Lost and Found

For a few weeks now I have been battling with some sort of denial that the warm months are on their way out, and although I adore fall and the cooler mornings and nights, I dread winter. When I get in these moods, there is not much that can bring me out of them. Dare I say, not even a good run or yoga session can break me. The only exercise I get is perhaps getting up to eat more of Whoops' Smart Puffs or what ever sugary cereal he has brought home, but even that might take too much effort.

BUT.... I have some good news. I might be getting back on track and it only took dragging myself to my boot camp class. I hurt so bad today that it made it all worth it. Then, I was invited to a yoga session and that was absolutely insane! You have no idea how bad your body needs to be stretched out until you have a 75 minute yoga class. The instructor did this one intense move that was a modified chair pose and then had us moving up and down in a very precise motion (OUCH!!). I have topped my night out with a hot cup of Tazo Teas. My absolute favorite is the 'Joy' tea, which comes around during the holidays, and it a mixture of green and black tea. And finally I am back to blogging a little bit, which I also took a little break from.


I am not alone in these weird little 'slumps of the blahs', I am sure. Sometimes it might even be good to succomb a little bit and let the body and the mind unwind. However, the inner athlete is always there! And if a good run or kick butt yoga or cardio session does not help, well there is always the comfort of The Hills (one of my many guilty pleasures), Gossip Girl (yet another guilty pleasure).

Trading in My Running Sneakers

Just for the evening, as I decided to subject myself to a cardio-kickboxing class at my gym. It is interesting how you think you are in the best shape of your life and then you decide to take a class that works muscles you never knew existed. That is exactly what happened to me tonight.

There were weights, there was an evil step and then there were squats... so many squats.. and then there were squats with weights. I thought my legs were strong until I did about 100 squats and now my legs are jello. I think it is good that my legs feel this way, that my abs feel like they are going to burst like a can of soda which has been shaken up and I suppose it is good that my face is still flushed even an hour after the class and after a warm shower.

All in all, a successful class. I did not pass out, I lasted the entire class and I feel pretty energized. Now it is time to calm it down a bit so I can eventually get to sleep. The only down fall to taking a high-energy class like kickboxing so late at night, is the wind down period. Which brings me to my question for all.

Whether you run, hike, walk or take kickboxing.. do you prefer to work out at night, in the morning, or (if you are one of the lucky ones) in the middle of the day. Do you notice a difference in your energy levels or mood depending on when you work out?

Own Your Run

I have been exercising as long as I can remember. Whether it was running, walking, yoga, pilates or trying to play a sport, I attempt to stay as active as possible. We all go through those moments in our life where we either reach for something to help us through or we fall apart. I reached for running.

Running is how I decompress, destress and how I allow myself to just be. Instead of thinking about what happened during the day, what to have for dinner or what bills to pay, I am simply thinking about putting one foot in front of the other.

When I saw the New Balance Love/Hate commercials, this campaign was the marketing miracle that would pull even a person who has never pounded pavement before out of bed at 5AM. Pure and perfect genius in my perspective. After all, how many of us have tried to break up with running or have just simply ignored it like a bad pickup line?

Forgetting to run or just not wanting to is so easy to do until you build that connection with it. Until you see that running can actually be your time, your space and your moment. Those little goals of going a little bit further every single time are yours and no one else’s. You own that time when there is no one around you and the air you breathe in is your own.

Own your run!