345-348: Post Wedding Bliss

Day 345: On Wednesday I attempted a four mile run, but my sore legs were telling me something else.  It sounded like “go home, stop running.”  Instead, after running two miles to Washington Park I decided to turn my phone/ipod into a phone and call a good pal.  She made fun of my need to walk and we talked for the next 30 minutes until I was back into our apartment.  I continue to stand by the idea of grabbing your phone and calling a friend when you need a little encouragement or distraction.  It’s the best way to help a workout fly by.

Day 346: Thursday evening I went to a CPY flow class and sweat out all of my sore muscles and post wedding ice cream (yes, I am still indulging in the “I don’t have to wear a wedding dress again!” eating habits).

Day 347:  Yesterday was one of those days where I barely had time to feed myself, but had to figure out how to sweat.  I went on a quick 30 minute run around the neighborhood while mentally figuring out how I can try to make my hair not look dirty if I “recycle” it after my sweaty run.

*I swear by Pantene Pro-V’s dry shampoo for your gal on the go, with sweaty hair- needs.

Day 348: This morning was one of Denver’s largest half-marathon’s and although I was not participating in it, I went to cheer on some of my friends with my co-workers.  All of the roads in my neighborhood were shutdown at 4:00 a.m., which would have made driving to the group meeting spot quite difficult.  Instead, I hopped on my bike and rode the three miles while sipping on my coffee and trying my best to smile at every cop giving me a dirty look for riding in their blocked off streets.  After an hour and a half of cheering, I hopped back on my bike and headed into work (2 miles) and then rode home at the end of the day (2 more miles).  I even tagged on an extra twenty minutes of riding for good measure.

*We got our wedding pictures back today, I was so excited that I wanted to share a few!

 

Days 328-330: Friends and Outlaws

Day 328:  Sunday morning I went to the community yoga class that lululemon hosts every week.  To say that it was the most unique class I have ever taken is an uunderstatement.  The hour-long power flow class was taught by Justin Kaliszewski, the creator of the brand “Outlaw Yoga.”  I really want to pick Justin’s brain the next time that I take his class so that I can learn the entire story behind the brand, but until then, I can guess that the name was born out of a desire to break the boundaries of yoga.  The class physically felt like yoga, but spiritually it amped up the power of choice more than any other class I’ve ever taken.  It was almost instantly addicting, which quickly explained Justin’s large entourage at the event.

If you’re looking for something truly unique, you should checkout Justin at Kindness Yoga and watch for his own studio to open up in the late fall.  I will make sure to keep you all posted on that in the near future.

Day 329:   Yesterday was a busy day and I had to figure out how to squeeze in a workout between working at luluemon, having a congratulatory drink with my newly engaged best friend* and a dinner date with another friend.  I decided on my fall back plan- a 40 minute run.  Unfortunately my body was feeling the effects of my late Sunday night dinner party, so I was forced to run really slow.  My body just wanted to move like a turtle and I let it.

Day 330:  After being home from the honeymoon for a week now, I have started to fall back into my groove a bit more.  I’m feeling more rested everyday and am noticing the side effects of wedding stress slowly leaving my body.   I suppose that the constant catching up with all my friends and family about the wedding has definitely helped out as well.  Today I talked on the phone to five friends and one family member for a total of four hours, it felt like high school all over again and I loved it!

This normally would not be considered blog worthy information, but I was getting bored on the phone, so I walked for almost two hours of the conversations and then decided to skip my evening run.  It was incredibly delightful.  The next time you don’t feel like working out, I challenge you to grab your phone and dial all your friends.  Talking + walking + sweating + laughing = bliss.

*My bestie also happened to catch the bouquet at our wedding.  I believe that is a noteworthy nugget of information to share 😉

Day 313: Lost in Bliss

Day 313:  Today is the day that 100 of my closest friends and family start making their way to town to celebrate our wedding tomorrow.  Up until this point I have primarily focused on the planning details, not the love that will be surrounding us.  This morning I decided to go for a run around my fiance’s neighborhood and allow my running brain to get lost in the gratuitous thoughts of having such great friends and family.

Unfortunately, I ended up more along the lines of just plain lost.  I spent 40 minutes trying to make connections to roads that I might have seen when I was in high school.  I also realized that I had a lot of firsts in this neighborhood…first real crush, first kiss, first sip of alcohol (it was a Mike’s Hard Lemonade, does that even count?) and add this to the list- first time getting seriously lost on a run.  Luckily I decided to turn off the head phones and listen for the closest major road, which eventually led me back to my fiance’s house.

What was intended to be a blissful run with my head in the clouds turned into something else and that is okay.  It’s what it was meant to be on this rainy Ohio morning that felt sunny to me.

***I am also incredibly grateful for Ken Gordon, a reporter from the Columbus Dispatch, that wrote this awesome article:  http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2012/08/17/wedding-worked-into-her-daily-workout.html

Days 310-312: Home Sweet Home

Day 310:  Yesterday I flew from Denver to Columbus, Ohio for some early wedding week prep.  When I landed I went straight to my final dress fitting and then to meet two high school friends at Pai Yoga in my hometown of Dublin.  We were trying out a 75 minute flow class in a hot studio, that proved to be challenging and soul-drenching.

My old pal, Kathy Powell, is a seasoned yogi with a personality that can light up an entire yoga studio.  My other friend, Paco Ribot, has never tried yoga before but was stoked to try something different.  Together we all sweat enough to fill a baby pool and laughed so many times that it made me question whether what I had just done could be considered a workout.  Fortunately my incredibly sore body was telling me all day today that it definitely was.

Day 311:  Yesterday morning I stopped by my alma mater, Dublin Scioto, to see one of my favorite teachers of all time.  We hugged for a few minutes and caught up on our lives before I headed out for a 40 minute run.  I left from the high school and ran up and down the surrounding neighborhoods, allowing myself to get lost in pre-wedding nostalgia.

Day 312:  This morning I went on a quick 20 minute jog and then setup my yoga mat for my own version of a 20 minute yoga sculpt/bootcamp/jumping around in one spot and sweating like a monkey- type of workout.  It’s still unclear what I did, but I consider all of it to be a workout.  I think the picture really captures that!

Days 307-309: A Grounded Departure

Day 307:  Now that the wedding is a few days away, I have found myself less stressed and able to truly enjoy the process leading up to the festivities.  Saturday morning kicked off my (semi) zen-like-state when I went to Diane Sieg’s class at Sacred I Yoga.   It was the same class that two months ago , when I promised myself I would attend regularly.  Unfortunately, my schedule has not allowed that, but I truly will try to make every Saturday class that I can.  To say that the class is grounding is a huge understatement.  It’s almost as if your yoga mat grows roots and the branches are grabbing at your limbs, longing for you to join that community.

Seriously.  Check. It. Out.

Day 308:  Yesterday my two sister friends and I went on a hike at Mt. Falcon Park, followed by a quick-lunch at the Ale House at Amato’s.   The hike was a little less than two hours and a good hybrid of downhill/uphill with only moderate steepness.  My body was happy to breathe in the woods and talk with friends about life while taking in the occasional doe.    I do not think this could have been more tranquil if we tried.  Have I ever mentioned how much I love life in Colorado?

Day 309:  After a restless night of sleep the last thing my mind wanted to do was get up and go for a run, but my body really was craving the deep breaths.  So I laced up and headed to the park for a five-mile run before coming home to laundry, lists and suitcases.  The run helped me power through my list with just enough time to spend with my fiance before leaving for Ohio in the morning.  And so the wedding week/end begins…