Yoga

I used to be a yoga skeptic now I am a yoga addict. I am the first to admit that I am a hypocrite. Because I used to freely bash yoga. Oh my, how things have changed in my brain.

My first experience was in college when I had a co-worker who was a bit of a free spirit. She gave me a VHS with a yoga workout on it. It was to help my back. Needless to say it had some sun salutes and some gentle stretching on it. Not much of a work out for someone who is used to running. So I quickly quit using it.

Then I tried a power yoga class at 24hr. Whoa! craziness, it was too much and too intimidating.

Then when I was a gym rat after I had my kids I would watch the people coming out of the yoga class and I would judge. Especially the guy who wouldn’t put his shoes back on and he would wander around the gym barefoot, Yuck! I didn’t attempt any of the classes because the babysitting at the gym was usually too full during yoga classes.

I went to a couple of yoga classes with my mother in law and learned it was a pretty cool workout. It got my curiosity peaked but I didn’t do much until I moved up on the hill. Then when reading our local gossip paper, I mean newspaper, I saw that a new yoga studio had opened around the time we moved up. The Twisted Cow, it had me interested, it took me several weeks to get up the courage to go to a class. It was great! I told my new friend Misty about it and she joined me. Soon our teacher Kerri had her hands full with a couple of yoga junkies.

Needless to say right about the time I was getting really addicted Jerry went back to full duty. His regular schedule is hit and miss for me to make it to class. I do depend on him because somebody’s got to watch the kids. I started missing my class and my evening away. So now I am trying everything I can to keep up my yoga practice at home, DVD’s, the Fit channel, practice what I have learned in class, and books.

I still am addicted to running, however with the lack of a gym staffed with baby sitters, I run less often. I think I am making up for it with my yoga practice. I can do yoga at home in the living room while Hannah naps. Since James has long ago given up the nap, he usually spends time with me doing his own version of yoga.

I can tell I am an addict because I am constantly thinking about it and I can’t wait to learn more and to become stronger and more graceful.

Running... out of time.

I really want to run the city to the sea 1/2 marathon October 14th. It has been my plan for a half a year now. But somewhere between the race on July 14th and now I have lost so much in my conditioning. I feel like I am starting all over from scratch. Hopefully its not as bad as I think it is and I can still do it. Even though I can't run as good as I was running, I am thankful that I did manage to move. Moving was my major set back.

Ow, ow, ow

Today I went to the gym like any other day and started my run. I warmed up then started in on my first lap running and ow. My foot was killing me. I noticed yesterday that it was hurting a bit at the end of my run. But today I had to quit. So I went and did some weights then I did the stair climber the large machine and I climbed 82 flights of stairs. Wow what a killer workout. My foot wasn't bugging me until I started walking on it again. What the heck? I think its due to the uncomfortable Ski boots. But it better feel better soon. I have really been enjoying the stress relieving endorphins of running lately. I get this little buzz when I have had a good run. I am beginning another addiction to add to coffee, and computer. I wonder if I could get addicted to cleaning? Well I can only rest it and try again tomorrow if it doesn't hurt. I could get some new shoes, oh jeez a shopping trip. But for now I am going to pout and whine to myself over my foot pain.

I miss Esperanza

Why is it so dang hard to get to go to the gym? It was sooo easy with James. He took a nap early in the morning and we went after his nap. Hannah doesn't have a nap schedule so we fit going to the gym before her nap. We have been going earlier and earlier to accommodate her naps. However today blew up in my face. The four of us left for the gym at 10:00 a little later than I had hoped to leave. We get there, check in and Hannah starts to cry when we hand her over. Then she is fine, so we leave to work out. I managed to go pee and turn on my ipod and here comes one of the girls "Hannah's really upset". Ok I leave most of my things on the treadmill to go check on her. She was crying with snot and everything. They tell me "I think she is sick." I inform them she is not. I took her yesterday and they told me its nothing. So then I think well I will got tell Jerry Hannah is not good and we will leave. "you can't take her out with out checking her out." Ok I leave her there and go talk to Jerry. When I go back she is fine, until she sees me. So I try to just check her out. "Ok, fine, but you can't leave the gym." All because I signed the sheet and not Jerry. So I suggest I just wait in the room with her. "We have rules you can only be in her for 5 minutes". So I am like what in the world am I supposed to do. James has only been playing for 20 minutes now, he doesn't want to leave. Jerry hasn't gotten a work out in. I can't wait in here, I can't leave, what do you want me to do? So I ask can Jerry sign in for James? "No because it would be like signing him in and out and the kids can only come once a day." So the end result is me sitting in the lobby with Hannah checked out, James checked in and playing and Jerry getting a work out. That lasts 10 minutes. I get Jerry's attention and he thinks I should work out and he should take Hannah. But I am a little too pissed off now to want to be in the gym any longer. So I tell him we are both leaving. So Jerry lets me go and get James who does not want to leave. James is screaming, Jerry is apologizing to the girls and I am just getting out of there. Then I get into trouble for not being nice to the stupid babysitting girls. Well I haven't gotten much sleep lately and I was really looking forward to working out, I had some girls basically tell me that any solution I came up with wont work, I didn't get to run at all and I paid $2 for Hannah to be in there for not even 10 minutes. So I am a little mad. Should I kiss some babysitting ass? NO. I should just leave with my screaming toddler. Who when we get home tells me No home, No home. I agree James, I don't want to be home either. I guess we will have to go at like 8:30 or so in the morning which will be tricky. Hannah was up at 7:00 and James was up at 8:00 because he didn't nap yesterday. So I will stuff James with food and go to the gym. Wow.

When will I ever get my routine back? All I want is to spend 30 minutes running on a treadmill with someone else watching my kids. Life with 2 can be very challenging.