Good Morning Sunshine!
I wanted to share the sun salutation workout that is practiced in our Bloodstone & Black Opal hot yoga class, an energizing way to begin or end your day. I have included some benefits of hot yoga below for those curious.
The more you do yoga, the quieter and calmer you become.

Hot Yoga Benefits

Weight Loss

Many people in the hunt to shed extra pounds consider the benefits of hot yoga due to claims that it addresses quite a few aspects of weight loss, as well as improved exercise and stress reduction. For the simple reason that hot yoga increases the pulse rate, your body then works to keep thermo-regulation, escalating calorie expenditure without the force on joints of further calisthenic work out regimens like jumping jacks or jogging. Hot yoga is also alleged to amplify oxidation of fat cells. Be sure to wear the proper hot yoga clothes because you will be sweating a lot.

Muscle and Joint Pain

Several joints, particularly the vertebrae, discontinue lubricating as effectively when a person enters into their thirties. Yoga promotes joint lubrication that may alleviate common feelings of stiffness and soreness, both reactively and proactively.

Mobility

Cold muscles tend to be more likely to tear while stretched. Bikram hot yoga advocates propose that stretching warm muscles is more effective and lets the practitioner progress deeper into poses. Since stretching is an efficient way to increase flexibility, hot yoga may help increase ones range of motion, thwart accidental injuries in exercise, and help someone heal from prior accidental injuries.

Tension Relief

Exercise, deep breathing, and reflection have been revealed to cut back anxiety levels, and hot yoga combines all three. The psyche’s fight to concentrate on poses in a sweltering atmosphere distracts and distances from stressors. Lower stress levels allow for superior and easier sleep, which improves the immune system and reduces probability of injuries on the body. Lower anxiety levels on the whole reduce weight gain, cut possibility of illness and injury, lowers heart rate and blood pressure, as well as improves mood.

Immune System

Raising your core temperature simulates a fever-like environment in your body, elevating white blood cell production and fighting viruses and bacteria. Your body also makes additional interferon, which raises the production of antibodies. Stress weakens the immune system, as a result activities that lessen stress also reduce vulnerability to health issues.

Increased Performance

Many athletes take up hot yoga to improve their levels of accomplishment in additional activities. Well-stretched muscle tissue have improved range of motion and are less at risk of tearing. Joints in good alignment are less pain-prone in high impact physical activities. The breath control of yoga improves execution in cardio and anaerobic activities.

But these massive physical benefits are just a “side effect” of this mighty exercise. Hot yoga benefits your body by harmonizing the psyche with the body and ends in authentic quantum benefits. It has become an open secret that the determination in the mind has enabled individuals to attain extraordinary physical feats, which proves definitely the psyche and body relationship.

What is hot yoga? The truth is hot yoga equals meditation, for the reason that both work mutually in accomplishing the common objective of unity of psyche, body and spirit that may result in an experience of eternal bliss that one could only feel through yoga. The meditative practices via yoga assist in attaining an emotional stability through detachment. This consequently makes a remarkable tranquility as well as a positive outlook, which also has great benefits over the physical health of the body. 

Source-HotYogaBenefits.com

Enjoy your Tuesday!

It has been for-ever since the last post, my apologies! I feel like I have been in a little bit of a whirlwind between running a marathon, getting engaged and getting a new job all within 10 days of each other! Mike & I are very excited! We went to a weekend get-away at a Bed & Breakfast in Asheville last weekend and he surprised me on our hike up the Black Balsam Mountains, it was truly a-mazing.  I feel so blessed and thankful right now in my life. I honestly couldn't ask for anything else. I feel like everything I have been working so hard for just came together in less than 2 weeks and there is definitely something to be said about that. One of my best friends email me this quote and I love it.
"good things take time, but the best things in life happen all at once."


So naturally I am going to continue to post about running but thought I would incorporate some bridal workout/diet plans into my blog as well.  Let me know what you think!

Happy Monday~enjoy your day!!

Post-Marathon

Well it is day 4 after the marathon on Sunday and I can honestly say I feel like I have been hit by a truck, repeatedly. It is improving with each new day and I could even go to hot yoga this evening (thankfully).
But it was soooo worth it! I had such a wonderful trip and Mike and I got to do some nice sight-seeing and dining while we were there.
The race itself was a little intense but so well put together, it was unbelievable. There were women from 35 different countries competing and 3 Olympians, including my fav Kara Goucher. The race started off well and Mike even joined me twice, once to run miles 4-8 with me and then again from miles 12-16. So that was a very nice treat! And he could even sneak off and take pictures of the gorgeous scenery. I mean running near the coastline and the Golden Gate Bridge was unlike anything I have ever experienced. At mile 8 my left ankle was hurting with each step down as well as my left knee. But I had to keep going. I ran up all of the hills, which was one of my goals throughout the marathon. At mile 14, I felt like I could be finished with the run, the hills were very intense, however, the day was overcast which made the remaining part of the race tolerable. Miles 15-18 I was running along the Great Hwy, there was loud music, cheerleaders, orange slices given, gatorade and water galore! We got to see the surfers out catching some waves and also wiping out :) However, miles 18-23 were along Lake Merced, which I had read many reviews about and it was treacherous. I mean, the ONLY upside was the Chocolate Mile at mile 22 which they gave quite a few milk chocolate truffle squares from Ghiradelli that I kept for Mike and I to eat later in the evening. Yum!
It was an unbelievable race and I am wondering what will be in store for me next.
The night before the race I woke up at 3am, just an hour prior to my alarm and my pump had stopped working. Frustrated and exhausted I decided to go back to sleep and put on a new pod prior to going on a 4+ hour run. That is risky business considering it takes my body 3-4 hours to balance itself out after putting one on. But it was a risk I had to take since I didn't want to use Lantus and give injections. At 14 miles my blood sugar was at 94 and finished the race at 119....not too shabby.

For all of those who have been on this journey with me, you may know how much I sacraficed to get to this point, heck it may have even been a few happy hours or glasses of wines with you to do so. It may have meant not traveling so I could get all my miles in. But it was a bucket-list check off for me and honestly, while I didn't make the time I was expecting, I am grateful to have had this opportunity. I am still on a little runner's high and find myself replaying how the day went, mile by mile :) 
I loved all of the texts, cards, FB posts and emails wishing me luck, it made a huge impact on helping me get through the race. Muah!!
Until next time....


I hope you all are well!

Carb-Loading, Packing and Norah Jones

Such a b-u-s-y day, sometimes I feel like I live 2 different lives. But I am now packing, eating some breakfast for dinner and listening to Norah to chillax.

The Nike Expo began today! Only 22k people in the race, no biggie. An appearance from Kara Goucher and other Olympians.  A Tiffany's Finisher's necklace delivered by firemen on a silver platter.  Lots of sweat. Maybe a tear or two.

One thing is for certain, Nike can really stack an event, here are some deets that arrived in my email yesterday:

It's here. We'd say it's the day you've been waiting for… but "waiting" hardly describes the effort you've put in over the past few months. No. It's the day you've laced up and headed out the door literally hundreds of times for. It's the day you envisioned in every painful moment where you questioned why. It's the day that never let you press snooze. It's the day you have trained for. We've pulled out all the stops to make sure it's a day you'll never forget. Crossing the finish line (because you WILL cross it, you know) is going to seal the deal on making 10/16 a memorable day, but you've got an awful lot to look forward to in the meantime. This weekend is a celebration of all the STRONG.SEXY.FIERCE women out there, so make plans to enjoy it to the fullest. You deserve it! Here's what we've got in store:

The NWM Expotique & Packet Pick-up THURS, Oct 13: 12pm – 8pm FRI, Oct 14: 10am – 9pm SAT, Oct 15: 8am – 6pm You have to come to pick up your bib, but you'll want to stay to check out all of the awesomeness, including Nike+ Race Day Benefits, a chance to see what shoe works best for your stride at our interactive gait analysis experience, and every woman's dream  – fittings by the experts at our personalized Nike Women's Bra Bar. You'll also have a chance to test out Nike's most cutting-edge product innovations, including a photo-op with the most reflective jacket you've ever seen – just wait! Last, get ready to hear insider  tips and stories from some of the world's finest runners – we're pleased to host Olympians Joan Benoit Samuelson, Kara Goucher, Shalane Flanagan and Shannon Rowbury. And from our partners, here are just a few of the great, totally free experiences to make any girls' weekend complete!

• Foot Massages from Cole Haan • Hair Styling Salon from Paul Mitchell • Neutrogena Skincare Consultations • Safeway Bike Blended Smoothies • Gatorade Interactive Course Video Game • Lite POM Photo Booth Kaiser Permanente Music + Massage Lounge Congratulations on completing the hardest part of running a marathon: getting yourself to the starting line. Now, welcome to the celebration. We'll see you soon. I could go for a little bit of all of that right now! On my list for tomorrow morning before our flight: 1. Hy-drate! 2. Hot Yoga-Topaz 102 degree class, so invigorating in the morning 3. Make homemade low-sugar, low-fat pun'kin spice latte  ;) 3. Put on a new pod so I don't have to deal while flying 4. Upload some jams for our travels! Well here goes a great trip to San Francisco!  Over the past 22 weeks I  have ran over 565 miles and can excitedly say that as of Sunday will have completed the last 26.2.  All while repeatedly checking my blood sugars, planning my meals/times based on my running accordingly and let's be honest---having such a-mazing support.

A Nice Suprise!

I came home from work last night and found this on my dining room table :D

Such a sweet & thoughtful gift from Brian & Sarah!

        With quite a nice card about inspiration and dedication....


I think as it is getting closer to the race date I am actually relaxing a little more (whhhaaat?) I mean if you know me, that is pure craziness. 
Perhaps it is due to the fact Mike actually accompanied me to a hot yoga class last night. I know, I know, can you believe it?! His first ever, Black Opal. And I must say he did pretty amazing and I think he enjoyed it, especially the frozen ice pops they were giving out at the end.
Or it could be that I ran my last 3 miles before the 26.2 on Sunday this morning, in the drizzling rain while visualizing crossing the finish line. 


Hope you all have a great day!

Some pics

 The Map for the Race-note the Elevation & Hills (who knows why those             
 white dots are there...)        

Mike's awesome support drawing. Hey, if he gets bored w/medicine, 
looks like he's got another option.

Some goodies!

Made by my sis, pretty a-mazing! Love

The Week Of....

Hard to imagine the last 21 weeks of training are coming to an end this Sunday as I will be in San Francisco. And exciting as well! Plenty of hot yoga on my horizon this week so I can chill out a bit :) Although I have already mentally packed, I am still second guessing pretty much all of my choices but I am sure as the week goes on that will subside, hopefully (crosses fingers!).

I have received soooo much support from loved ones, as well as some pretty awesome care packages preparing me for both before and after the race. It is truly amazing.

Mike & I have some fun plans to explore the scenery in SF including Fisherman's Wharf, the Expo Nike will be hosting all weekend as well as riding a trolley car throughout the streets. We are looking forward to our trip together.

*Pics to come later of goodies in my care packages, training pics and the course map!*