yoga and giant anteaters

Someday, I'll be able to do this. Someday.

Had a great practice at Hot Yoga Plus this morning. It was the Bikram series, which I'd never done before (I usually do vinyasa flow, but I have a Groupon that expires soon for HYP). When I first started yoga a couple years ago, I started with hot yoga, but my normal studio here in Nashville is not a hot yoga studio. I love yoga in general, but I do enjoy the added heat element and it felt good to be back on the mat in a heated room that allows for extra stretching and extra detox. 

It was an absolutely gorgeous day here (80 and mostly sunny), so Brooklyn and I went to the Nashville Zoo. It was my first time there as well, barring once when I was just a wee tot, and I was actually impressed by their setup. I had also never seen a giant anteater before - dude, those things are so awesome in real life! I want one. Look how cute they are. Loooook!

I'm sexy and I know it.

 To yoga, and anteaters! Happy Saturday, everyone. 

All smiles, 
b

the world in a peach

I had an awesome run this morning, an awesome cowrite session this afternoon, and I'm going to have an awesome night with some awesome ladies. So I leave you with the happiness of a freshly bitten peach. 

The nectarine, and curious peach/

Into my hands themselves do reach. (Andrew Marvell)

 

Happy weekend everyone! 

All smiles, 
b

why i run

 

I love running. I'm a pretty intense person, and pounding the sidewalks with Drake or Ke$ha (admit it, they're on your running playlist, too) works wonders for me in terms of blowing off steam. I do better all the way around when I run - I'm happier, nicer, more patient. It's good for me, and it's good for everyone that has to deal with me. 

Anyway. A couple weeks ago I did something I've been mulling over for a few years now: I started a half marathon training plan. Legit started. It's a challenge, especially because I have exercise-induced asthma. But I love challenges. Nothing feels better to me than pushing myself to to something I previously thought impossible. The training is going well. I had been running only sporadically when I first started, but now I'm doing 3 miles in a cool 30 minutes. 

Or at least I was until today. My run was awful today. Purely awful. The training called for 30 minutes "easy" today, aka running at a pace where you're able to easily hold a conversation the whole time. Mile one was fine, but the other 1.66 miles (I didn't even make it to 3) were PAINFUL. And the thing was, I was being awful to myself. Why is this hard for you? This shouldn't be hard for you. What happened? I glared at my phone and made faces that I'm sure were infinitely amusing to people driving by. 

Then I stopped. Just be nice to yourself. I said that out loud. And then I felt a little better. So what if not every run is great? So what if not every run is progress? Sometimes you gotta go backward to go forward, right? I had a horrible night's sleep last night. It threw me off this morning. I did my training anyway, so that's accomplishment enough! I have a rest day tomorrow. But Friday I'll lace up, hit the road, and I'll kick its butt - without trash talking myself to death. End of story! 

An unrelated anecdote from walking the dog this morning:

Neighbor: "That is the cutest dog!"

Me: "Thanks. He's friendly...just hyper sometimes."

Neighbor: "I understand. My grandson is like that."

All smiles,

b