My Love/Hate Relationship with Yoga

I can never seem to stay motivated enough to stick with a yoga program and I'm not sure why.

Obviously, it is one of the best things that a runner can do for herself...especially a runner like me who can't even touch her toes (and this has nothing to do with pregnancy...I have always been this way). I am always amazed at how at the beginning of my yoga workout I can't even sit comfortably in the crossed leg position, but by the end this is more than comfortable for me.

This is why I haven't taken any yoga classes. In Cincinnati it was different. There were people of all different skill levels in these classes, and while it was embarassing to be the least flexible person in the class, I could totally deal with it. Here, people are SERIOUS about yoga. I guess they would have to be, because the classes are so expensive. There is also a very unhealthy standard of being ridiculously thin here, and the yoga classes are even worse (so I've heard from all of my friends and co-workers who have taken these classes.)

I KNOW this will help me with my running. I WANT to be a crazy yoga-girl who wears cute outfits and can put my leg up against the side of my head (or really, even just touch my toes) and eats insanely healthy and feels connected with the earth and her body (btw, I loved that article in Runner's World last month about the Zen running camp in Shambhala. I want to go there.)

So I try. And I quit.

I've tried several Yoga videos including Crunch Candlelight Yoga which weirds me out because the girl reminds me so much of Sarah Silverman and she says weird things in a calming voice like "close your eyes...there's nothing to see on your tv screen." I've also tried the MTV Yoga video with Kristin McGee...but she is VERY annoying and doesn't come off and being very athletic OR bright. So maybe that is part of the problem.

My mom gave me this new DVD called Prenatal Yoga with Desi Bartlett. I like it so much that I've already done the workout twice this week.

I've been trying to stay away from prenatal workout videos because I feel like they may be too easy for me (since I have been in good shape for awhile and I feel like most of those are geared towards women who don't work out at all). But this one is great (probably because I am totally a beginner in Yoga and can't do half of the moves). It is 45 minutes long, which is just long enough for me to not get bored, but long enough that I feel like I'm getting a workout.

It also REALLY stretches me out in a way that feels really good. I'm sure that this has something to do with the fact that it's geared towards a very specific segment, but I'll take it! It was a perfect thing to do the day after my half marathon when I was still a little achy in my muscles.

And every night that I do the video? I sleep through the ENTIRE night...like a ROCK!

So I'm crossing my fingers that I can keep up this yoga thing for longer than a month (which is usually my breaking point).

Yoga

Last night was a yoga night for me. I kept thinking that this was probably a good thing since I did hills the night before and probably could use the extra stretching.

The problem was that I was pretty much not into it. So I wasn't pushing myself on my stretches. I mean, it was really bad. Like when the girl on the DVD was like "look at Kristen if you can't go all the way into the stretch" I looked at what Kristen was doing, decided that I couldn't even do that, and then just held a resting position like Downward Facing Dog. Therefore I'm pretty sure I got almost nothing out of the workout. (Although I slacked through the entire workout I did partake in the relaxing stretches at the end and deep breathing where you just lay on the floor all the way. I guess I am sort of like Chicken LIttle's friends who ate the bread but didn't do any of the work.)

I also decided that it was time for me to get new running shoes. So after mulling over what to do about that a million times and getting opinions from both Bill and my mentor, Gina, I decided to get the same kind: the Adidas Supernova Cushion. Here was the reasoning: basically, I used to have some knee problems until I got them. I need a more cushioned shoe since I am a mid striker. I went in twice for a fitting at Roncker's (where they put you on the treadmill, look at your shoes and how they have worn, make you walk around a gajillion times, look at your feet and how you stand, etc). At my fitting they put me in the same shoe twice. So I'm guessing the odds are pretty good that I should be in that shoe. Plus, (as Gina so kindly pointed out) we are into some heavy duty mileage. So switching shoes could actually result in injury. Besides, Runner's World always ranks that shoe really high in their yearly analysis of shoes.

So, tomorrow I am going to head over to JackRabbit to pick up a new pair. I hope they have the pink ones in stock!

Also: I think I found out why Ramon makes US run crazy workouts...he is crazy himself. He just completed the Vermont 100 last weekend (that's 100 MILES!). Now that is hard core. Anyway, there was a nice little writeup about him on Inside Nike Running here if you'd like to check it out.

Slacker has a New Meaning

So, as I was getting ready this morning I was feeling like I kind of slacked on my workout last night.

Last night I was planning on doing my yoga tape and some weight training. But I mixed up my schedule and ate dinner before working out. This basically made me pretty unmotivated to work out. Not to mention that I had sort of a heavy dinner (sirloin, asparagus and a glass of red wine). So I decided to do the Crunch Yoga tape rather than the MTV Yoga tape. I knew that the Crunch one was about 15 minutes less than the other one. I also decided NOT to do weights. I also realized how much easier the Crunch video is about 5 minutes into the workout. So I was feeling kind of guilty about that. But I also figured it was probably good to mix it up.

It is surprising to me how relaxing yoga is. I know that it is supposed to be, and that's sort of what it is known for, but yoga has NEVER been relaxing for me. It has always been much more of a chore. I dreaded doing it even though I knew it was good for me. Now, I sort of look forward to it. And I am really concentrating on my breathing. I don't know if that will help me at all in my running, but it does make me feel great.

So, this morning after I felt like I slacked, I immediately realized afterwards that NORMALLY "slacking" for me means not even doing a workout. Or going a couple of days without doing a workout. So then I was like "good for me." :)

I also started reading this book that I have had for awhile. It is called "The Body Sculpting Bible for Women". I got it a couple of years ago, but have really only used to see how to do the weight exercises inside. I decided that I probably SHOULD read it, because it talks about proper nutrition and all of that stuff too. Unfortunately, the whole thing is sort of written like an infomercial EVEN THOUGH the whole first chapter talks about how infomercials lead you in the wrong direction. I mean, the content is great. But the TONE is like an infomercial.

Being an avid reader it really annoys me when the tone of a book is off. (Like the Da Vinci Code...good substance but I HATED the way it was written, so I ended up hating the book). So I don't know if I am going to finish the book or just use it for the weight training exercises, like I have done in the past.

Anyway. Tonight is a ten minute workout and 3 lower loops of Central Park (approximately 1.7 miles each). Each loop is supposed to get progressively faster by 30-40 seconds. I hope the rain holds off :)

Namaste

So, I've ALWAYS had an issue with flexibility and tightness. I was reminded of this again when Bill and I decided to do Yoga tonight. It snowed and then icy rained and then rained which kind of derailed our running plans. Besides, I know I should be stretching...and since my hamstrings have been pretty tight since my Sunday run, I figured that yoga certainly wouldn't hurt.

But every time I do yoga I am embarrassed by my inflexibility. Sitting straight up with my legs in front of me I can only reach right below my knees. :(

And I AM one of the only people that I know that can't relax my muscles. (Seriously, my physical therapist had me lie on my side as he held my leg up and told me to relax...5 times. My response? "I AM relaxing!"

So maybe it was a good thing that my run got snowed out. It woke me up to the fact that I do indeed need to include stretching and flexibility exercises as part of my training regimen. And it did relax me quite a bit, even if it was only that I was laughing at the girl on the DVD or at my dog licking my face as I was trying out downward facing dog. :)