Last night I tried my first Bikram yoga class. I went to a wonderful studio close to home and met a good friend there. The class was at 6pm so I rushed there as soon as Robert walked in the door. When I got to the studio the teacher explained that my goal for the class would be to stay in the room for all 90 minutes of the class. Not to worry too much if I got light-headed or dizzy or if a posture was too much for me to handle – I could take a break and rest on my mat or leave the room if need be. I went into it with an open mind and did my best to keep up. The room was hot like a sauna (about 110 degrees). The flow was intense. The postures were challenging, some way more than others. I lasted all 90 minutes and loved each and every minute of it. The amount of sweat that soaked my skin was insanely wonderful and cleansing. At the end of the class I felt completely relaxed yet also energized. I felt totally spent yet somehow restored. Cleansed from the inside out. My super-tight post marathon muscles felt stretchy and loose. It was purely excellent and I will be going back there again.
This morning I went for an easy paced 5 mile run on the track. I met my training buddies there at 5:30AM. They had speed work to do but I am not ready for that just yet so I warmed up with them and then while they did their workout I ran slow easy miles. My, have I missed running around in circles before sunrise! It was such a great way to start my day. My legs felt heavy and tight but there was no pain. When I got home I spent a few minutes on the foam roller and then had to begin the morning routine (breakfast for everyone, pack lunches, get ready for school, make beds…).
I feel good about how things went today on the track and am looking forward to this weekend’s long run. My hope is that things will start to loosen and lighten up in my legs. I’m so happy there is no pain (a huge relief!) but am looking forward to feeling like myself out on the track and trails again. I just keep reminding myself that recovery takes time and as long as I am doing the right things and listening to my body I will be where I want to be soon. Patience, patience, patience.
