Me + Yoga= Calm

Good evening everyone! I hope that you are having a wonderful start to the week. Can you believe that it is almost the end of January already?! It's like I blinked and now it's almost February. Which means we are that much closer to the wedding :-)

Yesterday marked my return to a full week actually in the office. That hasn't happened since before the holidays, with all of the traveling I've been doing! I headed to the gym after work to trod out four miles on the track. I've decided that I really hate the track, although I don't hate it as much as the treadmill. I had big plans to wake up early yesterday and complete my run outdoors, but the rain got in the way of that. I love running in the rain, but only when it's 60 degrees out. 35 degree rain + 6:30 in the morning = turning off the alarm and going back to sleep! I'm all about equations in this post.

Four miles at the track at my gym equals 36 laps. To try to distract myself from the fact that I was running in so many circles as to make myself dizzy, I usually count the laps until the 9th one (1 mile) and then start over. Yesterday I was not feeling that. I was having some stomach issues so I used the restroom after a mile and came back with a new strategy. Count down from 27- each lap is a lap closer to the finish! Right? RIGHT! Ugh, I so could not psych myself up. I slogged it out but it was not pretty. How do you distract yourself during treadmill/indoor track runs? Sometimes I evaluate people's strides, but even that gets old.

After the run I completed 50 pushups and did some core work. I was tired after that! I added the mileage to my monthly running log and I am at over 41 miles for the month! If I keep up my scheduled runs (which I will, obvi) I will have run over 50! That is huge for me. I really feel like a runner. If you are a runner, how many miles do you typically accumulate each month?

Work was pretty relaxed today, aside from some moth infestation (under control) and skunk spraying in parking lot (which I'm glad I wasn't around for!) Today I finally made it to my Vinyasa flow yoga class at the studio I go to. I haven't been since before Christmas, since the class falls on a Tuesday and I had been on the road for the past few weeks. I had been doing yoga all by my lonesome and, while I love yoga download's workouts, sometimes you just need to get into the studio!

Today's practice focused mainly on leg strength and stretching. I could tell that it had been a while since my last studio class; my legs were screaming! I definitely worked up a sweat. The instructor had us in warrior poses, yogic squats, prayer pose and the like. She also incorporated one of my favorite poses, the triangle pose: Source

I really really love this pose. It is a top contender for my favorite. What I love about it is the amazing stretch that you feel in your legs couple with the intense opening on your side/rib cage. What is your favorite pose?

I practice yoga for many reasons, although I am by no means a yogi (yet!) I love how flexible it has made me. I can also feel the balance it gives me- it presents a nice congruity to my weekly running. Most importantly, though, is the calmness that I feel both during and after. Even if you are one that cannot shut off your mind, yoga forces you to focus on the pose, focus on your breathing, focus on yourself. Do you practice yoga? If so, what is the main reason you practice for? If not, why don't you?

Speaking of yoga, the fabulous Shannon at The Daily Balance is hosting an amazing giveaway for a yoga mat sling. Sign me up please! She is hosting a yoga week on her blog; stop by and check it out!


I'm about to settle in with a red blend and some magazines (ahhh, bliss). Have a great night!