Happy Fall!

Woo! I'm back. It's certainly been a minute and half since my last post. Despite my lack of writing, I promise I haven't been skimping on my workout regiment :). This past quarter, I really upped the ante on school and kept my creative focus on my portfolio. A new ( and my final!!!) quarter begins next week and I'm determined to keep up with my blogging.

Some highlights from the past month:

The Bucktown 5K!

The morning after Yom Kippur, my dad and I dragged ourselves to the Bucktown 5k, a lovely neighborhood race. Of course, we were excited about the event, but after consuming a day's worth of calories in a single break-fast dinner the night before, we were definitely feeling a little sluggish. Can't say I recommend a fast before a race. The weather was a little stormy, but after my positive experience with a rainy half marathon in June I wasn't too worried about the clouds. I run better in cooler weather, and some brisk Fall rain is the perfect way for me to stay comfortable when I run. All in all, I thought that this race went better than expected! I beat my time from last year by about four minutes and really enjoyed myself. However, I felt that my lack of porta potty breaks during the race was my real victory, dig it? 

For Chicagoans looking for a fun run, I definitely recommend this race. The course takes you through the peaceful residential streets of Bucktown and it's surrounded by perfect post-race brunch spots. 

Also this:

Yup, just a friendly goat brought in to honor Buck Town's history and perhaps provide a little luck :). 

Let's what else is new...Starting next week, a new roommate is moving in! I've known Taylor since we were in the fifth grade and I think it's going to be a fabulous year. Like Jane and me, fitness and music are both huge parts of Tay's life so I think it's just going to be one happy party at Real World Paulina. Taylor is a yoga instructor at CPY and I can't wait to push my practice further with her. Living room flow sessions?! Hello, what a dream! Maybe I'll finally nail the elusive handstand..

Hopefully this won't jinx my luck, but today I have a second interview with a great women's outdoor and fitness apparel store. I SO DESPERATELY want to work there and spread the message of health, fitness, and positivity to the world!! But seriously, I do. I am such a cheeseball sometimes. So cross your fingers for me :). 

Peace, love, sweat xoxo SR

It's definitely been a minute...

Can't believe I haven't posted in a month- major slacker status!
I spent all of June traveling like some hotshot jet setter. Lawlz. First, I joined my family in Israel to celebrate my youngest sister's bat mitzvah. That was a unique experience to say the least! It was a very active trip, but my dad and I upped the ante a little with light jogs through the old city of Jerusalem and conducting yoga classes for the other members on our tour! Considering I was eating enough hummus to singlehandedly support the entire industry, these extra workouts were key. Check out the sweatastic memories below!

Jogging through the old city was a moving experience that's hard to verbalize. Feeling the cobblestones under my feet as I jogged through such a holy place was very powerful. It was very trippy to think about how many generations of people had run through these alleyways. The yoga sessions were also very meaningful. My dad and I took turns leading a few of our friends from our tour every morning in Eilat. We would practice on a pier that was smack dab in the middle of Israel and Jordan. Yoga is so peaceful and it felt very special to practice it between these two countries, staring at both of their flags.

After Israel, I went to Seattle where I laughed, drank, ate, had the most lovely time and gained about five pounds:) Happy pounds!

Now I'm back to the school grind and am trying to get back into my old good habits. I've been exercising about five days a week which, frankly, isn't enough for me and I've been trying to not get too frsuterated with my decreasing abilities. Right now I can't afford as many yoga classes as I'd like, and that's really throwing me off my game. I think practicing at least five days a week keeps me feeling groovy- without it I feel a little lost. Luckily, I just started a new job so hopefully I'll be back in the studio soon! My job is at an ice cream parlor...so great but so dangerous! Can't ever go to work hungry!

On final note, look what J and I did last Friday! Thanks Lululemon!

Yup, yoga on Wrigley Field! Definitely an asana to remember.

Peace, love, sweat xoxo SR

Terrapin 5K! IT IS COMING

Guess what's coming up...

Remember that summer you spent following the Grateful Dead? While that can't be repeated, at least not without the help of something reminiscent of those "Michael Jackson's ghost" visuals, Ram Racing has a temporary solution to fill that Jerry Garcia shaped void left in your heart. 

The Terrapin 5k beckons to the runners who have been humbled by Chicago's unforgiving summer temperatures and, despite their business suits in July appearance, still have a favorite Dick's Pick album. The race leads runners down the lakefront path where, after wiping the sweat out of their eyes, they can gaze upon the sunset over Lake Michigan. After hoofing it for three miles, runners join their friends and family for a few groovy pints of Magic Hat's finest and, if they did a few toe touches after the race, an opportunity to show off some deadhead dance moves to the tunes of popular cover band, Mr.Blotto. Rock on, ladies and gents, rock on. 

Ram Racing Terrapin 5K

Why yes, I HAVE run a half marathon!

We did it!!! After months of unstructured preparation ( uh, obviously not recommended) we completed our first half marathon! T, J, and I ran an under 11 minute average the whole time, and honestly, I don't think I really hit the wall until mile 13. It was a beautiful course through the suburb of Highland Park. It was pretty hilly, but we all managed to use adrenaline to carry us up and down the course. Luckily, the weather was in our favor. It was about 50 degrees and a little drizzly. This kept us cool and our heart rates down for the whole race. I think I would be writing a very different blog post if it had been sunny and in the 90's. The night before, I found this quote by Olympian Herb Elliott that I kept turning to during the difficult parts of the race:

“Poetry, music, forests, oceans, solitude--they were what developed enormous spiritual strength. I came to realize that spirit, as much or more than physical conditioning, had to be stored up before a race.”

Whenever I felt my spirit dipping, I'd connect my thumbs with my index fingers, this encourages a connective flow of power throughout the whole body, and look up at the green tree tops popping against the clean, gray sky. 

If you're thinking about running a half marathon, I cannot stress the importance of cross training. Unwisely, I never ran the full 13 miles during my training runs. However, for the past 5 months, I've been going to power yoga over three times a week, and I think that provided me with the tools I needed to successfully complete this race. Yoga strengthened my muscles and core, as well as taught me how to breathe properly. Next time I do a half, I will definitely follow a training schedule more strictly, however, I will also make sure to keep up with my other exercises. I've been seriously considering joining a gym this upcoming winter so I can start lifting weights again. In college, I lifted weights about 3 times a week and had significantly less injury problems than I do now. 

Have a great week!

Peace, love, sweat xoxo SR

Can a gal just get her mud run on in peace?

I wrote this post for another blog that I've been working on for school, but wanted to share it on this blog too. As always, please feel free to comment.

Peace, love, sweat xoxo SR

Does this picture look familiar? If you’re a member of Facebook, then you’ve probably seen it floating around your newsfeed the past few days. It’s the latest promotional photo from the SPARTAN RACE and boy oh boy, it sure has been popular. An ad like this raises some interesting questions. Mainly, is it wrong to oversexualize women when promoting a race? By sexualizing a female racer, does this picture suggest that instead of being strong, tough, and badass, women just look sexy when they roll around in the mud? By using this picture to promote their event, the SPARTAN RACE seems to be suggesting that watching hot girls play in the mud is just one more racing incentive for their male targets. Maybe there’s nothing wrong with that; after all, a race needs to sell entry slots right? However, by portraying women in this way, the race may also be losing another target audience that has been showing up in masses at mud runs- women. Other runs like the Warrior Dash and Tough Mudder have done a good job at showing both genders looking tough, athletic, and, of course, goofy as hell. There’s nothing wrong with posting pictures of a muscular bod kicking butt on an obstacle. However, when the focus of the picture isn’t how tough the subject is, but how attractive they are, the result is, ironically, a turn off.

SoMe #6- this one has a fitness spin :)

Hi Everyone!

I know it's been a hot minute since I last posted. Just busy being overwhelmed and slightly irresponsible..anywho expect a fitness update soon. T, J, and I are running the half this upcoming Sunday ( yikes!) so I'm sure I'll have lots to say about that..if I can even move my fingers on the keyboard once it's over.
This week, we were asked to blog about social media buzzwords. I had a list and a post all written out when I realized that there had to be a better way to tie in my fitness blog to buzzwords. So Heidi, if you're reading this, I did my homework on the business buzzwords :)! However, I think this post should focus on the fitness buzzwords of 2013. For readers who are interested, feel free to message me and I'd be happy to talk shop on the SoMe buzzwords too! I just want to rein this blog in and focus on its original intent- to explore the wild world of health and fitness.

I've separated the buzzwords into two lists, focusing my favorite and least favorite words. If you can think of more key phrases of 2013, please share! Also, last minute half marathon tips would be deeply appreciated, a duh.

Peace, love, sweat xoxo SR

Dig

• Functional Fitness: You'll be hearing about this one a lot this year, and with good reason! Picture the scene, you've just run six miles and scored a PR. As you head out to the bars for a victory brew,you can't help but notice that you're hobbling like a deer with a broken ankle. Not so fit after all. Functional Fitness focuses on exercises that renew and restore your body so that you can kick ass in and out of the gym. Exercise should compliment your life, not turn it into a world of pain. 
• Boredom Blasters: Okay, I made this word up, but not the definition! All kinds of kooky activities were thrown our way in 2012 and continue to flourish in the New Year. Fun Runs no longer mean that there might just be a tee shirt and a beer at the finish line. Make way for a plethora of muddy dashes, tire hopping, colored powder, and more next time you sign up for a race. We've also got a series of yoga festivals to look forward to. Wanderlust Festival is a wonderful four day event that takes place in cities all over the world. It brings together like minded yogis, instructors, musicians and more for a giant yoga celebration. Namaste! SUPing is also on the rise. The stand up board paddling sport now offers new ways to paddle. Personally, I've been dying to try a vinyasa flow class on the board. 
• Strong is the new skinny: 

This new buzz phrase should successfully demolish Kate Moss's legendary pro-ana comment. If only this mentality had been mainstream when I was growing up. 

• Stacking: Twenty minutes cardio, twenty minutes weights, twenty minutes core; sound familiar? Breaking your workout up into sections doesn't benefit you as much as stacking intervals. Expect to see more classes and work with more trainers who tout the idea of interlacing these three areas together. By working in intervals, you'll get better results. 
• Social Training: I had to include a social media angle! In 2013, fitness and social media go hand in hand. We can't always workout with our friends in person, but that doesn't mean you have to sweat out your long run on your own! Fitocracy, MapMyRun, and Strava all let you compete and share updates with your social network. Another app I have my eye on is GymPact. This is great for groups of friends who are having trouble getting to the gym. GymPact encourages users to thrown down money each week then logs how many times the user goes to the gym( based on your attendance goal). Every time you skip a day, you forfeit some of your money. At the end of the week, the forfeited money is divided up among those who stuck to their goal and didn't miss any gym days. Social and motivating! 

Ditch

• Detox: Ugh, what does this even mean? I must admit that when I see shiny, happy juice pictures on Pinterest, I too am momentarily drawn to the idea of a cleansing juice detox diet. Then I close my computer and abruptly remember that humans, especially humans who exercise frequently, are probably not supposed to live off of juice for extended periods of time. The idea of a cleanse or detox is so appealing, however, it's not exactly possible. After a week of snarfing junk food or binge drinking, it's tempting to imagine that you can just "cleanse" the bad stuff out of you. Our bodies are actually quite smart and are constantly "detoxing" so to speak. Remember all those times that you like, pee? Though you'll lose weight on a detox diet, it's because you're drastically cutting calories and as soon as you start eating again you'll obviously go back to your normal weight. Instead of feeling guilty and succumbing to a crazy "detox",alter the way that you eat and exercise. If drinking beer every night makes you feel like your only solution is to survive on carrot juice for a week, then just stop drinking so much beer! It's probably easier to cut back on an indulgence than comfortably survive on a 500 calorie daily intake. Don't trade out exercise and food for a juice diet. Alter your lifestyle in simple ways now and I promise that a wacky detox will never seem logical to you again. 
• Shredding: Shred fat, shred muscle, shred tough- I don't think I need to go into detail about why this word sounds douchey- IT JUST DOES. 
• Target Fat: The lure of targeting belly fat is pretty strong, however, it's not really possible to just successfully target one area. Your best bet is to create a full body workout plan. Include push ups, cardio, and bench presses into your workouts and you'll see results. Just doing core work does not necessarily guarantee a flat belly- despite what your fancy Gold Coast gym class may suggest.
• Get Certified!: If you belong to a yoga studio or a gym, then you've probably been bombarded with newsletters making call outs for future trainers and teachers. That's all well and good, but an important detail seems to have been left out-not every Flexible Fanny ( or Freddy!) is meant to teach a fitness class. I belong to a studio that is constantly certifying yoga instructors and frankly, not every instructor I've worked with there has been very good. Let's bring the focus back to quality not quantity. Sometimes, it seems like becoming a teacher is the only way to push your practice to the next level- that's not a good enough reason. Become a teacher to pass on the good word to students. If you're trying to reach your next fitness level, sign up for a marathon instead. 
• Core Training: We have an obsession with our cores, I get it. I'd love to magically erase my beer belly. However, it takes more than a core training class to do that. A well rounded exercise routine will get you to where you want to be. If you take classes that only focus on the core, try weight lifting or other exercises that target other parts of your body. When it comes to fitness, balance will always be the key to success.  

This was a good weekend.

Palm Beach, Florida

SoMe Class Post #4

Hi Everyone,

Just posting for class! This week we were asked to reflect upon a customer service nightmare that has happened to us in the past. We were supposed to look at it from the perspective of the customer, which is a little tricky! Frankly, it's easy to think of memories when a customer treated me poorly, but not so easy to think about a time when a clerk rattled my feathers.

More often than not, when I'm faced with a clerk who's got an ugly case of BADitude, I tend to zone out and walk away. I'm not one for engaging with crabby strangers. How can I blame the wacky woman working behind the DMV counter for her gnarly behavior? Her job sucks! Her job before this probably sucks! She has probably had years of sucktastic full time work and I feel more sorry than angry about that.

In general, I think empathy is good when working with difficult people. Of course, I take lessons away from bad customer experiences. I learn how not to act when I am working with a customer. There have definitely been times when I want to snap at someone, but that is pretty unacceptable. I'd much rather be calm and collected, than a part of the problem.

I think, in general, all that yoga makes a peaceful attitude possible...maybe pass that bit of advice on to the DMV.

Peace, love, sweat xoxo SR

Stuck in a Rut womp womp

Hey Everybody,

Less than a month to go until the half!! I'm getting a little nervous. I've had a few upsets the past two weeks that hopefully won't affect me come race day. For starters, my ITBS just won't give me a back. I've been foam rolling, icing, and Advil-ing like crazy, but so far no dice. It merely becomes less awful, but never stops nagging me. I'm seeing the doctor on Thursday so hopefully he'll give me some good suggestions. Yesterday, my friend C suggested I try massage therapy. He said it's possible that stretching alone can't break down all the scar tissue that's by my knee. I hope that's what the doctor says too. Part of me just wants the damn cortisone shot that I can forget about this pain for at least six months, but those have some pretty gnarly side effects, from my understanding. This is totally disgusting, but sometimes I wish I could magically remove my IT band from my knee and wring it out then put it back in. So weird, I know... Anyway, being in constant pain has been a little depressing and I've had a hard time shaking my funk.

I don't know if I'm distracted or what, but my runs have been suffering this week. Jogs that should be easy-peasy are suddenly making me feel like I've got a pound of bricks strapped to each thigh. I'm not sure if I'm just burning out or what. I'm dedicating the next three days to yoga. Since I picked up the half training, my yoga practice has taken the back burner and I've only been going twice a week. I think I need to be stretched out ( mentally and physically) before I can kick ass on the road again.

I hope everyone is enjoying the sunny weather! Perfect for running and yoga on the beach :).

Peace, love, sweat xoxo SR

SomE class #3

Hey Everyone,

Just updating my blog for class on something interesting, though entirely unrelated to fitness!

This week, we were asked our opinion on gay friendly ads and if we thought it was smart that companies like JC Penny and Gap were getting involved in this issue. To that question, I can respond wholeheartedly with a big, ol' YES. YES OF COURSE companies should be including gay people in their advertisements. Before I climb up onto my soap box, here's my favorite ad from this year so far:

This ad is so lovely and cute and gives me the warm fuzzies every time I watch it. This is what ads today SHOULD look like. It's not playing on stereotypes, it's not using gay rights to sell the product, it's just a sincere ad that depicts gay and straight people interacting in a totally normal way- you know, like in real life?! 

I think that gay rights is a black and white issue. It's totally a matter of right and wrong. I've noticed that people frequently make excuses for others who are a little homophobic- as if that was an illness or something. To me, homophobia is just a sign of complete ignorance and I'm guessing that these "mildly homophobic" people would have also been "mildly racist" slave owners or "mildly anti Semitic" Nazi Youth in another time and place. There is nothing wrong with being gay! Or straight! Or asexual! Who cares! If you're a human walking around this good, green planet then you deserve to be included- and that means advertisements should be speaking to you. 

Companies should understand that someday, in the near future, it will seem absolutely backwards that gay people weren't represented in commercials. So if some nutty right wing group refuses to buy their khakis at your store, who cares? Those idiots will be irrelevant soon enough. More often than not, I think it's far more important for companies to focus on their cultural capitol than on their financial gain. There is nothing wrong with a brand showing compassion and someday when gay rights are no longer tangled in a nasty debate, companies like Kindle and Gap will be remembered and respected for their open minded attitude. 

One love yall! 

Peace, love, sweat xoxo SR

LUNGevity 5K

Howdy!

I hope everyone is enjoying the fresh Spring weather. Running in shorts? What a novelty.

Yesterday, I headed down to the suburbs for a little staycation. Now that I don't live with my parents, I love coming home once in awhile for good food and a chance to relax. It's nice getting out of the city sometimes.

This staycation actually had a greater purpose than gaining five pounds and reading a full novel overnight. My dad, sister J, and I were participating in LUNGevity's 5k run for lung cancer research. It was an interesting event. My dad and I had never thought about this before, but we realized that we rarely run races that have a charity as the main theme. Of course, every run we do supports a charity, but our runs tend to be Grateful Dead themed with tyedye tee shirt giveaways. The vibe at this event was rightfully somber, and unlike our usual races, there was no beer. I think we both agreed that attending a serious race once in awhile was a great choice. I personally felt more motivated to kick ass when the cause that I was racing for was displayed so prominently.

I guess that fighting lung cancer really lit the fire under my butt, because I knocked my PR out of the water!! Yes, maybe the fun run wasn't exactly the most appropriate venue for me to buckle down and charge, but ya know what, sue me. For the first time in over 6(!) years, I raced under 28 minutes. Throughout college, I never once broke 30 minutes. That 100 day challenge certainly prepared me for the spring races. I haven't felt this strong since my rowing days. I actually feel even better because unlike high school, I feel fit without having the shoulders of a line backer. THIS IS WINNING.

My suggestion for May is to find a race that focuses solely on a charity. Yes, please do take on the Cinco de Miler( I might !), but also check out a race that focuses less on partying and more on the issue at hand.

Peace, Love, Sweat xoxo SR

Kimpton Hotels: You guys rock.

This ad from Kimpton Hotels is hysterical! True, it's super weird and slightly creepy, but hey, who doesn't want to spend their day with a mustached yoga mat? This work is pretty inspirational for my own ads...I say the goofier the better! Quirky+ yoga mat= happy me!

Check it out here: Nothing like a date with a yoga mat to brighten your work-cation

Peace, love, sweat xoxo SR

I'm still here!

Quite a few moons have gone by since I last posted!

I've been sticking to my exercise regiment as best that I can. School has gotten a little crazy so I'm back to my smelly ways. Run in the morning, meet groups all day, shower at night- gross, I know. Whatever gets me to that finish line in June! I'm starting to feel a little burnt out, but am trying to push through any illnesses that may be creeping up. My friend Taylor, an instructor at CorePower ( shameless plug, take her classes, she rocks!), has been a good influence on my workouts. We met up twice this week and both times, I had a chance to try new jogs AND we went to a RealRyder class, which if you read this blog, you know that I love. Overall, I'm sore and spent, but trying to feel good.

I'm taking a social media class at school that has given me an assignment involving this blog. Once in awhile, I'll be writing posts geared towards this class. They probably won't be fitness related, but do read if you're interested! The prompts are intriguing.

Peace, love, sweat xoxo SR

Hello Tuesday!

Howdy!

Still reeling from yesterday's events in Boston, but have taken comfort in the pure display of beautiful humanity that the runners and citizens in Boston have shown the victims of this horrible attack. It's been a tough year, but again and again we see more heroes than villains so I'm not giving up on the world just yet.

Today, I celebrated my new found freedom as a full time student by throwing myself into a trifecta of exercise awesomeness. I started the day bright and early with a physical therapy session. My PT is really cool and even though my hips sometimes feel like they may be permanently abandoning ship, he and I always have a laugh. My PT office is located a floor below one of those fancy shmancy gyms so we always goof on the overdressed posers coming out of there and half assing physical therapy.

After I was all stretched out, I went on a 4 mile jog down to the lake. After a sad day, it's always nice to see the sun shining and life going on as it should. I love living in such a vibrant place like Wrigleyville. Running past the stadium never gets old.

After my jog, I headed straight to yoga. I wasn't able to attend last week and have been having SERIOUS withdrawals. I can't think of the last time I took a week off from yoga. It was tough firing up  my core in the heat again, but damn did it feel good to roll out my back. This is weird, but sometimes I pretend that my spine is a fruit roll up and I just need to stretch, straighten and flatten...the metaphors we create for ourselves to get through a workout...

Now I'm just cruising through homework and getting ready for school at night. It's been an adjustment learning how to use my free time wisely. I can't say I've hit my stride yet, I could probably be much more productive, but I am definitely feeling so much better than I did when I was working in the office. I still stress about school, but the it all just feels so much more manageable.

Peace, Love, Sweat xoxo SR

Sending love, peace, and positivity to Boston

So sad and disheartened that such an amazing and inspiring moment was ruined by a random act of chaotic violence.  Sending love to the runners and their supporters out in Boston.

<3

Peace, love, sweat xoxoSR

The Last day...or is it?!

Hi Everyone!

Today is technically day 100. How the heck did that happen?! The only exercise I've done today is lift donuts into my mouth, so I foresee a rainy night jog in my future. Guess I'm ending on a tough note, which seems appropriate! This challenge has been a far more profound experience than I ever anticipated. True, my body went through some fun physical changes ( whoa I have abs!), but the emotional ones were far more significant. I began this challenge at the start of what would be a grueling schedule. 5 am workouts, 9-5 work days, school all night...it was pretty unpleasant sometimes! The gloomy weather didn't help. In the past 100 days, I have felt pushed to my limits, I have had days where my eyes swell up and water from fatigue, and I have had quite a few moments where I thought I was going to have to quit everything and go hide in a cave.

Well, great news! I'm still dead tired, but have yet to move into a cave dwelling. Above all else, I've learned the importance of keeping promises to myself. I realized that part of the reason I was set on this challenge, was because I felt so inadequate in the other things I was doing. Balancing school and work was nearly impossible. For months, I've felt like I've been half assing everything I do. I loved this exercise challenge, because no matter how shitty I felt at work or how disappointed I was with a presentation at school, I could always feel good about the fact that I woke up and ran four miles. If nothing else, I took care of my body and that is always something to be proud of!

I've realized how important it is to make changes in my life. I am someone who needs to feel fully committed to what they care about. I want to be proud of my work. I have decided to quit my job, tomorrow is my last day, and focus solely on school. I'm so excited to see what kind of creative work I can produce when I'm not sleep deprived and stressed about the office. I felt like I was at a real disadvantage from the other students because I worked all day and now I'm ready to tackle my portfolio with Zeus- like strength... yeah you heard me.

Anyway, I'm definitely going to keep this blog up. I still have a half marathon and Urban Warrior Dash coming up! I'm also in a social media class at school and I think I'll be working on this blog for class. I've never kept a blog alive this long before, so just one more groovy reward from this wacky dream of mine :)

Talk to you all soon,

PEACE LOVE SWEAT xoxo SR

For those of us who find the over sexualization of yoga pants to be completely absurd..

Yoga Dork

Yoga Dork is for the intelligent yogi who keeps it real and has a sharp sense of humor. If you flow in your baggy high school rowing tee shirt with the hole in the arm pit, well, this site is for you. Tonight, I found this fantastic piece about the over sexualization of yoga pants. Why is it that when women wear things that reveal what their body actually looks like, so many men go nuts? Countless times, I've heard men go on and on about the sexiness of yoga pants and how we wear them with the intention of attracting attention. Actually, when I wear yoga pants, it's usually because I ate a burrito at 2 in the morning and I hope that no one gives me a second glance. Or it's because going into crow pose in sweat pants would probably end in me breaking my face (not to mention the sweat stains!). Comfort wear should mean never having to worry that the weird dude on the train is staring at your ass. Should I feel like I deserve creepy attention just because I haven't properly hidden my figure? Yes, I have a butt. The person next to me has a butt. Whoa, we all have butts! It's hard to break out of that cycle of thought that says "well, when you wear ___ you're kind of asking for it", but if I'm completely naked and flipping through a newspaper ,drinking coffee and minding my own business, how could anyone interpret my behavior as sexual? A body is just a body, sexiness has so much more to do with attitude. WOO!

Peace, love, sweat
 xoxo SR

Klahowya!

Klahowya!

That's how we would say hello at the University of Puget Sound. J and I were reminiscing about that amazing school last night. ONCE A LOGGER, ALWAYS A LOGGER!

Check out this eye candy from my four miler on Thursday. Sometimes Chicago ain't half bad :). During my lunch break, I jogged to the lake and then ran along the coast for a couple of miles. I love exploring cities on foot. It's amazing to see and feel how close or far away the different neighborhoods are. For the first time, I saw the Loop from the outside looking in. At this particular spot, I could see Museum Campus and Millennium Park. When you're emerged in the city, it never feels like those two spots are very close. From the quiet outskirts on the lake, Chicago became smaller and more manageable- peaceful even. 

Yesterday was awesome. For starters, I have my first post-desk job gig! If all goes well, and so far it's looking positive, I'll be participating in CPY's Yoga for Trade program! For three hours of work ( studio cleaning), I'll receive free yoga for a month in return! I'm saying adios to my steady stream of income, but at least I'm saving a hundred bucks a month on yoga! I'm happy to not have to choose between yoga and groceries because that would have been a tough one! ( Kidding...or am I?). 

I also was able to attend one of my favorite classes last night. It's a C2 and the teacher is just amazing. She plays beautiful classical music and really creates a unique flow series. The combination of the music and her routine is so dreamy. I completely lost track of time yesterday and felt like I had just slept for days after savasana. Very refreshing and rejuvenating! Don't get me wrong, running is great, but man do I love yoga.

Peace,love,sweat xoxo SR

Wowza

Hey Peeps!

It's been about a billion and two years since I last posted- oops.

I went on Spring Break from school and looks like my brain took vacation quite seriously.

Unlike my peers, my SB was a little less beach and a little more cubicle.. womp womp.

So, when I wasn't in the office I threw myself into cleaning, Charmed, and working out of course!

Despite my decision to cut down, I've still been working out on the daily. I'm now following a

half marathon training schedule ( hey there Hal Higdon's Training Program ), but after this winter it's

been too hard to take real rest days. I know that's bad, very bad, but I can't help it! Exercise has really

become an escape for me and when I skip a workout I feel like total dog poo. Yup, I am officially

insane. C'est la vie!

In the past few weeks, the weekends have been conveniently spring like. I've taken a bunch of warm

weather jogs down to the lake. It's about 4 miles to the shore, there and back. The spot I run to has

huge stone steps that lead down to the water. The other day, I did some sun salutations overlooking

the glassy water and it was pretty unbelievable. I guess sometimes it's pretty groovy living in

Chicago :). Now, unfortunately, I've been detecting signs of the dreaded plantar faciitis( sp?).

A few years ago, I had some problems with foot pain and would massage the soles of my feet with

golf balls. I'm definitely going to start that up soon. I don't want to jeopordize my happy half

marathon day! Being in physical therapy has been great. I know I'm there for my knee, but when

other pain starts nagging, I have a team that can help.

Anyway, back to work.

Peace, love, sweat xoxo
SR

75, 76, 77...change is coming

Hi Everyone!

So much for blogging more regularly :).

Sunday night, I was lucky enough to attend one of my dear friend's yoga classes! I've known her since we were in junior high and she was the captain of my crew team in high school. The class, a vinyasa c2, was a lot of fun and afterwards we had a great catch up chat. Not only did she register for the half marathon with me and J, but she also told me about Corepower's "yoga for trade" program. If you help clean the studios for three hours a week, then you get an unlimited month of yoga! For 12 hours a month of work, I could save myself a ton of cash on classes and also spend more time at the studio- double goodness for me!

Yesterday, I went to a nice, slow C1 class. I was a little sore, probably the result of a stressful, "shoulders hunched over" day at work, so this class wasn't exactly the breeze that it should have been. It's not that I didn't feel strong; I just was in pain. My back was so tight I could barely lift my arms up in chair pose. Despite a practice fit for the tin (wo)man, I impulsively decided to give headstand a try after savasana. Good thing I did! UPDATE: I can now lift one leg straight in the air while in tripod..big step, folks, big step.

Today was a learning experience for me. I had physical therapy this morning, for the first time, which was a real eye opener. Though I ended up there because of my knee, we ended up focusing on the it-band and my very, very weak and tight hips. The exercises were all really painful, but I know they're good for me. For the rest of today, I've been hobbling around. I think my hips are sort of in shock. I told myself I needed to run today. It's my three mile day! However, after hearing the trainer express so much concern about my weak hips, I'm starting to wonder if exercising every day has had a negative effect on my body. With all of the intermediate/advanced yoga I do, no one should ask me if I ever do squats- I'm constantly squatting! It concerns me that my body is responding incorrectly to the exercising I've been doing. I'm in so much physical pain right now; sore hips, aching back, but I can't help but beat myself up about not wanting to go on a run. I took a step back this evening and assessed the situation. Why am I so hellbent that I run in this freezing weather when just sitting in a chair was making me cringe? The answer is a little embarrassing, but the truth is, is that I had two pieces of pizza today and it's driving me nuts that I haven't "sweat it out" yet. That's stupid. This challenge was never supposed to be about guilting myself or becoming obsessive. It's supposed to be positive! And I'm not sure if pounding pavement in weather that my muscles can't warm up in, is the best thing for me to do today. With the half coming up, I really need to be more careful. So, with all this in mind, I'm sad to say that I'm going to cool it on the 100 day challenge. I'm still going to workout everyday- but only if I feel like it's a positive thing. If I'm in pain all day, I know that what's best is a date with my foam roller, not my yoga mat and weights. I feel a little defeated, but this is just the next step of this chapter. Instead of ending at 100 days, I'm creating a highly active, yet highly realistic and safe, lifestyle for myself. My challenge has changed, but my focus is still the same: sweat often and be happy!

Peace,love,sweat xoxo SR

68-74

Howdy!

Haven't updated in awhile. Last week was my last week of the office/school schedule- at least until April 1st! The next two weeks will be a really nice break. No more 5AM wake ups! I'm ready to rack in some soothing evening workouts. Tomorrow is also exciting because I start my half marathon training; can't stop, won't stop!

Let's see, traveling back in time to Monday...Last week is a blur of Corepower  vinyasa C2s and finally some runs! The weather is changing, slowly but surely, so my runs are less of a deathly ice skating adventure and more of your standard jog.

I'm going to keep this post short, I'd rather start next week off blogging more regularly. Along with training for the big 13.1, I'm also planning on finally bringing my beloved bike to the city. I've got a wonderful hybrid bike back at my parent's house in the suburbs and if this mild weather keeps up ( okay, it's still freezing, but no ice!) then I'd love to bike it back from the suburbs. That'd be a great cross training activity. It'd have to be about 20 miles, not too shabby.

Hope everyone felt the luck of the Irish this weekend!
Peace, love, sweat xoxo SR

65&66&67

GOOD MORNING

Why am I up so early again?

Today was an epic fail. I was supposed to wake up at 5:30AM for yoga sculpt class, but ended up sleeping through not one, but two alarms. Through all of this, I was having an awful dream where I kept missing the Metra train over and over again because someone wouldn't stop stalling me...awful! So now I'm trying to do the office thing and balance the school thing but I feel like I'm on the verge of flipping tables. I JUST WANT TO DO SOME VINYASA FLOW PEOPLE!

Let's look back in time...

Friday, I went to another Friday night sculpt class- I am officially a certified nutjob. However, the instructor was different and that made all of the difference. It had been beer and donut day at work, so I was concerned that this body of mine would be too overloaded with crap to get my sweat on in sculpt. As I lay my mat down in class, I wondered if this would be the first class that I publicly puke in. I couldn't have been more wrong! The instructor's fun, bubbly energy carried me through a tough class. She made jokes, and definitely had a strong knowledge of anatomy so I had a great time and genuinely felt like I was taking good care of my body.

Saturday, let's be real, was a hungover flop. I did some abs but spent more time hunched over my drawing pad trying to make marker comps.

Sunday, I was just so sleepy! It was a really lovely day. My friend K and I cruised through Dose Market and ate yummy chocolates, Homer's Shamrock Shakes, and bought unbelievable lollypop art- that exists! I tried studying more afterwards, but ended up going coat rack shopping with my dad and passing out in bed with Charmed playing on Netflix. Charmed has always been a really exercise motivator for me. Who wouldn't want abs like 90's Alyssa Milano? Later in the evening, I made it to a CoreRestore class. I'm happy I'm going to the doctor this week, because CR was very painful and I can't tell if it was the good kind of pain or the bad kind. Guess we'll find out!

I hope this day turns around and I have a chance to truly sweat, but it's looking packed by the hour. I'll have to sneak some abs under my desk... thank goodness there's a light at the end of the tunnel. Can't wait to join the stay-at-homes in a 9AM Sculpt sooner than later :)

Peace,love, sweat xoxo SR

New toy :)

I JUST ORDERED A SWANKY NEW MAT! My one and only mat, though beloved, was the cheapest one I could find at Target and I think that I now need a stickier  mat for a better practice. I will find another use for good ol green. Here's a link to my pretty new toy: http://www.manduka.com/us/shop/categories/products/mats/prolite-mat/

I have a Manduka mat bag already that I love and my dad recommended the brand so I just can't wait to get sweaty on a new space!

Namaste, bitches.

58-64

HI!

Wow, I can't believe I haven't posted in so long. This week has just whirled on by, tornado style.

Saturday, I went to a vinyasa class hoping to get my sweat on and get a little zen before hosting a good bye party for one of my best friends. However, the class wasn't quite what I expected. The instructor, though sweet, was very dull. It's unbelievable how much a teacher's vibe can affect the class. The soft spoken gal led us through a series that felt a little jerky and awkward. Despite the heat and poses, I didn't feel very stretched out. We jumped into balancing poses before Sun B which really made my hips and IT band roar. Now that I've upped my practice, I see how important a good flow is. Throwing poses around willy nilly doesn't have the same effect as a well planned, sensible series that loosens you up, fires up your abs, sends you to sweat land, then slowly eases you into a cool down. As I've grown older, my body has started revealing all kinds of nagging creaks that doesn't seem to go away as easily as they used to. There was a time when I could throw myself, without stretching, into a deep, opening pose or a long run, but those days are long gone. I've become that athlete who hobbles down stairs, does half pigeon in her cubicle, and massages her back pretty much all day everywhere. Growing old happened awfully fast- and I'm only 23!

Because I'm only 23, I made an appointment to finally have my ITBS checked out. It's come to the point where I'm hobbling around and can barely go down a set of stairs. With the half marathon coming up, I want to make sure that I'm not on the verge of a more serious injury. The pain is really debilitating and distracting. I've had knee pain since I started playing volleyball in junior high, but, probably because I was in such good shape, the pain was never terribly concerning to me back then or in high school. I guess pain was revered on the crew team so having an injury that didn't get in the way of the sport was taken as a sign of dedication- sickening I know. Anyway, hopefully the doc will confirm that it really is just ITBS and send me off with an rx for RICE. I use a foam roller and obviously am a yoga junky, but I'm hoping that the doctor can give me more stretches that could provide the relief I'm not getting from that, usually reliable, combo. #tighthipsflatfeetproblems

This week was intense. Until yesterday, I didn't have time to do more than quick ab routine in my office or my apartment- technically workouts, but hardly sweat inducing. I have had time to eat a lot of ice cream though. I was feeling down about all of that, but I think that I can forgive myself for slipping this week. My dear, dear friend left on Tuesday for Senegal. He'll be spending the next two years there working for the Peace Corps. I think he's very brave and am so proud of him, but it's also very emotionally seeing a close friend leave the country for a few years. I also happened to have more homework than usual- funny how that happens? When I wasn't spending time with my pal, I had my nose to the books( or marker comps) and pretty much flailed my way to Wednesday. It would probably embarrass him if he read this, but it was actual the wise words of M, the Peace Corp friend, that gave me solace during this time of bad eating, wimpy exercise, stressful work, and piles of homework: Always look towards the horizon. In a goodbye email to his friends and family, M described the first time he went skydiving. He said the temptation to look down was great, however, when you look down not only is it completely terrifying, but you also miss the beauty surrounding you. Instead of looking down at all the stresses and disappointments, I need to look up at the horizon and see all of the great things going on right now. Yes, school is very hard, but I'm learning so much and have met really awesome people. Yes, work actually blows chunks 99% of the time, but some of my co-workers are really cool and I'm making money to pay for yoga classes! Yes, with friends moving away and other personal life nonsense, life can seem a little overwhelming, but for every nutty person who enters my life, there's also an amazing one who inspires me. Lastly, yes, working out for 100 days is tough when some of that exercise has to happen at 6AM, but HELLO working out feels GREAT! I'm sleep deprived, I'm overwhelmed, I'm probably drinking too much, but FUCK IT( yeah, I said it), when I look at the horizon, my life looks pretty freakin awesome :)

Back to business. Yesterday, my hips and IT Band were killing me so I opted to take a beginner's vinyasa class. So thankful I didn't push harder than that. Even in the basics class, my body was stiff as a board and highly resistant to any for of movement. I find that so interesting about exercise. One day, you're practically in headstand, the next going into Warrior I is more than a little uncomfortable. Running is the same, For every great five miler, there's a 3 mile jog that made 30 minutes feel like an hour.

Speaking of running, that's what I did today. After a wimpy snowpocalypse, the sidewalks downtown are finally safe for jogging, so I went out during my lunch break at school. I felt a little stiff, but the sunny weather and warmer temps ( 30 degrees woohoo!) motivated me to keep pushing. Once the ice is officially out of the picture, I'll be able to start training more seriously- that half marathon is right around  the corner.

Peace, love, sweat xoxo SR

54-57!

WHAT A WEEK!!
I've got the working girl blues, that's for sure. In this dreary weather, spending all day hunched over a computer has made me feel pretty low. Everyone around me seems affected by the wet winter environment and have gotten a bit too comfortable making snide comments. I've sometimes felt this way with friends and now I definitely feel it with my coworkers- we aren't family, I definitely don't love you unconditionally, so how about you reread your email before junking up my inbox with nastiness. I'm unfamiliar with the business world, but has it always been socially acceptable for coworkers to leave their manners in the lobby at 9AM and, hopefully, pick them up again at 5? It's funny, in college, if someone acted the way I see some people in the office setting act, they'd be labeled "psycho bitch". In the "adult" world those types are now referred to as "anxious". Ahhh, the mysteries of life. At least I have my workouts to give me a little bit of positivity every day!

Tuesday I took it easy. My IT band has really been hollering lately, so I took a mile walk in the evening. The icy sidewalk certainly kept me on my toes and, probably, gave my abs and butt some kind of workout.

Wednesday, I went running before work in River North. I got into the office early, and correctly guessing that I was in for a stressful afternoon, I burned off some steam by quickly dashing to Millennium Park. Not that winter running is always pleasant, but I feel a real sense of accomplishment afterwards. It's one thing to go jogging on a beautiful Spring day, but it's a whole other animal when you drag your booty out in twenty degree weather to slip and slide down the streets. Winter running makes me feel like a BAMF- sometimes you need that :).

Thursday was exciting- I went to a different Corepower location! It's kind of fun visiting the different locations. Yes,yes it's all corporate and whatnot, but it sure is nice belonging to a yoga studio with so many locations- much easier to fit in a practice with my crazy schedule. I went to an intermediate vinyasa flow class and something remarkable happened. During our independent flow, I noticed that the man next to me kept correcting himself to flow at the same time as me. That's what you do when you think the person next to you knows what they're doing...I finally look like I know what I'm doing!!!! I've only been practicing yoga since I was 17, about time I started sort of, kind of, rocking it ( humble brag alert!).

Today was just a joy. After a frustrating day at work, I made the trek down to the Lincoln Square CP location for a RealRyder class. I made it just in time to change into my spandex and, even luckier, my favorite spin instructor was teaching the class! She's got a really great vibe. Her name's Julie and I remember that because, and this is rare for Corepower, she took the time to learn all of our names. Even though it's just a 45 minute spin class with hardly any regulars, I thought that making it personal was a really nice gesture. Unlike the torturous, solemn Friday sculpt class, this was a big, sweaty party. Sure, my thighs were shaking like jello, but I was having a blast! That's a great workout- one that pushes you so much it feels like you could start your own bottled sweat company, but also keeps you laughing. Makeup could never fake the glow that comes out of exercise like that!

On to the weekend, hope you all have a great one.
Peace, love, sweat xoxo SR

52+53

Hey Everyone!

Looks like there will be no outdoor running for a little while, we're getting hit with the snow HARD today. It's all very beautiful and whatnot, but times like this sure make me wish that my bedroom window would close all the way...Tough Mudder training?

On Day 52, I had what I've fondly been referring to as my #fitnessfatassfail. Yea, hashtag included. I was all kinds of wiped out on Sunday and left my jog for the latter part of the day. It was perfect Winter-Spring weather and very sunny, so skipping this jog was out of the question. However, my bed was just so cozy...in the end, I convinced myself to hit the pavement with the promise that I'd run by a convenience store on my way back and pick up some Ben & Jerry's Frozen Greek Yogurt( for those who are curious, my preferred flavor is the raspberry fudge swirl- can't beat it). Anyway, after so little running the past few weeks, my shins were pretty achy from the impact of hitting hard ground again. It really was a gorgeous day to be outside, but the only thing that kept me lifting my feet off the ground was the knowledge that frozen yogurt was in my future. As I approached the store, I noticed there was a lot of of construction happening all around the curb. In order to reach the front door, I had to make a loop around the block- add 1/4 mile to my regular jog. I finally made it into the store and scooted my boot up to the register with my pint in hand. To my dismay, the cashier told me they had a ten dollar charge requirement for cards and I needed 50 cents more to pay in cash, so I left empty handed. For a split second I considered buying ten dollars worth of ice cream, but I felt like I wouldn't be doing my LuluLemon runder unders justice if I caved that hard. So overall, this was obviously for the best because I ran more and didn't eat ice cream, but if I'm being perfectly honest, I'm actually still dying for a few scoops- what can ya do?

For Day 53, I was very well behaved! When my alarm went off at 5:15, I actually got right out bed and made it to my 6AM HPF class. It was an interesting class; definitely easier than most I had been to- and that's not a bad thing. For some reason, the room wouldn't heat up as much as it normally does and I found myself having a lot more success with the balancing poses. There are times when I LOVE the heat, but I do wonder if it distracts me so I can't balance as well. I was really pleased with this practice because I was really able to let myself go both mentally and physically- that release is one of the best gifts that yoga can give you.

Off to face the storm and head to class!
Peace,love, sweat xoxo SR

FIFTY! and 51 :)

Hi Everyone!

I can't believe I'm posting this late for Day 50 ( aka my half way point!!), but this weekend there was beer to drink, yoga to do, and Downton Abbey to watch so I lost track of time. I celebrated Day 50 by attending one of those vaguely evil hot yoga sculpt classes. The class was Friday evening and before heading to the studio, I wondered what kind of crowd goes to a torturous class at 7:30pm on the weekend. Yoga Sculpt isn't quite like an invigorating vinyasa flow class. There's less chakra, and more boot camp.

As soon as I walked into the steaming room, I knew I wasn't in Kansas anymore. I had officially left behind my fellow beer gut bearing yogis for the big leagues. There were four other women, who appeared to be regulars. I noticed, with horror, that one of the woman was wearing a long sleeved black jacket and long pants. I fervently hoped that I wouldn't witness one of those yoga seizures I've been reading about in Hell-Bent. Immediately, it became clear that humidity was cranked way higher in this class than in others I had been in. I don't know if the class requested that or if the instructor is just secretly sadistic...I'm such a baby. ANYWAY, the first half of the class was fine. I was fascinated by the absolutely animalistic way that the other women tackled their SUN B. I thought I had a pretty good grip on the class, but then the mood shifted. The instructor went from being tough teacher to Head Bitch. Next thing I knew, we were flying through never ending squats and lunges. Everything became I blur as I wildly swung my weights in the air, while trying to somehow to touch my knees on the floor. The teacher kept pulling that fitness crap where she would fake a count down to one then restart from ten during our reps. So basically, in my dehydrated, heat-addled brain, it felt like there was no end in sight. During a particularly unpleasant set of mountain climbers- squats- jumping jacks, the speakers broke and we were given a water break while the teacher stepped out of the room. I couldn't believe that the five of us had made the mirrors sweat so much, my heart rate was off the charts from the humidity, and I just wanted to turn to my classmates and ask," why are we doing this on a Friday night? You, you in the jacket, why? Why? WHY?" Reflecting back on this class, I wonder why I didn't just walk out when the humidity became too oppressive. During savasana, I wanted to get up and leave because my heart was pumping too intensely for me to enjoy lying on my back. I've noticed that the better shape that I get in, the more I'm willing to test my ability to suffer. I suppose this is a quality that will come in handy during my half marathon, but even then, I don't think I'll be despairing at mile 12 as much as I do in a bad hot yoga class.

Day 51 was pretty much the opposite of Day 50. J and I left for Glencoe early in the morning and attended Reach Yoga's Yoga for Runners workshop with my dad and her mom. It was a really perfect way for me to recover from the day before. Steph, the teacher, spent the first quarter of the class explaining how yoga can benefit runners. She made a point to emphasize the relationship that muscles have with each other and how that can affect knees and joints. I have terrible knee and hip pain that I've always chalked up to my tight IT band, however, she explained that along with stretching the IT band, it's important to stretch the bigger muscles around it because those could be contributing to my pain even more than the actual IT band itself. We spent the rest of the class slowly going through basic poses that all runners should be familiar with. It was nice to go back and micro focus on poses like downward dog. Sometimes during a fast flow, it's easier to lose the posture in the pose, so I found this workshop incredibly beneficial. After class, my dad and I worked on our head/hand stands. I'm not quite there yet, but I think if I keep practicing, I'll have the pose down in a few months.

Peace, love, sweat xoxo SR

47&48&49s

Hey Everyone!

Sorry for the delayed posts. I was going to blog yesterday, but ended up napping instead...gotta catch that shut eye when I can!

On Tuesday, I had a funny, little workout. I went into one of the empty offices at work after hours and performed my own vinyasa flow. It felt a little silly, but also different and fun. It was cool to see how much I've retained from all these yoga classes. I was actually able to challenge myself, and though it wasn't as fun as being in class, I definitely got a workout and I liked focusing on what I  needed ( hip openers, hip openers, and more hip openers). I also did a little headstand against the wall- probably would have weirded a lot of coworkers out if they'd seen that.

Yesterday, day of my magnificent nap, I slept through reasonable late afternoon jogging hours and decided to go to candlelit hot power fusion. I'm torn about this class. On one hand, I love the detoxing effects. I practically float out of the studio. On the other hand, I have a lot of trouble balancing in the dark, though I love the atmosphere for meditative purposes, and I also wonder why we start the balancing poses so early in class. I was raised on a series that started the first hour with Sun A and Sun B then moved into balancing poses after everyone was stretched out. This class is only an hour, but we start balancing before Sun B and my hips, calves, feet, and IT band, are never warmed enough to create a supporting standing leg. It's frustrating because I KNOW that I can nail every one of these poses- I just need my body to be as open as my mind. However, during half-pigeon, the teacher did give me an amazing adjustment that eased so much tension in my body, so I'm very glad that I went!

During these hot classes, I now have the words of Hell Bent floating in my mind. I think yoga is crucial to my exercise regime for so many reasons, but I'm starting to wonder about the heat. It's incredibly addictive, but that doesn't mean it's necessary for a strong practice. I'm leaving for a trip to Israel in June and I may use that as my transition from a hot yoga studio to one with cooler temperatures. Or I may join a gym. Something different to spice things up- we'll see!

Today, Day 49, I had an epic workout planned, but my body wasn't having it. I had a list of boot-camp activities to do in the backyard, all with jump roping intervals. Within the first time minutes of all that slamming, my It-band, shins, and feet all began hurting in a troublesome way. I'm used to my IT band feeling sore, but I have had shin splints or plantar fasciitis in years. With half marathon training right around the corner, I can't risk picking up those two nagging injuries. I left the boot camp work for another day and spent some much needed quality time with my foam roller. I could not be looking forward to Yoga for Runners workshop at Reach Yoga this weekend!

Peace, love, Sweat xoxo SR

45/46

While stuffing a giant chocolate heart into my mouth today, I wondered why I was almost half way down with this challenge, but haven't lost a noticeable amount of weight at all.... THIS is why I have a blog- so that the obvious becomes, well, painfully clear. To this revelation, I say WUTEVER! February has brought on two curvy queens, Beyonce and Kate Upton, and looking at them makes me realize that I'm actually more than thrilled to be muscular and curvy. I may not move as fast or look as bendy as the 100 lbers in my yoga classes, but, hey, my body type is the same as the chick on the SI swimsuit issue's cover- no complaints there.

As far as exercise goes, Sunday was a bit disappointing. I did this cool abs workout by lying on my back and writing the alphabet with my legs straight in the air, but unfortunately, didn't make it out for a jog.

Today, I got my ass royally kicked in another completely sadistic hot yoga sculpt class. Sure, I feel like two million bucks afterwards, but sometimes I think the instructors may be a little evil. I definitely am much stronger than I was when I started, so it isn't too bad, but without fail, after every floor ab routine, I lose a lot of momentum and basically start to weep a little. Okay, I don't actually cry, but I definitely think about it. JUST HURTS SO GOOD...sure.

I've started reading a fascinating book, Hell-Bent, about a man's journey through the wild world of Bikram yoga. It's very similar to the epic ode to ultramarathon running, Born to Run, but a little more snarky ( so obviously I completely love it). I'm only halfway through, but the author has really got me thinking about the pros and cons of hot yoga. Right now, I'm in a hot studio sometimes up to 5 days a week, and this book is really making me take a step back. Throughout his research, the author met many yogis who were almost constantly in pain, and would even have frequent seizures. I don't think I practice hard enough to inflict that kind of damage on my body, however, it is interesting how I continue to go to a class like Hot Yoga Sculpt, and justify my discomfort. I need to finish the book and read his conclusions about hot yoga, but overall I definitely recommend it to anyone who frequently practices in the heat.



Peace, love, sweat xoxo SR

Headstands in unusal places...

Taking yoga out of the studio. You can do headstands in unexpected places! I've got an oven mitt under my head for support...safe idea? No. Fun idea? Yes! Props to my friend M for snapping this pic.

43+44

Good Morning!

Hard to not be in a good mood when my Sunday is technically a Saturday today, thanks to all the US Presidents out there :)

On Friday, I went back to my parents' house in the suburbs and had a great workout. All I did was run on the treadmill for a few miles, but I GOT TO WATCH DOWNTON ABBEY THE WHOLE TIME! I think if I could watch Downton Abbey whenever I ran, I'd probably be racking up ultras right about now.

Yesterday, was a really special workout. I went with my dad to our favorite class - Yoga for Athletes. It's taught by this amazing woman, Liza, who really understands yoga on a whole other level than most instructors that I practice with. She combines the spiritual aspects of yoga with a great understanding of the human body. She has the ability to see if you're an inch away from crunching your back. Practicing with her is really rewarding because you can trust that she'll make sure you don't injure yourself while significantly pushing your practice further. After a fantastic class, I went back to my parents' house and, of course, jogged to Downton Abbey.

Peace, love, sweat! xoxo
SR

42 :)

Back in action!

Was not feeling good this week, but finally made it back out yesterday. Has a nice little jog, which felt great because Chicago weather is finally back to normal( 30 degrees never felt better), but I also felt like a creaky tin lady. It was really difficult for me to get any speed and for the first time in ages, my ITBS has been acting up. I'm going to Yoga for Athletes tomorrow at Niyama so hopefully that will clear up my problems.

Last night, I had a funny little workout at the batting cages at Sluggers. True, that's not exactly physically demanding, but hey, I think I swing pretty hard!


Enjoy the sun,
Peace, love, sweat xoxo SR

41

I'm making a post for day 41 even though it was definitely a flop. I was feeling pretty weird all weekend, I blamed coffee deprivation, but on Monday I woke up and felt like my brain was jello. Gross. My throat was sore and I was pretty much in LaLa land. My boss was nice enough to let me leave early and work from home, so I scooted my boot straight back to Lakeview and after some failed wifi attempts, passed out. Okay, here's the thing: I know I'm on a 100-day challenge, but I think that yesterday taught me what my rules are. With school and work, I can't really afford to physically push myself when I'm under the weather because I'm risking prolonging the illness and then, not only do I suffer, but the people I work with, and to some extend study with, suffer too. I started this challenge as a fun way to give myself some high quality ME time and I definitely don't want to feel wildly guilty if I take a sick day here and there. Maybe I'll extend the challenge to 102 days or something- like what schools do when there's an unexpected snow day!

On another note, anyone know some great, healthy soup recipes? Also, what is the opinion on juice detoxes?

Peace,love, sweat xoxo SR

39/40

Good Morning Everyone!

Sorry for the late post. I was swamped this weekend.

Saturday, I was really busy so I put off exercise until the end of the day. Instead of attending a class, I practiced inversions in my living room! I can finally do a decent teddy bear pose, but haven't quite gotten my legs in the air yet. Something notable that did happen, was that I finally went and got a massage! It was nice to be pampered like that, I guess only time will tell if it was beneficial to my workouts.

Yesterday, I woke up early and went to spin. The instructor was so funny- he had a vendetta against Valentines Day and the whole playlist was centered around jaded pop songs. Great workout as always.

Sorry for the short post, but unfortunately, duty calls! Too bad I can't make a living off of going to yoga classes.... 

Peace, love, sweat xoxo SR

38 TGIF

TGIF, couldn't say that enough today. For some reason, this week was just a little too long for my taste! I woke up Wednesday thinking it was Friday, corrected myself by thinking it was Thursday, then harsh reality slapped me in the face and I realized it was merely hump day...so yeah long week. Today I slept through THREE separate alarms, and so very luckily, I awoke from a deep sleep about twenty minutes before I catch the train. J and I had a really fabulous steak dinner last night, and I don't know if it was the protein or what, but I was actually remarkably calm about my oversleeping disaster. Today, work was surprisingly quiet and I got out of the office quite a few times. Just being able to catch some daylight makes a huge difference on my attitude towards my job. Also, my boss tossed me a women's running magazine today, so you know things were pretty good.

WOW, I just took a ten hour break on this post. We all went out to a bar we've dubbed "pajama bar" and I woke up this morning feeling like, "where am I'? I have a feeling that doing intense hot yoga right before drinking isn't really a wise strategy. Well, ya can't be perfect, right?

Last night, I went back to that amazing C2 class with the instructor, Emma, who plays beautiful classical music. It's such a physically demanding class, but it's hard to feel anything but serene when your body is shaking in plank to the swelling sounds of an orchestra. I actually fell asleep during savasana and was unbelievably calm for hours after. Self-medicating with yoga; it could be worse!

Heading back to bed!!

Peace,love,sweat xoxo SR

36+37

Brrrr,

I hope everyone isn't hitting the wall this winter like I am. For a few months, I thought I could handle the harsh Midwest weather, but today was a little much. We've now progressed from freezing snow to some evil rain-snow hybrid. Not so great on cowboy boots. Today, whether I wanted to or not, my real workout was battling the urban jungle. Let's call it "Get Built like a Skyscraper" class. From 7AM to 10PM, I was running around town, slipping and sliding, and hoping for the best. Along with the basic cardio elements, I got a great ab workout and even practiced my balance and twists every time I dramatically skated down the sidewalk. At one point, I reached a sidewalk with a deep downward slope- safely manoeuvring down that little number, with no hands, was a core workout worthy of boot camp! Unfortunately, I did tweak my knee a little, but I'm sure that it will be fine tomorrow. J is helping me whip up some steaks, courtesy of my dad, and I think all that iron and protein will revive me.

Yesterday, I attended the most difficult sculpt class I've been to so far, and you know what, it actually went well! I had planned on going to class at my usual Roscoe Village studio, but train delays threw me off schedule. I was determined to get my butt kicked and made the trek over to CorePower's Lakeview location. Something about that journey really motivated me when the class was tough. If I could ride five trains to make it to one class, then I could definitely squat down an inch lower or lift my arms a little higher! The vibe at the Lakeview studio is so different than what I'm used to. It was so packed that I wasn't even sure that I was going to find a spot for my mat. I've never been in a class like that, where there's truly only an inch or so of space between every mat. On one hand, it made me feel a little uncomfortable, but it also motivated me to keep moving. You don't want to half-ass a workout when you've got 4 rows of people behind you!( Yes, lucky me, I was front and center).

Tomorrow, I'm hoping to make it back to sculpt class in the morning. Lately, I've really been craving that kind of challenge. However, there's also a great power flow vinyasa class offered at CorePower on Friday evenings that I love. The instructor plays classical music and lights candles, but definitely encourages us to push our bodies. It's this amazing balance between physical challenges and inner serenity. Only time will tell where I go...something tells me that my bedtime tonight will determine that.

Stay safe, stay warm!

Peace,love, sweat xoxo SR

35

Hi!

From the time my alarm went off at 5:30 to this very moment, it's just been nuts! It was destined to be a fifteen minute ab night. After finishing all my homework, I quickly got down on the living room floor and busted out some old pilates moves I learned in college. Not that I enjoyed scissoring my legs in the air, but I did get a kick out of how much it easier it was to do now!

Tomorrow should be much more interesting. I've got a 6:30 AM sculpt class to look forward too :). I recently downloaded a new app called Sleepcycle that's been helping me wake up in the mornings. The app tracks my sleep cycle, making notes based on my movement patterns, and wakes me up at my lightest moment of sleep during a 30 minute time cushion centered around the alarm I set. The app records your sleep on charts and keeps track of factors like caffeine intact, so you can really see how well, or poorly, rested you are. The alarm sound options are really gentle and the past few days I've felt way more energetic in the morning.

On another note, I finally scheduled that long awaited massage I keep daydreaming about! Today on the train, my back was so uncomfortable I could barely stand up straight. When I got to work, I shut my cube door and lay down on my back with my legs in the air to relieve some of the tension. Lately, I can feel an old back injury nagging me and that's a little scary so I think it's time to ask for help. I made my appointment at Massage Envy and will be getting a simple one hour sports massage. Hopefully, this will keep my back muscles from yelling at me, at least for a few weeks.

Time to hit the hay. I want to be full of energy tomorrow when I take on sculpt!
Peace, love, sweat xoxo SR

33+34

Slowly creeping up to the half way mark :)

Yesterday, before Superbowl Festivities, I went to a quick 45 minute Real Ryder class. I never enjoyed spinning, but something about those bikes makes that class such a joy for me to attend. I can never go during the weekday, since they aren't offered at a location near my apartment, so I feel like Real Ryder is my special weekend treat...geek much? It was a great choice to kick some ass before the game, because after a big sweat sesh I'm not that keen on stuffing my face with chips and other salty snacks. I stuck to carrots, salsa, and yeah,yeah,yeah happily helped myself to some delicious chicken wings and mac&cheese made by J.

After all that Super Sunday snarfing, I decided that today was the perfect time for a HPF class. Lately, I've been struggling with my balance poses. I have the physical capabilities to nail my poses every time, however, if my brain is a mess that's just not going to happen. I tried to focus solely on living in the presence and enjoying the detox from the heat. I still slipped up a few times, but this class was a vast improvement to the last HPF I attended.

Work and school have been incredibly stressful lately, so I brought the balance board in to the office today so that I could shake out some my anxieties. It's nice to have something fun to turn to when I start to feel overwhelmed or trapped in my cubicle.

Peace, love,sweat xoxo SR

32

Happy Superbowl Sunday!

I'm writing this from my favorite homework spot- First Slice Cafe in Lill Street Art Center. Great food, great vibes, and plenty of table space. If you've got the munchies after a sweat sesh, I definitely recommend grabbing a piece of pie at this joint.

Yesterday, I had an unexpected workout. I thought I was going to go snowboarding, but Saturday morning my sister woke up and didn't want to play on the slopes. We ended up compromising with one of my favorite activities EVER: snow shoeing. In the past, the suburbs where my family lives, usually gets dumped with snow. We used to love snow shoeing on the golf course near their house. However, this winter the snow scene has left a lot to be desired. Yesterday, was the first time all season that we've had a chance to make a snow trek. It was so wonderful. When I'm out on the golf course, I feel like I'm in a completely different state. Sometimes it's nice to know that nature is just  few blocks away. Normally, my parents and I snowshoe for an hour or two, but my younger sister wasn't up for it. I probably didn't blast a ton of calories, but I had a ton of fun so who cares.

Snow shoe nerd! Please note the shark mittens. 

Peace, love, sweat xoxo SR

Runners' Yoga Workshop- Reach Yoga

Just wanted to give a workshop shout out! This is not to be missed if you live in the area.

On Feb 23, Glencoe's Reach Yoga will be offering a Runners' Yoga workshop taught by the fantastic Steph Metz. I will definitely be attending, and reccomend it to any runners who are feeling a little creaky this winter. The class will focus on hips, feet, and all the other parts that seem to ache 24/7 when you're a runner. This is perfect timing since racing season is just around the corner...

For more information, click here: Runners' Yoga Workshop

30 & 31 :)

Woohoo!
Made it past day 30 and kicked day 31's ass! I had this realization today that I've sweat once a day for over 30 days. I don't often feel that accomplished, but today I am very proud of myself for sticking out this challenge.

Yesterday, I celebrated 30 with a slightly torturous evening jog through Millennium Park. I had been sitting in front of a computer all day, working on my Illustrator moves, so stretching out felt really good. It was also one of my favorite times of day, dusk, so the city looked beautiful. What I could have lived without was the not-so-groovy 15 degree weather. Not that I didn't feel like a total badass cruising while people walked around like zombies, but I'm not going to  hate it when Springtime rolls around.

Today was AWESOME! I had promised myself that I'd go to at least one sculpt class this week so,naturally, I put it off until Friday and psyched myself up all week. I've been having a really tough time waking up in the morning, so I prepared ahead of time last night for an easy wake up. I laid out my workout clothes, office outfit, shower kit, and put coffee in the machine so that when my alarm went off at 5:30AM I wouldn't have any excuses or troubles getting ready. I'm happy to report that this worked out great and I had no issues getting ready for class this morning. Having some coffee in mah belly definitely helped. Anyway, if you've been following this blog, then you know that sculpt is kind of my arch nemisis. I hate it, yet respect it. I can't believe that I'm writing this, but HALLELUJAH, I've turned a new page and actually, sort of, kind of, enjoyed myself today. Okay, there were definitely moments where I felt like my biceps were going to fall off, but instead of wishing that I was anywhere else in the world but my mat, I channeled that pain into desire to grow stronger. It ended up being a really satisfying and positive class. Maybe my chakras have finally become unblocked! What I'm learning from this is that when a workout is uncomfortable I should try it at least three times before ruling it out. I may not have six pack abs yet, but no doubt that I'm  growing stronger!

Have a great weekend!
Peace, love, sweat xoxo SR

29...Spiritual Gangster, Chakras, and Me

What a day, what a day. After taking a break from yoga, I jumped back into the scene face first. Which may have not been such a good idea...I just got home from a candle lit HPF class and, for the first time, I actually felt a little nauseous in class. My legs felt like jelly, my lungs seemed hell bent on locking up, and I couldn't nail a single balance pose- not a great feeling. However, if this challenge has taught me anything, it's that these days happen. Maybe I didn't drink enough water today. Maybe I haven't been stretching enough after my runs. Maybe my brain went "namaste, bitches" and wasn't going to pull through for class. Whatever the reason was, I've accepted that not every workout I do will deserve a gold star. Making peace with the day-to-day hiccups- definitely part of my 2013 plan.

The universe provides us with what we need, and in my case, today was the perfect day for me to stumble upon a blog post from Corepower discussing the basics behind chakras. Chakras are wheels of energy that flow from the top of your head and down to the root of your spine. There are seven chakras and each one is associated with a physical part of our body and a color. Ideally, your chakras should stay balanced. However, nobody is perfect and occasionally a chakra will become too powerful, too weak, or entirely blocked. When that happens, you may feel strained in the area of your body where the chakra is, ill, and frazzled. I have been feeling really off lately, and it hadn't even occurred to me to question the state of my chakras. I realized that my fourth chakra may be blocked, and now that I know, I can begin making some adjustments in my life so I feel more normal again. I find the chakra theory really beautiful and it's been a great guide for me when I feel funky( in a bad way). Here's the blog post that I read today: Chakras 101

On a sillier note, I just heard about a great yoga brand called Spiritual Gangster. Even if the clothes were heinous I'd still love the name, but fortunately they are completely adorable and look pretty freaking comfortable from where I'm sitting. According to their website, they "represent a new generation of yogis who seek balance between the ancient practice of yoga and our modern world". So maybe I'm smitten because I'm clearly their target audience, but I think these guys are on to something. Check 'em out here: Spiritual Gangster.

Time for this little yogi to hit the hay. Namaste bitches( too much?!?)

Peace,love, sweat xoxo SR

27+28

Hi Everyone!

For some reason, it is just impossible for me to get a Monday post done on time these days. Yesterday was a little crazy. I was so exhausted from the weekend, so no surprise, that waking up at the crack of dawn was more than a little painful. I went on a little jog around Wrigley then called it a day. All day long, I was jammed with work and homework, but the day really turned around when I ended up at the Bulls game! J and I won tickets, the first raffle win where neither of us actually entered a raffle..., and despite our respective blah Mondays, had a really awesome time. The tickets were in the very last row of the nose bleeds and it was nice to just sip a brew and kick our feet up. I then proceeded to stay up into the wee hours working on homework, soooo how lovely it was when my alarm began to ring at 5AM. I actually woke up in a state of panic wondering who was calling so early- oh, just my life!

Originally, I had planned to go to a yoga sculpt class, shower at the studio, and head straight to work. This morning, that rigid plan just didn't sound so groovy. Instead, I sipped coffee and worked on homework for an hour then went on a jog around Wrigleyville.

I'm hoping that the rest of this week will be a no brainer. Tomorrow is an afternoon workout and then Thursday I don't have class until 10. Having two more relaxed days in the middle of the week has been crucial to my success. I also have a Yo La Tengo concert on Friday so there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

J mentioned that she needs new sneakers so I'm hoping that some running store action is in my future. I wrote my thesis on ultramarathon, marathon, and barefoot running culture so I have a special interest in running shoes :).

Peace,love,sweat xoxo SR