Life in OM

My Love-Hate Relationship with Bikram Yoga

I dislike Bikram Yoga. Perhaps that's a bit harsh. My relationship with Bikram yoga is severely challenged. 

Let me back up for those who are not yoga inclined. Bikram Yoga is done in 105˚ F/ 40.5˚C and 40% humidity. It's 26 set poses and 2 breathing exercises. There are no vinyasas, no downward dogs and no flow- in all honesty you really can't move around that much in this heat without passing out. So you just do one pose, stay still and repeat.

If you have ever been in 105 degree weather you will understand when I say that this is not just hot, its oppressive. The kind of hot when you inhale you feel like your lungs are disintegrating from the inside out.  

Have I mentioned the sweat?  I have been running and cycling for over 10 years, played sports and enjoy tropical beaches - I have never seen sweat like this.  I knew I was in trouble when, after the first forward bend, I noticed my shins were actually sweating.  I also must mention that every time my head went below my waist a deluge of sweat would shoot up my nose. Remember when you were a kid and you tried to do a back flip in the pool only to make it half way and come right back up?  Yeah, that kind feeling.

Then there is the smell. I have been lucky enough in this life to never smell a rotting corpse but I am going to guess that the odor in this yoga class comes pretty close. Luckily, you're so intent on trying to suck in oxygen through the heat and the sweat that the smell takes a back seat.  

Why then do I go?  As annoying and frustrating as it is for me to admit this, I actually feel amazing afterwards. Well, not directly afterwards because my body usually spends the rest of the day reacclimating itself to air conditioning but by the next morning the wear and tear of everyday life is just gone.

It has been almost magical for my marathon training. Time permitting I sometimes get to go once a week on Saturday. I try to schedule it before my long weekend run. Oddly enough, I run faster and without the usual back, knee and hamstring discomfort I usually contend with.

Now I need to put in a disclaimer here: I am a vinyasa teacher and I absolutely love the style and more importantly the philosophy of the yoga I teach. It is so much more than just poses for me so I'm not comparing the two. 

However, as much as I hate to admit it, heating up my muscles once a week with Bikram really does seem to be beneficial for me, even if it does feel like medieval torture when I'm practicing.

The bottom line here is don't be afraid to try anything; you never know when something you dislike might actually be good for you.

Marathon Training: It's all about the buildup

If you would have asked me nine years ago if I would have ever considered running a marathon I probably would have stated the obvious that in order to run a marathon I would actually have to start running at some point.

I can still remember the first time I ever ran a mile (on a treadmill no less)...I was fairly convinced that I was going die. My heart was thundering in my ears, my chest was so tight with lack of breath I could literally feel my face plumping up and turning red.  Let's not even discuss when I decided to move my running from the treadmill to actual pavement. Note to all: unless you can find self propelling pavement make sure you take your time with this transition.

Never fear,  it does get better and years later I have completed a marathon and run hundreds of miles just for the pure enjoyment of it.  Now I'm doing something I really never thought I would do, a second marathon. For those runners out there,  that may seem like no big feat but this runner never planned on enduring the 26.2 miles again. I did it, I had conquered it and I was content with that.

Something always niggled at me. Each year as October loomed,  I ran my morning route and would see people training, running with a purpose, remembering what it felt like to cross that finish line.  After I had completed the first marathon, I wanted nothing more than to throw my heart rate monitor/ watch across the room and just run for however long I wanted at whatever pace I wanted. Time heals all wounds and I have found myself wanting to overcome the challenge again. This time however, I was taking someone with me.

I lucked out finding a partner who is fit, athletic and loves to run. (well maybe love is too strong a word) but he enjoys it and is good at it. He's super fast compared to me but never really went further than 10 miles before. What I lack in speed, I make up for in endurance. We had a lot to teach each other.

So we have embarked upon this journey together and it has been an entirely different experience this time around. It hasn't been easy either. Exercise had fallen by the wayside during the winter months because I wasn't feeling well. After some surgery to fix the problem, we started on the road back, very slowly. Since I could barely finish three miles, we started training very early. Little by little we've built up to our current long run of 12 miles. 

It hasn't been all pretty either. Marathon training can be grueling when you are trying to do it on your own. There are days you feel like you could keep going for hours and there are days you look at your Asics with utter disgust and loathing. The difference with having a buddy is that they are there to call you on your excuses. They stand there and watch you put your shoes on and push you out the door if needs be. It doesn't make the run any easier but it is nice to know that you're not going it alone.

If you have ever thought about doing a Marathon but hesitated - don't. If your healthy, you can do it. You don't have to be super thin or built like a pro athlete (I'm surely not!) to feel the amazing sense of accomplishment that comes with completing 26.2 miles. 

The single most important thing to remember is what the title of this post says "It's all about the buildup".  Take your time and increase your mileage weekly by extending your weekly long run. If you're a beginner, two maintenance runs a week and one long run on the weekend are more than enough to see you to the finish line.

Jeff Galloway and Hal Higdon have excellent training programs for beginners and their websites hold a wealth of information. If you're worried about how you will ever find a running route long enough, you can calculate the mileage and plan your route on MapMyRun.

If you don't know much about nutrition or how to fuel yourself properly when you hit the higher miles Nancy Clark has an informative book Nancy Clark's Food Guide for Marathoners to assist. It's tempting to restrict calories and train at the same time to lose weight but don't deprive your body. Don't pig out either, just because your running doesn't mean you can scarf down a bag of cheetos. Eat healthfully and your body will find a natural weight you can maintain.

Cross training on your non-running days is also very important. I may be biased because of my passion for yoga but I do believe it is absolutely the best mental and physical workout you can give yourself when your not running. If you haven't tried yoga yet...stay tuned...they'll be an entire post dedicated to how you can take that first yogic step.

The last thing I'll recommend is keep a journal or a blog or whatever is easiest for you but keep track of your journey. I do regret not writing down my first experience at marathoning, a mistake I hope to remedy this time around.