Very early this morning I completed my 50th straight day of yoga! I am halfway to 100 and it’s gone by so quickly I can hardly believe it. It hasn’t always been easy to make the time and I have not felt like always felt like doing it, but I didn’t want to break my streak…if I’m being honest. So on the days where I wasn’t feeling it, I chose a video that seemed like it would feel good for my body or I did my own moves. On those days I only committed to 15 minute practices. And I felt a whole lot better after, every time. My current goal is to aim for 100 straight days of showing up on my mat. I’m not yet sure if I will continue beyond that or not. But it feels really great to be halfway there already!
Today also marked my return to training for my half marathon that I never got to complete in 2021. I decided I wanted to tackle a 10k walk out on the BWI trail. I did this despite having just taken my first walk of the year three days ago and that was only 1 mile. It was hard! But I feel so good for doing it.
Last night I was feeling pretty nervous about getting back out there. This was only my second 10k since my surgery, and the last one was in May. I was worried my cold weather gear wouldn’t fit. I was worried that my hydration vest would be too small. I was worried that my preferred coat for exercising wouldn’t fit. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to complete the distance. I thought about bailing. Before I feel asleep I shared with Shawn how I was feeling. He reminded me that I could do hard things. He reassured me that I could make it work even if my cold weather gear didn’t fit; that I could carry water in my water bottle and he could meet me along the trail for refills if I needed it; that if I couldn’t complete the distance, he could come pick me up along the route and that whatever distance I covered would be awesome; he encouraged me not to bail.
So this morning I woke up early and got dressed. All my cold gear fit just fine. I headed to the living room to do some yoga and stretching before waking up Shawn and Ruby. I made up my own practice and combined the moves that my body felt like it needed and the stretches I need for long distances. I turned on my HOPE playlist from last year and moved my body joyfully ending, serendipitously, with the song This is Me from The Greatest Showman, which left me feeling really determined and strong. I loaded up my hydration vest, and it was a snug fit, but it was doable. My coat ended up not fitting, but I just wore my every day coat which was plenty big and didn’t add any discomfort. I ate on my way and was sent off on the trail by my super supportive and loving race concierges, Shawn and Ruby.
It felt really good to be back out on the trail. But it was also very challenging to begin again. My body has changed, my stamina is different, my pace is significantly slower, I haven’t even attempted jogging since last January when I completed my longest training distance (11 miles). In many ways I felt like a total beginner. But, in some ways, I felt like a seasoned pro. I tried to listen to my body and enjoy the process. I didn’t push myself too hard or pay too much attention to my pace. I just continued to put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward. And I did the damn thing! And I was reminded how good it feels to tackle long distances and take on a challenge. I feel ready to get back to half marathon training, but I think I’m going to be sticking with only walking for now. I think I care more about the distance than I do how I get there.
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