I've been excited.
This morning, though, was a little harder... I didn't want to wake up. But I reminded myself I'm on a challenge.
And I'm going to conquer it.
Being a runner has ruined my hamstrings. I can barely touch my toes.
It's discouraging, yes, because I just want to be able to bend down in a graceful manner. But then I'm also reminded of what my hamstrings can do while they are running. And though being tight is only a temptation for injury, I remember I'm a runner at heart.
And most of us cannot touch our toes.
However, healing my hamstrings is part of the journey. So I stretch on.
I have a slight disruption in my routine though. Music Man and I had to make an overnight to my hometown, sadly, for a funeral. We lost a very dear family friend on Friday, but we are rejoicing because he is dancing with the Lord right now.
But it got me thinking. Summer is often a big time of travel, for many many reasons, and so often our exercise routines end when our travel plans begin. If you're like me, maybe you pack your sports bra, a tshirt, shorts, and your running shoes, but never find time to hit the pavement. Or you bring your travel mat along, and it ends up laying in the hotel room corner for the week.
But today is different. This morning I packed up my yoga mat, clothes, and No OM Yoga so I can practice a sequence in the morning while we stay at my parents. It will be in a different house, probably with more people around, but conquering this challenge is about making time and committing. (Plus, my parents DO have a coffee maker!)
I have a cousin who mentioned to me that her family travels a lot during the summer, and often finds it hard to keep her practice a routine (and she's a certified yoga instructor!). She's decided to visit different yoga studios in every city she stops in.
This tiny town, unfortunately, doesn't have a yoga studio. So it will be me, the living room, my mat and my book.
But visiting studios is something to keep in mind for travel down the road.
For you : Here's an article, The Grounded Traveler, with some tips on making your trips a little more relaxing and incorporating yoga into your travel.
How will you keep your practice up while away from home?
Two days down and less and less sore muscles to go :) First of all, I am so sore today! But nothing breasts how I will probably feel tomorrow! I attended my second studio class at embrace yoga and the teacher today was amazing! She taught the kind of yoga I fell in love with.....continuous vinyasa flow! Almost with an ashtanga mix feel to it (my training). Most challenging class I haver taken in a long time! Teachers like her maker yoga somewhat easy to do. She had an upbeat air about her that said do what your body allows....honor your body and no more. Love love love it......but again I am humbled and sore :)
ReplyDeleteDay 3.... Welllll woke up late and missed my class this morning :( I was actually really looking forward to it, but I guess I really needed the sleep. Instead I plunged ahead to the shade next to my in laws pool and began. Immediately I recognized how different it is to practice on your own. I have complete control when I start and stop and what I do throughout my practice which can be very tempting, lol. I was very sore this morning and since I wasn't planning on practicing on my own I was completely unprepared for what I wanted to do. I decided to keep it simple so as to keep my mind from wandering back and fourth. I chose 5 of both sun salutations A and B from my ahstanga training. Whew, I forgot how much simple sun sals can work you! Tomorrow, back to the studio! Happy 4th :)
ReplyDeleteI think the biggest change I am making in traveling and staying with my routine is making sure that if I bring my stuff that means I am going to use it. As you said, it is so very easy to bring it and leave it at the bottom of your bag. As I anticipate heading back to MN for a few weeks, I've already looked into a 5k and planned running with my sister and niece. Also with Thomas coming home for 2 weeks, we've already planned on using it as a time to help each other with diet and exercise and to hit the gym on a regular basis. I'm really excited about the fact that I almost dread a vacation because of the disrupt in my exercise schedule.. what a monster I've become ;)
ReplyDeleteAlso, I am using a yoga relaxation routine at night before bed and I am really enjoying it. It is mostly just stretches, not as much strengthening, but I need the stretching, so it has been really great. I'm still looking for the right sequence or video to use for more hardcore strength training. I'll find it.
I'm proud of your determination :)
Figured it was time to touch base :) so far my yoga challenge has been....well....amazing. I have gotten out of it so much that I seemed to haver forgotten how much it brought me. Within just a couple of days I noticed a change in my back. No more pain! Really?! Within just a week I noticed a change in my mentality. This is probably the big one.....I'm less quick to anger, frustrate, judge, and tire and more quick to love, help, and understand. Lets just say my husband loves being around me right now :) lol and I have in fact fell in love with my yoga practice all over again.....thanks for the inspiration caitlin!
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