husband was/is a Marine (never know how to say that, he's not in the Marines now, but there's this whole "once a Marine, always a Marine" thing)). No go.
And now, I may push for Miami in January solely because one of my best friends and her husband (my former boss, and one of my husband's best friends) are doing it. And it's going to be her husband's first (and last he says) full, doing in honor of his 50th birthday (it's funny that she and I both married guys older than us). So maybe I can convince him this time.
But anyway, aside from the "holding hands marathon dream", I like working out together in general. We have been doing boot camp together since 2007. We were first invited to a free weekend bootcamp in 2006 by my local bestie, and we loved it -- but it was a women's only camp aside from the occasional open weekend sessions. But the instructor recommended a co-ed boot camp where he worked out himself. And the rest was history.
Sometimes we shouldn't partner up at boot camp, because of different ability levels, but we usually do anyway. Sometimes it works out well -- if we have to do 100 push-ups and 100 situps between the two of us, he can do 70 push-ups (and I'll do 30), and I can do 70 sit-ups (and he can do 30). But then there are exercises like the one we call "the divorcer" (basically walking pushups face-to-face with a clap in between). But generally, it makes us stronger.
As for yoga, he's tried Bikram with me exactly twice. The first time he thought was kind of okay (or so he said), but by the second time, he said he hated it. When I started my 30 day challenge in April and he was complaining about not getting to spend much time together, I tried to convince him to join me. No go. He sang me the line from Meatloaf -- "I would do anything for love, but I won't do that."
In talking about it, it seems what he really hates is the 105 degree temperature of Bikram. He also doesn't love it because he's not super-flexible, but obviously, that's the point! He also doesn't like it because he has limited mobility in his neck thanks to a joint fusion and a plate that were put in before I knew him.
So as I try to figure out what my personal yoga future looks like, I think I'm going to attempt yoga at home for a month or two (collossal failure last time I said I'd do that), and then I'm going back to Bikram but will attempt moderation. But when I'm doing yoga at home, maybe these few partner yoga poses can be added (and maybe I can find more) and maybe we can do them together -- that would be an incentive to me. The butt-to-butt one just looks so funny. I can imagine laughing with him while we try to do it.
I absolutely love partner/couple workouts in general. It started in 2005 when I ran the NYC marathon and I saw a couple running while holding hands. They had something cute on their shirts about how if they could make it through this, they could make it through anything.
And thus was born my dream of running a marathon holding hands.
Unfortunately, my husband has zero (maybe even negative) desire to run a full (he's done about 5 half marathons so far).
For the record, I may make my third serious play at getting him to do a full with me in the next month or so (glad he doesn't read this blog). I started raising the idea pretty much as soon as we started dating, but never really pressed it. The first time I seriously tried to convince him was immediately after his first half, because it struck me as the next logical step. No go. The second time I seriously tried to convince him was in 2008 when I decided I'd run the Marine Corps Marathon (and my husband was/is a Marine (never know how to say that, he's not in the Marines now, but there's this whole "once a Marine, always a Marine" thing)). No go.
And now, I may push for Miami in January solely because one of my best friends and her husband (my former boss, and one of my husband's best friends) are doing it. And it's going to be her husband's first (and last he says) full, doing in honor of his 50th birthday (it's funny that she and I both married guys older than us). So maybe I can convince him this time.
But anyway, aside from the "holding hands marathon dream", I like working out together in general. We have been doing boot camp together since 2007. We were first invited to a free weekend bootcamp in 2006 by my local bestie, and we loved it -- but it was a women's only camp aside from the occasional open weekend sessions. But the instructor recommended a co-ed boot camp where he worked out himself. And the rest was history.
Sometimes we shouldn't partner up at boot camp, because of different ability levels, but we usually do anyway. Sometimes it works out well -- if we have to do 100 push-ups and 100 situps between the two of us, he can do 70 push-ups (and I'll do 30), and I can do 70 sit-ups (and he can do 30). But then there are exercises like the one we call "the divorcer" (basically walking pushups face-to-face with a clap in between). But generally, it makes us stronger.
As for yoga, he's tried Bikram with me exactly twice. The first time he thought was kind of okay (or so he said), but by the second time, he said he hated it. When I started my 30 day challenge in April and he was complaining about not getting to spend much time together, I tried to convince him to join me. No go. He sang me the line from Meatloaf -- "I would do anything for love, but I won't do that."
In talking about it, it seems what he really hates is the 105 degree temperature of Bikram. He also doesn't love it because he's not super-flexible, but obviously, that's the point! He also doesn't like it because he has limited mobility in his neck thanks to a joint fusion and a plate that were put in before I knew him.
So as I try to figure out what my personal yoga future looks like, I think I'm going to attempt yoga at home for a month or two (collossal failure last time I said I'd do that), and then I'm going back to Bikram but will attempt moderation. But when I'm doing yoga at home, maybe these few partner yoga poses can be added (and maybe I can find more) and maybe we can do them together -- that would be an incentive to me. The butt-to-butt one just looks so funny. I can imagine laughing with him while we try to do it.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Bikram Yoga 30 day challenge conclusion
When I went to my second class on Saturday, I had told the instructor (the actual Atina, the other one I thought had that name is not her) I was doing a double, and she asked me what day of the challenge I was on -- I said I was walking into class 26, and she said I was in the home stretch. She's right! (And now, as I'm ready to publish this, it's done!)
Saturday, 4-26-14, class no. 26, at 4:00. Second class of the day. Atina was the instructor; the other instructor with the short dark hair who I thought might be named Atina is not. I have no idea who she is. More men than in any other class I've ever done. I think it was just over 50% male. Class was pretty good. I didn't feel like anything was exceptional. I had high hopes because the second class in my last double was phenomenal and full of breakthroughs, but this one wasn't. But it was decidedly fine. She gave me a correction that I didn't understand about locking my arm reaching up during triangle. It was weird, I thought it was locked. As I write this now though, I wonder if she said "lock your right arm" and my left arm was the one in the air. I'm horrible about mixing up right and left, so maybe I got it wrong. She congratulated me on my double toward the end of class, which was nice. Probably the quickest I've left class afterward. But the double was done and I had fully compensated for missing due to our anniversary dinner party and the hangover that followed.
Sunday, 4-27-14, class no. 27, at noon. Instructor was Rene again, sigh. The class was one of my worst. I ran a half marathon in the morning (horribly, insanely slow, over 20 minutes slower than where I was a year ago, but AG award nonetheless, woot), and I think I was pretty dehydrated. When I got home from the half, I drank some water, ate a piece of quiche, and had my morning espresso. I got to class and it immediately felt like the heat was blasting like crazy for the first 5 minutes or so. I checked with Rene after class, and she gave me info I never had. The room is set to be at 105 degrees and 40% humidity. It's automatic, but the humidity and temp outside can have an impact. So it may not have been my imagination thinking the Friday class was a bit cooler and today's was a bit warmer. But fortunately, after the first few minutes, it went back to normal. The curser (the pink-purple mohawk guy) placed himself behind me. Again, he was straining like crazy in the floor series, he let a "g-d it" fly (but no f-bombs) and again left class early. It was also weird because I was in row 3 and the woman pretty much in front of me in row 1 basically sat out the whole class. She did the opening and closing breathing exercises, and she did probably one complete posture, and one set of two or three others, and that was it. The rest of the time, she sat looking bored with her head in her hands, or she was pulling loose hairs off her mat, or she was playing with her finger nails or nail polish. So bizarre. She was young (probably early 20s), but I really wondered why she was there. Anyway, I felt dizzy several times in the standing series. And my right hamstring felt tight, tight, tight, so there was little hope of locking my leg at any point. But the big and exciting thing was progress in one of my absolute favorite postures -- toe stand. During the second set (so perching on my right leg), I did it! I've gotten my hands up a few times before, but I've always lost my balance. Not so this time! I got my hands up and held until she said to come out. Woot!!!
Monday, 4-28-14, class no. 28, at 6:00! It was so so hard to make the class at 6:00. But I had been fairly unproductive at work all day for some reason, so I decided to cut my losses and go to the early class since another half hour of work wasn't going to help much. I had really wanted to do the 6:00 class because it was taught by Karen, half of the husband-wife owner team of the studio, and I haven't had a single class with her teaching during this challenge (she was taking one of the Rene classes I was in). She gave me a good correction in standing bow-pulling (definitely my strongest in that posture ever), and in the posture after triangle. Class was good overall, one of the most crowded I've attended. My right hamstring is still tight from the half on Sunday, but it's not a big deal. It was so nice to get home from class just before 8 since my husband was still awake and hung out with me while I ate dinner, and I actually got a good night's sleep. Hard to believe only two more classes. When I get my t-shirt, I think I might wear it for 30 days straight! Anyway, cool thing after class -- a guy was sitting with his legs crossed but soles of his feet up to the ceiling (so feet pulled up onto thighs, like a little pretzel). I wasn't paying much attention, but next time I looked over, he still had his legs in a pretzel but was laying face down. That looked very uncomfortable, but I'm sure it was a good stretch. Well, then the NEXT time I looked, he was in a hand stand with his legs in the pretzel! It was insanely cool!
Tuesday, 4-29-14, class no. 29, at 6:30. Class with Heather -- and just like my last class with her (on Easter), she totally made me laugh, harder than I've ever laughed in yoga. Well, her Easter joke about a sweaty Easter egg hunt in the bathroom was funnier, but this time, in the floor series (maybe half-tortoise, not sure) she was talking about how good yoga is for you. How it takes years to build up this tension and yoga releases it. Like it makes you younger, takes away the years. "Well, not all at once, not like you're all going to suddenly become Benjamin Button, but you know what I mean." I must be particularly vulnerable during yoga because it totally cracked me up again. Anyway, class was good. Somewhat delayed onset of sweat, but by the time we got to balancing stick, fountains of sweat were pouring and dripping off of me. I was VERY focused in Eagle and somehow, when we started the second set, I flipped my arms. She looked at me and told me to flip my arms, so I tried to straighten my hands and lower my arms, I didn't know what she meant by "flip". I have a major right/left deficiency in real life, but this is the first time I got it totally wrong in yoga. Anyway, during most of class, I was noticing how much I've progressed from where I started. I had a great Eagle, a good standing bow-pulling, I got my forehead on the floor (though my legs were about 10 feet apart), a fair triangle (second set was a birthday, which was nice, but wow, Heather might be the first person I've ever heard sing who is worse than me), a good "posture after triangle" (thanks to Karen's correction the day before), an awesome toe stand, and a pretty good floor series -- great fixed firm, which is my favorite. Heather also used the term "monkey mind" -- drink! That was by far my favorite occasional term when I did Bikram challenges before. I guess it means your primal mind concerned with basic needs like wanting to wipe off sweat, wanting to move, wanting to drink. And you learn to ignore or control it. Using your mind to control your body instead of letting your monkey mind do it.
Wednesday, 4-30-14, class no. 30, at 6:00 with Erika. Big celebration of me! She announced at the end that I'd completed my challenge and everyone clapped for me. Unfortunately, it wasn't my best class as I'd hoped. I did well in toe stand again, but the rest were pretty lackluster. I felt tired and hot and was counting down postures almost from the start, which is rare for me (sometimes I'll count the last few, but usually not more than that). A lot of people seemed to pack up and leave early, or sit out a lot of the postures. My right hamstring felt somewhat tight again. I think my best classes were yesterday and the second class of my first double (April 19 I believe, it was a class with Paul). I got to make a special request to Erika before class, which she did during class -- she used the expression "momma, give me money" before standing bow pulling. When I did my Bikram challenges last year (or was it the end of 2012? too lazy to look), they used to say that in pretty much every class, and I hadn't heard it at all this year. It was funny. The best part about this class was that I was smiling A LOT. From the very beginning, I was more comfortable looking at myself, more accepting of my body (doesn't hurt that I honestly feel it is better than when I started, not just that I accepted the way it was at the start more), and more excited about hearing "momma give me money." So when it came time for standing bow pulling, Erika was smiling and looking right at me. It made me laugh.
After class, I got my t-shirt (which I might wear constantly from now on), and I took a picture of my name on the challenge board and my 30 little stickers. The studio took a couple pictures of me and Erika. One of us standing, then she asked me my favorite posture and we both did it. That was tough because my favorite postures have remained the same (fixed firm, standing separate leg stretching, and toe stand win by miles), but none of those would be very attractive when photographed (toe stand might be okay, but I can't always balance, so it seemed to risky to pick that one). So I picked standing bow pulling. She was surprised, but we both did it. It's funny in the picture because she's several inches taller than me, and of course she's better at the posture, so her foot is way higher than mine, but it's still a cool picture. And then I signed up for the auto-pay monthly membership, but I delayed the start.
And there you have it, 30 yoga classes in 30 days. That's 45 hours in studio doing yoga at 105 degrees. FORTY-FIVE HOURS IN ONE MONTH. Yikes! No wonder it seems like the rest of my life is desperately seeking attention. It was like a part-time job. 10.5 hours per week in studio, but there's also the getting dressed for class, driving to yoga, parking, checking in, getting into the studio and setting up my mat, taking off outer layers in the locker room, waiting for class to start. And then after class, there's the whole letting your body cool down in the studio quietly, getting more water, putting on outer layers and shoes, packing up mat and towel, going to the car, driving home, cleaning mat, hanging towel, showering, doing laundry about 2 extra times per week to wash towels and shorts, packing clothes for the next day. I usually left work by 6:05 for the 6:30 p.m. class, and I'd get home at 8:15 at the earliest. I seriously think each class total (counting packing clothes, changing, hanging towel to air dry before washing, etc.) took about 2 hours and 35 minutes on average. That's almost 20 hours a week. Yowza. I have barely seen my husband, I haven't done anything social on a weeknight with friends, my house is a mess, lots of personal projects and errands need attention (there is still a smoke detector sitting on a ledge, a brand new battery next to it, and a ladder in the bedroom, but I've lacked the 5 minutes of time it would seem to take to just change it already).
But actually, instead of getting back to a normal social calendar and a yoga-free or yoga-moderation life, I'm considering blowing off the alumni happy hour tonight and going to yoga in the park... I think it would be a good gradual step down for me. I think I'm going to do a couple classes this weekend, but I'm going to defer the start of my a monthly membership a couple months since I think I'm traveling for work a fair amount in May and June (and I'm hoping to go back to running to work when I am in town). So I'll just go to individual classes when I can and attempt to do some yoga at home.
Saturday, 4-26-14, class no. 26, at 4:00. Second class of the day. Atina was the instructor; the other instructor with the short dark hair who I thought might be named Atina is not. I have no idea who she is. More men than in any other class I've ever done. I think it was just over 50% male. Class was pretty good. I didn't feel like anything was exceptional. I had high hopes because the second class in my last double was phenomenal and full of breakthroughs, but this one wasn't. But it was decidedly fine. She gave me a correction that I didn't understand about locking my arm reaching up during triangle. It was weird, I thought it was locked. As I write this now though, I wonder if she said "lock your right arm" and my left arm was the one in the air. I'm horrible about mixing up right and left, so maybe I got it wrong. She congratulated me on my double toward the end of class, which was nice. Probably the quickest I've left class afterward. But the double was done and I had fully compensated for missing due to our anniversary dinner party and the hangover that followed.
Sunday, 4-27-14, class no. 27, at noon. Instructor was Rene again, sigh. The class was one of my worst. I ran a half marathon in the morning (horribly, insanely slow, over 20 minutes slower than where I was a year ago, but AG award nonetheless, woot), and I think I was pretty dehydrated. When I got home from the half, I drank some water, ate a piece of quiche, and had my morning espresso. I got to class and it immediately felt like the heat was blasting like crazy for the first 5 minutes or so. I checked with Rene after class, and she gave me info I never had. The room is set to be at 105 degrees and 40% humidity. It's automatic, but the humidity and temp outside can have an impact. So it may not have been my imagination thinking the Friday class was a bit cooler and today's was a bit warmer. But fortunately, after the first few minutes, it went back to normal. The curser (the pink-purple mohawk guy) placed himself behind me. Again, he was straining like crazy in the floor series, he let a "g-d it" fly (but no f-bombs) and again left class early. It was also weird because I was in row 3 and the woman pretty much in front of me in row 1 basically sat out the whole class. She did the opening and closing breathing exercises, and she did probably one complete posture, and one set of two or three others, and that was it. The rest of the time, she sat looking bored with her head in her hands, or she was pulling loose hairs off her mat, or she was playing with her finger nails or nail polish. So bizarre. She was young (probably early 20s), but I really wondered why she was there. Anyway, I felt dizzy several times in the standing series. And my right hamstring felt tight, tight, tight, so there was little hope of locking my leg at any point. But the big and exciting thing was progress in one of my absolute favorite postures -- toe stand. During the second set (so perching on my right leg), I did it! I've gotten my hands up a few times before, but I've always lost my balance. Not so this time! I got my hands up and held until she said to come out. Woot!!!
Monday, 4-28-14, class no. 28, at 6:00! It was so so hard to make the class at 6:00. But I had been fairly unproductive at work all day for some reason, so I decided to cut my losses and go to the early class since another half hour of work wasn't going to help much. I had really wanted to do the 6:00 class because it was taught by Karen, half of the husband-wife owner team of the studio, and I haven't had a single class with her teaching during this challenge (she was taking one of the Rene classes I was in). She gave me a good correction in standing bow-pulling (definitely my strongest in that posture ever), and in the posture after triangle. Class was good overall, one of the most crowded I've attended. My right hamstring is still tight from the half on Sunday, but it's not a big deal. It was so nice to get home from class just before 8 since my husband was still awake and hung out with me while I ate dinner, and I actually got a good night's sleep. Hard to believe only two more classes. When I get my t-shirt, I think I might wear it for 30 days straight! Anyway, cool thing after class -- a guy was sitting with his legs crossed but soles of his feet up to the ceiling (so feet pulled up onto thighs, like a little pretzel). I wasn't paying much attention, but next time I looked over, he still had his legs in a pretzel but was laying face down. That looked very uncomfortable, but I'm sure it was a good stretch. Well, then the NEXT time I looked, he was in a hand stand with his legs in the pretzel! It was insanely cool!
Tuesday, 4-29-14, class no. 29, at 6:30. Class with Heather -- and just like my last class with her (on Easter), she totally made me laugh, harder than I've ever laughed in yoga. Well, her Easter joke about a sweaty Easter egg hunt in the bathroom was funnier, but this time, in the floor series (maybe half-tortoise, not sure) she was talking about how good yoga is for you. How it takes years to build up this tension and yoga releases it. Like it makes you younger, takes away the years. "Well, not all at once, not like you're all going to suddenly become Benjamin Button, but you know what I mean." I must be particularly vulnerable during yoga because it totally cracked me up again. Anyway, class was good. Somewhat delayed onset of sweat, but by the time we got to balancing stick, fountains of sweat were pouring and dripping off of me. I was VERY focused in Eagle and somehow, when we started the second set, I flipped my arms. She looked at me and told me to flip my arms, so I tried to straighten my hands and lower my arms, I didn't know what she meant by "flip". I have a major right/left deficiency in real life, but this is the first time I got it totally wrong in yoga. Anyway, during most of class, I was noticing how much I've progressed from where I started. I had a great Eagle, a good standing bow-pulling, I got my forehead on the floor (though my legs were about 10 feet apart), a fair triangle (second set was a birthday, which was nice, but wow, Heather might be the first person I've ever heard sing who is worse than me), a good "posture after triangle" (thanks to Karen's correction the day before), an awesome toe stand, and a pretty good floor series -- great fixed firm, which is my favorite. Heather also used the term "monkey mind" -- drink! That was by far my favorite occasional term when I did Bikram challenges before. I guess it means your primal mind concerned with basic needs like wanting to wipe off sweat, wanting to move, wanting to drink. And you learn to ignore or control it. Using your mind to control your body instead of letting your monkey mind do it.
Wednesday, 4-30-14, class no. 30, at 6:00 with Erika. Big celebration of me! She announced at the end that I'd completed my challenge and everyone clapped for me. Unfortunately, it wasn't my best class as I'd hoped. I did well in toe stand again, but the rest were pretty lackluster. I felt tired and hot and was counting down postures almost from the start, which is rare for me (sometimes I'll count the last few, but usually not more than that). A lot of people seemed to pack up and leave early, or sit out a lot of the postures. My right hamstring felt somewhat tight again. I think my best classes were yesterday and the second class of my first double (April 19 I believe, it was a class with Paul). I got to make a special request to Erika before class, which she did during class -- she used the expression "momma, give me money" before standing bow pulling. When I did my Bikram challenges last year (or was it the end of 2012? too lazy to look), they used to say that in pretty much every class, and I hadn't heard it at all this year. It was funny. The best part about this class was that I was smiling A LOT. From the very beginning, I was more comfortable looking at myself, more accepting of my body (doesn't hurt that I honestly feel it is better than when I started, not just that I accepted the way it was at the start more), and more excited about hearing "momma give me money." So when it came time for standing bow pulling, Erika was smiling and looking right at me. It made me laugh.
After class, I got my t-shirt (which I might wear constantly from now on), and I took a picture of my name on the challenge board and my 30 little stickers. The studio took a couple pictures of me and Erika. One of us standing, then she asked me my favorite posture and we both did it. That was tough because my favorite postures have remained the same (fixed firm, standing separate leg stretching, and toe stand win by miles), but none of those would be very attractive when photographed (toe stand might be okay, but I can't always balance, so it seemed to risky to pick that one). So I picked standing bow pulling. She was surprised, but we both did it. It's funny in the picture because she's several inches taller than me, and of course she's better at the posture, so her foot is way higher than mine, but it's still a cool picture. And then I signed up for the auto-pay monthly membership, but I delayed the start.
And there you have it, 30 yoga classes in 30 days. That's 45 hours in studio doing yoga at 105 degrees. FORTY-FIVE HOURS IN ONE MONTH. Yikes! No wonder it seems like the rest of my life is desperately seeking attention. It was like a part-time job. 10.5 hours per week in studio, but there's also the getting dressed for class, driving to yoga, parking, checking in, getting into the studio and setting up my mat, taking off outer layers in the locker room, waiting for class to start. And then after class, there's the whole letting your body cool down in the studio quietly, getting more water, putting on outer layers and shoes, packing up mat and towel, going to the car, driving home, cleaning mat, hanging towel, showering, doing laundry about 2 extra times per week to wash towels and shorts, packing clothes for the next day. I usually left work by 6:05 for the 6:30 p.m. class, and I'd get home at 8:15 at the earliest. I seriously think each class total (counting packing clothes, changing, hanging towel to air dry before washing, etc.) took about 2 hours and 35 minutes on average. That's almost 20 hours a week. Yowza. I have barely seen my husband, I haven't done anything social on a weeknight with friends, my house is a mess, lots of personal projects and errands need attention (there is still a smoke detector sitting on a ledge, a brand new battery next to it, and a ladder in the bedroom, but I've lacked the 5 minutes of time it would seem to take to just change it already).
But actually, instead of getting back to a normal social calendar and a yoga-free or yoga-moderation life, I'm considering blowing off the alumni happy hour tonight and going to yoga in the park... I think it would be a good gradual step down for me. I think I'm going to do a couple classes this weekend, but I'm going to defer the start of my a monthly membership a couple months since I think I'm traveling for work a fair amount in May and June (and I'm hoping to go back to running to work when I am in town). So I'll just go to individual classes when I can and attempt to do some yoga at home.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Yoga Career trumping Running Career
My running is so unremarkable lately (other than for it's slowness), I might as well keep going with my yoga challenge updates. Especially since my husband is still off having fun in San Fran, staying with my brother and my sister-in-law.
Thursday, 4-17-14, class no. 15, 6:30 p.m. They were actually having "yoga in the park" tonight, which is outdoor yoga and only one set of each posture. After much deliberation, I decided I would go and count it toward my challenge if my husband would go with me. But he said he didn't expect to be done with work early enough to make it downtown for a 5:30 class, and that time would have been tough for me to attend as well, and it was my least favorite instructor, and technically, I would have kind of felt like it was cheating to count it toward my total, so in the end, I just went to a regular class -- fully heated and fully 90 minutes. No cutting corners for me! I had asked instructor Mandy the other day if she would count it toward her own challenge, and she'd said no -- though possibly in the heat of summer, she might. Anyway, instructor Mandy. Best class yet. Small, maybe 20 people? Felt great the entire class but I had an awkward body issue right before triangle. You step your feet apart, lower your arms, and then turn one foot out to to the side. As I turned my foot, I noticed massive bingo wing jiggle in my arm. It was both appalling and disgusting, but it kind of made me laugh. But when I looked up, Mandy seemed to be staring right at me, so I thought she'd seen it and been equally grossed out. I talked to her after class and it turned out she was looking at someone's foot placement. She told me to love myself and said all women have it (not true, but yes, some do). Very funny that within a week of this exchange, Michael posted about this article -- The Yoga of (My) Body Hatred.
Thursday, class number 15 in 17 days was also notable as the first day of the "yoga funk" being noticeable in my car. I got in the car to go to work, and I could just smell the funk. Yuck. I have no idea of the source, but I remember it from my last challenge as well. Likely sources: my mat, the bag in which I carry my yoga towel (and in which I carry my sweaty towel after class), my towel (I have three that I rotate and I always wash before reusing), my flip flops (these definitely got a funk last time), my shorts (I only have two pairs I really like wearing, and 2-3 other pairs I will sometimes wear), my sports bra (seems unlikely, always washed and I vary between a bunch of them), or of course, the worst possibility of the source of the funky smell -- me.
Thursday, 4-17-14, class no. 15, 6:30 p.m. They were actually having "yoga in the park" tonight, which is outdoor yoga and only one set of each posture. After much deliberation, I decided I would go and count it toward my challenge if my husband would go with me. But he said he didn't expect to be done with work early enough to make it downtown for a 5:30 class, and that time would have been tough for me to attend as well, and it was my least favorite instructor, and technically, I would have kind of felt like it was cheating to count it toward my total, so in the end, I just went to a regular class -- fully heated and fully 90 minutes. No cutting corners for me! I had asked instructor Mandy the other day if she would count it toward her own challenge, and she'd said no -- though possibly in the heat of summer, she might. Anyway, instructor Mandy. Best class yet. Small, maybe 20 people? Felt great the entire class but I had an awkward body issue right before triangle. You step your feet apart, lower your arms, and then turn one foot out to to the side. As I turned my foot, I noticed massive bingo wing jiggle in my arm. It was both appalling and disgusting, but it kind of made me laugh. But when I looked up, Mandy seemed to be staring right at me, so I thought she'd seen it and been equally grossed out. I talked to her after class and it turned out she was looking at someone's foot placement. She told me to love myself and said all women have it (not true, but yes, some do). Very funny that within a week of this exchange, Michael posted about this article -- The Yoga of (My) Body Hatred.
Thursday, class number 15 in 17 days was also notable as the first day of the "yoga funk" being noticeable in my car. I got in the car to go to work, and I could just smell the funk. Yuck. I have no idea of the source, but I remember it from my last challenge as well. Likely sources: my mat, the bag in which I carry my yoga towel (and in which I carry my sweaty towel after class), my towel (I have three that I rotate and I always wash before reusing), my flip flops (these definitely got a funk last time), my shorts (I only have two pairs I really like wearing, and 2-3 other pairs I will sometimes wear), my sports bra (seems unlikely, always washed and I vary between a bunch of them), or of course, the worst possibility of the source of the funky smell -- me.
Friday, 4-18-14, class no. 16, at noon. This class was surprisingly large, about 30 people, presumably lots were off for Good Friday. I was actually working, but it was a jam packed day -- boot camp in the morning, work from 6:40 until 11:45, yoga from 11:45 until 1:45, quick shower, work until 2:45, stations of the cross service at church from 3 until about 3:45, then actually a trip into the office to meet with my boss and work a bit more, then home to get dressed up and then head out for our fifth anniversary dinner. It was the teacher with short dark hair again (maybe her name is Atina?). She told the Dirty Dancing story again to get us to lift higher in the lift-style position during the spine-strengthening series. Overall, it was a good class for me. There were 2 teachers in class, so that was kind of cool -- almost like having demonstrators to watch.
Saturday, 4-19-14, class no. 17, at 10:30. Rene again. Ugh. I took the class fairly easy since I knew I had more yoga in the cards later in the day. I came out of Japanese ham sandwich early on the first set, that posture seems to be getting harder for me. And given Easter, I'd actually already done a long run before yoga, and as before, having already worked out within a couple hours of the start of class meant slow onset of sweat in class. This time there were 3 teachers in class with me, including one of the studio owners who is amazing at all the postures.
I am noticing that I'm breaking out a little on my face and chest -- I guess I'm not being thorough enough in the shower? I definitely take a very quick shower at night after yoga, basically rinsing off before I go to bed, but I guess I'm going to have to be more careful. Or it's just 3 random pimples as a little "happy anniversary" present to me -- I'm lucky that I've always had pretty clear skin, so I hope this goes away soon.
I am noticing that I'm breaking out a little on my face and chest -- I guess I'm not being thorough enough in the shower? I definitely take a very quick shower at night after yoga, basically rinsing off before I go to bed, but I guess I'm going to have to be more careful. Or it's just 3 random pimples as a little "happy anniversary" present to me -- I'm lucky that I've always had pretty clear skin, so I hope this goes away soon.
Saturday, 4-19-14, class no. 18, at 4:00. A double! My first double in more than a year. Paul, the long haired dreads looking surfer type guy was the instructor. This class was by far, the best class ever for me, but it was weird because I think it was the worst energy of any class I've ever taken. The class was fairly small. I did my best balancing series ever. Locked legs, balanced, kicking. But throughout the class, there were people talking, tons leaving the room, and tons sitting out some postures. It was a little funny because an older woman was a couple rows back from me wearing black shorts. And when we were sitting with our legs apart toward the end of class, I saw there was a hole in the crotch of her shorts and so there was a big white circle showing -- glad she was wearing underwear. Besides the balancing series, I was thrilled to see how close my forehead was to the floor.
Sunday, 4-20-14, Easter, class no. 19, at 9:30. Not as strong as last class, but I went for it more than usual. I feel like my last class before this one raised the bar, and now I need to push for that level every time. Today was a new to me instructor, Heather, who doesn't look how I imagine a yoga teacher usually looks, but really did a good job and is someone I see around the studio pretty often, she's often around. Before class, I'd told her how weird the afternoon class had been yesterday, and she said she had the same experience with her class on Saturday -- tons of people walking out. And she said when that happens, class members blame the instructor on yelp. Haha. Well, Sunday was strong. She made the comment about yelp in class and encouraged people to stay up. She also was the source of the funniest moment in yoga this month. I laughed like crazy during sevasana. She announced that during class, several eggs had been hidden in each locker room. Then she realized how bad it sounded -- so basically: a sweaty Easter egg hunt in your skimpy clothes in the bathroom after class. Haha. I seriously couldn't stop laughing. I didn't find any eggs in the locker room after class, but I stayed on my mat to cool down for a while after class.
Monday, 4-21-14, class no. 20, at 6:30, the instructor with the short dark hair again (Atina?). Unfortunately, because of a late phone call at work, I almost missed class. I was actually running in flipflops (totally dangerous!) to my car, and then driving like a maniac, and then running into the studio. I barely made it. But again, a good class. I was most thrilled to have my forehead grazing the floor. I also noticed during the day that I am getting yoga callouses -- weird kind of dry patchy skin -- on the tops of my feet and on part of my knees. Oh well, totally worth the progress that I feel like I'm making.
Tuesday, 4-22-14, class no. 21, at 6:30 with Julie. Two people came into class very late -- during awkward posture -- and stayed! They were first-timers, but inside, I was kind of seething. I have shown up at this studio before during half-moon pose and not been admitted because it was too late (yes, that was more than a year ago and maybe the policy has changed). But now, I drive like a lunatic if necessary to get to class on time (most notably, just yesterday). So it was very irritating to see that apparently that may be unnecessary. Class overall was fine. I felt less focused, looking around, not thinking about my breathing, not putting in as much effort.
Wednesday, 4-23-14, class no. 22, at 6:00! Woo-hoo for the earlier class! Instructor was Renee again, and I feel like I've just resigned myself to the fact that since she's my least favorite instructor, I'll probably have her most often. The most disturbing part of this class was a larger guy in the row behind me with a pink and purple mohawk who was panting and audibly swearing during the floor series until he finally left class early. I heard him straining during wind-removing pose and I was wondering what in the world was happening. Then I realized he'd decided to participate in about 70% of the postures but to sound like he was in an extreme weighlifting competition during each, complete with f-bombs under his breath, and then lay on his side the other 30% of the time -- how awkward for the person he must have been staring at on his side. Overall, my class was fine. I felt it was a bit of a set-back from my effort level over the past week's average level, but she just doesn't inspire me. I shouldn't let that matter.
Thursday, 4-24-14, at 6:30, class with Julie. My favorite things about Julie are that when two sisters were talking during class, she politely threatened to separate them and reminded them of the no talking rule. And after a water break in the standing series, she checked in with everyone and asked us to make sure we had everything we needed to finish the standing series because it's distracting and difficult to have people leave their mats during the standing series. It worked -- we all stayed in. I've only left the room once this month, and it was quick, during sevasana to refill my water bottle, and I didn't miss a single posture. I've been experimenting with what works best for water. For a long time, I was using a 33 oz bottle of cold water and a solid frozen 24 oz G2 bottle with water in it. Then as the ice melted, I'd add water to the G2 bottle and drink from it. But it was a lot of screwing around with water pouring. So I tried 2 G2 bottles frozen at different heights. The first day of that was when I left the room -- I had 2 bottles with 2 chunks of ice and no water. But I think I've got it down now -- one G2 frozen about 1/3 of the way, then topped with water, and one G2 frozen halfway and filled with water (the bottle for the second half of class). Anyway, back to Thursday. Average class for me. The best part was standing head to knee -- I stayed on a locked leg almost the entire time both postures. I tried to kick for a little on each side, but even when I couldn't sustain that, I didn't put my second foot back on the ground. That's major progress for me. I also got some guidance from Julie on my locked leg -- watching the "elites" for lack of a better term, some of them had a knee that almost looked arched backwards when their leg was locked and I was striving for that. Julie told me it was wrong and would cause pain, I want ankle, knee, hip all in one line. So I've been closer to correct all along! I also saw progress in the last pose before tree (can't remember what it's called, I don't love it, sweat goes into my nose and then pours out when I stand up). I am definitely one of the sweatiest people I think. In the standing series, sweat is dripping in an almost-continuous stream from me. When I lay down, my mat is soaked and when I pick it up at the end of class, all kinds of water pours off of it. Yuck.
Friday, 4-25-14, class no. 24, at noon. Erika was the instructor. This class was bizarre because it actually didn't feel that hot. I swear, it had to actually be cooler. My towel at the end of class is usually so soaked I can wring it out, but not this time. I also drank markedly less water. It's weird that just last night I was thinking about how I'm the sweatiest person in the class. Only 16 of us in the class, about 4-5 of whom were male, and 2 women were named Danielle. I thought that was funny. On Monday, in talking to my boss about the Boston marathon, I said that the temperature had gone up 15 degrees in an hour before the elite men started, and at that rate, it would be over 100 before people finished. And my boss replied, at that rate, we'll all be dead by tonight. Anyway, at that rate, about 1 in 5 women must be named Danielle!
Saturday, 4-26-14, class no. 25, at 9:30. Instructor was the one with short dark hair (Atina?) again. Class was okay but I was back to being super-sweaty and thirsty. I left the room quickly to refill my water bottle during the spine-strengthening series. There was a first-timer in front of me who could not get the grip right for standing bow-pulling, but overall, was so impressive for a first class, and for a guy! This class was disturbing because the woman to my right (in the standing series) also had a hole in the crotch of her shorts that I couldn't not see as we went into standing separate leg stretching -- and she wasn't wearing anything under them. Yuck! I averted my gaze and actually shut my eyes some during the next set. How does someone not notice that when they get dressed???!!!
Sunday, 4-20-14, Easter, class no. 19, at 9:30. Not as strong as last class, but I went for it more than usual. I feel like my last class before this one raised the bar, and now I need to push for that level every time. Today was a new to me instructor, Heather, who doesn't look how I imagine a yoga teacher usually looks, but really did a good job and is someone I see around the studio pretty often, she's often around. Before class, I'd told her how weird the afternoon class had been yesterday, and she said she had the same experience with her class on Saturday -- tons of people walking out. And she said when that happens, class members blame the instructor on yelp. Haha. Well, Sunday was strong. She made the comment about yelp in class and encouraged people to stay up. She also was the source of the funniest moment in yoga this month. I laughed like crazy during sevasana. She announced that during class, several eggs had been hidden in each locker room. Then she realized how bad it sounded -- so basically: a sweaty Easter egg hunt in your skimpy clothes in the bathroom after class. Haha. I seriously couldn't stop laughing. I didn't find any eggs in the locker room after class, but I stayed on my mat to cool down for a while after class.
Monday, 4-21-14, class no. 20, at 6:30, the instructor with the short dark hair again (Atina?). Unfortunately, because of a late phone call at work, I almost missed class. I was actually running in flipflops (totally dangerous!) to my car, and then driving like a maniac, and then running into the studio. I barely made it. But again, a good class. I was most thrilled to have my forehead grazing the floor. I also noticed during the day that I am getting yoga callouses -- weird kind of dry patchy skin -- on the tops of my feet and on part of my knees. Oh well, totally worth the progress that I feel like I'm making.
Tuesday, 4-22-14, class no. 21, at 6:30 with Julie. Two people came into class very late -- during awkward posture -- and stayed! They were first-timers, but inside, I was kind of seething. I have shown up at this studio before during half-moon pose and not been admitted because it was too late (yes, that was more than a year ago and maybe the policy has changed). But now, I drive like a lunatic if necessary to get to class on time (most notably, just yesterday). So it was very irritating to see that apparently that may be unnecessary. Class overall was fine. I felt less focused, looking around, not thinking about my breathing, not putting in as much effort.
Wednesday, 4-23-14, class no. 22, at 6:00! Woo-hoo for the earlier class! Instructor was Renee again, and I feel like I've just resigned myself to the fact that since she's my least favorite instructor, I'll probably have her most often. The most disturbing part of this class was a larger guy in the row behind me with a pink and purple mohawk who was panting and audibly swearing during the floor series until he finally left class early. I heard him straining during wind-removing pose and I was wondering what in the world was happening. Then I realized he'd decided to participate in about 70% of the postures but to sound like he was in an extreme weighlifting competition during each, complete with f-bombs under his breath, and then lay on his side the other 30% of the time -- how awkward for the person he must have been staring at on his side. Overall, my class was fine. I felt it was a bit of a set-back from my effort level over the past week's average level, but she just doesn't inspire me. I shouldn't let that matter.
Thursday, 4-24-14, at 6:30, class with Julie. My favorite things about Julie are that when two sisters were talking during class, she politely threatened to separate them and reminded them of the no talking rule. And after a water break in the standing series, she checked in with everyone and asked us to make sure we had everything we needed to finish the standing series because it's distracting and difficult to have people leave their mats during the standing series. It worked -- we all stayed in. I've only left the room once this month, and it was quick, during sevasana to refill my water bottle, and I didn't miss a single posture. I've been experimenting with what works best for water. For a long time, I was using a 33 oz bottle of cold water and a solid frozen 24 oz G2 bottle with water in it. Then as the ice melted, I'd add water to the G2 bottle and drink from it. But it was a lot of screwing around with water pouring. So I tried 2 G2 bottles frozen at different heights. The first day of that was when I left the room -- I had 2 bottles with 2 chunks of ice and no water. But I think I've got it down now -- one G2 frozen about 1/3 of the way, then topped with water, and one G2 frozen halfway and filled with water (the bottle for the second half of class). Anyway, back to Thursday. Average class for me. The best part was standing head to knee -- I stayed on a locked leg almost the entire time both postures. I tried to kick for a little on each side, but even when I couldn't sustain that, I didn't put my second foot back on the ground. That's major progress for me. I also got some guidance from Julie on my locked leg -- watching the "elites" for lack of a better term, some of them had a knee that almost looked arched backwards when their leg was locked and I was striving for that. Julie told me it was wrong and would cause pain, I want ankle, knee, hip all in one line. So I've been closer to correct all along! I also saw progress in the last pose before tree (can't remember what it's called, I don't love it, sweat goes into my nose and then pours out when I stand up). I am definitely one of the sweatiest people I think. In the standing series, sweat is dripping in an almost-continuous stream from me. When I lay down, my mat is soaked and when I pick it up at the end of class, all kinds of water pours off of it. Yuck.
Friday, 4-25-14, class no. 24, at noon. Erika was the instructor. This class was bizarre because it actually didn't feel that hot. I swear, it had to actually be cooler. My towel at the end of class is usually so soaked I can wring it out, but not this time. I also drank markedly less water. It's weird that just last night I was thinking about how I'm the sweatiest person in the class. Only 16 of us in the class, about 4-5 of whom were male, and 2 women were named Danielle. I thought that was funny. On Monday, in talking to my boss about the Boston marathon, I said that the temperature had gone up 15 degrees in an hour before the elite men started, and at that rate, it would be over 100 before people finished. And my boss replied, at that rate, we'll all be dead by tonight. Anyway, at that rate, about 1 in 5 women must be named Danielle!
Saturday, 4-26-14, class no. 25, at 9:30. Instructor was the one with short dark hair (Atina?) again. Class was okay but I was back to being super-sweaty and thirsty. I left the room quickly to refill my water bottle during the spine-strengthening series. There was a first-timer in front of me who could not get the grip right for standing bow-pulling, but overall, was so impressive for a first class, and for a guy! This class was disturbing because the woman to my right (in the standing series) also had a hole in the crotch of her shorts that I couldn't not see as we went into standing separate leg stretching -- and she wasn't wearing anything under them. Yuck! I averted my gaze and actually shut my eyes some during the next set. How does someone not notice that when they get dressed???!!!
Friday, April 25, 2014
The Single Life
So I've been living the single life for the last few days and will be for a couple more. My husband is out in San Fran staying with my brother.
Hungry Runner Girl, a blog I read fairly regularly, is getting divorced and she recently made a list about the positives of being single again.
I absolutely love the idea of being happy with and seeing the positives in whatever your situation may be.
So I thought I'd try to make a list of the great things about living the single life for almost a week for me. Some of the things I thought would be good have turned out to be a wash or just wishful thinking.
Having time for going out with my friends (particularly gal time) would be great, but the yoga challenge is still dominating my weeknights, so my routine really hasn't changed at all -- it's just that now I get into an empty bed. If he were gone and I wasn't doing all the yoga, I would have taken advantage of making social plans more. If I can squeeze in yoga from 12-1:30 today, and then volunteer from 4-7 tonight, I have an invite to a woman from book club's house for wine and snacks -- ladies only, her husband and daughter have some outing planned. So I might try to fit that into the day, but really, it will be my only social evening event the whole time he's gone.
It's kind of fun to be messy, but it is also already irritating me. I haven't been making my bed, which is funny, because I always made my bed when I was single. Well, I shouldn't say always. My mom would argue a lot about that! But I started in college because I lived in the dorm and it was just weird to hang out with friends with an unmade bed. But now that I'm alone for a few days (and busy), I haven't been making the bed, I've been leaving dishes in the sink, I've left the blender on the counter, etc. I never do that stuff when my husband is home because (a) it drives him crazy, (b) when he is equally messy, it accumulates very fast and the house gets very cluttered, and (c) he generally cleans up after me, which makes me feel guilty. If I leave dishes in the sink when he's home, either he assumes the dishwasher is full and stacks his too (and then it's double the work to clean up) or he loads my dishes and his own (like I said, then I feel guilty; we are both competent working adults so I pretty firmly believe that we should each clean up after ourselves, but if I want to wait until after work to load my coffee cup, sometimes it's too late and it's been done for me). I guess the guilt free mess is kind of nice, but like I said, having a mess kind of drives me crazy too.
Granny panties are fine I guess, but they aren't worth the lack of sex, and they don't look right with fitted clothing anyway, so it's not like I really get to wear them even when he's out of town.
Unlimited red onions on my salad should be a bonus to being alone, but in reality, he never seems to care even if I eat a ton of onions (as long as I brush my teeth and/or he eats them too). So I am not really eating more onions than usual.
Sole control of the remote would be great, but the yoga challenge means no evening TV (and I usually get the remote in the mornings anyway, since I'm usually alone and even when he's home, he doesn't care), and most of the shows I do watch are ones we watch together, so even on Saturday when sole control of the remote could be fun, I can't watch anything that we watch together.
Not having to shave my legs would also be a single treat maybe if it weren't yoga challenge month. But stubbly legs during "Japanese ham sandwich" would drive me crazy and kind of gross me out. And since my husband has never complained about stubbly legs (I credit his ex with setting the bar low on that, it's nice he doesn't care), in reality, leg shaving is happening at the same pace as last week, which means pretty much daily during yoga challenge, about double or triple the usual rate.
Having the bed to myself isn't really a bonus because I pretty much sleep in the same place where I'd sleep otherwise.
Basically, the bonuses to living alone for a little while for me pretty much come down to two things: uninterrupted sleep and absolute control of the thermostat.
The uninterrupted sleep is actually more accurately characterized as half-interrupted sleep. Because obviously, if I have to pee, I still wake up. Now it's just no waking up when someone else gets up! Or when someone else tosses and turns. Or when someone else snores or has a weird dream or gets a text or gets called to work.
The uninterrupted sleep is even more lovely because of sole control of the thermostat. We're lucky in that we're both similar in temperature preferences (we both would rather be warm than cold, and generally keep our house warmer than most people do), but having a preference difference of just five degrees is still somewhat significant. My ideal sleeping temp is about 3 degrees warmer than our compromise (and his is about 2 degrees cooler). So now I come home from yoga to a warm house, and then get into a warm bed, turn the ceiling fan on, and feel just like I'm on a tropical island in the sun with a lovely breeze.
So there, making the most of my present situation!
Hungry Runner Girl, a blog I read fairly regularly, is getting divorced and she recently made a list about the positives of being single again.
I absolutely love the idea of being happy with and seeing the positives in whatever your situation may be.
So I thought I'd try to make a list of the great things about living the single life for almost a week for me. Some of the things I thought would be good have turned out to be a wash or just wishful thinking.
Having time for going out with my friends (particularly gal time) would be great, but the yoga challenge is still dominating my weeknights, so my routine really hasn't changed at all -- it's just that now I get into an empty bed. If he were gone and I wasn't doing all the yoga, I would have taken advantage of making social plans more. If I can squeeze in yoga from 12-1:30 today, and then volunteer from 4-7 tonight, I have an invite to a woman from book club's house for wine and snacks -- ladies only, her husband and daughter have some outing planned. So I might try to fit that into the day, but really, it will be my only social evening event the whole time he's gone.
It's kind of fun to be messy, but it is also already irritating me. I haven't been making my bed, which is funny, because I always made my bed when I was single. Well, I shouldn't say always. My mom would argue a lot about that! But I started in college because I lived in the dorm and it was just weird to hang out with friends with an unmade bed. But now that I'm alone for a few days (and busy), I haven't been making the bed, I've been leaving dishes in the sink, I've left the blender on the counter, etc. I never do that stuff when my husband is home because (a) it drives him crazy, (b) when he is equally messy, it accumulates very fast and the house gets very cluttered, and (c) he generally cleans up after me, which makes me feel guilty. If I leave dishes in the sink when he's home, either he assumes the dishwasher is full and stacks his too (and then it's double the work to clean up) or he loads my dishes and his own (like I said, then I feel guilty; we are both competent working adults so I pretty firmly believe that we should each clean up after ourselves, but if I want to wait until after work to load my coffee cup, sometimes it's too late and it's been done for me). I guess the guilt free mess is kind of nice, but like I said, having a mess kind of drives me crazy too.
Granny panties are fine I guess, but they aren't worth the lack of sex, and they don't look right with fitted clothing anyway, so it's not like I really get to wear them even when he's out of town.
Unlimited red onions on my salad should be a bonus to being alone, but in reality, he never seems to care even if I eat a ton of onions (as long as I brush my teeth and/or he eats them too). So I am not really eating more onions than usual.
Sole control of the remote would be great, but the yoga challenge means no evening TV (and I usually get the remote in the mornings anyway, since I'm usually alone and even when he's home, he doesn't care), and most of the shows I do watch are ones we watch together, so even on Saturday when sole control of the remote could be fun, I can't watch anything that we watch together.
Not having to shave my legs would also be a single treat maybe if it weren't yoga challenge month. But stubbly legs during "Japanese ham sandwich" would drive me crazy and kind of gross me out. And since my husband has never complained about stubbly legs (I credit his ex with setting the bar low on that, it's nice he doesn't care), in reality, leg shaving is happening at the same pace as last week, which means pretty much daily during yoga challenge, about double or triple the usual rate.
Having the bed to myself isn't really a bonus because I pretty much sleep in the same place where I'd sleep otherwise.
Basically, the bonuses to living alone for a little while for me pretty much come down to two things: uninterrupted sleep and absolute control of the thermostat.
The uninterrupted sleep is actually more accurately characterized as half-interrupted sleep. Because obviously, if I have to pee, I still wake up. Now it's just no waking up when someone else gets up! Or when someone else tosses and turns. Or when someone else snores or has a weird dream or gets a text or gets called to work.
The uninterrupted sleep is even more lovely because of sole control of the thermostat. We're lucky in that we're both similar in temperature preferences (we both would rather be warm than cold, and generally keep our house warmer than most people do), but having a preference difference of just five degrees is still somewhat significant. My ideal sleeping temp is about 3 degrees warmer than our compromise (and his is about 2 degrees cooler). So now I come home from yoga to a warm house, and then get into a warm bed, turn the ceiling fan on, and feel just like I'm on a tropical island in the sun with a lovely breeze.
So there, making the most of my present situation!
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
The Fatigue
I feel like my schedule right now is a complete beating. I've been wearing a Jawbone Up since about Labor Day, and I have my "sleep" goal set at 7.5 hours per night.
With my yoga challenge schedule that basically means every weekday is a 4:40 or 5:00 wake-up, then a workout, then a full day at work, then straight to yoga from 6:30 until 8:00, then home, dinner and to bed as quickly as possible, I'm feeling oppressively tired.
Most nights, I'm getting about 45 minutes less sleep than usual (by usual, I mean non-yoga challenge months).
It's catching up with me. My eyes and face just look tired. I feel like I would love a nap at any given moment (usually at work, it's all a-mile-a-minute, and I never stop to feel tired). More espresso in the morning is not helping. It's totally unprofessional, but I'm not washing my hair every day and I'm just sporting a ponytail at work sometimes. But 15 minutes of hair washing-drying-styling is 15 more minutes at my desk or in my bed...
At least the end is in sight. The last day of the challenge will be April 30. May 1 is going to be a yoga-free day, with my after work hours filled with an alumni happy hour instead. May 2 will be another yoga-free day, with my after work hours filled with a happy hour for a running buddy who moved away and will be back in town for a wedding. And then I have a law school happy hour the following Tuesday. Hmm... maybe my plan of deferring all events until after my yoga challenge is over means that I'm going to be sleep-deprived even after the challenge ends...
What am I doing to myself?? Haha, all good, and all my own choices, I know. But my goal may be to get the social back-up cleared within a couple weeks and then have very limited social plans starting on about May 12.
Then it will be sleep, glorious sleep for a week, then I think fall marathon training will begin. Unfortunately, training for what is to-be-determined. My rough idea was Milwaukee, but it filled up without me!
With my yoga challenge schedule that basically means every weekday is a 4:40 or 5:00 wake-up, then a workout, then a full day at work, then straight to yoga from 6:30 until 8:00, then home, dinner and to bed as quickly as possible, I'm feeling oppressively tired.
Most nights, I'm getting about 45 minutes less sleep than usual (by usual, I mean non-yoga challenge months).
It's catching up with me. My eyes and face just look tired. I feel like I would love a nap at any given moment (usually at work, it's all a-mile-a-minute, and I never stop to feel tired). More espresso in the morning is not helping. It's totally unprofessional, but I'm not washing my hair every day and I'm just sporting a ponytail at work sometimes. But 15 minutes of hair washing-drying-styling is 15 more minutes at my desk or in my bed...
At least the end is in sight. The last day of the challenge will be April 30. May 1 is going to be a yoga-free day, with my after work hours filled with an alumni happy hour instead. May 2 will be another yoga-free day, with my after work hours filled with a happy hour for a running buddy who moved away and will be back in town for a wedding. And then I have a law school happy hour the following Tuesday. Hmm... maybe my plan of deferring all events until after my yoga challenge is over means that I'm going to be sleep-deprived even after the challenge ends...
What am I doing to myself?? Haha, all good, and all my own choices, I know. But my goal may be to get the social back-up cleared within a couple weeks and then have very limited social plans starting on about May 12.
Then it will be sleep, glorious sleep for a week, then I think fall marathon training will begin. Unfortunately, training for what is to-be-determined. My rough idea was Milwaukee, but it filled up without me!
Thursday, April 17, 2014
(No) Yoga Update
Last week, I broke my perfect April yoga attendance streak. I skipped yoga in favor of preparing for our dinner party on Friday. I'd gone for 10 straight days of classes, so the break was nice.
And even better -- we were fairly prepared when the first guests arrived! All they had to do was fold napkins for us, open wine, get out one more platter from the china cabinet, and help us start the signature cocktail. That was while we were hurriedly finishing up the final touches on the appetizers. But by the time the third or fourth couple arrived, we were totally set!
The menu:
Signature cocktail
The Frenchy (pear vodka, pineapple juice, cranberry juice)
Appetizers
Zucchini bites
Spinach-artichoke dip
Chips and salsa
Grilled garlic toasts topped with basil, tomato, olive oil, salt/pepper
Crostini topped with taleggio cheese, apple, and a special thyme honey drizzle
Dinner
Build your own pizzas, with homemade crusts
Sweet potato fries
Salad
Dessert
Wedding cake
Limoncello
Espresso
The night was so much fun. I love the people who were there to celebrate with us so much. The night went very late and I drank way more than usual. Given my Mardi Gras shenanigans this year, I have now been intoxicated twice in 2014! I'm going for a post-30 record I think!
But Saturday, no yoga. I was way too hung over. My total number of steps for the day was less than 1500, and that counted a lot of steps from before I went to bed but long after midnight for the end of our party, saying goodbye, cleaning up the kitchen, going to bed. I barely moved from the couch all day.
This now means that to complete 30 classes in 30 days, I need to do TWO double class days. Yikes. The only options really are weekends, and one of those four weekend days is Easter, which means limited class schedule and I have plans with my godson's family, so there's no chance for a double that day.
Sunday, 4-13-14, class no. 11, at noon (having run about 8 miles in the morning). Class was with Julie again and I warned her I was going to be sweating alcohol. The class was actually pretty good. I used my new yoga towel (equa hot yoga towel, in "magic" (which is their way of saying purple)). The room felt excessively hot and humid, and maybe because I was dying, she stood with the doors open for a couple minutes during the standing series. She called me out by name to commend me on my eagle posture (1st half of second set) -- which was funny because I couldn't find my balance to save my life in the 2nd half of second set. I'm sure she assumed she'd jinxed me if she noticed. Class overall was good, especially since I still felt pretty crappy.
I was a rockstar on Sunday in general -- group run, 90 minute yoga class, grocery store briefly, two loads of laundry done, finished 2 pages of our wedding scrapbook (trying to be done by Friday, our 5th anniversary!!!), made a lovely dinner (eggplant parm) for my husband, made a quiche for my weeknight post-yoga meals, and was dressed and ready for church at 6:00 so we could go right after we finished dinner. I was pretty impressed with myself.
The scrapbook was one of my resolutions. I have five two-page spreads left to do I think. Ugh. And no time to do them! Working, running and yoga leave zero free time before Friday night.
Monday, 4-14-14, class no. 12, at 6:30. Julie again! Twice in two days. Good class. Seemed extra warm and humid, probably because it was cold outside. She actually held open the doors to the room for the entire second set of triangle. She gave me a correction that I attempted to follow on balancing stick. I asked her after class about how to improve my tree stand -- I can get my foot up, but dear god, my shoulders aren't even close to level. She suggested raising my leg in front of me (like in standing head to knee) before bending to pick it up. Seemed to work when I tried it the next day. I noticed in seated head to knee that I've basically got it down on the separate leg stretches. I can lock my knee and get my head on my knee and pull down. Of course, I'm not even close to being able to do that while standing (heck, I still can't really lock my standing leg, so I'm not even trying to kick a leg out).
Tuesday, 4-15-14, class no. 13, at 6:30. I was very worried it would be Rene again since I thought I heard Julie say that on Monday to someone after class, but it wasn't -- the instructor was Mandy, who I think I had for my second class? Young with very long pretty curly hair. I liked the class a lot. One, it didn't seem as warm. Two, it seemed like she did fewer opening and closing breathing exercises. Three, it seemed like she counted fast when she counted and in general didn't make us hold things as long. I am starting to get close to getting my forehead on the floor, which is so exciting for me.
Wednesday, 4-16-14, class no. 14, at 6:30. Yeah, Rene again. I wish I could record her voice so everyone could hear how irritating and patronizing it is. It was funny because she tried to make us hold something way too long and pretty much everyone gave up. I again noted remarkable progress in the distance between my forehead and the floor.
Least favorite postures (in order starting with most hated):
1. Triangle -- my leg's not low enough, my spine's not straight, there's pressure on my fingers against my toes and my elbow against my knee, I just totally suck at this one and it feels like it goes on forever.
2. Lotus -- it hurts so much to have my arms under me like that, and I can barely lift my legs at all.
3. Rabbit -- I'm not sure I do this right. I never feel a stretch in my lower spine, just around my shoulders. I hate feeling like too much blood is rushing to my head.
I would put wind-removing pose on this list as well if it were a list about postures I think I'm doing wrong as I feel little apparent benefit or stretch, but the list is the ones I hate, and I don't hate wind-removing at all. It's just suspiciously easy for me. Maybe that will be my next list -- suspiciously easy.
And even better -- we were fairly prepared when the first guests arrived! All they had to do was fold napkins for us, open wine, get out one more platter from the china cabinet, and help us start the signature cocktail. That was while we were hurriedly finishing up the final touches on the appetizers. But by the time the third or fourth couple arrived, we were totally set!
The menu:
Signature cocktail
The Frenchy (pear vodka, pineapple juice, cranberry juice)
Appetizers
Zucchini bites
Spinach-artichoke dip
Chips and salsa
Grilled garlic toasts topped with basil, tomato, olive oil, salt/pepper
Crostini topped with taleggio cheese, apple, and a special thyme honey drizzle
Dinner
Build your own pizzas, with homemade crusts
Sweet potato fries
Salad
Dessert
Wedding cake
Limoncello
Espresso
The night was so much fun. I love the people who were there to celebrate with us so much. The night went very late and I drank way more than usual. Given my Mardi Gras shenanigans this year, I have now been intoxicated twice in 2014! I'm going for a post-30 record I think!
But Saturday, no yoga. I was way too hung over. My total number of steps for the day was less than 1500, and that counted a lot of steps from before I went to bed but long after midnight for the end of our party, saying goodbye, cleaning up the kitchen, going to bed. I barely moved from the couch all day.
This now means that to complete 30 classes in 30 days, I need to do TWO double class days. Yikes. The only options really are weekends, and one of those four weekend days is Easter, which means limited class schedule and I have plans with my godson's family, so there's no chance for a double that day.
Sunday, 4-13-14, class no. 11, at noon (having run about 8 miles in the morning). Class was with Julie again and I warned her I was going to be sweating alcohol. The class was actually pretty good. I used my new yoga towel (equa hot yoga towel, in "magic" (which is their way of saying purple)). The room felt excessively hot and humid, and maybe because I was dying, she stood with the doors open for a couple minutes during the standing series. She called me out by name to commend me on my eagle posture (1st half of second set) -- which was funny because I couldn't find my balance to save my life in the 2nd half of second set. I'm sure she assumed she'd jinxed me if she noticed. Class overall was good, especially since I still felt pretty crappy.
I was a rockstar on Sunday in general -- group run, 90 minute yoga class, grocery store briefly, two loads of laundry done, finished 2 pages of our wedding scrapbook (trying to be done by Friday, our 5th anniversary!!!), made a lovely dinner (eggplant parm) for my husband, made a quiche for my weeknight post-yoga meals, and was dressed and ready for church at 6:00 so we could go right after we finished dinner. I was pretty impressed with myself.
The scrapbook was one of my resolutions. I have five two-page spreads left to do I think. Ugh. And no time to do them! Working, running and yoga leave zero free time before Friday night.
Monday, 4-14-14, class no. 12, at 6:30. Julie again! Twice in two days. Good class. Seemed extra warm and humid, probably because it was cold outside. She actually held open the doors to the room for the entire second set of triangle. She gave me a correction that I attempted to follow on balancing stick. I asked her after class about how to improve my tree stand -- I can get my foot up, but dear god, my shoulders aren't even close to level. She suggested raising my leg in front of me (like in standing head to knee) before bending to pick it up. Seemed to work when I tried it the next day. I noticed in seated head to knee that I've basically got it down on the separate leg stretches. I can lock my knee and get my head on my knee and pull down. Of course, I'm not even close to being able to do that while standing (heck, I still can't really lock my standing leg, so I'm not even trying to kick a leg out).
Tuesday, 4-15-14, class no. 13, at 6:30. I was very worried it would be Rene again since I thought I heard Julie say that on Monday to someone after class, but it wasn't -- the instructor was Mandy, who I think I had for my second class? Young with very long pretty curly hair. I liked the class a lot. One, it didn't seem as warm. Two, it seemed like she did fewer opening and closing breathing exercises. Three, it seemed like she counted fast when she counted and in general didn't make us hold things as long. I am starting to get close to getting my forehead on the floor, which is so exciting for me.
Wednesday, 4-16-14, class no. 14, at 6:30. Yeah, Rene again. I wish I could record her voice so everyone could hear how irritating and patronizing it is. It was funny because she tried to make us hold something way too long and pretty much everyone gave up. I again noted remarkable progress in the distance between my forehead and the floor.
Least favorite postures (in order starting with most hated):
1. Triangle -- my leg's not low enough, my spine's not straight, there's pressure on my fingers against my toes and my elbow against my knee, I just totally suck at this one and it feels like it goes on forever.
2. Lotus -- it hurts so much to have my arms under me like that, and I can barely lift my legs at all.
3. Rabbit -- I'm not sure I do this right. I never feel a stretch in my lower spine, just around my shoulders. I hate feeling like too much blood is rushing to my head.
I would put wind-removing pose on this list as well if it were a list about postures I think I'm doing wrong as I feel little apparent benefit or stretch, but the list is the ones I hate, and I don't hate wind-removing at all. It's just suspiciously easy for me. Maybe that will be my next list -- suspiciously easy.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Yoga and more yoga
Oops -- somehow didn't publish this Thurs night as I intended!
Have I mentioned there's not much to report other than yoga?
We are having a "fire code capacity" dinner party on Friday night. It's the same party we have every year in April. We invite all the people in Dallas who went to Italy for our wedding, and we recreate our rehearsal dinner -- pizza and fries. We make individual pizza crusts and let friends top their own, then we cook them on the grill. I try to make sweet potato fries and they're usually not great...
We also get a small wedding cake from the place that made a cake for our Dallas wedding reception, and I usually try to make a signature cocktail and some awesome appetizers. It always ends up being a thoroughly fun evening.
Friday I might even skip yoga to be able to get done with work early and be ready for the party. That means I'm going to have to do a double to make up for it -- maybe on Sunday? I'm already kind of dreading it, but I know if I do the double and finish my 30-day challenge, I'll be extra proud of myself.
So here's a few more days of yoga recaps:
Monday, 4-7-14, 6:30 class. Don't know the instructor's name, short, dark hair, very nice. My absolute favorite part of class was in between first and second sets of full locust. She compared it to Baby's lift scene during Dirty Dancing. I totally love that movie and loved picturing myself doing the lift. As much as I hate ever being picked up by anyone (I think I'm much heavier than I appear, and my whole life I've worried someone would pull his/her back while trying and learning of my density), but I've told my husband a million times that I wish we could learn the final Dirty Dancing dance. And occasionally, I will charge at him in the house and tell him to do the lift, but usually I pull back, sometimes I crash into him and we'll both hit the wall or couch or whatever, but he never actually attempts the lift. But in yoga, with a floor supporting me that definitely won't break under my weight, I feel just like Baby. I couldn't stop smiling during the second set. I also felt like my forehead went closer to the floor, and in the second to last posture, I did better at locking my knees.
Tuesday, 4-8-14, 4:00 class (weird day, had to work after class), instructor was Erika. I was extremely sore for some reason. Very tight hips. Possibly from a fairly tough 6 miles about 10 hours earlier? Or too many lunges at boot camp on Monday? Or worked too hard at yoga Monday night? Either way, in "wind-removing" pose, I couldn't believe how tight my hips were. In general I didn't work as hard in class. I didn't sit anything out, but I wasn't pulling or stretching with as much effort as I usually do.
Wednesday, 4-9-14, 6:00 class. Instructor was Rene, and she was my least favorite ever. Young, uses a very singsong voice, seems kind of fake smiley and energetic, seriously grated on my nerves. She uses a voice that you don't really hear anyone over 30 using, just sounding very immature in general. And I was next to a loud mouth breather. And it was one of the most crowded classes I've attended this year, with all 5 rows being fairly full, but enough space between the mats that we were really packed in. The combination of all of these made for a miserable class. I kind of figured it was just me, but either way, if I never have another class with her as the instructor, that would be just fine. At least the class went by fairly quickly. It seems they really all do lately, which is not how I remember it before.
Thursday, 4-10-14, 5:30 a.m. class (10k race after work). Rene again. What are the odds??!! And no, it wasn't just a chip on my shoulder on Wednesday. She is 100% not my favorite. In fact, she's 100% the only instructor so far I just don't like. She uses a voice that makes it sound like she's talking to a bunch of three year olds using fake enthusiasm to get them excited about nap time. She also does a lot of gesturing and stuff, acting like she's a performer in a big show, which strikes me as pointless and distracting unless she's actually demonstrating the postures. The 5:30 a.m. class only had about 20 people, so she gave people tips on postures but she rarely identified who she was directly her advice at. Instead I guess she wants you to look at her to figure it out? At one point in the second part of the first half of triangle, I somehow realized she was talking at me. I did as instructed and she commended me, but in reality, she was just commending me for doing what she said to correct. I know my triangle always sucks somewhat, and was particularly sucky in this class as it was less than 12 hours after my last one and I didn't want to push hard with the race in 12 more hours, but it was nice of her to try to help me. I hope this was my last class with her though.
I have decided, if I'm still going to yoga in 51 weeks, on April Fool's Day 2015, I want to bring a few whoopie cushions and deploy them during wind-removing pose. How funny would that be?
Have I mentioned there's not much to report other than yoga?
We are having a "fire code capacity" dinner party on Friday night. It's the same party we have every year in April. We invite all the people in Dallas who went to Italy for our wedding, and we recreate our rehearsal dinner -- pizza and fries. We make individual pizza crusts and let friends top their own, then we cook them on the grill. I try to make sweet potato fries and they're usually not great...
We also get a small wedding cake from the place that made a cake for our Dallas wedding reception, and I usually try to make a signature cocktail and some awesome appetizers. It always ends up being a thoroughly fun evening.
Friday I might even skip yoga to be able to get done with work early and be ready for the party. That means I'm going to have to do a double to make up for it -- maybe on Sunday? I'm already kind of dreading it, but I know if I do the double and finish my 30-day challenge, I'll be extra proud of myself.
So here's a few more days of yoga recaps:
Monday, 4-7-14, 6:30 class. Don't know the instructor's name, short, dark hair, very nice. My absolute favorite part of class was in between first and second sets of full locust. She compared it to Baby's lift scene during Dirty Dancing. I totally love that movie and loved picturing myself doing the lift. As much as I hate ever being picked up by anyone (I think I'm much heavier than I appear, and my whole life I've worried someone would pull his/her back while trying and learning of my density), but I've told my husband a million times that I wish we could learn the final Dirty Dancing dance. And occasionally, I will charge at him in the house and tell him to do the lift, but usually I pull back, sometimes I crash into him and we'll both hit the wall or couch or whatever, but he never actually attempts the lift. But in yoga, with a floor supporting me that definitely won't break under my weight, I feel just like Baby. I couldn't stop smiling during the second set. I also felt like my forehead went closer to the floor, and in the second to last posture, I did better at locking my knees.
Tuesday, 4-8-14, 4:00 class (weird day, had to work after class), instructor was Erika. I was extremely sore for some reason. Very tight hips. Possibly from a fairly tough 6 miles about 10 hours earlier? Or too many lunges at boot camp on Monday? Or worked too hard at yoga Monday night? Either way, in "wind-removing" pose, I couldn't believe how tight my hips were. In general I didn't work as hard in class. I didn't sit anything out, but I wasn't pulling or stretching with as much effort as I usually do.
Wednesday, 4-9-14, 6:00 class. Instructor was Rene, and she was my least favorite ever. Young, uses a very singsong voice, seems kind of fake smiley and energetic, seriously grated on my nerves. She uses a voice that you don't really hear anyone over 30 using, just sounding very immature in general. And I was next to a loud mouth breather. And it was one of the most crowded classes I've attended this year, with all 5 rows being fairly full, but enough space between the mats that we were really packed in. The combination of all of these made for a miserable class. I kind of figured it was just me, but either way, if I never have another class with her as the instructor, that would be just fine. At least the class went by fairly quickly. It seems they really all do lately, which is not how I remember it before.
Thursday, 4-10-14, 5:30 a.m. class (10k race after work). Rene again. What are the odds??!! And no, it wasn't just a chip on my shoulder on Wednesday. She is 100% not my favorite. In fact, she's 100% the only instructor so far I just don't like. She uses a voice that makes it sound like she's talking to a bunch of three year olds using fake enthusiasm to get them excited about nap time. She also does a lot of gesturing and stuff, acting like she's a performer in a big show, which strikes me as pointless and distracting unless she's actually demonstrating the postures. The 5:30 a.m. class only had about 20 people, so she gave people tips on postures but she rarely identified who she was directly her advice at. Instead I guess she wants you to look at her to figure it out? At one point in the second part of the first half of triangle, I somehow realized she was talking at me. I did as instructed and she commended me, but in reality, she was just commending me for doing what she said to correct. I know my triangle always sucks somewhat, and was particularly sucky in this class as it was less than 12 hours after my last one and I didn't want to push hard with the race in 12 more hours, but it was nice of her to try to help me. I hope this was my last class with her though.
I have decided, if I'm still going to yoga in 51 weeks, on April Fool's Day 2015, I want to bring a few whoopie cushions and deploy them during wind-removing pose. How funny would that be?
Monday, April 7, 2014
Yoga taking over life
More yoga...
It's pretty much all I've got to report right now. A typical day this week will look like this:
4:35 (Tues/Thurs), 5:00 (M/W/F) wake up
5:00 (Tues/Thurs), 5:15 (M/W/F) leave house
5:15 (Tues/Thurs), 5:30 (M/W/F) start running with friends or boot camp
6:45 back home
7:45 leave for work
8-6 work, work, work, don't talk to anyone, don't leave desk for lunch (I can't complain about this when it's tax time and I know people in that biz have it much worse)
6:00 change into yoga clothes
6:10 drive to yoga
6:20 arrive at yoga
6:30-8:00 Bikram class
8:15 back home
8:25 dinner ready
8:35 done eating
8:40 kitchen cleaned
8:45 clothes laid out for morning
9:00 bed
REPEAT until end of April pretty much...
Yow, it's tough. I feel like I have no "me" time, but in reality, isn't all my life "me" time? I choose to run and go to boot camp, I generally like my job (or at least I did until our new parent company made some big changes a few months ago, but I still love the actual work I do), and certainly no one is making me do yoga! But doing this 30 day challenge essentially means I'm not doing anything else.
I can write down a few blog thoughts during dinner, but I'm pretty much off the grid I guess for this month.
Anyway, here's how my 30 day challenge is unfolding, six classes complete so far, next one on the books in about 5 hours.
Fri, 4-4-14, made it to the 4:00 class, which was awesome because it meant we had a real Friday night! Instructor was the surfer looking guy with shaggy blond hair again and I had a GREAT class for a while. And then I concluded that my body is lopsided. Specifically, I think my right eye and eyebrow are higher than my left. And I have a more pronounced love handle on my left side. In between noticing all of that, I took an extra water break just before starting the spine series. And since I'd gone to class from home instead of straight from work, I'd brought a bottle of G2 with me. And I gulped it. Way too much sugar. I ended up sitting out one set of one spine exercise, and generally quietly belching and feeling like I might puke for some time. Very close to leaving the room. A.) That's why they give you water breaks at designated times and you're not supposed to do it at other times. B.) That's why they say "have a SIP of water" and don't tell you to chug it. C.) That's why they say WATER, not Gatorade or some other sickly sweet drink. Oops.
Sat, 4-5-14, went to the noon class after going for a walk with a friend in the morning. An instructor I had before, Julie. I recognized her and said hello on the way in, so she looked up my name. In the past, she'd kind of irritated me. She seems kind of clique-ish, hugging students, calling people by name, etc. And she also seems to screw up the dialogue at least once every other class. But from the second class started, I felt good and was enjoying her energy. And then we got to the first part of the first series of Awkward pose and she called ME out by name as doing a good job!!! And I was! I was sitting way down in the chair, leaning way back, trying to fall down backwards. I was grinning for far too long after that! Class felt like it went by very quickly. Part of that was because it did -- she forgot to do one part of standing head to knee -- she was talking to a student about what do to differently, and she totally skipped over the first leg of the second set. But who am I to complain about a skipped exercise? I just enjoyed the little class cheat, and no one pointed it out. Oh, and she totally screwed up her dialogue during "wind-removing" pose, reading one leg when we were doing both, and realizing it and just telling us to pull, pull, pull. But she's definitely in my "preferred" column now, either way.
Sun, 4-6-14, wen to the 10:30 class after having done my first run back since my calf injury last week Thursday. I'd run a very slow 7 miles and been glad I didn't go further as it started pouring when I finished. I felt so bad for my buddies running Boston -- they had 15, but some of it was race pace, so at least they were moving kind of fast. But it was still sucky conditions for all of them. Anyway, yoga was one of my old favorite instructors, Andrew. I think I was in one of his very first classes as an instructor. He also called me out by name to give me guidance on how to improve, also much appreciated. Class was great. Felt like I was making progress in several postures.
Order of preference of postures (NOT according to ability):
Fixed firm (managed to get my hips on the floor for the first set Sunday, and even stuck it out for half of the second set)
Standing separate leg stretching (goal is forehead on the floor, I'm not even close, but progress)
Toe stand (I've gotten up a couple times, but usually, I can't even bring my hands to the sides and balance)
It's pretty much all I've got to report right now. A typical day this week will look like this:
4:35 (Tues/Thurs), 5:00 (M/W/F) wake up
5:00 (Tues/Thurs), 5:15 (M/W/F) leave house
5:15 (Tues/Thurs), 5:30 (M/W/F) start running with friends or boot camp
6:45 back home
7:45 leave for work
8-6 work, work, work, don't talk to anyone, don't leave desk for lunch (I can't complain about this when it's tax time and I know people in that biz have it much worse)
6:00 change into yoga clothes
6:10 drive to yoga
6:20 arrive at yoga
6:30-8:00 Bikram class
8:15 back home
8:25 dinner ready
8:35 done eating
8:40 kitchen cleaned
8:45 clothes laid out for morning
9:00 bed
REPEAT until end of April pretty much...
Yow, it's tough. I feel like I have no "me" time, but in reality, isn't all my life "me" time? I choose to run and go to boot camp, I generally like my job (or at least I did until our new parent company made some big changes a few months ago, but I still love the actual work I do), and certainly no one is making me do yoga! But doing this 30 day challenge essentially means I'm not doing anything else.
I can write down a few blog thoughts during dinner, but I'm pretty much off the grid I guess for this month.
Anyway, here's how my 30 day challenge is unfolding, six classes complete so far, next one on the books in about 5 hours.
Fri, 4-4-14, made it to the 4:00 class, which was awesome because it meant we had a real Friday night! Instructor was the surfer looking guy with shaggy blond hair again and I had a GREAT class for a while. And then I concluded that my body is lopsided. Specifically, I think my right eye and eyebrow are higher than my left. And I have a more pronounced love handle on my left side. In between noticing all of that, I took an extra water break just before starting the spine series. And since I'd gone to class from home instead of straight from work, I'd brought a bottle of G2 with me. And I gulped it. Way too much sugar. I ended up sitting out one set of one spine exercise, and generally quietly belching and feeling like I might puke for some time. Very close to leaving the room. A.) That's why they give you water breaks at designated times and you're not supposed to do it at other times. B.) That's why they say "have a SIP of water" and don't tell you to chug it. C.) That's why they say WATER, not Gatorade or some other sickly sweet drink. Oops.
Sat, 4-5-14, went to the noon class after going for a walk with a friend in the morning. An instructor I had before, Julie. I recognized her and said hello on the way in, so she looked up my name. In the past, she'd kind of irritated me. She seems kind of clique-ish, hugging students, calling people by name, etc. And she also seems to screw up the dialogue at least once every other class. But from the second class started, I felt good and was enjoying her energy. And then we got to the first part of the first series of Awkward pose and she called ME out by name as doing a good job!!! And I was! I was sitting way down in the chair, leaning way back, trying to fall down backwards. I was grinning for far too long after that! Class felt like it went by very quickly. Part of that was because it did -- she forgot to do one part of standing head to knee -- she was talking to a student about what do to differently, and she totally skipped over the first leg of the second set. But who am I to complain about a skipped exercise? I just enjoyed the little class cheat, and no one pointed it out. Oh, and she totally screwed up her dialogue during "wind-removing" pose, reading one leg when we were doing both, and realizing it and just telling us to pull, pull, pull. But she's definitely in my "preferred" column now, either way.
Sun, 4-6-14, wen to the 10:30 class after having done my first run back since my calf injury last week Thursday. I'd run a very slow 7 miles and been glad I didn't go further as it started pouring when I finished. I felt so bad for my buddies running Boston -- they had 15, but some of it was race pace, so at least they were moving kind of fast. But it was still sucky conditions for all of them. Anyway, yoga was one of my old favorite instructors, Andrew. I think I was in one of his very first classes as an instructor. He also called me out by name to give me guidance on how to improve, also much appreciated. Class was great. Felt like I was making progress in several postures.
Order of preference of postures (NOT according to ability):
Fixed firm (managed to get my hips on the floor for the first set Sunday, and even stuck it out for half of the second set)
Standing separate leg stretching (goal is forehead on the floor, I'm not even close, but progress)
Toe stand (I've gotten up a couple times, but usually, I can't even bring my hands to the sides and balance)
Friday, April 4, 2014
Back to Bikram
I've been thinking about going back to regular yoga for some time, but I just couldn't get myself to do it. As I mentioned, there was a lot of turmoil at work in mid-January (including a RIF of non-attorneys), and that made things stressful so I needed yoga more, but I was also spending a lot more time at the office so I had less time to do yoga (unless of course I wanted to give up time spent running, at boot camp, eating or sleeping).
But feeling that sharp pain in my calf one week and one day ago while I was at the track was the push I needed.
I went back to Bikram on Friday night, even though we had out of town guests. They went to happy hour then hung out at the house with hubby, and we went for a late, casual dinner after yoga (very casual, I didn't even have time to wash my sweat-soaked hair, yuck).
Friday's class was at the studio closest to my house (less than a mile and a half away), taught by a guy with long shaggy blond hair. My overwhelming impression was that I'd lost most of the progress I'd made through regular practice before. It was primarily apparent in standing separate leg stretching, when I realized my forehead was at least a foot away from the floor. But at least I knew what I was doing and how to try the postures properly. Overall, it felt good and went fairly quickly.
I was a bit sore on Saturday, but mostly hurting in my calf from the running injury.
Sunday was more touring the city with our guests, still a sore calf.
Monday I was generally feeling better, and decided I'd start a 30 day challenge on Tuesday.
Tuesday, since I couldn't run due to my sore gastroc, I went to a class at the further studio (about 2.5 miles from my house, but closer to my office) at 5:30 in the morning. The instructor was a woman with big hair who did not have a typical yoga body. As I hoped, after the first set of the very first breathing exercise, she declared that it was just too frigging hot and she walked out of class. I was grinning the entire time, but a few people apparently forgot that it was April Fool's for about 10 seconds until she came back in.
Wednesday, I was a bit yoga sore, but I'd had an early day at work with a very important conference call in the morning, so I decided to leave early and go to the 6:00 class at the studio by my house. The instructor had long curly hair and kept going hoarse and coughing the first 2/3 of the standing series. One student went out to the desk and got her a mint. At the first water break, she drank a bunch, and it got better, but by the time we got to triangle, we could barely hear her and it felt like she cut the posture short (don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining!!!!). I was very non-yogi and kept wondering why TF she didn't just try the mint. Finally she opened the mint and that was the end of the coughing and losing her voice. I felt like I saw the most progress (a whopping 3 classes' worth) in standing bow pulling pose, but of course, only when my left leg was on the group -- the calf injury is getting better for sure, but the leg is definitely weaker.
Thursday morning, I went to the 5:30 a.m. class at the studio by work again (still no running). Definitely the toughest class so far. Not sure if it's because my last class ended 10 hours earlier, or if I was tighter than usual or what. But yikes, it was a struggle. I basically considered sitting out at least one set of every single posture, but I never did.
My favorite posture has always been fixed firm. Not sure if my calves are that much fatter or if muscles are just tighter, but I can't seem to get my hips on the ground when I'm sitting, so I really shouldn't even start fixed firm. The main tightness/pain seems to be in my left ankle, which is weird. But I think I'm seeing some progress there too.
Today, I think I'm going to enjoy a 24 hour break from yoga. Since I'm working from home, I might attempt to go to a late morning or lunchtime class (I have a CLE from 12-1 that is a webcast though). Ahh.
Part of me wishes I could just fast forward to the end of the month and see where I end up. Do I finally drop those stubborn Oktoberfest and Italy pounds? Do I ever get my forehead on the floor again? Do I become a zen-master? Do my new flip flops get the Bikram funk odor? Do I break down and buy a special yoga towel? Do I figure out a way to get big ice cubes in my bottle when I go to class straight from work? Do I get back into my old routine of going to the nearby grocery store right after class to buy Gatorade?
So many questions, and only time will tell!
But feeling that sharp pain in my calf one week and one day ago while I was at the track was the push I needed.
I went back to Bikram on Friday night, even though we had out of town guests. They went to happy hour then hung out at the house with hubby, and we went for a late, casual dinner after yoga (very casual, I didn't even have time to wash my sweat-soaked hair, yuck).
Friday's class was at the studio closest to my house (less than a mile and a half away), taught by a guy with long shaggy blond hair. My overwhelming impression was that I'd lost most of the progress I'd made through regular practice before. It was primarily apparent in standing separate leg stretching, when I realized my forehead was at least a foot away from the floor. But at least I knew what I was doing and how to try the postures properly. Overall, it felt good and went fairly quickly.
I was a bit sore on Saturday, but mostly hurting in my calf from the running injury.
Sunday was more touring the city with our guests, still a sore calf.
Monday I was generally feeling better, and decided I'd start a 30 day challenge on Tuesday.
Tuesday, since I couldn't run due to my sore gastroc, I went to a class at the further studio (about 2.5 miles from my house, but closer to my office) at 5:30 in the morning. The instructor was a woman with big hair who did not have a typical yoga body. As I hoped, after the first set of the very first breathing exercise, she declared that it was just too frigging hot and she walked out of class. I was grinning the entire time, but a few people apparently forgot that it was April Fool's for about 10 seconds until she came back in.
Wednesday, I was a bit yoga sore, but I'd had an early day at work with a very important conference call in the morning, so I decided to leave early and go to the 6:00 class at the studio by my house. The instructor had long curly hair and kept going hoarse and coughing the first 2/3 of the standing series. One student went out to the desk and got her a mint. At the first water break, she drank a bunch, and it got better, but by the time we got to triangle, we could barely hear her and it felt like she cut the posture short (don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining!!!!). I was very non-yogi and kept wondering why TF she didn't just try the mint. Finally she opened the mint and that was the end of the coughing and losing her voice. I felt like I saw the most progress (a whopping 3 classes' worth) in standing bow pulling pose, but of course, only when my left leg was on the group -- the calf injury is getting better for sure, but the leg is definitely weaker.
Thursday morning, I went to the 5:30 a.m. class at the studio by work again (still no running). Definitely the toughest class so far. Not sure if it's because my last class ended 10 hours earlier, or if I was tighter than usual or what. But yikes, it was a struggle. I basically considered sitting out at least one set of every single posture, but I never did.
My favorite posture has always been fixed firm. Not sure if my calves are that much fatter or if muscles are just tighter, but I can't seem to get my hips on the ground when I'm sitting, so I really shouldn't even start fixed firm. The main tightness/pain seems to be in my left ankle, which is weird. But I think I'm seeing some progress there too.
Today, I think I'm going to enjoy a 24 hour break from yoga. Since I'm working from home, I might attempt to go to a late morning or lunchtime class (I have a CLE from 12-1 that is a webcast though). Ahh.
Part of me wishes I could just fast forward to the end of the month and see where I end up. Do I finally drop those stubborn Oktoberfest and Italy pounds? Do I ever get my forehead on the floor again? Do I become a zen-master? Do my new flip flops get the Bikram funk odor? Do I break down and buy a special yoga towel? Do I figure out a way to get big ice cubes in my bottle when I go to class straight from work? Do I get back into my old routine of going to the nearby grocery store right after class to buy Gatorade?
So many questions, and only time will tell!
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Yoga over Running?
Yesterday I elected to do a yoga class instead of running. Who am I???
The answer I suppose is someone who has been doing marathons for about a decade.
Someone who has a running coach certification.
Someone who has a marathon in exactly one month.
Someone who really, really, really feels like she can't afford an injury right now!
So after five consecutive weeks of 45 or more miles per week, I had the calf pain on my long run. I took several non-running days (did some core work and weights, but no running at all). I then did some pain-free track work, but by the time I got to my easy miles that day, it hurt again. So a couple more days off.
Then a solid but slow 20 mile run with no pain. All good. But then I was out of town for work, so I took another rest day. And then one solid Tuesday run with my running buddies, still all good.
But then I tripped and fell at boot camp the next day, twisting my ankle and scraping the hell out of my elbow when I missed a very oddly (non-regulation shaped) curb.
So a few more days off, but that was kind of inevitable since we were traveling for my 20th high school reunion and I had to move around my long run a bit anyway.
So the bottom line is that I had five weeks in a row at 45 or more miles per week, followed by two weeks of 28-29 miles per week.
Not ideal just before you start to taper, but it is what it is, I'm mostly focused on being glad that it wasn't a more serious injury and that I now feel as good as new. I'm lucky and I know it.
Haha, I couldn't help but sing that sentence. I'm lucky and I know it -- name that tune.
So this week, instead of jumping back in with both feet, which I might have done if I hadn't been doing this for about a decade, if I hadn't had to learn way more than I ever wanted about running, if I had more than a month until my goal race, or if I weren't super-focused on hitting my goal at Berlin, I have proceeded with caution this week.
I ran with my friends Tuesday morning and today (today was track again, very tough). And I ran to work very slowly both those mornings. But I haven't run home at all, and I drove to work yesterday.
I can't really completely credit my intelligence for the decision to drive. Somehow I was short one outfit at work (my garment bag was actually packed from a couple weeks ago, before I had to drive my commutes because of the injuries). And I had gotten the notion of going to yoga yesterday instead of doing a run home from work. Plus the whole thing about knowing better than to build back up to doing too much too soon!
So yesterday I drove to work, and I drove home, and I went to yoga after a quick dinner. Instead of getting 7.5 slow commuting miles, I got an hour of a new-to-me type of yoga that was awesome and let me know this morning I'd done something to my muscles.
The class description should have clued me in:
So yeah, I'm sore in all kinds of weird places (hamstrings and under my rib cage particularly) and I'm proud of myself today! I expect my miles for this week will end up around 45, which isn't bad since the schedule has us at 56. If I'd picked running instead of yoga, I would have been in the low 50s this week, closer to on target, but closer to a possible set-up for reinjury. I expect next week will probably be similar in miles since I'll lose a commute day with the office being closed for Labor Day.
And then I just need one very solid tough week and I'll be into the taper. Whew! I'm just getting so excited!!
The answer I suppose is someone who has been doing marathons for about a decade.
Someone who has a running coach certification.
Someone who has a marathon in exactly one month.
Someone who really, really, really feels like she can't afford an injury right now!
So after five consecutive weeks of 45 or more miles per week, I had the calf pain on my long run. I took several non-running days (did some core work and weights, but no running at all). I then did some pain-free track work, but by the time I got to my easy miles that day, it hurt again. So a couple more days off.
Then a solid but slow 20 mile run with no pain. All good. But then I was out of town for work, so I took another rest day. And then one solid Tuesday run with my running buddies, still all good.
But then I tripped and fell at boot camp the next day, twisting my ankle and scraping the hell out of my elbow when I missed a very oddly (non-regulation shaped) curb.
So a few more days off, but that was kind of inevitable since we were traveling for my 20th high school reunion and I had to move around my long run a bit anyway.
So the bottom line is that I had five weeks in a row at 45 or more miles per week, followed by two weeks of 28-29 miles per week.
Not ideal just before you start to taper, but it is what it is, I'm mostly focused on being glad that it wasn't a more serious injury and that I now feel as good as new. I'm lucky and I know it.
Haha, I couldn't help but sing that sentence. I'm lucky and I know it -- name that tune.
So this week, instead of jumping back in with both feet, which I might have done if I hadn't been doing this for about a decade, if I hadn't had to learn way more than I ever wanted about running, if I had more than a month until my goal race, or if I weren't super-focused on hitting my goal at Berlin, I have proceeded with caution this week.
I ran with my friends Tuesday morning and today (today was track again, very tough). And I ran to work very slowly both those mornings. But I haven't run home at all, and I drove to work yesterday.
I can't really completely credit my intelligence for the decision to drive. Somehow I was short one outfit at work (my garment bag was actually packed from a couple weeks ago, before I had to drive my commutes because of the injuries). And I had gotten the notion of going to yoga yesterday instead of doing a run home from work. Plus the whole thing about knowing better than to build back up to doing too much too soon!
So yesterday I drove to work, and I drove home, and I went to yoga after a quick dinner. Instead of getting 7.5 slow commuting miles, I got an hour of a new-to-me type of yoga that was awesome and let me know this morning I'd done something to my muscles.
The class description should have clued me in:
Sunstone’s Wood series serves to improve overall performance with a fusion of yoga, Pilates and our unique, resistance stretching - Pain Free Yoga™
Wood class is designed to strengthen and balance weak areas in the body deepening active range of motion while working on active strengthening techniques. It is the ideal complement to any of our other class offerings. Enjoy Wood as a stand-alone experience, or attend Wood as part of a progression for a well-rounded and restorative fitness experience.
Temperature: ~90° Humidity: ~60%
So yeah, I'm sore in all kinds of weird places (hamstrings and under my rib cage particularly) and I'm proud of myself today! I expect my miles for this week will end up around 45, which isn't bad since the schedule has us at 56. If I'd picked running instead of yoga, I would have been in the low 50s this week, closer to on target, but closer to a possible set-up for reinjury. I expect next week will probably be similar in miles since I'll lose a commute day with the office being closed for Labor Day.
And then I just need one very solid tough week and I'll be into the taper. Whew! I'm just getting so excited!!
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Return to Bikram Yoga week 4
Oops, just saw this in my drafts folder, having been written on 8-22 but somehow never published. The notes are mostly so that I'll remember what it was like if I ever go for another 30 day challenge. I just started back to yoga again last week after a nice little 2 week break. I'll finish up this month in early October, and then we'll be in China for almost 3 weeks, and then in Milwaukee for a wedding for 4 days. And then it will be time to go to San Antonio for that marathon!
Weeks are just slipping by now...
But this is probably the last of these posts for a little while. See below.
Wed., 8-15-12, Class 22: David, the owner of the studio, was the instructor. I had big progress in some weird postures tonight. Biggest strides were actually in half-moon, which is right at the beginning of class. I have no idea what was in my back (or maybe some bones dissolved or something?), but I was able to lean about 100 times further back than usual. I also felt like I made a correction in awkward pose that made it tougher and better -- so it seemed like less progress, but since my form has improved, that's actually better. And then wind-removing pose -- suddenly my knees were getting closer to my shoulders. All in all, quite exciting.
Thurs., 8-16, Class 23: Karen, who is married to David and also the owner of the studio was the instructor. I think she's my favorite. I feel like she makes eye contact with everyone in the room and seems to attempt to give a bit of personal guidance to almost every single student on at least one posture. For me, during standing bow pulling pose, I was focused dead ahead on my eyes in the mirror. She told me to relax my face and relax my gaze. It was kind of funny. I forgot my towel today, so I used a rental and it was soaking at the end. But I had two bottles of water, which was nice! Of course, the ice was all melted. I was also having some foot pain -- very ironic Bella. Thankfully I'm fairly certain it's not broken or sprained or strained.
Fri., 8-17, Class 24: Gina from NY was the instructor again (the weight loss one). It was a fairly small class since I went at lunch time, and I think it was my worst class yet. I ended up having a work call at 11:45 that I took in the parking lot of the studio. Before class at noon. Yikes. And the call went on and on and on. I know from one other miserable experience that if they finish the opening breathing sequence, our studio won't let you in. Finally the call ended and I ran to the studio as fast as I could (across the parking lot and up one flight of stairs). I made it in time. One of the staff members kindly went to put all my stuff in the locker room and I just went straight in. I managed to do the last 5 or so breaths, and then we were into class and I was just off. Unbalanced, out of breath, tired, thirsty, the works. First time, I skipped some postures (but I stayed in the room, so I give myself partial credit). I basically skipped one set of each of two postures in the spine-strengthening series (the last two postures). I just wanted to chug my water. My mind was the opposite of quiet -- thinking about the call, work, the afternoon, everything. I kept having to take gulps of air to breathe. I felt like I was going to pass out in between sets of toe stand. Not a great class for me. Oh well. Break coming in just two days.
Sat., 8-18, Class 25: Andrew was the instructor again, and it wasn't very remarkable. He's such a happy instructor that it was the most enjoyable class I've had in a long time. I did all the postures, I drink tons of water, especially once we were on the floor, I kept slipping and grabbing the bottle to drink more, but it felt pretty great. Can't believe I'm about to break the streak.
Sun., 8-19: NO CLASS! Studio was closed for staff appreciation day. I've been thinking about a day off from yoga basically for the last 2 weeks, and when I heard this was happening, I decided I'd try to refrain from taking a day off until the day there were no classes. Long run of 18 miles today though and I tried to be very good about stretching afterward. But wow, I did 25 days in a row! I'm kind of excited about that and proud of myself.
Mon., 8-20, Class 26: Karen, one of the owners, was the instructor. Felt way out of shape after the day off. I felt fat and bloated. My legs in eagle posture felt like sausages. My wrists and ankles felt swollen and sore during standing bow-pulling and fixed-firm. And I drank ally water but the last little sip during class. But it was still enjoyable. She called me out as going well in half-moon and gave me advice about lining up my hips in standing bow-pulling.
Tues., 8-21, Class 27: Tom from Oregon was the instructor and this may have been my break-through class. I still felt kind of fat and bloated. Sausage-legs in eagle. Off balance a bit. But progress in getting my forehead to the floor, which was nice. But the big break-through for me was the water. When we had our first two water breaks while we were standing, I took only the tiniest sip each time. I didn't need it. And the rest of the class just flew by. I realized we were done with both sets of camel and I looked at my bottle and it was still above the halfway mark. Wow! Finally. Breaking the water bottle crutch, at least for one day. So it's kind of fitting that I paid up for another month tonight! Yep, that was the big decision. I'm going to take a couple weeks off (will go to class tomorrow but then will be out of town in Oregon for the race, then my best friend is visiting). But I think I'll try to go from about Sept. 5 to about Oct. 5. I do not plan on going 7 days per week again. I think I'll probably try to do something like Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun most weeks. I'd get to see my sweet hubby more and have a bit more of a life. But I like doing it so much, I like losing the water weight, I like feeling more flexible and less bloated, and I want all those benefits leading up to the Beijing marathon (you know, if they have it while I'm there.... argh).
Wed., 8-22, Class 28: Tom from Oregon again. Sausage-legs seem to be going away. But I kind of tried to take it easy tonight so that my legs are strong for the running this weekend. Short notes, I'm exhausted.
And that is it for my first month back to Bikram since the end of January. My month ends on Saturday, but I fly to Portland today and won't be back until Sunday, then it's a big week with my birthday and my best friend coming into town for 5 days. I will probably start back up after Labor Day.
Weeks are just slipping by now...
But this is probably the last of these posts for a little while. See below.
Wed., 8-15-12, Class 22: David, the owner of the studio, was the instructor. I had big progress in some weird postures tonight. Biggest strides were actually in half-moon, which is right at the beginning of class. I have no idea what was in my back (or maybe some bones dissolved or something?), but I was able to lean about 100 times further back than usual. I also felt like I made a correction in awkward pose that made it tougher and better -- so it seemed like less progress, but since my form has improved, that's actually better. And then wind-removing pose -- suddenly my knees were getting closer to my shoulders. All in all, quite exciting.
Thurs., 8-16, Class 23: Karen, who is married to David and also the owner of the studio was the instructor. I think she's my favorite. I feel like she makes eye contact with everyone in the room and seems to attempt to give a bit of personal guidance to almost every single student on at least one posture. For me, during standing bow pulling pose, I was focused dead ahead on my eyes in the mirror. She told me to relax my face and relax my gaze. It was kind of funny. I forgot my towel today, so I used a rental and it was soaking at the end. But I had two bottles of water, which was nice! Of course, the ice was all melted. I was also having some foot pain -- very ironic Bella. Thankfully I'm fairly certain it's not broken or sprained or strained.
Fri., 8-17, Class 24: Gina from NY was the instructor again (the weight loss one). It was a fairly small class since I went at lunch time, and I think it was my worst class yet. I ended up having a work call at 11:45 that I took in the parking lot of the studio. Before class at noon. Yikes. And the call went on and on and on. I know from one other miserable experience that if they finish the opening breathing sequence, our studio won't let you in. Finally the call ended and I ran to the studio as fast as I could (across the parking lot and up one flight of stairs). I made it in time. One of the staff members kindly went to put all my stuff in the locker room and I just went straight in. I managed to do the last 5 or so breaths, and then we were into class and I was just off. Unbalanced, out of breath, tired, thirsty, the works. First time, I skipped some postures (but I stayed in the room, so I give myself partial credit). I basically skipped one set of each of two postures in the spine-strengthening series (the last two postures). I just wanted to chug my water. My mind was the opposite of quiet -- thinking about the call, work, the afternoon, everything. I kept having to take gulps of air to breathe. I felt like I was going to pass out in between sets of toe stand. Not a great class for me. Oh well. Break coming in just two days.
Sat., 8-18, Class 25: Andrew was the instructor again, and it wasn't very remarkable. He's such a happy instructor that it was the most enjoyable class I've had in a long time. I did all the postures, I drink tons of water, especially once we were on the floor, I kept slipping and grabbing the bottle to drink more, but it felt pretty great. Can't believe I'm about to break the streak.
Sun., 8-19: NO CLASS! Studio was closed for staff appreciation day. I've been thinking about a day off from yoga basically for the last 2 weeks, and when I heard this was happening, I decided I'd try to refrain from taking a day off until the day there were no classes. Long run of 18 miles today though and I tried to be very good about stretching afterward. But wow, I did 25 days in a row! I'm kind of excited about that and proud of myself.
Mon., 8-20, Class 26: Karen, one of the owners, was the instructor. Felt way out of shape after the day off. I felt fat and bloated. My legs in eagle posture felt like sausages. My wrists and ankles felt swollen and sore during standing bow-pulling and fixed-firm. And I drank ally water but the last little sip during class. But it was still enjoyable. She called me out as going well in half-moon and gave me advice about lining up my hips in standing bow-pulling.
Tues., 8-21, Class 27: Tom from Oregon was the instructor and this may have been my break-through class. I still felt kind of fat and bloated. Sausage-legs in eagle. Off balance a bit. But progress in getting my forehead to the floor, which was nice. But the big break-through for me was the water. When we had our first two water breaks while we were standing, I took only the tiniest sip each time. I didn't need it. And the rest of the class just flew by. I realized we were done with both sets of camel and I looked at my bottle and it was still above the halfway mark. Wow! Finally. Breaking the water bottle crutch, at least for one day. So it's kind of fitting that I paid up for another month tonight! Yep, that was the big decision. I'm going to take a couple weeks off (will go to class tomorrow but then will be out of town in Oregon for the race, then my best friend is visiting). But I think I'll try to go from about Sept. 5 to about Oct. 5. I do not plan on going 7 days per week again. I think I'll probably try to do something like Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun most weeks. I'd get to see my sweet hubby more and have a bit more of a life. But I like doing it so much, I like losing the water weight, I like feeling more flexible and less bloated, and I want all those benefits leading up to the Beijing marathon (you know, if they have it while I'm there.... argh).
Wed., 8-22, Class 28: Tom from Oregon again. Sausage-legs seem to be going away. But I kind of tried to take it easy tonight so that my legs are strong for the running this weekend. Short notes, I'm exhausted.
And that is it for my first month back to Bikram since the end of January. My month ends on Saturday, but I fly to Portland today and won't be back until Sunday, then it's a big week with my birthday and my best friend coming into town for 5 days. I will probably start back up after Labor Day.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Return to Bikram Yoga week 3
Here are recaps of weeks 1 and 2. Now on to week 3. Seems like time is flying by. It's hard to leave work early enough to attend class at 6:30 p.m. (and I feel like my work to do list is piling up as a result), but it's getting a little easier, mostly because I realize all that work will still be there tomorrow. I have a good routine now of eating basically two lunches at work (11ish and 3ish), then another snack around 4:30, then having quiche for dinner at home right after class -- and doing this challenge is a lot easier when the food part is covered without much thought.
Wed., 8-8, Class 15: Owner of the studio David was the instructor. I had him a lot back in the winter and he's great. He's been on vacation for the last few weeks. Several times I considered sitting out a posture, but I didn't. Didn't feel like the class was particularly good or bad. Found out that there will be no class next week Sunday, so maybe I'll wait until then to take the day off that I've been contemplating.
Thurs., 8-9, Class 16: Had the instructor that hubby had for his first class, Julie. She used to irritate me but seemed great tonight. I kept contemplating sitting out a posture but I didn't. I guess I came out of the very first triangle early. But she also gave me a tip on the other side of triangle in the first set -- to lock my straight leg. Something else to remember. I have officially spent 24 hours in yoga class now since I started this 30 day challenge. Wow. An entire day.
Fri., 8-10, Class 17: Managed to go to class at noon today. Instructor was Andrew, for my second class with him. He might be my favorite. He's so nice and his classes don't seem excessively hard, probably just because he's so nice. But class overall was so-so. If I had to summarize in one word, it would be burp. Ugh. I was glad there wasn't any food in me, or I would have feared the word would have been vomit. But that seemed to go away by the time we got to the ground, but then I had another problem: I could not stop thinking about and sipping my water (or putting ice in my mouth and sucking on it). Ugh. What a crutch. Very frustrating.
Sat., 8-11, Class 18: Instructor was Gina, whose accent I don't like on the word mirror, but class was good and she's a great instructor. Another person with a great attitude. And oh, it seems like we get to rest a long time between postures on the floor. Maybe it's because she is quiet a lot, that makes it seem so peaceful. As for me personally, decent progress in the standing balancing series, finally! And I managed to cease and desist on the water-drinking -- I finished my entire bottle, but actually had some ice left at the end of class. That's the huge bonus to using ice from home instead of ice from work -- bigger cubes at home last longer.
Sun., 8-12, Class 19: Instructor was Tom from Oregon, the one with the accent on "front mirror." I took it easy in class because I'd had an awesome long run that morning and I didn't want to overdo it on my legs, but I didn't sit out anything, I just didn't push hard. Progress observed on toe stand and seated head to knee stretching. So much progress I was smiling when I came out of the postures! One of the things I hate the most though is when my head is upside down and water runs (off my body or off my sports bra) into my nose. Then when I tip my head upright again, a huge stream of water runs out of my nose. Yuck. I ran out of water today at the very end of class but had ice left. Clearly I had the big ice cubes from home...
Mon., 8-13, Class 20: Instructor was Tom for Oregon again. And he must have been in a hurry. Seriously, not a breath between postures while we were standing it seemed. He really discourages drinking water other than at the 3 usual times, and somehow he was convincing enough that I went along with it until we got to camel, then I snuck an extra sip, and then again before the seated separate leg stretching, but in general, much less thirsty than the last week or so. But of course I went straight from work, so no ice left at the end of class to suck on -- tiny ice cubes at work, so it's all melted by the time we get to the floor series. I also felt much less distracted, and I did my best toe stands ever. Very exciting. And I managed to keep breathing while I was attempting toe stand. I think I had been holding my breath a bit in the first one, which made me feel a little dizzy before the second one. I'm trying to work on that. Anyway, there's still a lot of room to improve in toe stand (along with probably every other posture except maybe the breahing ones), but I'm really happy to feel like I've improved so much in just 20 days in that one.
Tues., 8-14, Class 21: Instructor was Tom from Oregon again and class did not get off to a great start for me. There was a LOT of traffic between my office and the yoga studio (about 4 miles apart), so I was running in later than I like and there were very few places left, it was a crowded class. I ended up about 4 rows back (our room has a total of 6 rows), which is outside my comfort zone. I really like row 3, and I can deal with row 2, but that's about it (oh, and as with church, I really only like to be on one particular side, I should let go of all that, I know). Anyway, I could barely see myself in the mirror, the woman in front of me had her feet in my face, the women on each side of me seemed to sit out about half the class. But class itself was good. Either because the room was more crowded or because of my position in the room or just because for some reason it was cooler, the class didn't feel as hot to me. I also did well with holding off on the water. I did an extra illegal chug before and after rabbit, but only because I had enough left to drink then! I notice that I have trouble pushing myself in the first set of the forehead-to-the-floor pose, and by the time we're in the second set and I'm ready to work hard, it's over. I need to get better about that. But overall, felt like most postures went well. And there was less counting what's left in my head or thinking about work or anything else. Best quote of the night (in sevasana (sp?)): "let go of your monkey mind, stop chasing it, relax."
And there you have it, 3 weeks of yoga done, attending every single day. 31.5 hours spent in class, plus about 20 hours spent driving to yoga, getting my mat laid down, waiting for class to start and then driving home. Who knows how much extra time spent on laundry, changing clothes to leave work, and showering. But I'm feeling pain-free in my running (not even any aches or twinges to mention), very healthy in terms of not sick, very healthy in terms of my eating (that whole yoga-every-night inhibits much else), very healthy in terms of my water consumption (but that was never an issue for me). I'm also maybe a tiny bit calmer and more patient. Maybe. And maybe I have a bit more good will toward others. I'm also down a few pounds total from the start, but I am braced for the return of those pounds when I break this routine. But what I saw on the scale this morning was a number I haven't seen regularly since fall of 2010 when I was trying to qualify for Boston, and then spring 2011 when I was training for Boston. That's kind of nice! I wasn't up a ton from there (those months and today are the bottom end of my usual 10 pound range; but since the post-Boston trip to Italy last spring, I've been riding in the middle of my 10 pound range, sometimes more around the top). Either way, a nice little bonus!
Wed., 8-8, Class 15: Owner of the studio David was the instructor. I had him a lot back in the winter and he's great. He's been on vacation for the last few weeks. Several times I considered sitting out a posture, but I didn't. Didn't feel like the class was particularly good or bad. Found out that there will be no class next week Sunday, so maybe I'll wait until then to take the day off that I've been contemplating.
Thurs., 8-9, Class 16: Had the instructor that hubby had for his first class, Julie. She used to irritate me but seemed great tonight. I kept contemplating sitting out a posture but I didn't. I guess I came out of the very first triangle early. But she also gave me a tip on the other side of triangle in the first set -- to lock my straight leg. Something else to remember. I have officially spent 24 hours in yoga class now since I started this 30 day challenge. Wow. An entire day.
Fri., 8-10, Class 17: Managed to go to class at noon today. Instructor was Andrew, for my second class with him. He might be my favorite. He's so nice and his classes don't seem excessively hard, probably just because he's so nice. But class overall was so-so. If I had to summarize in one word, it would be burp. Ugh. I was glad there wasn't any food in me, or I would have feared the word would have been vomit. But that seemed to go away by the time we got to the ground, but then I had another problem: I could not stop thinking about and sipping my water (or putting ice in my mouth and sucking on it). Ugh. What a crutch. Very frustrating.
Sat., 8-11, Class 18: Instructor was Gina, whose accent I don't like on the word mirror, but class was good and she's a great instructor. Another person with a great attitude. And oh, it seems like we get to rest a long time between postures on the floor. Maybe it's because she is quiet a lot, that makes it seem so peaceful. As for me personally, decent progress in the standing balancing series, finally! And I managed to cease and desist on the water-drinking -- I finished my entire bottle, but actually had some ice left at the end of class. That's the huge bonus to using ice from home instead of ice from work -- bigger cubes at home last longer.
Sun., 8-12, Class 19: Instructor was Tom from Oregon, the one with the accent on "front mirror." I took it easy in class because I'd had an awesome long run that morning and I didn't want to overdo it on my legs, but I didn't sit out anything, I just didn't push hard. Progress observed on toe stand and seated head to knee stretching. So much progress I was smiling when I came out of the postures! One of the things I hate the most though is when my head is upside down and water runs (off my body or off my sports bra) into my nose. Then when I tip my head upright again, a huge stream of water runs out of my nose. Yuck. I ran out of water today at the very end of class but had ice left. Clearly I had the big ice cubes from home...
Mon., 8-13, Class 20: Instructor was Tom for Oregon again. And he must have been in a hurry. Seriously, not a breath between postures while we were standing it seemed. He really discourages drinking water other than at the 3 usual times, and somehow he was convincing enough that I went along with it until we got to camel, then I snuck an extra sip, and then again before the seated separate leg stretching, but in general, much less thirsty than the last week or so. But of course I went straight from work, so no ice left at the end of class to suck on -- tiny ice cubes at work, so it's all melted by the time we get to the floor series. I also felt much less distracted, and I did my best toe stands ever. Very exciting. And I managed to keep breathing while I was attempting toe stand. I think I had been holding my breath a bit in the first one, which made me feel a little dizzy before the second one. I'm trying to work on that. Anyway, there's still a lot of room to improve in toe stand (along with probably every other posture except maybe the breahing ones), but I'm really happy to feel like I've improved so much in just 20 days in that one.
Tues., 8-14, Class 21: Instructor was Tom from Oregon again and class did not get off to a great start for me. There was a LOT of traffic between my office and the yoga studio (about 4 miles apart), so I was running in later than I like and there were very few places left, it was a crowded class. I ended up about 4 rows back (our room has a total of 6 rows), which is outside my comfort zone. I really like row 3, and I can deal with row 2, but that's about it (oh, and as with church, I really only like to be on one particular side, I should let go of all that, I know). Anyway, I could barely see myself in the mirror, the woman in front of me had her feet in my face, the women on each side of me seemed to sit out about half the class. But class itself was good. Either because the room was more crowded or because of my position in the room or just because for some reason it was cooler, the class didn't feel as hot to me. I also did well with holding off on the water. I did an extra illegal chug before and after rabbit, but only because I had enough left to drink then! I notice that I have trouble pushing myself in the first set of the forehead-to-the-floor pose, and by the time we're in the second set and I'm ready to work hard, it's over. I need to get better about that. But overall, felt like most postures went well. And there was less counting what's left in my head or thinking about work or anything else. Best quote of the night (in sevasana (sp?)): "let go of your monkey mind, stop chasing it, relax."
And there you have it, 3 weeks of yoga done, attending every single day. 31.5 hours spent in class, plus about 20 hours spent driving to yoga, getting my mat laid down, waiting for class to start and then driving home. Who knows how much extra time spent on laundry, changing clothes to leave work, and showering. But I'm feeling pain-free in my running (not even any aches or twinges to mention), very healthy in terms of not sick, very healthy in terms of my eating (that whole yoga-every-night inhibits much else), very healthy in terms of my water consumption (but that was never an issue for me). I'm also maybe a tiny bit calmer and more patient. Maybe. And maybe I have a bit more good will toward others. I'm also down a few pounds total from the start, but I am braced for the return of those pounds when I break this routine. But what I saw on the scale this morning was a number I haven't seen regularly since fall of 2010 when I was trying to qualify for Boston, and then spring 2011 when I was training for Boston. That's kind of nice! I wasn't up a ton from there (those months and today are the bottom end of my usual 10 pound range; but since the post-Boston trip to Italy last spring, I've been riding in the middle of my 10 pound range, sometimes more around the top). Either way, a nice little bonus!
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Return to Bikram Yoga week 2
Meant to post this Tuesday night but somehow forgot.
By way of background, I did a month of Bikram in November, attending class most days, then I did a 30 day challenge in January -- going to class every day for 30 days except one (and then doubling up another day). Then I took a complete break. I started doing another kind of "lightly heated" yoga (85 degrees I think?) in April and did about 15-20 of those classes (only an hour long each). Then last week Wednesday, I started another 30 day challenge at Bikram. I'm keeping notes so I'll have the record. Week 1 was recapped here, and here is week 2.
Wed., 8-1, Class 8: An instructor that I remember having a couple times in January, Christina. At least she says the word "mirror" the way I like it (which is to say she pronounces it normally, which I cannot say about instructors Tom and Gina). But she gives very little rest between postures. First and second set are separated by about 2 breaths. But I'm not super sore, and I actually drank less water during class. By the time we were done, I had about 1/3 of my bottle to chug before laying down for the final minute or two. Balancing series went well, I'm feeling real progress. Also, new friend. On Monday I think I noticed a guy that used to go to boot camp with us was in class. I haven't seen him in ages -- he's rarely on FB and he was dating someone at boot camp, I think when they broke up, they both stopped coming. Anyway, he was there again tonight. We said hi and chatted for a few mins before class. And it turned out he knew the guy who was sitting on the bench next to me too. As our mutual friend went to set up, he and I talked, first about how we knew him (he was a college friend to that guy), and then about yoga. The two of them signed up together for something different, and have been going about 3 weeks. Also, tonight was lesson 7,657 in "don't judge a book by its cover." There were a few people around me who didn't look like typical yogi (yogis?), but during the postures I was so impressed at how strong they were -- good examples for me, particularly since I don't think I look like a yogi...
Thurs., 8-2, Class 9: another class with the only instructor I had regularly in Nov/Jan and seem to have fairly regularly again, Caroline. Classes seem to be going much more quickly. It's like we're almost done before I know it. A little intimidating b/c I got moved to row 2 (it was getting crowded and we all had to move up to make room at the back), and almost directly behind me was my instructor from Monday, Tom -- ugh. It makes me worry that he saw all the stuff I do wrong and he'll call me out on it next time he's my instructor. I was also maybe a little more off balance, but I definitely am seeing progress. Forehead getting closer to floor, milliseconds in toe stand...
Fri., 8-3, Class 10: New to me instructor, Andrew, and I liked him. Class was unremarkable, but for the most part I felt like I was still making progress. I went in the morning (9:30), so only about 14 hours after my last class.
Sat., 8-4, Class 11: Least flexible class yet? Delayed onset of sweat -- again -- because the class was less than 2 hours after I finished a run. My run was short (only 2 miles) but fast because it was part of a relay. Overall, the class was just brutal. An instructor that I think I had once or twice back in my prior yoga life. Oh, I should note, in all fairness, that I drank a lot last night. We had a couple friends over for dinner... Felt like I couldn't balance on one foot to save my life. Honestly, when I think about it, not sure how I even walked since that involves fractions of a second with weight only on one foot. Based on my performance in this class, it seems like that might be a struggle for me.
Sun., 8-5, Class 12: I struggled again. The oldest instructor we've ever had I think (based solely on looking at her neck, eyes, and hair), and perhaps one of the best. She was friendly, encouraging, and helpful. Felt significantly larger than usual (bloated?) and very inflexible. Perhaps it was because it was only a couple hours after I finished my crappiest long run of this training season? Or perhaps it was all the cheesecake I ate this weekend? Not flexible, hot, uncomfortable, ready to be done.
Mon., 8-6, Class 13: Christina was the instructor again, and again, very little rest between sets while standing (barely enough for one breath in and one out), but a bit too long on the floor series (she starts talking and we just lay there). Class was better I think, but for maybe only the third or so time ever, I left the room during class. That's highly discouraged, but when we moved to the floor, I could tell I didn't have enough water to make it through class. So when we rolled to our bellies, I stepped out and refilled my bottle. So I skipped one half of cobra. But otherwise it seemed to be okay. It felt oppressively hot, and I was fidgety, but I survived.
Tues., 8-7, Class 14: Christina again as the instructor. It's funny because our classes are usually about 20% male, but I feel like 50% of her comments are toward men. Maybe that's because with fewer guys, it's easier to learn their names? But tonight, two specific comments directly to me -- before then I didn't even know she knew my name. One compliment and one suggestion. I need to learn the names of the postures, but in awkward pose, where you go up on your toes and then squat down with your arms extended, she specifically called me out as doing a good job. Then in seated fixed firm (which just seems impossible to me -- my legs are sufficiently tight that if my feet are touching my hips, there is no way my butt will be resting on the ground), she noted that my feet were curved in too much. I'm definitely pigeon-toed but the only places I see it are in my running photos and in yoga. Anyway, I will work on implementing her straighter feet suggestion tomorrow. But best part about this class was that I felt better -- finally! And I noticed massive improvements again in two postures (toe stand, probably best of my yoga life, and in the standing one where you reach your forehead toward the floor between your feet -- closest I have gotten this month, still have a ways to go, but definite progress).
Also, just to document officially, the order in which Bikram yoga is seen in my body: abs, thighs, arms.
And this week 2, particularly the last few days, are when I've finally gotten my nutrition in a lock. I have figured out what and when to eat during the day so I'm not starving in class -- my solution is basically to eat two separate lunches (one around 11, one around 3) and then some fruit right around 4:30 which is basically as late as I can eat without feeling like it's coming back up in half-tortoise. And almost equally as wonderful in my book, I have figured out a post-class dinner -- quiche again (a little frustrating that it took me this long to figure it out, I think I came to this revelation back in January also, and then promptly forgot about it). I made a quiche on Sunday (broccoli portobello) and it is the absolute perfect dinner after class. Ideally, I'd add a small side salad, but that seems to be just too much effort. So a big piece of quiche, and then for the last few days, followed by a big piece of cheesecake (leftovers from dinner party on Friday, finally gone now). But that seemed to be sufficiently quick and give me enough calories that I wasn't so hungry. Score for finally getting it down!
Massive progress I'd say for this week in general, and also shocking impact from a single night of unhealthy food and too much alcohol. And I no longer feel like I'm in desperate need of a day off from yoga. A chance I'll take one day off in the next week, but nothing concrete planned.
By way of background, I did a month of Bikram in November, attending class most days, then I did a 30 day challenge in January -- going to class every day for 30 days except one (and then doubling up another day). Then I took a complete break. I started doing another kind of "lightly heated" yoga (85 degrees I think?) in April and did about 15-20 of those classes (only an hour long each). Then last week Wednesday, I started another 30 day challenge at Bikram. I'm keeping notes so I'll have the record. Week 1 was recapped here, and here is week 2.
Wed., 8-1, Class 8: An instructor that I remember having a couple times in January, Christina. At least she says the word "mirror" the way I like it (which is to say she pronounces it normally, which I cannot say about instructors Tom and Gina). But she gives very little rest between postures. First and second set are separated by about 2 breaths. But I'm not super sore, and I actually drank less water during class. By the time we were done, I had about 1/3 of my bottle to chug before laying down for the final minute or two. Balancing series went well, I'm feeling real progress. Also, new friend. On Monday I think I noticed a guy that used to go to boot camp with us was in class. I haven't seen him in ages -- he's rarely on FB and he was dating someone at boot camp, I think when they broke up, they both stopped coming. Anyway, he was there again tonight. We said hi and chatted for a few mins before class. And it turned out he knew the guy who was sitting on the bench next to me too. As our mutual friend went to set up, he and I talked, first about how we knew him (he was a college friend to that guy), and then about yoga. The two of them signed up together for something different, and have been going about 3 weeks. Also, tonight was lesson 7,657 in "don't judge a book by its cover." There were a few people around me who didn't look like typical yogi (yogis?), but during the postures I was so impressed at how strong they were -- good examples for me, particularly since I don't think I look like a yogi...
Thurs., 8-2, Class 9: another class with the only instructor I had regularly in Nov/Jan and seem to have fairly regularly again, Caroline. Classes seem to be going much more quickly. It's like we're almost done before I know it. A little intimidating b/c I got moved to row 2 (it was getting crowded and we all had to move up to make room at the back), and almost directly behind me was my instructor from Monday, Tom -- ugh. It makes me worry that he saw all the stuff I do wrong and he'll call me out on it next time he's my instructor. I was also maybe a little more off balance, but I definitely am seeing progress. Forehead getting closer to floor, milliseconds in toe stand...
Fri., 8-3, Class 10: New to me instructor, Andrew, and I liked him. Class was unremarkable, but for the most part I felt like I was still making progress. I went in the morning (9:30), so only about 14 hours after my last class.
Sat., 8-4, Class 11: Least flexible class yet? Delayed onset of sweat -- again -- because the class was less than 2 hours after I finished a run. My run was short (only 2 miles) but fast because it was part of a relay. Overall, the class was just brutal. An instructor that I think I had once or twice back in my prior yoga life. Oh, I should note, in all fairness, that I drank a lot last night. We had a couple friends over for dinner... Felt like I couldn't balance on one foot to save my life. Honestly, when I think about it, not sure how I even walked since that involves fractions of a second with weight only on one foot. Based on my performance in this class, it seems like that might be a struggle for me.
Sun., 8-5, Class 12: I struggled again. The oldest instructor we've ever had I think (based solely on looking at her neck, eyes, and hair), and perhaps one of the best. She was friendly, encouraging, and helpful. Felt significantly larger than usual (bloated?) and very inflexible. Perhaps it was because it was only a couple hours after I finished my crappiest long run of this training season? Or perhaps it was all the cheesecake I ate this weekend? Not flexible, hot, uncomfortable, ready to be done.
Mon., 8-6, Class 13: Christina was the instructor again, and again, very little rest between sets while standing (barely enough for one breath in and one out), but a bit too long on the floor series (she starts talking and we just lay there). Class was better I think, but for maybe only the third or so time ever, I left the room during class. That's highly discouraged, but when we moved to the floor, I could tell I didn't have enough water to make it through class. So when we rolled to our bellies, I stepped out and refilled my bottle. So I skipped one half of cobra. But otherwise it seemed to be okay. It felt oppressively hot, and I was fidgety, but I survived.
Tues., 8-7, Class 14: Christina again as the instructor. It's funny because our classes are usually about 20% male, but I feel like 50% of her comments are toward men. Maybe that's because with fewer guys, it's easier to learn their names? But tonight, two specific comments directly to me -- before then I didn't even know she knew my name. One compliment and one suggestion. I need to learn the names of the postures, but in awkward pose, where you go up on your toes and then squat down with your arms extended, she specifically called me out as doing a good job. Then in seated fixed firm (which just seems impossible to me -- my legs are sufficiently tight that if my feet are touching my hips, there is no way my butt will be resting on the ground), she noted that my feet were curved in too much. I'm definitely pigeon-toed but the only places I see it are in my running photos and in yoga. Anyway, I will work on implementing her straighter feet suggestion tomorrow. But best part about this class was that I felt better -- finally! And I noticed massive improvements again in two postures (toe stand, probably best of my yoga life, and in the standing one where you reach your forehead toward the floor between your feet -- closest I have gotten this month, still have a ways to go, but definite progress).
Also, just to document officially, the order in which Bikram yoga is seen in my body: abs, thighs, arms.
And this week 2, particularly the last few days, are when I've finally gotten my nutrition in a lock. I have figured out what and when to eat during the day so I'm not starving in class -- my solution is basically to eat two separate lunches (one around 11, one around 3) and then some fruit right around 4:30 which is basically as late as I can eat without feeling like it's coming back up in half-tortoise. And almost equally as wonderful in my book, I have figured out a post-class dinner -- quiche again (a little frustrating that it took me this long to figure it out, I think I came to this revelation back in January also, and then promptly forgot about it). I made a quiche on Sunday (broccoli portobello) and it is the absolute perfect dinner after class. Ideally, I'd add a small side salad, but that seems to be just too much effort. So a big piece of quiche, and then for the last few days, followed by a big piece of cheesecake (leftovers from dinner party on Friday, finally gone now). But that seemed to be sufficiently quick and give me enough calories that I wasn't so hungry. Score for finally getting it down!
Massive progress I'd say for this week in general, and also shocking impact from a single night of unhealthy food and too much alcohol. And I no longer feel like I'm in desperate need of a day off from yoga. A chance I'll take one day off in the next week, but nothing concrete planned.
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