Facing my Fears

Today I had a limited amount of time to accomplish my run in order to fit it in with my other obligations. Since yesterday was a "rest" day (being Yom Kippur), I wanted to maximize my mileage. Therefore, I ran a little faster than I normally would. Rather than experiencing the fatigue that I expected, I was not only able to maintain the pace easily for three miles, but I was able to increase the speed by 1.0 mph for an additional mile.

I found myself wondering why I haven't increased my speed sooner for these easy runs. Instead, I have been maintaining a pace during my easy runs that is significantly (about 2.5 mph) slower than my race pace. Part of the reason I haven't being running faster is I am not sure what constitutes a good "easy" pace for me. While I have a plan for the type and distance of running to do each day, there is no set pace pre-determined based on my ability or past performance, so I estimate.

However, it has been quite clear to me for sometime now that my "easy" pace is definitely easy ... so why haven't I moved up sooner?

The answer that I came up with was that I was/am afraid. Of what? I suppose I am afraid of not being able to run as fast as the mileage I set, of getting tired and not being able to complete a run, of getting hurt, of falling off the treadmill or looking ridiculous, of failing.

These week I am going to accept these fears and increase my pace anyway. We'll see how zippy I can get!

Today's workout:
35 min. run (4.17 mi)
60 min. private yoga session

Keeping Track

I have noticed that lately I have been feeling a little sluggish, unmotivated and slow. When I was adding up my total mileage for the week in my running log, the number was a little low --- my performance has reflected my poor attitude.

Since I have started recording my workouts, both in this blog and in a separate running/cardio log, the added incentive of seeing my progress in print has been a real motivator to keep me going. Even though my numbers were lower this week, seeing that evidence gives me a concrete reason to push harder - rather than an vague feeling that I might not follow up on. Also, knowing that I am going to be recording this information - even if I'm the only one who is looking at it - provides an additional motivator.

My husband wonders why I update the blog everyday, even though I don't promote it or even care if other people read it. The truth is, the blog is really just a tool for me. It's a journal, a way to record my fitness journey. If others are interested, they can read over my shoulder and maybe be inspired to start down their own path to wellness.

Today's workout:

60 min. progression run (6.89 mi)

60 min. yoga

108 Sun Salutations

Today was a special event at my gym, Lifetime Fitness, to promote their (nearly non-existent) yoga program. The idea was to do 108 Sun Salutations - a traditional practice typically done at the spring or autumnal equinox. The number 108 has a variety of signifiers, which can be read about here. Unfortunately, however, this practice typically takes about 2 1/2 - 3 hours, and only one hour and 15 minutes was set aside.

Even with this time limitation, we were able to complete sixty sun salutations (Surya Namaskar A). I thought this might prove to be somewhat physically challenging, but the exertion is no more than a typical sixty minute yoga practice, and somewhat less considering that you spend five breaths in each down dog pose.

The practice was certainly helpful in keeping me focused on the present. As the teacher suggested at the beginning, "There are not 108 Sun Salutations to complete. There is only the Sun Salutation that you are currently doing." Focusing on the breath, listening to my body, staying in the moment.

I also relished this practice because it allowed me to contemplate each asana of the Sun Salutation individually, and get deeper into each one. By continually repeating the same poses, I was able to really figure out which muscles and bones are active, analyze the way my joints are hinging and breathe into each pose differently each time. When I do my Sun Salutations tomorrow, I will be much more aware of my body in each posture.

Today's workout:
60 min. yoga

Living Yoga

Today I received one of my birthday presents: a copy of A Year of Living Your Yoga: Daily Practices to Shape Your Life by Judith Hanson Lasater. I am very excited about this book - it contains daily inspirational thoughts and questions to direct your practice and lead you into living yogic principles. Today's entry really hit home, since it dealt with some of the very issues brought up in Stephen Cope's book that I've also been reading, particularly with accessing "the real".

Lasater's September 25th thought reads:

Give up your attachment to the way you think things are, so you can experience things as they actually are. Living Your Yoga: Our beliefs create a screen between what is and how we want things to be. Yoga is a practice to help us let go of that screen and live authentically. What belief can you let go of today?

The "belief" that I am working on letting go of is something that I just becoming aware of --- my attachment to things. I have become increasingly aware that I enjoy shopping and acquiring new things, whether I need them or not - particularly clothes. Even though I have a full closet, I for some reason feel an urge to get something new. It is as if I am defined by what I wear, what I have.

In Donna Farhi's book Yoga Mind, Spirit and Body, she writes,

"The practice of aparigraha also requires tht we look at the way we use things to reinforce our sense of identity. The executive ego loves to believe in its own power but unfortunately requires a retinue of foot soldiers in the way of external objects such as the right clothes, car, house, job or image to maintain this illusion. Because this executive ego is but an illusion created by our sense of separateness, it requires ever greater and more elaborate strategies to keep it clothed. Although the practice of not grasping may first begin as consciously withdrawing our hand from reaching for external things, eventually the need to reach outward at all diminishes until there is a recognition that that which is essential to us is already at hand."

In my yoga practice and life, I am working on adopting the quality of aparigraha (not grasping), of letting go of my attachment to objects and work on developing my own identity, separate from the things around me.

Today's workout:
50 min. run w/ hill sprints (5.38 mi)
25 min. resistance training
60 min. yoga

Run like a Girl

Tonight I got to volunteer again with Girls on the Run, a terrific organization that promotes self-esteem and healthy living through running.
Prior to running laps, the girls did a relay race were they each wrote down something they were thankful for. This rich activity incorporated all kinds of important lessons - teamwork, cultivating gratitude, taking turns, friendly competition, running warm-up.

Afterwards, they practiced running "alone" --- although we were all running together in the gym, they were not allowed to run "with" someone and no talking was permitted during the actual running. There was some resistance to this, but they were able to do it. While running, the girls were told to focus on their own thoughts.

While we were running, I thought about when I was this age - about 10. What a confusing time! You aren't quite a teenager, nor are you a small child. Your body is growing and sometimes disproportionate, and you are trying so hard to figure out the world around you and how you fit into it. I watched the girls - some were walking, some were taking copious water and bathroom breaks, some were speeding around the track. They are unsure of what they can do, unsure of what they want to do, unsure of what they are supposed to do.

One of the reasons that I am happy to be a part of this organization is that I hope that in a small way, it helps young girls take ownership of themselves, accept and love their bodies, challenge themselves to do something they didn't think they could do. I look forward to watching these girls progress in the next few weeks!

Today's workout:
20 min. stretch
33 min. run (3.34 mi)
40 min. resistance training
60 min. yoga

Diversions...

Since I was able to do both a yoga practice and get my run in this morning, I was able to get downstairs and watch a little TV with my hubby tonight. We watched a new ABC sitcom, Modern Family. While my husband and I watch almost no network TV and very rarely find sitcoms funny (with the exception of The Office), we both thought Modern Family was hilarious! It follows three families, a "traditional" family with a wife, husband and three kids, an older man with a younger wife and her 11-year-old son, and a gay couple who has recently adopted a Vietnamese baby.

If you haven't seen it yet, this show is definitely worth checking out!

Today's workout:
45 min. Fartlek run (5.25 mi)
60 min. power yoga

Today

I really like what David Swenson says in his Primary Series DVD, "Find your progress in each day's practice." I try to remember this maxim not only in yoga, but also in my running training, as well as my life goals too.

Today I had my private yoga session, and here are the areas in which I will focus my practice and look for progress:

• hamstring tightness: Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Leg Forward Bend)
• standing balance: Ardha Chandrasana (Half-Moon Pose) and Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III)
• relaxation: Savasana (Corpse)

Today's workout:

30 min. run (3.33 mi)
60 min. private yoga session
60 min. yoga @ home

Mindful Eating

After another night of wolfing down a bunch of pita chips without even thinking about it, I realize that I need to tame my eating habits!! While I eat healthfully throughout the day, my downfall is always the end of the day, when I am relaxing and not doing much .... I always feel like I need to be putting something in my mouth, even if I am not that hungry.

The Center for Mindful Eating promotes strategies, based on Buddhist principles, for increasing awareness with regard to our eating habits, valuing quality and improving our relationship with food. Eating mindfully is not about losing weight - it is about fulfilling your body's nutritional needs in the most healthful way. In this Wall Street Journal article, health writer Melinda Beck comments on her experience with mindful eating: "It sounds so simple, but it takes discipline and practice. It's a far cry from the mindless way many of us eat while walking, working or watching TV, stopping only when the plate is clean or the show is over."

Over the next few days, I am going to focus on being more mindful of my snacking habits: identifying when I am truly hungry, savoring the food that I eat, stopping when my hunger has been satisfied.

Today's workout:

40 min. run w/ hill sprints (4.5 mi)

50 min. ballet body class

He Said It Better ....

from Stephen Cope's Yoga and the Quest for the True Self (one of my current reads):

"Yogic teaching says that we have to learn gradually to tolerate sensation and feelings to the physical body, and thoughts in the mind, without reacting to them by either holding or pushing away. Craving and aversion ... roil the body-mind and create a kind of white noise in the system that obscures seeing clearly. For this reason, the development of a compassionate, grounded, centered, continuous and abiding sense of self is at the core of yogic practice."

If not today, tomorrow.

Today's workout:
40 min. progression run (4.34 mi)
30 min. resistance training
10 min. elliptical (1.51 mi)
80 min. primary series yoga

L'Shanah Tovah

It's Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. It's time to reflect on the past year and think about the ways in which we have wronged others and how we can make amends and do better in the future. In general, it's a good time for reflection, bringing awareness to our actions and instigating positive change.

Some "New Year's Resolutions" for ZippyMama:

• Bringing more patience, thought and awareness to my relationship with my children. Being slow to anger and more accepting of normal everyday challenges.
• Incorporating yoga as a daily part of my life, instilling yogic values (nonharming, truth, moderation, contentment) into my everyday actions.
• Continue to work on creating a happy, healthy family life.

Whether or not you celebrate Rosh Hashanah, what are you doing to improve yourself?

Today's workout:
45 min. run + hill sprints (5.3 mi)
30 min. resistance training

Feeling Powerful

Today was a POWER day! I started off with a personal training session at Lifetime Fitness with Ryan. I actually was not seeking out personal training, but he approached me at the gym and asked to do a workout with me, and I agreed. I wasn't sure what to expect - whether or not I was supposed to pay him, or if he was going to try and upsell me on future sessions.

Happy surprise - it was none of those things. He didn't charge me for the session, nor did he urge me to sign up for more. He did, however, push me through a rigorous 45 minute workout that left me feeling pumped! He chose a lot of athletic exercises that worked multiple muscles, and combined cardio with strength training. We did all super-sets, going through 2-5 different exercises and then repeating them.

Here is an example of one of our super sets:

*Bear crawl (walking on hands and feet-not knees) as fast as you can for five seconds, then do 5 push-ups, continue all the way across gym, about 5 cycles

*Carrying 17.5 lb. dumb bells, walk quickly down 2 flights of stairs, then come back up with the weights, skipping 2 stairs with each step, and repeat.

We went through that entire super set 3 times. Wow! I was out of breath after that! I was planning on doing a 3-mile run after the training session, but did not have enough energy! I was only able to walk for about 15 minutes to cool down.

Then, later this evening, I did a session of power yoga with Tracey Gardner. Because of school starting and various meetings, it has been a while since I have taken her class. That class takes a lot out of me, too! Sweat, sweat, sweat.

I needed a boost in my energy and motivation, and today was perfect for that!

Today's workout:

15 min. elliptical (random) 1.88 mi

5 min. stairmaster, glute raise w/ step

45 min. personal training, cardio + strength train

15 min. walk 1.06 mi

60 min. power yoga

Soup's On

With school in session and a busy schedule of extracurricular activities, I am always looking for easy one-pot dinners. Soup is always a healthy and easy option. Tonight I tried a new one for us - a posole soup inspired by a recipe in this month's Real Simple magazine. (If you haven't already, you should definitely check out this month's issue - there's a full month of easy, delicious, healthy recipes).

Posole features hominy, a dense and hearty corn product. It is a Mexican soup. I had never tasted hominy before, it was very mild and added a nice substance and texture to each bite. The original recipe was a little spicier, and I left out the chili peppers, and added some other veggies to make the soup more family-friendly.

Here is my modified version of the Real Simple recipe:

Ingredients:

3 carrots, peeled & diced

1/2 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, peeled & finely chopped

1-32 oz box of vegetable stock

1-28 oz can of petite diced tomatoes

1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 pkg mushrooms, sliced

1-15 oz can hominy, drained

1 roast chicken, remove & discard skin & bones, shred meat into bite-size portions

Directions:

In a cast iron Dutch oven (or other soup pot), heat up some EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), and saute the onion, garlic and carrots until soft (about 5 minutes). Add the stock, tomatoes, pepper and mushrooms and bring to a boil. Add chicken and hominy and simmer for about 5 minutes. Enjoy!

We served this with a beautiful salad with fresh, locally grown greens, tomatoes and cucumbers as well as a freshly baked loaf of ciabatta bread from Omega Artisan Bakery. Gotta love the North Market! A healthy 30 minute meal, from fresh, (mostly) locally grown ingredients!

Today's workout:

33 min. elliptical (3.06 mi)

60 min. yoga private training session

60 min. yoga practice

Walking Backward

At the end of every run, during the cooldown phase, I always use the last two minutes, when the speed is extremely slow, to turn around and walk backwards. I find it fairly amusing when I turn around and find myself eye-to-eye with the guy on the elliptical behind me - the next two minutes are completely spent trying to avoid eye contact.

I started doing this for a couple of reasons: 1) I wanted the full benefit of a cooldown, and the speed is so slow that it is excruciating to walk forwards; and 2) I saw someone else doing it, and I thought it looked like a good idea - something different.

For someone who is supposed to be cultivating mindfulness, this is not such a great reason!

So, for a while now, I have been wondering what, if any, are the actual benefits to walking backwards? It turns out there are a few. Apparently though, to receive the full benefit of walking backward, you need to release the hand rail, which I have not been doing. According to this article, walking backwards improves your balance and posture and works different muscles in your legs, hips and ankles than you would work while walking forward. Furthermore, a Dutch study has shown that walkers moving backwards demonstrate clearer thinking than those moving forward.

I am always trying to work my muscles and my body in as many different ways as possible to make sure that I get as full and balance a workout as I can, so I think I will continue walking backwards and freaking out the guy behind me!! :)

Today's workout:

45 min. run w/ hill sprints (4.71 mi)

60 min. ballet body class

60 min. yoga

10 Things I Love about Yoga

In response to a post from Yoga Diva listing the ten things that she loves about yoga (a great list by the way!), I have compiled my own list:

1. Yoga teaches me to listen to and be intently aware of my body. I am more attuned to my physical self and can adjust my practice, other workouts and general life activities accordingly.
   
2. Yoga increases my physical strength and improves flexibility, through the use of my own body without the help of external weights, bands, props or other equipment. The fact that I can initiate these kinds of changes in my body, with my body, makes me feel empowered.
3. Yoga has improved my balance, both physically and mentally. Not only is my body more centered in its physical space, but my psyche is better able to balance the various demands and priorities of daily life.
4. Yoga has given me permission to slow down. So often, life pushes and pulls in so many directions, with a husband and three kids and housekeeping and friends and so on, that I feel harried and rushed. Yoga opens up a time of day when I purposefully introduce quiet, and gives me the ability to bring that quiet into my life anytime, even off the mat.
5. Yoga constantly presents new challenges. Minute adjustments can always be made to a pose, offering further ways to stretch the body. Yoga challenges me mentally each time I explore a different aspect of yogic philosophy and analyze yogic principles.
6. Yoga brings discipline into my life. Whether I feel like it or not, I carve out at least 60 minutes at the end of my day to practice. It teaches me to engage and focus, no matter what else is going on. As I flow through the same poses of the Ashtanga series, I can clear my mind and concentrate on the breath.
   
7. Yoga invites ownership. Even though yoga comes from an ancient tradition, it has been filtered through the practice and teachings of many different gurus, each of whom has left his or her own fingerprint on yoga. You can find many different yoga styles: Ashtanga, Iyengar, Bikram, Anusara, Kripalu, etc. One of the beautiful things about yoga is that you can find a style that fits your needs and desires, and then modify as needed to make it your own.
8. Yoga builds community. When you practice yoga on a regular basis in a class, you develop a relationship not only with the teacher, but also with the other students in the class. You share a bond, no matter what your ultimate goals or purposes are. Similarly, once you get involved in yoga, you enter into a larger community of yogis all over the country and the world.
9. Yoga encourages acceptance. One of my favorite mantras that I learned from a teacher is, "If not today, tomorrow." Through yoga, we can learn to accept our bodies, ourselves, and our lives for what they are ... working to build and change and improve, but letting go of competition, judgment and criticism, replacing that with love and acceptance.
10. Yoga makes me happy. That's important, right?

There you go, 10 reasons why I love yoga! Thanks, YogaDiva, for giving me the inspiration to create this list! I really enjoyed thinking about all the motivations that bring me to the mat.

Today's workout:
65 min. easy run (6.75 mi)
80 min. yoga

Finding my Path

One of my fitness/career goals is to expand my knowledge and ability in yoga and become a yoga teacher. I had decided to go through a national teacher training program that focused on yoga for fitness - a more asana-based practice, definitely non-traditionalist. For training, you complete a series of workshops, combined with reading and home study. The time commitment of this program appealed to me - while it is 200 hours (like all yoga teacher trainings), the distribution into weekend sessions allowed me to continue my normal routines. Also, the tuition is spread out - pay as you go for each session - as opposed to pay for an entire year at once or in four payments.

However, after spending time researching the program a little more, including talking to people who have experience training with the program and working with teachers trained in it, I am getting the feeling that the substance is lacking. While I initially came to yoga for its physical benefits and definitely continue to appreciate that aspect, I have come to embrace more of the yoga philosophy. I cannot say that I adhere to all yogic principles, or even that I agree with all of them, but I do want to shape my yoga practice around more than just athleticism and flexibility.

But after exploring the time commitment associated with the local teacher training program, it is intense! It is certainly not something that I can begin this year, maybe not for another two years! I am not sure what I want to do ... I feel like I am at a crossroads in my practice - I want to learn and grow and expand, and a teacher training seems like the next best step, but the course that I would like to do is unattainable at the present.

I just read an article today by Tara Stiles in which she talked about living in the present moment. I suppose I need to take a lesson from that and say that there is no need to rush into a training program, and I can satiate my need for "more yoga" by taking workshops and delving into a more intensive practice. Perhaps I can attend a yoga conference in 2010, or even take the first workshop in the original series I was planning on doing and see how I like it. I need to let go of my need to plan everything in advance, take a breath, and live in the moment.

Today's workout:
33 min. elliptical weight loss interval (3.2 mi)
30 min. resistance training
10 min. stairmaster
60 min. yoga

Girls on the Run

Today was my first day volunteering as an assistant coach with a wonderful organization, "Girls on the Run". This nonprofit group was founded by Molly Barker, a runner and triathlete.

The organization aims to create "life-changing, experiential learning programs for girls age eight to thirteen years old." The goal of running a 5K race is used as a tool to "encourage positive emotional, social, mental, spiritual and physical development" of girls at a critical age in their lives. In particular, GOTR specifically tries to address and prevent key issues like eating disorders, depression and low self-esteem, drug and alcohol problems, and teen pregnancy. Basically, the group uses running as a vehicle to reach out to girls, giving them an outlet for their energy and emotions, and teaching them to accept and love themselves for who they are.

I am very excited to be a part of this organization in Columbus. As a mother of two girls, these are issues that are dear to my heart. On my first day with the group, we spent a great deal of time talking about promises, and what it means to make a promise. We discussed what kinds of promises we should make to ourselves - to respect ourselves and each other. The girls are eager and receptive! We also went out and did three half-mile laps around the pond in front of the Westerville Rec Center. This was quite an accomplishment for several of the girls, and they were so proud of themselves! There were lots of cheers and encouragement and stickers - and a snack at the end! I can't wait until we all run together in the race at the end! Yay!

Today's workout:

40 min. easy run (3.64 mi)

30 min. resistance training

15 min. elliptical

60 min. yoga

Taking Ownership

Today I was reading an article about Sadie Nardini and the resulting discussion of it on the blog "It's All Yoga, Baby". Basically, the article and discussion centered on whether it is appropriate or authentic for a modern yogi to adapt, change and claim a method of yoga as their "own". Whether yoga is constantly evolving and changing, or whether there is a true and ancient way of practicing yoga.

As usual, I believe the answer lies somewhere in between.

However, for the purposes of my own practice - I have been practicing Ashtanga yoga at home recently. I find the repetition comforting and methodical. I have been using David Swenson's Primary Series DVD to guide me through the practice. Although I rarely even glance at the screen, I find his voice soothing, appreciate the reminders of the sequence and am inspired by his hints for moving further in the practice.

Unfortunately, though, this sometimes becomes a crutch - I feel the need to break out of the same series of poses again and again and take ownership of my practice by doing something new. This can be kind of scary - what gives me the right to alter something that seems to be working? But, even though I am not deviating in my practice everyday, I am going to start doing some new vinyasa flows outside of the traditional Ashtanga sequence. Since I am still not fully comfortable in choosing my own asanas, I am using the home practice guides in past issues of Yoga Journal magazines to help me create my own practice. So even though these are baby steps, this is my small way of stepping forward and making my own claim on yoga for myself.

Today's workout:
45 min. easy run (4.6 mi)
60 min. yoga

Fresh Veggies

I have really loved getting our fresh veggies each week from the Weekly Market Bag from the Greener Grocer. It has definitely helped me eat more variety this season and try out foods that I would not necessarily have purchased on my own. The meals I make taste better because they contain fresh, colorful, local veggies. Our menu is definitely healthier, because I am always trying to find new ways to insert the veggies from our market bag. We eat out less often because we always have fresh food at home. My children's tastes are expanding because of their frequent exposure to new and interesting fruits and vegetables, and they are learning about supporting our local farmers and businesses.

Tonight, I'm modifying a recipe from Real Simple, using arugula & chevre from the market bag - it's a spaghetti pasta dish with sweet potatoes. I'm also making bruschetta with tomatoes & mint from the Greener Grocer (as well as basil from our own herb pots) and using a baguette from the Omega Artisan Bakery. Very excited about dinner tonight!

I also made an almond apple crisp with apples that my daughter and husband picked today on her first kindergarten field trip. It tasted delicious, but the apples weren't the right type for baking and they turned into "goo" as my middle daughter described. Oh well!

Today's workout:

60 min. private yoga session

40 min. run w/ hill sprints (4.71 mi)
40 min. resistance training

Marathon?

Since I have started running, I have been asked many times, when are you running a marathon? The truth is, I have no interest or plan to run one.

I think many people associate running a marathon as the "ultimate" running accomplishment. I have so much admiration and respect for those people who choose to take on that challenge and reach their goal; however, that is not a goal that I share. For one thing, the training to complete a marathon is rigorous and time consuming and involves completing longer and longer runs to develop race-specific endurance. Although I have enjoyed learning and improving my running, I do not wish to devote hours and hours of time to running. Not only do I have other family responsibilities, but I have other fitness interests as well (resistance training and yoga).

Furthermore, while I believe that with the proper training I could certainly complete a marathon, I could never be competitive in it. I enjoy the 5,000m (5K) distance because I can run races frequently and quickly see my improvement. I enjoy doing speed work and seeing tangible results.

So while I commend those who do work hard to run and compete in marathon races, I feel appropriately matched with the 5K distance and will continue to strive for my time goals in those races.

Today's workout:
60 min hill interval elliptical (7.6 mi)
30 min resistance training
60 min yoga

Shavin' off the Seconds

This morning, I did not feel like running. After a wonderful night out with my friends, I most certainly did not feel like going out for a 5K race. However, after I woke up, I realized that I was just going to lie awake there anyway - my husband certainly wasn't getting up - so I might as well go out and run.

It was a beautiful morning - a little chilly, but I wore a long sleeve shirt. The entire Capital University football team came out to support the cause, and the Bexley HS soccer and field hockey teams ran as well.

This 5K raises money to support finding the cure for ALS, an insidious disease that attacks the nervous system. Most of its victims succomb to the illness within the first five years after diagnosis. However, this race honors the courage of Marc Levison, a familiar face in Bexley, who has battled the disease for 20 years with positivity and grace. The facebook page for the Marc Levison 5K describes him in this way:

Though Marc has lost most of his muscular ability, he can still hear, see, and feel. His mind has not been affected at all. This disease breaks it’s victims down and most have a life expectancy of 3 years. This is not the case with Marc. If anything, it has made him realize his love for life and given him a strength that is beyond anything I have seen in anyone. His positive nature has kept Marc alive for over 20 years since his diagnosis, and he continues to fight until a cure is found. Marc has a quote… “Find a cause you’d die for, and live for it.” His cause is finding a cure for Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Please stand up for Marc and hundreds of thousands of others with ALS.

He is an inspiration! He was out in support of the race this morning.

After getting to the race, I felt a little better, and it was nice to see a few familiar faces. I ran comfortably, at an even pace and was pleased to pass a few people, and was able to stay at the front of the pack. Ultimately, I shaved 15 seconds off my fastest time so far, with a finish time of 23:29 at a pace of 7.57 min/mi. (~7.6 mph). I finished second in my age group (the one ahead of me was only 5 seconds ahead of me -- my husband says if I hadn't had 3 cosmos the night before I could have beaten her!), and 34th out of 335 runners overall. Not bad!

Pain-free with Yoga

A National Institute of Health study recently released shows evidence that practicing yoga can help alleviate chronic lower back pain. Not only was their pain decreased, the participants in the study experienced a relief from depression as well.

"The yoga group had less pain, less functional disability and less depression compared with the control group," said Kimberly Williams, Ph.D., one of the West Virginia University researchers. Yoga participants took 90-minute Iyengar-style yoga classes twice a week for 24 weeks, doing postures targeted to relieve chronic low-back pain. Their positive results were still evident in the follow-up six months after the end of yoga classes.

I don't find this study surprising at all! Yoga creates a more functionally healthy body through moves that strengthen, improve balance and alignment, deepen flexibility and target core muscles. I have begun running several miles on a daily basis in my mid-30s without "easing" into it and have not experienced a single injury ---- I attribute this to the fact that I practiced yoga regularly for 2 1/2 years prior to running, and continue a daily practice of yoga that supplements my runs.

Even if yoga philosophy does not interest you - the physical practice of asanas (poses) can definitely complement a more rigorous fitness regimen and help keep your body and mind healthy!

Today's workout:

3o min run (3 mi. @ 6.5 mph + (3) 10 sec. hill sprints 4% inc.@8.5 mph)

45 min. resistance training

60 min. yoga

Peace Rug

Tonight was curriculum night at my kindergarten daughter's school. In her gym class, when students are feeling overwhelmed by emotion, are having trouble controlling their body or experience conflict with another student, they can seek refuge on the "peace rug".

The peace rug is a quiet place in the gym, separate from the action, where students can find their center, slow down, take a breath, and think about their actions and feelings. The teacher talked about how even the rowdiest and most difficult students begin to learn self-calming techniques their the use of the peace rug.

I need to find my own "peace rug" - create a peaceful space for myself. The space can be in mind (taking a moment to take a deep breath and center my thoughts) and it can be a physical place (going up for some quiet time in my bedroom after the kids have gone to bed and before my husband comes up). Since I have started my own home yoga practice, I have had an easier time finding my "peace rug". Now, I have to remember to roll out my peace rug when I need it!

Today's workout:
20 min. run (2.33 mi @ 7.0 mph)
40 min. resistance training (pilates-based)
28 min. elliptical (weight loss interval)

Zippymama's Birthday Season

As my friends and I say, we have now entered my birthday season. I mean, why celebrate on one day when you can celebrate the whole season? They were so wonderful to show up and surprise me with a little party in Powell on my birthday day this year. There is nothing better than feeling secure in the love of an amazing group of friends and family.

My birthday season and the beginning of school are busy times, but I am trying to keep up with my normal routines. In fact, I am implementing a couple of changes to my regular workouts.

First of all, I was thrilled to have my first one-on-one yoga training session with Maria Tarantino. She is helping me fine tune my practice, work on alignment and delve more deeply into yogic philosophy. She gave me several pointers in our first session that I have already been able to apply in my home practice. I am so excited to have her as a mentor!

I am also changing up my running routine. I was totally inspired by Brad Hudson's book, Run Faster and his discussion of his coaching methodology, "adaptive running". I would really like to apply his principles to my training regimen to help me reach my speed goals - but the training cycles are all geared to culminate in a "peak race". Unfortunately, I am beginning this at the end of the race season, so my "peak race" won't be for many more months. So instead of starting my true 5K goal time training schedule right now, I am using his plan for a Level 1 10K runner in order to slowly build up my weekly mileage and integrate some of his methods into my workout schedule without the pressure of attaining my goal time at the end.

I watched Jillian Michaels on one of the morning talk shows today - she is fierce! What an inspiration .... one day I hope to be a force for fitness in my own small way!

Today's workout:
40 min. easy run (4.33 miles @ 6.5 mph)
25 min. resistance training
60 min. yoga