Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Yogathon






I did something so cool and so out of my comfort zone this weekend.  Hooray for trying new things!  In an effort to get in touch with my Inner Zen, I signed up for a "Yogathon" that was being hosted by a local yoga studio in order to raise money for a camp for kids affected by cancer.  I figured I could recruit a friend or two and we could go get all "peaceful" together. Well, my friends are lame were busy, so I headed out by myself.
Now, I don't do a whole lot of yoga, but I've done a little here and there.  I dabble, if you will. And I've never taken a class at a real yoga studio- I've stuck to the classes at my gym, that are all done in the dark, with a whole bunch of stretching and laying quietly.  I typically leave said yoga classes and go jump on a treadmill to complete my workout.  Little did I know what kind of surprise was awaiting me.

There were several options on the day of this Yogathon.  It was 4 hours long, broken in to 3 seperate classes that started basic and got progressively harder.  So Brilliant Me decided to push myself and head to the last session: Power Vinyasa.  Might as well make it worth my time, right?  

This is the yoga studio that hosted the event. I might go there
someday for a real class.


Of course I had to make a stop on my way.  And yes, it was to purchase a mat.  Whatever.  I used to own one, but it got ruined when I used it to teach on a super gross floor somewhere last year.  So yes, I've been using the ones at the gym ever since.  Nothing like doing child's pose right where someone else's bare feet have been. Yum.
Hello new pink mat.  I think we're going
to get along famously. Please don't smell
too new when I open you in front of a
bunch of yogis.
To anyone who knows me, it should come as zero surprise that I got lost once I pulled on to the campus, and drove around the exact building where I needed to be approximately 14 times before I finally parked.  Oh yeah, and it was pouring rain.  Like, huge drops.  Walking in late as a soaking wet newcomer to a serene yoga setting where most people seem to know one another is such a cool way to make a first impression.  Try it sometime.

Ok, moving on.  I looked around the room and noticed that all kinds of people were "stretching out" by holding themselves in these weird, twisted poses, with their heads down and their legs in the air.  You have got to be kidding me.  Side note: the only place for me to put my mat was approximately 6 inches behind a guy who was wearing holey socks.  I found out very quickly that he also had extraordinarily long legs.  Boo.

Anyway, class started with an introduction of the first instructor: "This is the guy who we love because he kicks everyone's ass. Now let's get started".  Lord help me. 

But surprisingly, the music started (upbeat, dare I say HIP-HOP??), and I suddenly found myself in my happy workout place.  I was feeling strong, flexible, and filled with power. I was totally doing it!  Wait, was this workout actually... FUN?????

I really wish I had not left my iPod on the front seat of my car because I really wanted to share a pic or 12 of what was happening in there.  But truthfully, I was so in to it that I probably would have forgotten to use it anyway. 

So then after about 45 minutes, the second instructor took over.  She started by saying "move through your vinyasa and meet me in Warrior II" Ummmmmmm... excuse me?  I don't have a vinyasa. Glancing around the room, I kindof plank and down-dogged for a minute and somehow ended up looking like everyone else.  It then was on the verge of going down hill from there, but I miraculously managed to hold it together. In fact, I think I did a pretty great job. And this is despite the fact that I'm pretty sure she used the word "triangashana" (What?? Triangle pose?  Ok then, why not just say that? Duh.) She said a bunch of other shanananas too, but I just faked it. And then came those weird, twisted balancing poses.  None of which I did, by the way.  It was actually a very awesome feeling to have a nice sense of confidence SHOT within a 5-minute series when I couldn't get in to a SINGLE one of the poses.  Luckily, neither could about 97% of the class.  Phew.

And all of a sudden, it was over.  I was lying in meditation after an hour and a half, and I was feeling pretty great.  Hmmm, maybe I should try some power yoga more often...

 Proof that I made it out alive.  Looking all sweaty and unflattering.
People who take pictures of themselves in the car are so cool.
I look better in real life. (I think...)





Namaste,

J

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