Yoga Workshop

People have been asking why I have not posted much this month.

Here's a big part of why.... I took a yoga workshop! 15 hours in 3 days, was KILLER, and there are 2 words to describe it: 1. Worthwhile. 2. Exhaustion.

a new, easier way to practise handstand. (I LOVE handstands!)

Wall Star - a variation on side plank

Abridged yoga glossary:

downward facing dog - classic yoga pose, in an inverted V on your hands and feet. (Think about how a dog or cat looks when stretching)

plank - top of a push-up

chaduranga - bottom of a push-up

cobra - pose starts from facedown, keep legs on floor, then straighten arms as you arch back. Resembles a cobra snake about to strike!

child's pose - a resting pose done in kneeling position, then bend forward and rest your forehead on the floor with your arms resting outstretched above your head on the mat

_______________________________

By Sunday, after approximately 5 million planks and 400 bazillion downward facing dogs and a couple zillion chadurangas, I was hitting the yogic wall. I thought the instructor said, "child's pose", and it took a couple seconds to realise he said, "plank". Again. Again? Out loud, I said, "F*&#" quickly followed by "oops, hahahhahahha".

FYI, it's sorta frowned upon to swear at yoga.

So then the yogi started goading us into action: "OK, if you are a total wimp, you can go into cobra from lying on the floor. But if you're hard core, you'll go there from chaduranga first. [grrrrr]"

Yes, I am absolutely that easily manipulated, so sure enough, I snapped my body into the bottom of a push-up, gaining praise from the Yoga Nazi at the front of the room. I lifted my whole body off the floor....except my boobs. They were too dang heavy! Just couldn't do it.... There was much laughter inside my head.

look closely at the grimace used to hold a pose after a looooooong weekend. (and the terrible alignment....oh, the shame of having poor alignment captured on film)

Pictures Posted!

I've posted pics from my trip.
Follow this link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/teleduc101/JamaicaHIghlights08?authkey=HcEXv5Kk4MI&feat=directlink

Time flies when you're having rum!

December 6, 2008, Negril, Jamaica
Start of Day: 3:50 am - get up, breakkie
4:15 - catch shuttle to Half Marathon Start
5:15 - Reggae Half Marathon
6:15 - sun rise! (I was at Mile 6 or so in the race)

8:00 - the best swim ever, after having completed 13.1 tough miles (OK, maybe only 10 were tough miles, and 3.1 were easy miles)
9:30 - still not tired, so went to yoga until 10:30

10:45 - FAMISHED so had proper breakfast
12:00 - went to beach. Jenn had negotiated a great price for parasailing, so walked back to the Yoga Centre to get more cash

around 12:45 - parasailing with Jenn. Really fun, and an incredible view!!

1:15ish - had brilliant idea that instead of being taken back to where the boat collected us for parasailing, we'd walk back along the beach. We were never going to get that far down the beach any other way (maybe 4 miles??) ...

1:20ish - shopping

1:40ish - stopped at first 2-for-1 cocktail bar
[time passed without our notice as we slowly rambled from bar to bar, shop to shop, chatting with all sorts of people.]

As a sign said in one the bars we were at: "Time flies when you're having rum!"

6:00 - sunset
6:15 - hey, we better stop for dinner! (Note: still about a mile from Yoga Centre)7:00 - sudden remembrance we were supposed to meet DJ for dinner. Oops.

7:15ish - back at Negril Yoga Centre for quick shower and change, and meet DJ


7:30ish - DJ brought us dinner from his farm in the hills (callaloo, roast bread fruit), so had second dinner. I drank a Red Bull and grew promised wings. We all started dancing like lunatics. DJ did "rasta-robics". Much laughter.
8:45 - arrived at post-run reggae celebration show. Headliner band had already finished (likely the earliest show ever in the history of Jamaica, as the headliner usually starts after midnight). Totally lame so went to meet Jenn's friends at Sun Star Hotel.
9:30 probably - arrived at Sun Star. Good party, but missed Jenn's friends by about 20 minutes. Oops. Good live band though, so danced lots more. Were webcast live on: realnegril.com


12:00 maybe? - time to go home


around 12:30 - bed :)

Jamaica Mon!

OK, as usual, my pace is manic while on holiday..... Gotta dash...got an international businessman waiting to tour me around on his motorbike. Oh, and we'll likely work together sometime!

Yes - been drinking rum

Yes - been drinking beer

Yes - been doing yoga

Yes - went to reggae show

No - have not been diving yet, but do swim in the sea daily

And now, will chill it out a bit to get ready for the big run Sat AM :)

Royally Victorian

On Thanksgiving Sunday, I ran the Royal Victoria Half Marathon. For those paying attention, yes, that`s my second in 2 weeks! No, I haven`t gone mad. I don`t have a hopeless running addiction (there`s still hope for me). My friend Susan was doing her first Half, so I went along to support her and run with her.

The run was AWESOME. Susan thinks this must be "her distance"! She did really well: 2:38.32, which is really great for a) anyone, but especially, b) a first timer, and c) someone who's never gone farther than 15 km before. We were happy, had perfect weather, got hugs from a good friend on the course, no pain, no hard effort, AND she stopped for a beer with the Hash House Harriers on course!!!! WHAT AN ANIMAL! I would have barfed. Apparently Gatorade should come in beer flavour too...

I felt really bad though that her family were not aware what a big deal the race was, so she had no spectators. But I was so proud of her achievement, plus we had a great talk with her younger son about the great feeling of working toward, and then achieving, a goal. (I think that's a really important life lesson, myself.) And her husband did give her big hugs later, so that's great.

She was hardly stiff the next day, and biked to work on Tuesday! An overwhelming success!

Looking great at 15 km!

My next running goal: Reggae (half) Marathon on Dec 6 in Negril, JAMAICA!!!!!!!!

My acupuncturist/running partner has invited me to join her. She's staying at a yoga centre on the beach, and she'll be doing the 10 km race. It's a week before my Big 40, so my intent is to train super-hard, be very strict with diet, and be SAH-MOKIN hot!!!! Oh yes, there will be pictures to memorialise my Hotness at Forty! (The ones with the bikini will be for public consumption, but the others....by invitation only. HA!)

Topsy Turvy day

I was worried that I'd have nothing to write about....and I'd just be rambling on about noses, body noises, and generally nothing. Be careful what you wish for!

I had quite the topsy turvy day last week....

Headed into yoga class.... Yoga class....aaahhhhh, bliss. I was SUPER flexible, so had a really easy time. Or maybe, I was just in a particularly happy mood, so nothing hurt, and it was all easy. Yoga is like that....which comes first? the mind or the body? Physical-mental zen riddle... Everyone around here is really bent cuz fall has come about a month early, so our teacher's thought for the day was about "accepting this moment as perfect."

Then I headed downtown, parked perfectly, met a couple friends for a nice walk, stopped at the Farmer's Market and bought lovely flowers. In fact, he gave me an extra couple stems for free - YAY! :))

Then returned to my perfectly parked car. That was all smashed. :((

With a note on it. :)

I called the guy, he was completely blown away that I was sooooo chilled, after he brutally smashed up my car with his monster truck. He brought me his deets, bought me a coffee, drove me to the RCMP and insurance place. :) Since my car was smashed :(

But I think I've converted him to yoga.....it's clearly why there was no yelling, tears, stress, etc. over my car. Obvious positive effect :)

And in case you were wondering, NO I don't think he was hitting on me.....told me all about his girlfriend.... As well, smashed my car + girlfriend = total deal breaker. Everybody knows that math. :-P Plus he was, like, 6 years old.

I am finally accepting though that my car is jinxed. Aaaahhhhh, poor Lesbaru*. So reliable. Ugly as a comfortable shoe. Red 1998 Subaru Forester. I've had NO accidents in any other vehicle I've ever had, yet this car has now been smashed in a parking lot twice, rear ended once (not my fault the big SUV couldn't stop on black ice but the Subie is nimble and light!). And then one time I was given an at fault accident when a moron in an old, crappy 2wd p/u with bald tires tried to pass me on a snowy road, he hit the frozen snowbank and rolled. NO damage to my car, as I caught a glimpse of the big pouf of snow, touched the throttle, and nimbly got out of the guy's way. grrrrrrr, long story, still bitter :-P



* years ago, when my car was new, friends who were also subie owners were looking at http://www.car.com/. And what would you find on the Top Ten List of vehicles preferred by Lesbians???? The Subaru Forester! I also blame my car for women hitting on me all the time...