Stick to the plan

I ran last night on a full stomach. Did I ever tell you that it's a bad idea? Remember when your mom would tell you not to go swimming until you'd waited one half hour after eating? Well, if you ate a big sandwich and french fries, add about three hours to that. But I had to stick to my plan. I'm in the last three weeks of training and when I made up my running plan on Sunday night (it's a ritual) by consulting my book and coach, I knew I had to run one half hour last night. After spending all afternoon on the golf course ( it was part of my birthday celebration!) I couldn't fit the run into the day's schedule until the evening. But I did it. It wasn't pretty but I was glad I did.

Sometimes sticking to the schedule for whatever you're training for feels like you're just going through the motions. But really you're training yourself to push through resistance and persist, despite challenges along the way. This is great training for the mind as well as the body.

Be well, eat light and have a great day.

Change your running frequency for better performance

I used to think that running every day was the only way to go. I'd be proud that I was running daily, especially in those warm summer months. My yoga practice used to also be an every day thing as well, especially when I was a newer student and was so excited to have found such an amazing practice.

As I got older, I got wiser. I realized that running every day ( or any athletic endeavor) can actually be damaging to your body. Certainly something that's as high impact as running can, over time, lead to joint and muscular issues. Now, I know there are those out there reading this who run every day. And I know there are yoga teachers that practice and preach to students to practice every day. I'm just saying I have found this does not work for me. Mentally or physically. I'd much rather have a more moderate schedule and really give it my all when I practice or run.

I'm more focused on running now than my yoga practice so we'll focus on that. My "every other day" running has even occasionally dropped to every two days during some weeks ( rest Sunday, Monday then run on Tuesday). I have found this to be particularly effective as I've increased my distances and have needed to give my body a rest in between long workouts.

This schedule is supported by one of my marathon resources, the book, "Four Months to a Four hour marathon." I've been following the training plan in this book for the past several months and like that it gives me license to take two days off. I've found this to be a great way to rest, fit in some cross training on my "no running" days and give my mind a mental break too.

Yesterday I ran 16 miles in about 2 1/2 hours. A little over nine minute miles. Ok, so I'm not going to make the Olympic team but I could hit my four hour mark if I can hold a nine minute per mile pace.

Be well.

Be comfortable with change

When I was growing up , I loved changing my room around. I'd spend hours organizing, rearranging furniture and then relished sitting in my new room, with a fresh perspective on how the same furniture looked and how organized everything was.

I recently did the same thing in my current living space, after having not made any changes for the six years that I've lived there. There was the fresh perspective provided by someone near and dear to my heart and while my first instinct was to try to hold on to the way I had things arranged, once I opened my mind to new possibilities, I ended up loving the way the new arrangement looks.

I now feel like I have a new living room. I love sitting in it, love watching TV and relaxing in my new space. I thought of this last night as I was on a quick 5 mile tempo run. Being open to new possibilities and ways of thinking is the only way. Life is constantly changing and when we can't learn to be comfortable with change, we only pigeon-hole ourselves into our way and cut ourselves off from other ideas.

Training can be like that as well. We all have our training routines, be it a yoga practice or a favorite run we do...a favorite sneaker we wear or even placing our yoga mat in the same spot every time we go to class. I am one of those students; I like the regularity of being in the same spot in the studio. But I really try when I go to class to move to another place. If for no other reason than to remind myself that things are not stable, that being comfortable with change is so important to living a healthy, happy life.

The next time you're in your own living space, take a look and see if there's a new way you can shift some of the furniture. You'd be surprised at the impact it has.

Peace.

Boom! 20 miles

Gettin' it done. 20 miles today. I'm sore and tired but overall, not too bad. Did it in 3.5 hours. I'm on track for a four hour marathon. Very good.

That's all for now.

Be well.

The elasticity of growth

Have you ever stretched a rubber band a few times and noticed that when it returned to it's resting position, it was more stretched than when you started? Anyone that has a regular yoga practice knows that over time, your body finds a new threshold, a new starting point from which you approach every pose. In the first few months, you find that postures are tough but over time, just like that rubber band, you set a new baseline for your body.

I ran 8 1/2 miles tonight. It was on a familiar path but one I had not run in a few weeks. I distinctly remember the last time I ran it and it was not all that pleasant. But tonight, I was flying. Why? I am convinced it's because I have added longer distances to my weekly schedule. My 12 and 16 mile runs over the past month have helped me set a new baseline. Because I have pushed myself to run farther than I previously thought possible ( an experience that was not all too pleasant the first time) I found that when I returned to a distance that was previously challenging, it was not so challenging anymore.

Putting ourselves in position of challenge and risk takes nothing short of courage, commitment and a lot of true grit. It doesn't mean we'll win the race every time but I'm convinced it means we set a new threshold for ourselves and what we believe we're able to do. If we never push ourselves outside our comfort zone, we'll never know what we're truly capable of.

There are three more long runs left for me over the next four weeks. Who knows the outcome of the actual race on marathon Sunday? Not me. But honestly, I don't care what the clock says. I know that if I keep the faith and the commitment, that I will be more elastic at the finish than I was when I started. And that's why I'm running this race.

Peace.

Show your true colors

I can remember when I was a newer yoga teacher, I was always very aware of what I said, ate, drank and how I acted in front of my students. Coming in and out of the studio, before and after class, running into them on the street, I'd see them and instantly switch into "teacher mode." To them, it might not have been apparent but to me it was. If I had a Starbucks cup, I wanted to be sure they knew it was tea that I was drinking ( who cares if a yoga teacher drinks coffee?) If I saw them out at a local restaurant or bar, I was aware of how I was acting with my friends. If I saw them before class, I was very conscious of my word choice and topics of discussion.

It was exhausting! Eventually, as I got more comfortable and experienced as a teacher, I cared less and less about creating a line of demarcation between "me" and the teacher part of me. I realized that they were one in the same and to be anything less was a disservice to my students as well as myself. How refreshing it was to not feel like I had to flip from one way of being to another whenever I walked into the studio.

Relationships can be like this as well. Do you have a way you are with certain people you are close to, but underneath, you're not really being true to yourself? Do you realize how harmful that can be, especially over time, to not only your relationship with this person but with yourself? A real, honest, true relationship expects that both people will show up and be true and honest. And that means revealing all that there is about themselves.. the good, the bad and the ugly. Marianne Williamson writes about this in her wonderful book called, "Return to Love" and the essence of what she says is that when one person shows up fully for a relationship, they only encourage the other person to do the same. Keep in mind, you may be thinking about this in the context of a romantic relationship but it works for all things: your relationship with your family, your friends, your office mates, your job.

So what does any of this have to do with yoga or running? Being true to yourself and having the strength to show your true colors is the foundation of self-esteem and a positive self-image. When you have those two things, you have personal power. And when you have that, you have the strength to do anything: run a marathon, tackle a tough pose, have that difficult conversation, be yourself without any apologies, share your deepest thoughts and fears with someone you love without fear of rejection. These things all make us stronger and that strength carries us through the challenges in our lives.

Monday night was a fast tempo 5 miler. Last night, rest night. Tonight, 7 miles. This weekend, 20 miles. We are right on track for October 19th, my friends!

Love and peace.

"Do your best and let your best be good enough"

Many times in our lives we think about the outcome as determining the quality of the effort. If the goal is a race, we think to win the race will determine the quality of effort. If the goal is to have a solid yoga practice or to perform a particular pose in a certain way, we strive for that end and cringe at anything less. How sad it is to have such a mindset. It only ties us down and boxes us in. If we can enjoy the process and do our best, leave nothing behind, go down swinging (add in the metaphor of your choice) we realize that all we can do is our best, and at the end of the day, that speaks for itself. One of my favorite yoga teachers used to say, " Do your best and let your best be good enough." It was such a beautiful sentiment for a culture so focused on the end game.

Many times in our lives we try to reach a goal and we are so connected to a particular outcome that we cut ourselves off from accessing our true power. Our power lies not in winning or succeeding but in putting ourselves in situations where we're pushed to our limits, where we're out on a limb, where we're asked to perform outside our comfort zone. And in that lies all the reward and goal that anyone could ask for. Think of people in your life who you admire; people who inspire you. I'll bet its not so much for what they have achieved on paper but what they have strived for in life. And many times, it's in not reaching a goal--- "failure" if you will-- that we gain the biggest rewards. Failure is a word laden with all sorts of connotations and perceptions but to try and fail is better than to have never tried at all.

One of my other teachers used to say, " The prize is in the process." We know this as kids, when we do things just for the sake of doing them, of loving them, for having fun. It's as we age and as we desire for things that all of a sudden there's a shift from doing things out of pure joy to doing them to achieve a certain result. Buddism talks about non-attachment to results and it's one of the hardest things as adults to re-learn. We're born with that mind-set but slowly we shift to one of attachment and it plays itself out in our jobs, our relationships and our athletic endeavors. It's common sense to relax before that big play, that big putt, that big race. But how many times do we put pressure on ourselves and end up choking? It's only after that we're kicking ourselves and wishing we'd had just relaxed, taken a big breath and realized that we're already a winner just for putting ourselves in the position to 'fail.'

My goal for this marathon is to finish and to finish healthy. To know that I put the time in and regardless of what the clock says, to know that I was able to get it done. Yesterday was my longest run yet- 16 miles- so I'm right on track. Two more long runs and then it's a taper schedule.

Peace and Love.

Do you believe in miracles?

Sometimes you may feel like it will take a miracle to get you to succeed in your sport. I can honestly say that my ideas about running this marathon, while they may not require something as strong as a miracle, come pretty darn close. I know of other athletic endeavors that make my possible achievement pale in comparison. For some of us, just getting to practice yoga, or run or do whatever it is you love to do regularly, is a miracle. It's just so hard today to find the time, make the time, have the discipline.

If you're feeling a bit uninspired or looking for a way to jump start the journey towards your goal, or maybe you're on the eve of that big event and you need to watch something that will feed your soul. Watch Disney's "Miracle." Its the story of the Olympic Hockey team that beat the Soviet team and went on to win the gold medal. It is one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. It will make you laugh and cry at the same time as making you feel like you can't wait to get moving.

Peace.

Never underestimate the power of ice

Ran hard last night. Love those Newton running shoes. Decided my running gear worn last night will be worn at the marathon and made an executive decision that I'll wear the Newtons.

Came home and iced the leg. It feels good today. Just goes to show you: never underestimate the power of icing a sore body part. It's basic but it works.

Is IT in you?

Next to the Nike "Just do it" slogan, one of my other favorites is Gatorade's "Is IT in you?" It speaks to what you're made of, what's at your core, who you are. Athletes can relate to this, that feeling of having your sport in your bones.

I found myself thinking that as I went for a run yesterday. I was at my guy's house and turns out, he lives about 6 miles from me. It's the perfect distance to run. I run to my house; he drives. We see who gets there first ( he gives me a head start and so far, he's not been home but a few minutes and I'm there!) Sounds crazy, maybe, but when "it's in you," you'll do what it takes to get your run in. And along with being a yoga teacher, I'm a runner.

When I taught yoga full time, I had no trouble saying I was a yoga teacher. When people asked me what I did for a living, I said it with confidence. Now, this was after years of working in the corporate sector and believe me, at one point, I thought that was my life. Needless to say, things change. But then when finances and practical matters required that I return to work and drop my teaching schedule to part-time, I found myself struggling when people asked me what I did for a living. I stammered on about teaching, then returning to work but teaching part-time and it all sounded very complicated. But then I realized, at the heart of it, I am a yoga teacher, just like I'm a runner and the rest is just details.

So now, when people ask, I say with confidence, "I'm a yoga teacher" and I figure eventually, they'll pick up the rest of the story.

So, who are you? What's at your core? Are you feeding your passion? You'd better figure it out. Life is short.

Be well.

Get inspired by something new

I'm a music buff, no doubt. I was raised around music, played a musical instrument in school and was in plays as a child. I have always loved singing and I can thank my mom and dad for my voice. I can sing on key and can carry a tune. I was raised with everything from show tunes to Billy Joel and James Taylor and have grown to develop a love for all kinds of music. But one style that I've never really explored is country.

I had the opportunity recently to listen to some country music. It was so inspiring that I found myself getting a bit choked up. The messages were basic and clear but profound at the same time. Songs about going for it all, living your dreams, living as if it was your last day on earth. Loving like there's no tomorrow, putting in a hard day's work, appreciating your roots no matter what fame and fortune finds its way to you. After listening to a few of these songs, I found myself wanting to sing, but unfamiliar with the words, I could only listen and tap my feet. I will though, as I'll be doing some downloading onto the ipod and you can bet in a few days, I'll be belting these out with the best of 'em.

Inspiration is always all around us. You just have to open your eyes and heart and let it in.

Running this week has been slow. I'm nursing my right shin so my runs have only been Monday and Wednesday. I will try for a long run today or tomorrow.

Peace.

Back to school days

Well, it's September 1. Even though it signals the end of the summer, I have very fond memories of returning to school when I was younger. My grandmother used to take me to the store every August to buy me a new lunchbox and it was always great fun to pick it out. I'd get my lunchbox, new clothes and pens, pencils and notebooks and I'd be all set. I was a very organized kid and I've never outgrown that. I recall my teachers marveling, even when I was in college, at how neat my notes were. It didn't always mean I understood everything but I always had very detailed, organized notes.

Being an athlete requires a bit of organization as well. Unless you're just in sport for the love the game, whatever it is, anyone training for any race or tournament or match or event has to plan the march towards the proverbial finish line. I use a notebook (of course!) in which I write out a daily running plan for the week. I do this on Sundays and it allows me to take into consideration what's going on in other parts of my life that week and plan my time on the road and in the studio accordingly. It also allows me to diary about aches and pains, good runs and dietary issues. It's always inspiring to look back at all the week of training that have been accomplished when you're feeling tired and worn out.

Today as kids start to collect their things to return to school this week, I look ahead to the next 6 weeks of training until the 19th of October: marathon day. I will continue to use my resources to train ( coaches, friends, books, weekly plan) but will also tap into what I loved as a kid; the unexpected, the feeling of a fresh start and the opportunity to do my best

Enjoy this, the last official day of the summer and write down some goals for the weeks ahead. It's never too late to start a plan.

Peace.