Progress for Progress' Sake

I know...... It's been a while... my bff Sabrina let me know that...

So how about an update on all of my ultra-ness?

If training for a marathon and hoping to someday do an ultra marathon have taught me anything, it is that you have GOT to keep going, keep trying, and keep "going big or go home." This summer I get to live all of this out in 3 different ways.

1. I have started running again. Let me be honest. Every step terrifies me- I keep thinking that my foot and/or knee are just going to explode. Thankfully, my dear old dad told me that nothing is going to start hurting until i get up to 15 and 20 mile runs. Gee, thanks.

I am taking this "back to running" business slow so as not to overwork anything. I wake up in the mornings and run 20-30 minutes. I run SLOWLY for 20-30 minutes. My body seems to remember what running is, but my mind screams "I DONT WANT TO WAKE UP EARLYYYYYYYY. GO BACK TO SLEEPPPPPPPPPP. YOU DONT NEED TO RUN." Sometimes I listen to it. Tomorrow morning, I will NOT listen to this voice. I hope....

Moral of the story is that my new running journey is beginning. My real problem is that I much prefer running trails to running on pavement. Trails are hard to come by and pavement is plentiful. Alas, isn't that the way life goes?

2. I have found an awesome Bikram Studio in my summer location! It is SOOOOOO clean and smells like a baby's bottom. Even better, I seem to be making some rapid progress at this new studio. Sometimes a change of scenery can turn an exercise plateau into a steady increase in awesomeness.

Important Progress:

THIS POSE. I CAN DO THIS POSE. ALL THE WAY.

This is called standing head to knee, and I can now put my head to my knee. It happened today actually. Yesterday I was an inch away, and today my flippin forehead touched my flippin knee. It has taken 13 months for me to be able to actually straighten my kicking out leg, to be able to bring my elbows down below my claf muscles, to be able to bring my body down, and to be able to tuck my chin to my neck and touch my forehead to my knee. But I DID IT.

The truth is that I have actually made tangible progress in about 20 of the 26 poses. Someday (probably this fall) I am going to take pictures of where I was when I started Bikram (via my rough memory of my original struggles) and where I am now. Should be a fun post.

3. I am intern for the ultra-awesome-est organization ever. It is called Thistle Farms, and you should just go read about it. It is a rehabilitation for women from the streets who have survived lives of protitution, abuse, and addiction. These women then work at Thistle Farms making all natural bath and body products that are fab. The women with whom I work are unbelievable, and you better believe me when I say that they know what it takes to go the ultra distance. Our daily motto is "Love Heals." I love working in a place where I know I am doing good in the world. Working at Thistle Farms gives me the same feeling as running 20 miles just minus the sore muscles and joints.

Runners: order some Body Butter to moisturize all your nasty skin (I know you have it... chaffing... yuck....)

Yogis: order some Room Spray or Shower Gel because I know you smell bad after class ALL THE TIME.

Everyone else: my favorite product is the Lip Smoothie. My lips had been chapped for about 6 months straight from the Connecticut winter, and this lip smoothie had my lips back to normal in 3 days.

Hows that for an update?

ULTRA LOVE, PEOPLE. ULTRA LOVE HEALS.