being in the present

Two days post marathon and I had yet to run. For some reason, my thighs were still reeling from the race Sunday, though my knee I fell on and the ankle I kept rolling were fine the following day. I decided to play it safe and let my first run back be with the Striders tonight.

Before the race, I decided on two goals for Mohican (both of which coincide with the fitness goals I set for myself a few months ago):

1. Finish.
2. Run the race in a sports bra.

So that means I need to get to work on my core strength and do some consistent ab work. And you know, go back to picking up a weight and lifting it myself. Not handing it to a client.

I decided to start with a 75-minute hot yoga class this morning at Cleveland Yoga. I’m going to be honest, I really struggled at the beginning of the class. Early on in the class, the instructor said something about breathing and being in the present in the practice. Yoga instructors say that kind of thing all of the time, but for some reason today, I really dwelled on it and thought about it the entire class.

Of course, I kept thinking of this:

I tried my best to focus only on the pose I was doing at that moment, moving with intention and giving it my best, not just going through the motions.

I left the class feeling more calm, relaxed and like I had just gotten my butt kicked with planks and several balance poses.

The more I think about being in the present, the more I want to make it a standard practice of mine in life and in my fitness endeavors. It seems as if my life lately has been more about where I am going, not how I’m getting there. I’m constantly talking/thinking about the next thing, whether it be a job, wedding planning dreaming (I’m not engaged…), apartment (though that is in the next like six months, I should get on that), racing, Badwater, etc.

I don’t know if I’m just mentally putting my life on hold right now, waiting for winter to end and October to roll around and the LT to come home and giving myself things to look forward to, or if I’m just doing a terrible job at focusing.

Either way, I’m about to start a really huge endeavor. I have no answers or way to try and focus on the present all of the time, but I’m going to try. I know there are moments I’m going to hate. Times I wish I hadn’t signed up for the Pig or Cleveland or Mohican. Days when I’d rather just lay in bed and sleep than go outside and run or work or whatever. But if showing up, taking the moment in and being present can add even some value, strength or fulfillment to my life, I’ll give it a shot.

I guess you can say I’ll try a little less bitching and a lot more namaste