My father, who has long been a fan of Gene Simmons’ Family Jewels, is now hooked on a new reality show – the Denise Richards show.  Yes, Denise Richards as in Charlie Sheen’s ex.  So Saturday he calls me, “Quick turn on the Denise Richard’s show!”  I can hear my Mom asking him why he is telling me to turn on the show as he starts explaining that she was in a workout outfit and seemed to be on the phone trying to locate “The FIRM”.  Naturally Dad phones me up to tell me that Denise Richards is doing the same workouts that I hold so near and dear.  Well she didn’t ask for the FIRM, she asked for pig sperm.  Apparently she had a female pig she thought would make a great Mom and wanted to try to impregnate her.  Mom just couldn’t understand why my father was calling to tell me Denise Richards needed pig sperm, lol.

This week’s long run found me out with the local running group again, but this week we headed to a local reservoir to run.  All I have to say is hills, hills, hills.  In fact if it wasn’t so hilly the 12:20 pace I ended up finishing my 6 miles at would have been more like 11:30.  Yes, that’s right I had a 15:40 mile in there that felt like it was straight up hill.  This is really going to help me with the Baltimore Half though.  Special thanks to the “Coach” who stuck with me during my first experience with these hills.  Best of luck to him as he heads to Vegas this weekend for a race where the average temperature is 115 degrees.  Ouch!

Last night I picked up my big brother and drove us up to the yoga studio.  I was very nervouse going in because I am not very balanced or flexible.  However those are the two main reasons I signed up for the yoga class to begin with.  We strolled up to the studio to find MANY people standing outside.  We stood with them, but didn’t know why.  We stepped into the studio to get some guidance.  They had us sign in and then go take off our shoes and pick a spot in the studio.  I handed Mike my extra yoga mat and we rolled them out.

It was a good thing I thought ahead to bring our own mats because there were not enough to go around in the studio.  The first thing we both noticed even before we sat down on our mats was how warm the room was.  We did not sign up for a Hot Yoga class, but even when they aren’t having Hot Yoga classes they do not run air conditioning in the building at all.  The building you could tell was newly renovated with crisp white walls, indoor outdoor carpeting, and exposed steal ventilation running across the ceiling.  I imagine you could still smell the paint if it weren’t for the incense burning in the corner.  There were colorful indian paintings on the walls and candles burning across on a mantal in the front of the room. 

We sat for a while watching people walk in.  The instructor had us slide our mats around into an “English Garden” to make space for everyone because we had a full class.  Some people still needed to register so it took us a while to get the class started.  I grabbed my purse and turned off my cell phone.  The instructor heard the power down tone and asked everyone to make sure they turned off their cell phones because they will ring at the most embarrassing moment and no one will claim it as their own phone.

The instructor started class by having us close our eyes and take deep breaths as she explained what the eight limbs of yoga are.  She explained that while we were starting poses that night normally you wouldn’t start poses until you have mastered the Do’s (yama) and Don’ts (niyama) of daily living and breathing (pranayama).  But since we were in America we were going to go ahead and review the Do’s and get into some standing poses. 

As we continued breathing she went into detail on the five yamas of daily living.  She asked us to choose which one most closely resonated with us and to remember it while doing our poses.  I chose Brahmacharya, which  translates into celibacy.  She explained that in traditional practices it means just that, but in more modern practices it means that energy isn’t wasted, you give away what you don’t use and try to stay productive with what you do use.  The way she explained it reminded me of my efforts at getting others to be more eco friendly in their lives, which is why I chose it for myself.

We started out in the mountain pose.  Which from the outside looked like we were all standing there with our arms up in the air.  Whoever we were concentrating on muscles from our feet all they way up to our finger tips.  This was helping to build heat our in our bodies and prepare us for moving into the warrior poses.

Mike and I both did pretty good with warrior 1 and warrior 2.  For warrior 3 we worked as partners.  Partner A held Partner B’s arms as they balanced on one leg trying to make a straight line parrallel to the floor with the bodies from their finger tips to the toes of the non-balancing leg.  Mike balanced first and put a lot of his weight ont my arms.  I actually was finding it difficult keeping him balanced.  But he did pretty good.  When it was my turn I didn’t put hardle any weight on his arms because I was concentrating on keeping myself balanced.  The instructor walked up behind me and pulled my leg up and out.  I thought I had been doing pretty good with the length and height of my leg, but when she was done I felt like she had given me an extra 10 inches.  Next we moved on to do the move with out a partner.  Mike did much better at this than I did.  I lose balance several times and almost fell forward on the mat. 

We continued on through several more poses including the traingle, forward bend, and several other standing yoga postures.  You could feel the burn in many of the poses, and she had us stand and take several deep breaths after every move so you could feel how the posture effected your body. 

At the end of the class you lay on the ground in the dark and perform a relaxation exercise to let the benefits of your practice settle into your body.  We are all laying in the dark, totally relaxed, and then we all here someone’s cell phone start ringing.  We all start laughing since it was just as the instructor predicted, right at the most embarrassing moment. 

We left class feeling great and realized that both us stopped minding the heat in the room after we got moving into the poses.  This morning we both woke up feeling worked but not sore.  When I was walking Tillie I noticed how open my hips felt and how I was standing more upright.  We are both excited about going back next week.  I was actually going to try to go on Sunday, but I am volunteering at a local race, so I might instead go Tuesday night since I have a free class pass that I can use.

I can sum up this morning’s run in 2 words: butt ouchie!  I knew that yesterday would probably be the only chance I had to get in strength training this week so I pushed my weights on my FIRM workout probably a little bit more than I should have.  When I got up this morning I felt a little sore, but nothing overwhelming, so I changed, did my warm-up/stretching, and then hit the streets for my warm-up jog.  I tried to take it easy for my warm-up jog and for a change didn’t find it too difficult to run slow.  My Garmie started counting down to the start of my first speed interval and I dug down deep to find some speed.  I felt like I was running a sub-10 minute mile.  My legs were burning some, but isn’t that the point of speed training?  I pushed through and hit the 1 mile mark and end of the interval in 11:27.  My goal was 11:03, but I will take it for the first interval.  The 800 meter jog was a welcome visit for my body.  I was starting to feel the workout from the night before even more, especially after the hill at the end of my first speed interval.  The 800 did go by much too fast and before I knew it Garmie was counting down for the next interval.  My body protested as I picked up the pace.  I felt like I was running faster than the previous interval as I pushed myself to keep up the pace.  The interval counted down and I practically hit the brakes as I dropped my pace down for the mile and a half of recovery jogging I had planned.  It was tough to keep moving forward, so I didn’t check out my pace for the second mile right away.  Once I felt like I got my heart rate down I went ahead and pulled my my history only to have Garmie tell me I ran that mile 20 seconds slower than the first.  20 seconds slower!?!  Grrrrrr.

The disapointment in my second intervals time and the burning in my legs caused me to cut the recover run short by half a mile.  I walked back to the house to get some water and leash up the dog to take her for the rest of my cool-down walk.  Now I sit here with the sensation that I have been beaten with a bat.  I didn’t really think I was going to be that sore after my run, but I guess I was wrong because right now I have to pee and the sheer thought of going into the bathroom and trying to hover is bringing tears to my eyes. 

On a brighter note:  My brother and I start our yoga class tomorrow night.  The first week is standing poses such as warrior 1, 2, and 3.  They are probably going to feel really good after my run this morning.  Bring it on!

When I first lost all of my weight one of the staples of my diet was a weekly trip to a local deli for a shrimp salad sandwich on whole wheat with lettuce and tomato.  Today I found myself craving one, so when lunchtime came I headed up the street.  I realized quickly that it has been a really long time since I have made this trip.  I am guessing probably over a year.  As I turned the corner next to the deli I found myself staring at a new neighbor for the deli.  Well, actually it isn’t a new neighbor because apparently they have been there for 9 months and I just didn’t know it. 

A yoga studio has moved in next door to my deli.  I quickly memorized the web address and then headed into the deli to get my sandwich and Sun Chips (now made using solar energy).  When I got back to my desk I immedeatly brought up the website to discover they are having a beginner’s yoga series starting this week for 5 weeks that teaches you all the basic postures.  Just last week I started working to reincorporate yoga back into my routine, so I find it highly coincidental.  I am seriously thinking of joining up for the 5 week course and getting someone else looking at my yoga posture to make sure I am doing things right.  I’ve got 2 days to decide whether to get my yogi on or not.