First Yoga Class

So in order to avoid doing a 10 mile run in the rain I decided to try that yoga studio that Skip got me a gift certificate to downtown. I got online to check the class schedule and saw that they had Yoga 1 at 9 and Yoga 2-3 at 10:30. I had no idea what to take and ended up calling and speaking with the owner who suggested I take the 9 o’clock class and see what I thought. I told her I’d been doing it for a few months at home but like gym rats…she didn’t seem to put much stock in ‘at home’ stuff. Of course I could be wrong but that’s how it seemed. So I pack my gym bag because I still planned to run when I was done…and headed downtown.



The studio is gorgeous..and the owner was totally friendly as was everyone else. A lovely lady showed me where to put my things and took me into a big room and got me my ‘stuff’. Now at home..I’d never even used a mat..let alone a block, pillow, blanket and some kind of belt thing. I didn’t end up using anything but the mat and the block. I sat down on my mat and waited. I have NEVER taken a class before…and didn’t really know what to expect….but was pleasantly surprised. It was peaceful…no where near challenging enough…but perfect for getting my feet wet…she told me that I definitely needed to be in at least Yoga 1-2 which I am going to try this coming Wednesday night. It was sort of strange to be in a room full of people doing exactly what I was doing…..but not in a bad way. I’m going to purchase a summer pass and try to go once a week. Today I was totally sore but I don’t know if that was from the yoga…or the killer hill repeats I treated myself to after doing yoga for 1.5 hours. Probably a little of both.


Now I want to address something that’s been bothering me a bit and that I’m sure my parents will start on shortly…and that is the spiritual part of the Yoga practice. Yoga is ancient and no one really knows how it began…and the spirituality of yoga is all fine and good and should be respected and taken seriously…but that has nothing to do with me and what I am getting out of it. I am a Christian…I have no interest in being one with anyone or anything except God and occasionally Skip. It’s like my running in that I am exercising…in a fashion that I find palatable..and even like sometimes. But when it comes down to it…all it is is my feet hitting the ground. But it is incredible to take a step down..and relax..and enjoy something different.


Now instead of sleeping in on a Saturday morning…I plan on hammering out the 10 miler I avoided on Thursday. I have yet to sign up for Lighthouse…not sure what is up with that. I have the filled out registration form with check sitting on the counter waiting to be mailed. Maybe I will tomorrow.