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2/3

/ Sloan / Leave a comment

I’m just going to go ahead and say it–quickly, humbly, and rationally: I did 2/3 of a half iron man triathlon. I swam 1.2 miles and then sipped coffee while my buddy biked the 56 miles and then I ran 13.1. It was not a pretty 13.1 miles, I’ll be honest.

“When your friends begin to flatter you on how young you look, it’s a sure sign you’re getting old.”–Mark Twain

The first lap of the half marathon was okay. I hadn’t been training, hell, my running shoes hadn’t been out of the closet in 8 weeks! So this was a sure fire challenge. Why did I just quote Twain-y boy? Because by the second loop people were telling me how great I was looking. Now, I know that that just wasn’t true. I wasn’t sweating because I was so dehydrated, my boobs were being chaffed because I thought it was a brilliant idea to put Gu between them for quick access and safe storage, my feet had started blistering when I left the transition area–I was a mess and people were telling me I LOOKED GOOD?! No. False. They were lying.

 

But I didn’t stop. I had to round the corner to get to another aide station where people were dressed like cowboys! COWBOYS!!! All I could think about was seeing my Dad right before the last 100 yards. The margarita I was promised. Like I said before the swim and then again before the run “It’s _________ hours of my life, I got it.”

We can do a whole lot more than most of us think. Most people just tend to quit before they get there, some even quick before they get to the starting line. And no, I’m not talking about just racing–we quit when something gets hard, when that pose in yoga is burning our thighs and triceps–What’s the worse that can happen? We get ripped and grow stronger?! Not such a bad thing to center the breath, use the breath and continue moving forward.

 

I don’t know about you, but forward is my favorite direction.

 

So what all did I learn in Arizona at the event?:

  • -Breath, seriously, breath!
  • -Boobs are a bad place to store Gu. (I have photo proof, but no one needs to see that)
  • -Don’t quit early.
  • -Sweating isn’t such a bad thing, it means your body is cooling itself. My body decided to NOT use those cool sweat glands. It’s cool body, I’ll just dump this ice water on you, no worries!
  • -Even when running a half marathon I get hit on by a 55 year old man FOR his 24 year old son. His best line was “You have good form, you should get my son back into running…” Score! I still got it!
  • -Breath, and then give a time frame. I usually go a bit longer than what will actually be the time, “It’s only 3 hours of my life! I totes got this!” Three hours seems super short when you finish running in 2:22.

 

30-Day Challenge

/ Sloan / Leave a comment

If you’ve known me for more than a month and I haven’t gone somewhere that’s a pretty rare month in my life. I’m known in my circle of friends as The Wanderer, The One Who Can’t Stay Put, The Commitiphobe. I like to move, I dance around the world soaking in as much as I possibly can. So when I committed to the 30-day PoYoMo yoga challenge I kind of laughed at myself. Can I really do this? Generally when I say I’m going to do something, I put my head down and do it.

           

Yoga has been in and out of my life for years. Recently the practice has been more in that out. Sure, 30 days of yoga, I can do that! Unknowingly to myself it was easier in some ways and way way way harder in others. I knew I wouldn’t make it to the studio every day so I stocked up on Baron Baptiste DVDs, Jillian Michael meltdowns and easy flow Giaim vinyasas to mix up my home practice. Amanda and Jared’s classes that I attended were awesome, but what I didn’t expect was my home practice to flourish.

            The idea of doing yoga at home, by myself was daunting. Honestly, I felt stupid. It didn’t seem real if I wasn’t surrounded by the amazing bodies that attend hot yoga. The heat building in my bedroom by my own breath seemed labor-some and lame. But practice by practice I felt myself improve. I bended into poses at home and then bent further as Jared’s class pushed me to try new things.

The first time I got into Crow pose I looked around to see if anyone noticed, I then fell. But then I laughed. Acknowledgment of a pose is not what I should be looking for. I laughed because I realized that mid success and smiled as my body fell, when I got up to try again I smiled brighter. My home practice became mine. It became more real every time I set my mat down.

            I practiced yoga for 34 days in a row. At home, at the studio, sometimes after a few drinks I did a few vinyasas, I led a group of friends through some salutations when we visited the beach. Not every practice was perfect, but I earned each day by moving my body. Each practice led to learning something new about myself, improving my practice and staying committed. As my body improved I noticed my mind shifting too; instead of being annoyed and frustrated at work, I’d breathe, take note of the situation and find something positive in it. I was becoming one of those people. And I liked it.

            The support of the studio, the yogis, and even the facebook updates helped keep me accountable. However, the best thing I found through out the month of September was my own motivation and commitment to myself. No one was forcing me to drip sweat for an hour, no one was giving me a prize at the end. The prize was completion, the prize was knowing that I did it on my own and with support. I felt pride and strength at the end. I continue to practice because I continue to see myself grow.

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The Ominous Fin

/ Sloan / Leave a comment

I always wondered what it would be like to stop moving. To stay still and not fidget.  There are animals that live their life waiting and in hiding; camouflaged by a shell of strategic colors and patterns, sharp teeth ready to grab lunch once it comes near enough–the animal goes unnoticed until it’s too late for the prey. Or there are animals that are hiding, not to attack but to stay safe. They blend in, close there eyes and hope the long toothed predator passes by with out blinking an eye in their direction. 

Some animals, like sharks, must continue moving in order to stay alive. I read somewhere that in order to breath they never stop moving. The oxygen in the water has to filter through their gills by them moving forward. Always chasing, or running, or just swimming along–they are always going somewhere.

Taking on the lifestyle approach of a shark seems evil. Sharks always play the villain. Movies and television tell us to fear the shark. To steer clear of that ominous fin that, for all we know, could be just going our for a breath of fresh ‘air’. He’s moving. He’s just moving forward to live.  How can we learn from this shark?

Keep moving. Keep going forward. Keep progressing. Keep challenging. Keep trying new things. Don’t fear change, challenge or different scenery.

Breath deep while you’re moving. Sit still and breath in the new experience of meditation. Fill your lungs with the opportunity of holding a Warrior II a bit longer.  Explore the the sensation of a new food rolling over your tongue. Gasp for breath as you laugh the night away with new friends. Love the feeling of crunching leaves under you feet as you walk through the woods breathing in the autumn colors. Move forward. Progress. Enjoy. Slow down.