Cardinal

I recently read an online article about the physical health benefits we can enjoy by doing something as simple as opening a window.   

In the last few weeks, I’ve been opening windows in our house here and there.  Thursday night I came home, slid open the sliding glass door, and left it open until I went to bed.  While I can’t say there are actual physical benefits to doing so, I can definitely say I’ve been enjoying the refreshment it brings me mentally; especially in the morning.

There is nothing I love more this time of year than when the cardinals in our neighborhood start singing.  We have one Cardinal who sits in a small tree in our backyard every morning without fail: singing and singing.  He’s the brightest color of red and his volume amazes me.  How can a creature so small sing loud enough for me to hear from inside our closed up house?   I often find myself standing on the back deck to listen while drinking my morning cup of coffee.    

What a cliché thing to do, a true Folgers commercial.  

No matter how much I enjoy the winter season, there’s something about spring that acts as a natural anti-depressant, an instant motivator.  Getting up in the morning to run becomes easier, planning this years’ vegetable garden starts, I even found myself dragging a yoga mat onto our back deck (to the one spot without snow) for a short morning practice.  

The last few days I’ve heard some other birds starting to join in the chorus.  I’ll stand at the kitchen window looking into the backyard, watching them flying from tree to tree, stopping to rest on our old gazebo, sometimes hanging out on a section of dried trumpet vine from the previous year.  

I haven’t spotted my first Robin of the year, but I can hear them out there.  Technically, the beginning of the calendar year is January, but the beginning of my year is Spring.  There is no specific date.  I leave that up to the Cardinal in my backyard. 

11/01/12: Update

I know I haven't been around much (if any) lately.  It's funny how life just steamrolls along sometimes, isn't it? 


YOGA
I'm in the process of getting my yoga teacher certification. 

The training is every other weekend, all day, both days.....from Sept - May.  It seems like allot, but it's flying by!!!!  Besides the training itself, there are a required number of guided practices I need to attend each week.  In addition to that, I was awarded a partial work study scholarship for the training, which leads to yoga studio cleaning duty, and helping out at the front desk when needed.  The studio is like my third home right now.  (next to work, and my actual home)

We started anatomy last weekend, I was sooo excited!  It stuff fascinates me. Maybe because of all the injuries I've rec'd in my life?  I have an understandable interest. :-)

I found an awesome book recently, that combines anatomy with yoga.  Instead of just breaking down the muscles of the back....or the bones of the spine.....it incorporates yoga poses that work those specific areas.  Mot regularly hears me saying "oh - THAT explains it!"....or "no wonder I was so sore yesterday." 

RUNNING
Tragically, after the stress fracture in my knee healed, I wasn't able to get back into a consistent running schedule.  My mood dropped pretty low when I had to cancel multiple full and half marathon race entries.  Then, all of that weight I lost snuck back on.  Yoga is great in allot of way.....but it's not a cardio workout. 

But - have no fear - all is not lost.  I started my running schedule up again this morning, believe it or not.  All treadmill work for me, for now.  After I'm back to doing it consistently, I'll go back to running outside.  (the treadmill is a little nicer to my knees) 

I'm pretty sure yoga is going to help my running, and should make it more pleasant.  My strength and flexibility is leaps and bounds better than it's been in forever.

CYCLING
Sadly I haven't been on my bike, or to a spin class, in ages!  I'm sure I'll work it back into the rotation....but one thing at a time right now.  Yoga takes up quite a bit of my time, and now I'm reintroducing running.  The last thing I want to do, is burn myself out again. 



Well, that's all I have for now.  Catch ya on the flip side! 

Being Human

BEING HUMAN by Naima

I wonder if the sun debates dawn
some mornings
not wanting to rise
out of bed
from under the down-feather horizon

If the sky grows tired
of being everywhere at once
adapting to the mood swings of the weather

If the clouds drift off
trying to hold themselves together
make deals with gravity
to loiter a little longer

I wonder if rain is scared
of falling
if it has trouble letting go

If snow flakes get sick
of being perfect all the time
each one trying to be one-of-a-kind

I wonder if stars wish
upon themselves before they die
if they need to teach their young to shine

I wonder if shadows long
to once feel the sun
if they get lost in the shuffle
not knowing where they’re from

I wonder if sunrise and sunset
respect each other
even though they’ve never met

If volcanoes get stressed
If storms have regrets
If compost believes in life after death

I wonder if breath ever thinks
about suicide
I wonder if the wind just wants to sit
still sometimes
and watch the world pass by

If smoke was born knowing how to rise
If rainbows get shy back stage
not sure if their colors match right

I wonder if lightning sets an alarm clock
to know when to crack
If rivers ever stop
and think of turning back

If streams meet the wrong sea
and their whole lives run off-track
I wonder if the snow wants to be black

If the soil thinks she’s too dark
If butterflies want to cover up their marks
If rocks are self-conscious of their weight
If mountains are insecure of their strength

I wonder if waves get discouraged
crawling up the sand
only to be pulled back again
to where they began

I wonder if land feels stepped upon
If sand feels insignificant
If trees need to question their lovers
to know where they stand

If branches waver in the crossroads
unsure of which way to grow
If the leaves understand they’re replaceable
and still dance when the wind blows

I wonder where the moon goes
when she is hiding
I want to find her there
and watch the ocean
spin from a distance
Listen to her
stir in her sleep

effort gives way to existence

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana

Say that three times really fast.

Heck, just saying it once is a mouthful, if you ask me.

Some call it the One-Legged King Pigeon Pose, some call it cruel and unusual punishment.....after last nights class, I'm calling it fun!

03/21/2012

I couldn't drag myself out of bed in time yesterday morning to get my run in....so today was the day. My alarm went off....I hit snooze a couple of times...then finally rolled up and out of bed.

Sam was EXTREMELY excited when I came upstairs from the basement with her pack.


I have a plain orange reflective vest for her...so the pack isn't really necessary.....but 1) I want to get her used to it...she'll be carrying her own food, etc when we take her backpacking with us 2) I don't want to have to run for 4 miles with a plastic bag of dog poo in my hand.

:-)

I have a two foot leash that is always attached to her pack....but she does such a wonderful job of running just ahead that I usually just let the leash hang from her pack while she runs at her own pace. It's 5:00 in the am, there's no one around, and she's under voice control....so I let her go.

She constantly doubles back to have me pet her head, then goes ahead of me again for a while. If I slow down, she slows down. If I see her getting too far ahead, or I see her start for someone's lawn, I just have to say her name and she comes to me for a pet on the head...then she's off again.

There are more breaks during these runs with her, so my mileage isn't as high. I make sure she's beside me, and comes to a full sit when we get to a point where we have to cross a street. If a car is coming, I make her sit beside me until they have passed.

All in all, I'm really enjoying running with her....and I know that she's LOVING it just as much, if not more!

She's adding to my motivation for getting back into running a little. It's nice to have a fresh start with a new running partner! :-)

03/20/2012

Yoga was great last night, as always!

I bought a natural rubber mat some months back, because I slide around too much on the regular ones you can buy at Target, etc. But last night's class had me sweating so badly, even the rubber mat was slicker than snot. I think I'm going to have to end up getting a towel to go on top of it. I nearly face planted a couple of times because of it.

You know you're a heavy yoga sweater, when you can hear the sweat drip drip dripping on the mat below you.

Yuck!!!

I was asked, this week, if I was interested in getting my yoga teacher certification.

I'll be honest, I hadn't ever thought about it. Not that it's something I wouldn't want to do....but I hadn't given it a thought because I'm still so new to the practice.

But now that the seed is planted....it's taking root.

Taking root, growing leaves...and will be attracting butterflies in no time.

It's not free, by any means....so it's something I really need to give serious thought to before diving in head first (like I usually do). She is still working out the details, so I don't have any firm dollar amount...but she gave me a ballpark to plan for.

Tom's eyes may or may not have bugged out of his head when I told him (giggle).

After I graduated high school and a couple of years of college, I stopped taking the dance lessons that had filled 18 years of my life. I've missed it ever since. It was a great workout, there were goals, and I had so much fun!!! I wasn't a rockstar at it, but I could do everything that was asked of me and enjoyed it every step of the way.

Yoga reminds me of those dance lessons in so many ways. It's almost as though it's filling the hole dancing left. (as crazy as that sounds) The structured movements, the breathing and flowing, the strength and flexibility required, and the challenge of learning new things....

......including those that scare the crap out of me.

Like, for instance.....inversions of any kind. Headstands, handstands, etc. It appears I have a fear of being upside down. I got on "doctor Google" to see what I could find about it. There doesn't seem to be a scientific name for the fear, that I can find.....but there are entire message boards devoted to the topic.

Who knew????

Anyone who knows me knows I love to kayak.....yet I'm terrified of water. So practicing yoga even though I have a fear of being upside down...well, it's not really a stretch.

I know I enjoy what I'm doing because I WANT to do headstands and handstands. I want to work on it at home, when no one is looking, and I can pad the crash zone. I know I'm hooked when I sit at work trying to figure out where there is open wall space in my house for inversion practice. (there really aren't any)

:-)

One of these days, there will be a picture of me on this blog, doing a rockin' awesome inversion. I promise you that!!!!!!

03/18/2012

So, I've been a little off of my running game the last month or so.

I've actually been off of any game lately, it seems. The winter darkness, the running injuries, the work stress......it all took it's toll on me this year.

I've sat back the last few weeks and let myself heal from the inside out, so to speak. My energy is coming back and my motivation has migrated back around.

The housework that was being ignored is now getting the attention it needs. The outside of the house is getting it's fair share of loving as well.

I've also become a yoga addict. 4-5 classes a week lately. My strength (full body) is increasing every day and my flexibility is improving like wildfire. I can see a huge difference, and I'm loving every sweat dripping moment of it!

If you live in or around Omaha, you REALLY need to check out Sound Method Yoga. Mandy is fantastic and she's been adding on other amazing instructors now that she has her own studio space.

Plus (fanfare) I started running again. I downgraded from the full marathon in May to the half.....and am training just to complete it and enjoy it. No PR's, no time goals, no brutal training schedules. Two weekday runs of 30 minutes. If I make it 4 miles, sweet. If I make it 3 miles, awesome. 30 minutes, twice a week.

Then my long run on the weekend. Gradually increasing those miles until the half in May. If my longest run before the event is 10 miles, sweet. If it's only 8, awesome. I can't wait to run it with family. Talk, laugh, people watch.....just enjoying the moment.

Will I eventually run a full marathon? Yes. Without a doubt.
Will I do one that I have to train for over the winter. Absolutely not! :-)

This weekend I finally did it. I took Sam with me on my run.

I've been debating whether to take her or not since last April, when she was old enough to start going. Sam is a lab. Labs have seriously addictive personalities. Every day, when I get home from work, I have to throw the ball. I don't have a choice in the matter. If Mot throws it for her just before I get home, it doesn't matter. She wants ME to do it because that's just WHAT WE DO when I get home.

I could take her for a walk, I could take her for a car ride....but it doesn't matter. Until that ball throwing session is complete, she won't leave me alone. She'll bring her stuffed toys to me, in bed that night, if we miss our game of fetch. She'll throw her stuffed toys at me when I get ready for work the next morning. It doesn't end until I do it........so now she has ME trained. I get home, I throw the ball.

(sigh)

Knowing that, I had to decide if I really wanted to get her addicted to running with me? Do I really want to risk her wet nose in my face every morning?

I only did 3 miles with her this weekend, just to see how she'd do....and she did great!!!! I ran her with a short leash on the first half. She did really well, but she's not keen on staying beside me when we run.

She's a hunting dog, and has been trained to work a field slightly ahead of us....so I thought, why fight it? I dropped the leash and let her run. It was early in the am, there was no one around.

She ran 2-3 feet ahead of me the entire time. If I took a walk break, or slowed down on a hill....she slowed her pace to stay right there with me. Another lab (a yellow) went running across our path. He'd obviously escaped his yard and was out exploring the neighborhood. Sam kept an eagle eye on him, but never left her spot in front of me.

Because of her color and because I don't want to risk injuring her....she'll only, from now on, be going on my 30 minute weekday morning runs. I'm not sure how she's going to react when I go out for my long runs alone. She watches us like a hawk. When those running shoes come out, when the GPS watch goes on my wrist...she knows what it means. And now that I've included her on the activity, what will she do when I leave without her on Sunday mornings?

Guess we're going to find out. Wish me luck! :-)