So I’ve been in a major workout/exercise funk lately and tried a whole bunch of ways to motivate myself out of it. I think our level of activity last year was exciting and a huge accomplishment but leaves me feeling somewhat less than motivated this year to do much of anything.
In addition to the lackluster workout/training routine, I’ve also felt out of sorts in a “balanced” (or unbalanced) sort of way, and lost. I’ve felt this way before but its been a very long time.
I realized (again) this morning that my lifetime of sports activity serves multiple roles for me and when I’m not active, there’s a domino effect something like this: I don’t exercise, I feel sad/depressed, I feel lost, I get down on myself and I don’t feel like exercising…cyclical in a bad sort of way. On the flip side, when I exercise, I feel energized, happy, up beat, accomplished, and balanced.
The way I was able to get myself out of the funk before was by taking a yoga class at Capitol Hill Yoga. The routine of a class kept me motivated, the physicality of the movement gave me the “endorphin” high to keep the hormones balanced, and the meditative aspect helped me find the inner strength to branch out into more physical activities. I haven’t kept up with the yoga and have felt for some time that it was time to get back into it. A few (maybe like 6) months ago, I looked into taking a morning yoga class at Capitol Hill and then discovered that they’d lost their lease and were closing…booo.
This morning, I went looking for other options, and discovered that this week (May 2 to May 9) is Yoga Week in DC and my timing couldn’t be better. There are an abundance of yoga studios in DC, most are offering free or discounted classes, and if you believe in “signs” then this is a clear one to me that I’ve found a really good solution. I also discovered that Capitol Hill Yoga has reopened in a new space near Eastern Market and they’re participating in Yoga Week with free or $5 classes. I’m aiming to go at least once this week. I’ll have to break out the mat and fun mat bag.
Due to all the training I did last year, I also suffered through some serious hip and calf pain from a combination of an improper bike fitting and a whacked out back. I sought relief from a chiropractor and an awesome massage therapist, both of whom worked wonders on me to keep me pain free. Since then I’ve always wanted to weave in yoga on a regular basis to avoid a repeat of the pain but haven’t made the time. There’s no time like the present. I’m going to start simple, listen to my body, and build from there if that’s what is meant to be. I’ve crafted myself into a triathlete lifestyle but at the moment, I’m lacking the excitement and motivation to actually train for and complete a triathlon…so maybe its time for a different definition of who I am.
