This week was filled with very little running, but a lot of cross-training. I’m pleased to announce that my leg discomfort has been minimal this week, and I haven’t felt this solid since the end of November!
Day 1: My friend Miriam and I (she has a great blog by the way, I encourage you all to check it out Future Nurse Miriam) went to a free (donations only) yoga class held by Sun & Moon Yoga Studio in Fairfax, VA today! It was a pretty standard Hatha Yoga class (my personal favorite), and the studio sponors these donations-only classes every month to support a local charity! It’s a win-win!
Day 2: My boyfriend, Dave and I tried Laughter Yoga today! It was a really goofy experience that had us feeling pretty positive afterwards. I wouldn’t say it’s a very active exercise, but it certainly puts you in a good mood. Laughter Yoga has been recommended for those suffering from anxiety, depression, and stress. We focused a lot on different types of laughter, and the key to any Laughter Yoga class is to act like a toddler. If you prefer a quieter type of yoga, LY is probably not for you. However, if you are looking to try something new and different, you should certainly go for it! It’s a little awkward at first, but you’ll be smiling the entire time (even if you don’t want to).
Day 3: I fit in a quick half mile today before coaching lacrosse. I’m already noticing that I will not have a lot of time to go running, due to my busy schedule. I am stressing out a little bit, because I know firsthand that if you don’t put in the hours to train properly for a big race, you become more prone to injuries, and that’s the last thing that I need right now. I work from 7:30am-3:30pm, I stay after 4 days a week until 5pm to tutor, I coach youth basketball from 4:30-6:30pm on Mondays and Thursdays, I coach youth lacrosse every Wednesday (5-6:30pm) and Saturday (9-10:30am), and I coach high school lacrosse every day from 7-9pm. Luckily, basketball ends in a couple weeks, but for now, I’m having trouble fitting in time to half marathon train.
Day 4: I tried out Hot Yoga for the first time today at the Pure Om Hot Yoga Studio in Fairfax, VA! It was quite the experience! It felt like I was going to die, but by the end, I felt like I had been reborn. If you are thinking about giving Hot yoga a try, I encourage you to go for it! (Side Tips: Make sure you are properly hydrated before your hot yoga class, and don’t over drink your water during class. If you’re a newbie, take the poses slowly, even if you can do them. Doing them in such extreme temperatures can cause you to feel nauseous or dizzy, especially if you aren’t used to the heat. There were plenty of poses I could do in room temperature, but when I strained myself to do them in the hot yoga class, I thought I was going to throw up. Take it at your own pace, and feel free to sit down and relax when you’re feeling light headed. The class always ends with a nice cool towel, and when the cold air finally hits you…WOW)! My instructor and fellow classmates were all very proud of me for sticking it out for the whole class, and not leaving early (which apparently is very common for newbies). I am looking forward to subjecting myself to this new form of torture exercise again next week!
Day 5: I hopped in with my 8th grade students today during their PE class, and played basketball with them! It was a lot of fun, and everybody (myself included) were pretty exhausted afterwards. I’m 5’2”, and my 8th graders tower over me, so I felt that even though I’m an “adult”, we were all pretty evenly matched. I’ve also been noticing some knee paid (seriously, what is happening to me?) that has been going on. I think it’s from not properly building up my leg muscles, while simultaneously putting some serious stress on them. I will have to start wearing my patella strap while I work out until the pain subsides.
After work I got a deep tissue massage and peppermint foot scrub at Natural Healing Massage Services in Alexandria, VA. It was the best massage, and I haven’t felt any leg discomfort since. Could it be because of the massage? The yoga? THE MEDS? Who knows, but whatever I’m doing, I better keep it up!
Day 6: Today I went skiing at Liberty Mountain Resort in Pennsylvania with a couple of friends! It was a lot of fun, and every time I go skiing, I get better and better. I wish skiing wasn’t so expensive, but nonetheless, I try to get out there 1-2x a month during the winter. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, YOU’RE NEVER TOO OLD TO TRY SOMETHING NEW! I’m 25 and I took up skiing a year ago. Am I a pro? Not even close. Am I learning something new and having an absolute blast? You better believe it!
Day 7: I played pick-up basketball at a local church where “young adults” meet up once a week and socialize and play sports. My neighbor Lizzie brought me last week, but this week I made the trip by myself. I’m a lot less rusty than I was last week, and I even scored a few points (validating short people everywhere).
Next week’s goals: It’s time to get back on track for running. I really need to focus on finding time for myself to get to the gym, strength train, and put in the necessary mileage to preapre myself for NASHVILLE.
I love how I am finally getting back into an active lifestyle. All my life, I’ve always been really into sports, working out, and pushing myself to new physical limits. I do need to keep in mind though that with age (even though I’m only in my 20’s) I still need to be cautious and mindful when working out. That means remembering to stretch, staying hydrated, and making sure I wear the proper equipment whenever I’m exercising (helmets for skiing, patella straps when weight lifitng, proper shoes when running, etc). If I can continue to work hard, and stay on schedule with my running, I WILL be ready for Nashville! Until next week…..
B
20 something 
I kind of love your ski jacket!!!
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