A Little Rain Won't Hurt

Actually, the rain at the end of an 8 mile run was wonderful! Not only did it remind me of sloshing through the streets of LA for over 5 hours, but it was refreshing from the humid stagnant air that was waffling around the woods for the first few miles. 

I know I have been a blogging-slacker because I have been officially training for 3 weeks for The Nike Women's Marathon on October 16 and I have only blogged once. Every run is important even if they seem small in comparison to the end goal right now (how quickly this will change soon). Sometimes it blows my mind how hard just a 3 mile run is to get through.

More importantly, I need everyone to meet Jenn. For now she is not my coach (well she is) but she is also Yoga Queen.

This is the only picture I could find on her Facebook (yes kinda creepy) but she can do things that I just did not know bodies could do.  I have been going to her yoga classes probably since November, and I honestly don't know if I could run if I didn't go (and NO she has not brain-washed me). It is remarkable what yoga can do for a runner (and a stressed out 25 year old). I feel the difference every time I do not go.

Well Thursday I went to her Yoga Workshop, and OH MY was my head overloaded with things to think about during my practice.  Technically not during my practice because I am not suppose think about all of them. First I learned I was doing a forward fold wrong...and then a plank...and then...seriously the list goes on and I generally can't spell the terms. Instead of being discouraging news to find out my form is horrible, it is invigorating that now I KNOW how to do; knowing how to do it correctly can only help me to try to DO it correctly.

The most interesting thing I learned (lets see how I explain this) is how when we stand we use our ligaments instead of our muscles. Why would we do that? As we stood and balanced our fake bowls (not literally: our lungs and hip bones) on top of each other so no water spilled and focused on using our muscles to stand, I truly felt a difference. I just never thought about this and how counterproductive it is to use the tissue that doesn't get blood or get stronger. And I may have explained this completely wrong.  This is why you have to actually meet Jenn and go to one of her yoga classes, because I don't know what I am talking about at all (I wasn't allowed to bring my video camera, voice recorder, or notebook into the class).  I should try sneaking one in next time...