Run, Swim, Yoga, Run, Sleep.

Body. So. Tired. Today was one of those awesomely ridiculous days of non-stop activity.

I love Tuesdays - they're my favorite day of the week. Historically, Tuesdays have just been good days so now I wake up expecting every Tuesday to be terrific and, hence, it is.

After running with my 6am client for 45 minutes (pretty good for a still rehabbing achilles), I had that post run high going and the temperature was nice, so clearly it was time for a swim! There was just enough time for one good lap.

Aquatic park was especially lovely this morning and the sun started peaking out over the hill right as I took the first few strokes. The only negative was that I left my swim cap and goggles on the roof of my car as I drove away. Oops!

Come noon it was time for another Vinyasa Flow class at Yogaworks with Pete. See this post for reasons why he is awesome. I was sweating my face off today. Afterward, my hips felt like they had been removed, tuned up, oiled, and put back on.

Then, this afternoon I had my session with Alhaji, which consisted of running down toward the bridge, him disappearing and me not realizing he was gone till I got to the warming hut, where I turned around and headed back, for a total of about 4 miles. But that, apparently, was the point.


Going to sleep like a baby tonight.

Conquer Your Fears

Recently I was looking at a Lululemon bag and felt like the "Do one thing a day that scares you" part of the mission statement was smirking at me.

Sure, I take risks. You know, like, really small, manageable, calculated risks. Does that not count?

On Monday I showed up at the Sutro Baths, mountain bike in tow, and met up with Alhaji. He doesn't talk much at the start of our sessions and I never know what we're going to do, so I just got my bike ready and waited.

When he was almost done putting on his big full-coverage helmet, ski goggles, and shin guards he looked at me and said "Welcome to conquer your fears day."

Shit.

We spent the next few hours riding down stairs, crazy steep (in my opinion) hills, and going off of small jumps and the like in Golden Gate park. While my first few descents were not exactly glamorous, I was beyond elated to have faced my fears and actually done it.

There was one hill in particular that I first encountered a month or so ago. I, of course, balked and walked down the stairs beside it. This time I had a feeling that wouldn't be an option.

I stopped short at the top, froze and shook my head silently. He sweetly but firmly chided me from below and I realized I had no choice but to give it a shot.

So I did.

I was on the verge of tears when I made it down, realizing not only that it wasn't nearly as scary as I thought it would be, but also that it feels SO good to actually face your fears and just do it. I've spent most of my life finding ways to get out of facing my fears. Holy crap.  He nodded his head and said "Can I have a hug now?"

After that I started getting comfortable. Instead of cussing all the way down the hills, I replaced my profanity with a new mantra: "I am comfortable. I am confidant. I'm a badass!"

Several hours and only one small fall later I went home with a new sense of accomplishment and courage that I now want to seek out on a more regular basis.

In fact, I sought it out again today. My brand new road bike shoes have been sitting, patiently, on my floor since I bought them a week ago. I was absolutely dreading the first attempt at using them and found reason after reason to delay the inevitable. So, today I bit the bullet and strapped them on.

After practicing clipping in and out for 10 minutes in the privacy of my alleyway, I took a deep breath and went out to the sidewalk. Clipped in one foot. Pushed off. Clipped in the other foot and.... voilà! Smooth sailing.

Turns out it was not nearly as hard as I had anticipated. In fact, it wasn't hard at all. So, I rode down to the warming hut and back to make sure I felt comfortable and, I dare say, I think I'm ready to start my new life as a cyclist.

Nike really hit the nail on the head. Just do it.

November Goals: Cycling and Yoga

For the month of November I intend to focus on cycling and yoga. I've gotten fairly good at listening to my body and deciphering what it wants and those are the two things it's craving right now.

Several months ago, I borrowed a road bike from a friend, only to leave it untouched in my hallway, taunting me daily. Today, I finally went to Sports Basement and picked up a pair of Sidi Zephyr cycling shoes, cleats, a patch kit, extra tube, and a floor pump. Now at least I've got the basics. All the fancy spandex will have to wait.

[Sidenote: I've realized that I now officially find men in spandex attractive. It's not such a bad look after all!]

Haven't tried riding with the shoes yet... and I'm dreading those first awkward minutes of trying to clip in and out and not fall off the bike.

My main goal in doing more yoga is to learn to just be still and breath. Probably a good goal for many of us. The style I've done the most of is Bikram (hot) yoga, probably because Global Yoga is a few blocks from my house. Otherwise, I'm essentially a beginner.

Today at noon I went to a Vinyasa Flow class at Yogaworks. It was divine. The teacher, Pete, was super warm. He welcomed me immediately, asked about my yoga background, and told me what to expect in the class.

During the class he was very hands-on which, as person who errs on the side of being way too touchy-feely with people, I thought was great! There is nothing more soothing to me than the human touch, particularly when it's combined with a genuine connection with someone. Pete's gentle hand on your back feels like a wave of calming energy.

Being naturally flexible and pretty strong I found myself rather aggressively trying all the poses and doing pretty darn well (if I may say so myself.) But, toward the end of the class, Pete made a great point: the poses are just the tip of the iceberg. I was basically forgetting to breath, which (for me especially) is kind of the point.

Always come back to your breath. Always come back to your breath. I kept thinking of that Telepopmusik song.

Later in the afternoon, I had my usual training session. One thing I dig about my trainer is that he makes you work most on your weaknesses. One of mine, clearly, is agility. He's attempting to get me to think and move more like an athlete. We did some footwork, box jumps, and kettlebell stuff. Oh, and we're also working on bar muscle-ups! So. Hard.

It felt great to fit two very different workouts in today. And the achilles is feeling pretty good actually. I'm cautiously optimistic!