Yoga in the Sunshine! then wine

Wouldn't you know it - I decided to do yoga on the deck in the sunshine after work . . . the the yoga video was an outdoor practice!

I followed Yoga International's 7-Day Vinyasa Challenge Day 6: Complete Daily Practice in 40 Minutes this afternoon. Grounding, balancing, slightly challenging practice and I did 2 full chaturangas today! Getting stronger again. Exciting for me!

Today I am feeling the effects of staying awake far too late last night and nearing the end of a full week at work.  I wanted to take a nap but am grateful I spent the time outside and practiced yoga.

Now, time for a glass of wine.

Sunshine + Yoga + Wine

Gotta have goals. Gotta have priorities. Namaste.

Tri-ing, again!

In the books: Long Course Triathlon, 07.19.2014

Sort of.

Apparently, the timing system at the event wasn't working properly AND I wasn't fast enough to capture with back-up timing.  Oh well, I know I completed all of the events in the time I had anticipated! Plus, I have my medal and finisher shirt :)

 

Here's a recap:

• Pick the event - Paul Bunyan Triathlon in Bemidji, MN. July 19, 2014.
• Start training for this event - I had completed the Med City Marathon Relay with 3 others in May, so my running, yoga, and core foundations were in place.  I needed to add the bike and swim.  
• Be dedicated, even during long weeks and on special trips or mini-vacations - some days I wasn't home until 8pm and still had a workout planned.  Two weekends before the event, I went to a rodeo and visited friends; brought the bike along to get a ride in.
• Arrange for room & board - I have generous, kind, supportive friends who let me [us] stay at their house the whole weekend and even came to the race to cheer!
• Pack, drive 5 hours, get to bed at a decent time, sleep a few winks, and wake up in time to have breakfast and coffee! before arriving at the course moments after the transition area opened.
• Grab race packet, clamber into wet suit, get marked (race #), and pick out appropriate color swim cap (denotes which wave, or flight, of swim).
• Quite possibly the hardest part of all = getting into the water to acclimate pre-race. BRRRRRRR!
• And then . . . do what training has prepared me for! Swim - Bike - Run!

The Paul Bunyan Long-Course Triathlon is a 1-mile swim, 20-mile bike, and 5-mile run.  

Pre-race excitement

Swimmers ready

Gorgeous morning for a swim

Everyone getting set up

Adorable little cheerleader!

Gah! So tired and walking up the hill

Finish line

Done!

I am grateful to have a supportive workout buddy and training partner to keep me motivated and encourage me to challenge the limits I sometimes put on myself.  What an accomplishment for both of us.  Now we gear up for our next event in a couple of weeks - looking forward to it!

View from Here

Already today, many reasons to be thankful.  

• Waking up rested was gratitude marker #1!  After a late night and very sore back, feeling physically ready for the day was a blessing immediately this morning!  
• Peaking out the window, glorious sunshine spread over the lush, fresh-cut green grass - YIPPEE!!  A beautiful day!!  
• Getting my [instant] coffee ready, I was thankful that I a) had this fun mug from Caribou gifted to me by a dear friend, b) instant Starbucks mocha coffee when I don't have a coffee maker, c) with a splash of delicious peppermint mocha creamer added delight to what was already proving to be a splendid start to the day.  
• Something felt funny and I looked to my wrist to see a wristband and reflected on yesterday's fantastic day of pizza, wine, and Wii games with a friend during the rainstorm and live, outdoor music with great company when the weather cleared.
• Here is a multifactorial blessing: a) sitting outside, b) in the morning sunshine, c) drinking my coffee and d) having some quiet time reading Scriptures,  I look down and e) my amazing/angelic/perfect/loyal dog is laying at my feet.  

My view - made me think of God's view when we come to sit quietly at His 'feet'.  

Gratitude is a practice that I want to continue to cultivate daily.  When I stop and take the time to look at what is around me right now, I cannot help but smile and feel my heart fill up.  

Thankfulness continues . . . 

• I registered my business with the State of MN today.   Dynamic Wellness, LLC:  'Integrating Healthy Practices for Mind, Body, and Spirit.'  I am thankful for the support of people in my life, past and present, for the encouragement and constructive criticism and ethical advice - as well as the role models that I am blessed to have.
• Calling my dad to wish him Happy Father's Day reminded me how much he has given to me and taught me.  I'm very thankful for my step-dad who been such an incredible blessing to my mom, sister, and me over the last 20 years.
• And then my mind goes to how much is provided for me every second of every day by the ultimate Father.  My mind cannot wrap around all of the goodness.

Those who read this blog and know me, personally, know that I experience life's ups-and-downs just like anyone else and sometimes struggle.  No person is without contextual tragedy.  What I want people to remember about me is that in the end, I choose to be happy; that I choose to see the good.  

Our perspectives create our worlds.  The same external 'happenings' will occur no matter how you respond; if you choose to look through a lens of gratitude, your experiences change dramatically.  

I choose to look with open eyes, a heart of gratitude, and a mind of discernment

And the view from here is pretty spectacular. 

Holy Catsmoke, Batman!

Don't even ask me where that post title came from - there is not an ounce of relevance within this post!


Hi there!  Where have you been? 


What? Me?  Where have I  been? Well, lets see, I've been working, quitting jobs, re-situating my life, entertaining guests from Florida, going to music concerts, riding bike, and running!  Yep, running!  I can kinda do it!


Last Saturday, I ran with a group of friends in a nearby 5-mile 'race'.  I haven't run over 4 miles in a couple of years, so that was a feat to begin with - then, I challenged myself to try to get it done in less than an hour.


Ready for this? Drum roll, pleeeease . . .


59:04! Woot, woot!  I did it!  Less than an hour!  A couple of accomplishments throughout the run include 1) not stopping to walk until around 18minutes into the race, 2) keeping a close eye on the friends who were running just ahead of me and sticking with them, 3) when a song came on the Ipod that was really motivating, I kept replaying (and replaying) to keep my body movin'!

Loved having a great group of strong, kind women to be active and outdoors with!  Thank you, ladies! (And friend's fiance's brother!)

5-Mile Run (about to commence!)

A few of us went for a 12-mile "easy" bikeride on Tuesday.  Planned to do a 3-mile run this morning but this lady was super-duper tired and opted to gain some more rest.  (Not sure it did any good!) I've been tracking runs and bike rides on www.mapmyrun.com and www.mapmyride.com which, as long as my phone is receiving a decent GPS signal, gives distance and pace (as well as the map)!  Cool!

Sunday, Funday

THANK YOU baby Jesus for the sunshine, the breeze, the bike trail, and good people (and dogs) in my life!  Great run/walk with two awesome ladies and all of our dogs!  Impromptu 11am-12pm on a fairly flat bike trail.  3.82mi.

Came home and made an AWESOME smoothie:

1 ripe-to-slightly overripe banana
mixed berries (blue, rasp, & black)
1.5 tbsp peanut butter powder
1 tbsp chocolate soy-spirulina protein powder (basically a ground up multi vitamin)
chunks of frozen chopped spinach
unsweetened vanilla almond milk
some ground flaxseed
some raw wheat germ


Yum-O!  Get yourself moving somehow, someway TODAY!  And put some fruits and veggies in your body!

Boom-Diggity-Boom

Wassup?

While working (yes, working) on a project at work, I came across this blog/something-or-other that I think is pretty awesome . . . however, please beware, if you are sensitive to swears, the title of this link begins with a naughty word.

That said, CHECK IT OUT! --->  human bodies are AMAZING

P.S. This week is going well for exercise . . . Mon run, Tues yoga, Weds took dogs on a snow-hike in field/woods area, today led/did fat burner circuit at TWC.  However. . .my FEET and HIPS hurrrrrrt! Uggggh.

Doggies playin' in da snowy woods!

Keep on keepin' on.  Need some fun, motivating tunes?  Check out Escala - saWEET!

HeyHAYhey!

Hay is for horses! OH-KAY!  Let's go find some!

Yesterday, after a good start to the morning and a relatively quiet day at "work" (I did homework for about half the time I was stationed at the circ desk of library!) I came home to nap.  Then, since my buddy and roomy TK has a banged up knee that becomes aggravated when she does her volunteer horse chores on the weekend, I thought, "Why not take the opportunity to give her a hand and enjoy the beautiful afternoon outdoors with some nice ponies?"

Deal!

Baby and Mama Ruby (BOTH gorgeous!)

Besides, I definitely wanted to see the new baby!


Nibbling my pants!

CUTIE!!!!!!!!!!

I spent a couple hours doing chores - hauling buckets, wheelbarrowing sawdust, leading horses . . . it was a lot of fun and definitely a good workout!  No wonder TK's got pipes!! ;-)  I also realized that because I chose to do the chores on my own (no obligation) that I really enjoyed the work.  Not saying I'm ready for my own horses, again - I know my mother would protest that decision at this point :-)  Just wanted to remind people that exercise/physical activity isn't just "going to the gym" or "running" or "doing some yoga".  Open your mind and your heart and explore opportunities around you!!

Today, since my calf muscles are SUPER tight/sore, I did "active rest" - went to Target with roomy and walked, wandered around Old Navy (did NOT buy ANYTHING!), and when I went out to the pool this morning to read, I jumped in and did some stretching and ROM for my lower body.  :-)