You Had Me At Namaste

Before we get into today's post, I have to say that yet again, Jamoosh has validated me!  First he validated me on how awful last Saturdays conditions were and that I just wasn't a big crybaby (and a slow one at that), but he was so interested in my new found love of JogFM, that he gave it a tryski!

Head on over and read what he had to say about it! 

Yay for rave reviews!!

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OK, so I have to talk about hot yoga last night because it was an incredible 90 min practice!  I just love when everything goes so right!  I honestly think it had everything to do with the people that were in the room because the room was definitely full of just good energy and to me that always makes a huge difference.

The room was exceptionally hot (prob close to 120), but it felt 'good'.  One of the humidifiers is on the fritz, so the sweatiness while prevelent to where it was in a dripping 'stream' at times it wasnt unbearably so.

I was holding poses that normally are a struggle most days with little effort and going into deeper poses (especially on the standing/balancing series) and I was especially proud of myself.  One of the girls in the room commented to me before class that she hates being next to me because I 'make her look bad'.

Nice.

Its weird that while I was away for 3 months, it seems it only took me a week or so and not only was I right back in it, but way better than I was at the end of doing it for 6 months!

Here are 2 poses that I have never really been able to do properly but yet last night?  Yeah.  Totally rocked it out.

Different view to give the full effect of how the hands are placed and where



Now while this is easy enough, although I have to say that models foot/leg placement is not wide enough, that isnt the part that I havent been 'good' at.  The thing about this is that usually because one isnt flexible enough, you actually grab opposite wrist or elbows behind your back.  See below.

You dont see a lot of the folks (at least where I go) with the ability to place their palms into a prayer position basically either in the middle of their back or even higher up than that.

Every time I have tried to do it, it hurt.  It especially pulls in your upper back and shoulders and when you start to collapse down , it hurts even more.  But just getting them into prayer was something I couldnt do.

Until last night.

I finally did it!!!

Now once I started to collapse forward, it got to a certain point where I couldnt anymore, it just hurt too bad, but at least I can do a reverse prayer; well on my way!
But basically this is where I am headed.  Might take me a while to get there, but I will.

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 Now on to the next success story from practice last night.

Chaturanga Dandasana (aka 'hover')

OK folks, I have been working on this bad boy forEVAH.  The chick above is where I want to get to (although on the toes is not a big deal for me; that is HARD to do on the tippy toes like she is!!), but while I am not quite there juuuuuuuuuuuuuust yet...I am here as of last night and I was so happy I was actually smiling through the pain in my shoulders and triceps!

I know its hard to really see a difference, but there is.  The 2nd girl still has a bit to go before she is completely parallel, but now looking at this, the placement of her hands might be preventing that.  Anyway, point is, I am thiiiiiiiiiiis close.  I am sure that the first time I nail that position I am going to probably blurt out a 'hell yeah!' in class! 

It sucks so much that Bikram/hot yoga is so darn expensive, but to me its totally worth it.  If you ever get the opportunity to purchase a Groupon or BuyWithMe etc. deal on hot yoga or Bikram, get it!  Even if you go once and hate it (which I dont think you will), its still a small price to pay for something that might change not only you physically, but mentally and spiritually as well.

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OK folks, tomorrow is long run day, and to be quite honest I am a bit nervous about it.  18 miles we shall go a - runnin'.  What sucks (in addition to the 90deg temps I will endure for the entire run) is that the route has a big ass overpass (2 ways) and some rolly poley hills.  Geemawhilakers Coach, thanks a damn hella lot. 

At least he is putting out an additional water stop, so thats definitely music to my ears.  What is also music to my ears that I may or may not be running the entire 18 miles as 7/1's.  I am pretty darn sure that I can cover the extra mileage faster than I did last week if I do this.

I just haven't completely sold myself on that just yet.  Will just see what the morning brings.

Thoughts?  Should I go with my usual 'run as much of it as I can before giving in to the heat/humidity and starting the intervals' approach or go at it differently this week to avoid the ass dragging that is sure to come in the last 3 miles?  (Which incidentially now that I think about it, the last mile or so will yet again be directly into the scowling face of the sun).

What say you?