Keeping up with my running during yoga weekends has kept me
challenged and creative this spring. Over the years I have slowly grown my running mileage from
running a mile 2-3 times a week when I started, eventually creeping up to 5
miles a week, and even more slowly making my way to 10. I had just given my distance another
nudge last summer from 10 to 12 and I was often managing 15 when we were on
vacation in Maui, because it is such a beautiful place to run. So when I started yoga teacher training
I knew that I would be adding more physical demands to my already challenging
expectations, so I decided to dial back my mileage, aiming for 10-12 miles per
week during the non-teacher training weeks (I would still be taking extra yoga
classes in between and teaching) seemed manageable. Then giving my self the option to drop to 8-10 miles on a
week where I’ve had a yoga weekend (which involve many physical practices in
addition to our studies) seemed only fair.
However, listening to my body is hard for me. Over the last four days I’ve logged 8
running miles, walked nearly 5 miles, and completed almost 300 minutes of
yoga. That is a lot! So when I
feel the need to take naps or go to bed at 8pm, I know that my body is asking
for assistance to manage all I am asking of it. I don’t mention my training to brag or boast. I am proud of my commitment to fitness
because it is a hard won victory for me.
While I danced moderately growing up, I never played sports, my time on
the track team in high school was very short lived, and I mostly did aerobics
and dance because I knew I needed to do something physical to be healthy but I
was always much happier dreaming and imagining in my head rather than laboring
in my body. My mind did not like
to work out most of my life. So
that was a shift.
It’s not all rippling muscles and rainbows. Most of the time all of this exercise
makes me tired, hungry, and sore.
I try to get plenty of sleep, healthy food, and creative methods for
soaking, rubbing and treating my achy muscles but there is work to do, a house
to clean, a garden to tend, friends and family visit basically there is life to
live. Making time to give your body all it needs for optimal healthy is not
easy. It is a commitment.
Seeing my running practice thrive in light of the strength
and flexibility I gain though yoga is thrilling. Knowing that my yoga is strengthened by the cardiovascular
fitness I gain through running is reassuring, as I see my growth and
development in yoga, I know I still have a long way to go but I have a lifetime
to get there and if not “there” closer.
Here are some highlights from the last four days. On Friday night my mom and I had a
lovely meal at Bardot before going to see the dance concert at Scripps that
Greg has been working so hard at behind the scenes all week. Aren’t these beautiful salads?
I went on a nature run after yoga training on Saturday. While I love being in the studio all
day, I miss the outdoors. Just over a mile round trip, but it was
more about being outside than mileage that evening. I had just enough time
before dinner to cruise around the school of Theology in my running shoes and
catch sight of this beautiful sunset.
I have done lots of this the last two days to get my body
feeling back to normal. (And lots
of Deep Blue Rub, and lots of Epsom salts baths, and lots of sleep!)
No comments:
Post a Comment