Running, yoga and burritos

I try to live each day to exhaustion. Today, I succeeded and surpassed that goal, yet I'm still bursting with energy. 

6:30 alarm became 6:45 and eventually 7:15. I slept in my base layer of running clothes, layered up and warmed up with my Whittle My Middle exercises. I ventured into the 19 degree morning for a 25 minute run. Slow and steady, I ran around Newport. 

My day was busy and uneventful. I spent a good deal of time talking about running clothes and races--and my impending doom, I mean strength training challenge--with my coworker. 

After work, my favorite yoga class of the week: Led ashtanga primary series at Yogasana. Class started at 6:30; I got into my car at 8:12. That's about 90 minutes of yogic bliss. We did primary series through bhujapidasana, then added hanumanasana for fun. My right side splits are almost back, and my left are as good as they ever were. I am respecting my edge and not pushing. Torn hamstrings are painful and take a long time to heal. I speak from experience. 

Tonight, we focused on lengthening the neck, observing and nurturing the backbends throughout primary series. 

In addition to deeper, more obvious backbends like urdhva mukha svanasana (upward facing dog) and urdhva dhanurasana (full wheel), there are mini backbends scattered throughout: in utkatasana (fierce/chair), in tadasana/samasthiti (mountain), in virabhdrasana (warrior). Not just a chance to lean back, these backbends are a chance to open the chest, allow the heart to lead and lengthen and strengthen the neck. 

I twisted deeply in my marichysana series, binding in C and D and allowing my forehead to easily rest in B. My nose and knee were intimately acquainted tonight. 

In ardha baddha padmottanasana, my nose met knee for one breath on right, one on left. I held utthita hasta padanghustasana on right, save a couple of touches against the wall with my elbow. On left, I didn't fully extend in B, but I held myself. 

My vinyasas felt strong; I took one step closer to my heels in urdhva dhanurasana. 

Sirsasana wasn't quite on, but I practiced for 15 minutes when I came home and threw in adho mukha vrksasana (handstand) for fun.

I returned home to half a burrito from La Mexicana smothered in hot sauce. The perfect dinner, along with a 3 oz pour of Chakana Malbec 2006. 

I made spicy almond noodles (ginger/garlic/almond butter/hot pepper/tamari over whole wheat angel hair with snow peas and onions) for lunches, and a batch of black bean and lentil chili is in the Crockpot Fred's mom left here on New Year's. I've never really used a crockpot; vegetarian cooking is quick, but this should be a nice change. 

A long soak in an Epsom bath was necessary, and now I'm in bed with Paolo Coelho's "Eleven Minutes," most of which I read in French a couple of years back. I'm going to finish it in English, then return to the French to see how much I remember. 

My French is AWFUL these days; I rarely speak it though I have two French friends. Working on that. 

Tomorrow I have day two of half marathon training group. We've only got a three-mile run, then Im heading to Trader Joe's to pick up groceries--yay, gift card! I'm getting up early for yoga--the goal is primary series in the A.M. Oh, and my 100-pushups challenge test is at 10:30. My arms are sore, so I'm a bit nervous. 

Wish me luck.