Thighs on Fire

Now & Zen Yoga and Planet Fitness did my thighs in last night and I couldn’t be happier. The schedule worked out the way I wanted~ I beat myself up in royal fashion and am thrilled.
First, yoga. I am bound and determined to make classes at N&Z every Tuesday because last night was proof that I need this. I really, really need this. It didn’t start the way I wanted to – getting out of work late, traffic and having to change into body-bending friendly clothes put me behind schedule. I felt every bit the tutu’ed hippo from Fantasia when I ran up to the fourth floor, heavy and clunking, scurrying and panting. The floors are all wood and loud. The class could probably hear me coming a mile away. Note to self: Self! Wear quieter shoes next time!
Once in the classroom and (finally) settled I needed a moment to clear my head and still my breath. It really didn’t help that I was out of breath when I first got there. I sat in the way back so no one could hear my panting like some obscene caller. Luckily, Ruth is really good about making sure everyone is grounded and still before starting the poses.
I don’t like anyone but my husband touching my feet. I don’t like anyone but Ruth teaching me yoga. It’s that simple. Ruth makes it fun. She removes the barriers that make yoga seem intimidating. She does it with humor and humility. Think you’re too “atheist” to follow something so spiritual as yoga? Ruth doesn’t preach. Think you’re too out of shape to even try a pose? She’ll prove you wrong. Think yoga is too complicated in language and movement? She’ll break it down. Think you can’t laugh in her class. Guess again. That doesn’t mean that her classes are diluted in spirit, challenge or education. She just has a way of making it interesting, fun and rewarding. Trust me, my thighs will vouch for me, myself and moi. We worked on warrior I poses. I can’t remember the last time I balanced with one leg behind me, the other bent before me, arms overhead. Do I look warrior-like? My muscles trembled as if laughing at me. Probably not.

Directly after yoga I picked up the hubby and went to run. Thigh killer #2. I don’t know what happened but all of a sudden I wanted to turn on the burners. I needed another challenge so I set up a plan: start with walking 3.5/hr mile and every 30 seconds increase the speed by .5 (incline .5 all the while). I kept this up until I got to a 7mph pace. Cranking. I haven’t been at this pace since highschool. To keep up the challenge I stayed at 7 for another two minutes, listening to everyone involved: toes, ankles, knees, hips, heart…and the newcomer to pain: thighs. So far so good. After two minutes I worked my way back down the same way I got there: .5/mph every 30 seconds until I got to my normal pace – 5.6 mph. To tell the truth, I don’t know how long I stayed at 5.6 before I got to the cooldown. Once in cooldown mode I cranked up the incline. While jogging an easy 4.5 I set the incline to 4. Walking a 3.5 I increased to 5.5. Finally when I was crawling along at 2/mph I was at in incline of 6.5. My calves and ankles thanked me. I could feel the stretch as I walked and it felt like heaven. So, even though my distance wasn’t any different from any other run as of late, I worked in some speed and some hills….and YOGA! Yay.
Bottom line: 3.39 mi / 39min with warm up and cool down.