Tuesday, April 18, 2017

The Anti-Zen Exercise Routine

You know what's not relaxing?

Yoga when your kids are home.

I have a half marathon in a few weeks that I'm not all that excited about running. Back in October when I signed up, I was super trained, pretty fast and feeling great. And I was pumped. I would've ran that sub 2:00 half easily and with zeal. That was 7 months ago. A lot can happen in 7 months.

Winter happened. The longest and most snowy winter Reno has seen in ages. I ran in the wind and cold temps and eventually became bored of it all. And slower. I'm not sure I'm the type to be a long distance runner and I definitely have no desire to ever run a full (though I'm so amazed at my friends who do and love keeping up with them!). The 5-7 mile range is definitely my happy zone. A few weeks ago, my IT band started giving me problems and I'm seriously convinced that runners are always injured. I've had a groin pull and this IT band issue now and I've only been consistently running for a couple years.

For two weeks now, I haven't ran at all. Instead of my long runs, I've been spinning for an hour (bonus, I get to watch TV!) three times a week followed by 20 minutes of abs and stretching and doing 30-60 minutes of yoga the other two weekdays through Amazon Prime. I'm hoping with all this stretching and resting from running that my upcoming half won't be a total disaster. Whatever it is, I will run that race in completion, even if it takes me 25% longer than I was originally trained to run. 13.1 miles are 13.1 miles no matter how long it takes you.

My neighbor even commented on my "abs" the other day that she could allegedly see protruding from my shirt (which I totally doubt because I have open diastasis). From the right angles before eating anything, I can pull off a unicorn ab or two.

But back to the main focus. Practicing yoga that I'm only average at while my kids are building forts around me and traipsing on my mat and periodically yelling at one another really doesn't give me that whole namaste feeling. For reals.

We do yoga together, but you know the attention span of preschoolers-- it's minimal. They start and then stop within a few minutes and then carry on with their chaos.

Maybe this is why all the moms at preschool have gym memberships.

6 comments:

Lj82 said... [Reply to comment]

That is EXACTLY why moms with kids in daycare have gym memberships. I'm going to try yoga when the girls go to bed tonight. I need some mindfulness and calm breathing.

ps. jealous of any type of ab, unicorn or not ;)

Caroline said... [Reply to comment]

My IT band lead back to my shoes. Do your shoes have enough support? I was wearing too much of a minilmost style (new balance). Switched to Saucony/Brooks and no issue. Of course, it can be unrelated to shoes. Roll and ice.
Hope the half is enjoyable- as long as you have a good time, who cares about time!

Kari said... [Reply to comment]

Holy balls yes. I tried yoga for the first time a few months ago when I threw my back out. Ella was sitting five feet away from me and was pissing me off the entire time.

Mama Bear said... [Reply to comment]

First of all, I am not a runner. And 20 minutes of abs sounds like torture. But the excitement and energy of road races and slow crowded start definitely has helped me run much more than I'd be able to do on any day by myself. I bet your race will be different than a daily run. I'd also premedicate with a hefty dose of ibuprofen at the start (personal preference, not medical advice ;)

Brie said... [Reply to comment]

my gym membership is my sanity. like, honest to God. No shame in admitting that it's been better than therapy for me. Kids behaving like little shits?--- We're going to the gym!An hour and a half of time for me to work on my health and happiness, and they get to play.We all win.

Hope your IT injury heals quickly with rest. Ive been nursing what is most likely a meniscus tear since October with no improvement, but I just don't want to hear the diagnosis.

A Few Good Eggs said... [Reply to comment]

Good luck with the race and sorry to hear about the IT band trouble. That is the worst. Oh, the gym. I so miss my workout class from home (a fast-paced pilates studio that I am obsessed with). Such freedom! Maybe you need to join a yoga studio for some peace and quiet? :)