Tag: yoga

Wanderlust 108 San Francisco Recap

Posted in Cross-TrainingTagged , , Leave a comment

Last month, I was able to attend Wanderlust Oahu while visiting family in Hawaii. This month, Wanderlust came to my city so I definitely had to go! The San Francisco event was a Wanderlust 108 meaning that it is a half day event featuring a running session, a yoga session and a mediation session.

“1 = Unity  0 = Wholeness  8 = Infinite Love” – Wanderlust

Run

The run was a 5k (3.1 miles) on narrow dirt paths through Golden Gate Park. I would definitely note that the run was more of a fun run than a race.

Yoga

After finishing the run portion, participants had a lot of time to wander around the various vendors before settling down for some yoga.

Meditation

If you’re like me, I hate sitting still. It’s funny, I always dread meditation but always end up loving it (especially when you just get to lie down in the sun).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall, I can’t say that the 108 event was my favorite but it is perfect for someone that wants a small sample of experiencing a Wanderlust event!

Interested in giving Wanderlust a try? Take a look at the Wanderlust Events List to find an adventure closer to you!

Creating Your Ritual: 10 Days of Hot Yoga

Posted in Running & TrainingTagged , , , 1 Comment

It mostly sucks but there are definitely perks to being an injured runner – one of these perks is having the time to do other things that are not running. I love hot yoga but I had not had the chance to find a new studio after moving to San Francisco. Luckily, I found a studio offering a new student package that I decided to try – Ritual Hot Yoga. I definitely recommend giving them a try if you’re local – and psst, leave a comment if you are interested in a new student special!

Anyway, 10 days of hot yoga – what were my takeaways? Mind, body, and soul. Duh!

img_1508

Mind

It is surreal for me to think about but in those 10 days, I lost my aunt, my friend and my dog. Talk about the worst 10 days ever, right? But honestly, yoga helped me through it. Each day, I set an intention for my practice and brought awareness into each moment and every thought. Finding that peace within myself allowed me to release a lot of the stress that I was holding in.

Body

I immediately felt the impact of hot yoga on my body. I was more flexible and I was even able to improve some poses throughout the 10 days. I was still going to the gym but the extra yoga session each day did not leave me feeling tired. In fact, I felt refreshed each day.

Soul

Are you familiar with the feeling of pure bliss or calmness? I left every yoga class feeling more “whole” and focused than when I started class. Though I wouldn’t consider myself to be a spiritual person, 10 days of hot yoga made me feel more connected to my mind, body and soul.

img_2164.jpg

To summarize, hot yoga did not give me abs… but I am able to work on my headstands and forearm stands now. I also fell in love with the studio and signed up for a membership – come try it out with me!

Wanderlust Oahu 2018 Recap

Posted in Recaps & ReviewsTagged , , , 1 Comment

When I first began my yoga practice, I never expected to ever attend a yoga festival. I did not even know that yoga festivals existed. After all, I’m not that much of a yogi. Interestingly enough, I decided to attend Wanderlust Oahu a couple weeks ago and I loved every minute of it.

Best Location

For starters, the location speaks for itself – HAWAII?! The festival is held at Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore – it doesn’t get any better than this. When you need a break from the festival, you can go to the beaches, the pool or even leave the resort to explore the rest of what the North Shore has to offer.

Positive Vibes Only

This was honestly one of my favorite parts. What an experience to be surrounded by so many positive and like-minded individuals.

Local Culture

A unique aspect of Wanderlust Oahu is that you have the chance to learn about Hawaiian culture through classes other than yoga.

SUP Yoga

Though it costs a little extra, I highly recommend taking a SUP yoga class because when else are you going to try SUP yoga in Hawaii? It was challenging and it was relaxing in the warm Hawaii water.

Don’t have the chance to attend Wanderlust Oahu? Take a look at the Wanderlust Events List to find an adventure closer to you!

Why Should Runners Practice Yoga?

Posted in Running & TrainingTagged , , , 2 Comments

If you’re like me, most days include the essential activities such as going on my run, eating and going to work. Or as I like to say, “eat, sleep, run, repeat“. So why add another activity into your training program and how do you even find time for it?

Why Add Yoga?

Ok, so you already love to run. Why add in a new yoga practice? To be honest, I was not a fan after my first class. It was slow and I did not get the sense of accomplishment that I get from finishing a run. A friend recommended that I test out other types of yoga classes until I found a good fit and I am glad I did! As an avid runner, these are my favorite benefits of yoga:

  • Mindfulness – As you learn how to bring awareness and focus to your practice, you also bring awareness and focus to the other aspects of your life.
  • Strength, Balance & Core – Yoga teaches you how to use different muscles to balance your body in various poses. You might not even know you had some of these muscles!
  • Flexibility & Stretching – As a runner, you probably have tight hips or hamstrings… not to mention that IT band. Adding yoga to your current training program can definitely help, there is hope!

How to Add Yoga to Your Current Training Program?

Before I moved, I made a habit of going to vinyasa and/or hot yoga classes on weeknights after work or on weekends after my long run. This allowed for my yoga practice to best complement my running. Here are a couple things to remember when starting out:

  • Start out slow – This is important when starting any new activity but especially when practicing yoga. No matter how fit you are, yoga is a humbling practice and it takes time. Start by adding one class in addition to your running days and then you can begin to add more.
  • Every day is different – Similar to running, know and respect your body to stay injury-free. When I began my yoga practice, I found it is easy to get caught up in the mental and physical challenge. I immediately ended up overdoing it and was forced to take time off from both running and yoga.

 

If you’re considering adding yoga to your running routine, I would also recommend checking out this article from Runner’s World, 6 Reasons Your Yoga Instructor Needs to Know You’re a Runner.