tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59337502024-03-07T13:00:41.559-05:00the world of cherieUltrarunning, traveling, writing, and adventures from the RD of the Burning Man Ultramarathon.cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.comBlogger1743125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-17093006671021185082019-10-27T21:13:00.002-04:002019-10-27T21:15:38.880-04:00Review of the Elvie Breast Pump<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've had the Elvie Breast Pump for over a month now, and it has taken me that long to formulate my full reaction, and it is one of: I love it/I hate it. For the cost, it sucks that I sometimes feel the latter, but when I love it, oh my god, it's amazing and I truly, truly love it. It has changed my life, but on occasion, I am incredibly frustrated with it.<br />
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To start with: I'm a very busy school librarian. My teaching schedule is crazy. When I was pumping with my Spectra S2, it involved going to a pumping room several floors away from my library, sitting there for 10-15 minutes, then going back. This wasn't a terrible thing when I was teaching part-time, but it's hard when you are working full-time to do that every day. On my crazy teaching days where I only had 45 minutes between classes (hey, we know that means it's more like 35, amirite, teachers???), I was shoveling food into my mouth and pumping and feeling so stressed. So I splurged and have to say, when it works, it's SO amazing. But sometimes, it just doesn't work, and I don't realize it, and then I have to teach a class (and yes, you can stick it in your bra and I will talk to coworkers and shelve books, but I don't really want to teach a class with it in), and that sucks.<br />
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So here's the premise. You can stick these two pumps (that charge via USB - I have pumped three times on the same charge and never run out - but I notice if I charge it Friday, don't pump all weekend, by my second or third pump Monday I'm almost out of power) in your bra and just walk around and do all the things. Or so they say.<br />
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To clarify - you can't just stick them in any old bra. I've found that some of my bras won't support the exact alignment with the nipple that is needed. (Until I figured this out, I had some days where I just wasn't able to pump very much milk at all.) I also discovered that putting them in certain bras actually completely stretched them out and now, my bras are unusable. I wear this crappy old nursing bra I don't really like when I'm going to work (and basically, wash it five times a week, ha). And because I sometimes need easy access to adjust, I can't wear a lot of dresses, unless they're low cut enough for me to stick my hands down and adjust. (If I was using the Spectra S2, I'd pull off my dress to pump three times a day, annoying. But with the Elvie, it's pretty impossible to wear a lot of my dresses bc sometimes mid-pump, at my desk w my back turned, I'll need to do some readjusting and that's hard if the neckline is too high.) So I discovered you can't wear any bra and you can't wear whatever you want - which is a big negative (though of course, you aren't taking off your clothes and putting on a pumping bra, which is a great thing).<br />
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Oh, and it's definitely not the kind of thing you can wear during a meeting. I mean, maybe a phone meeting? But with how I've needed to adjust it so often, I wouldn't trust it. Also, there are lights. I drape a scarf over my chest to detract that I suddenly have ginormous boobs with lights. There's a subtle sound, but I work in a library, and I am pretty sure no one but me has ever really noticed the sound. So it's not a big deal IMO.<br />
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If all the parts are not in JUST SO, it won't work. And because you can't easily see the milk being produced like you can with a regular pump, you might not realize - so you could have the Elvie pump in your bra pumping away for 30 minutes and nothing. Also, if things aren't lined up right, nothing. I've noticed it's harder to get milk if my boobs are less full (like if I nursed or pumped not that long before). It is imperative that you need to make sure you put all the parts together and line it up perfectly.<br />
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Lining up and setting up are not as easy. I've had the Elvie pump for a month and a half now, and even yesterday, I didn't set it up properly. It was pumping, zero milk, I took it out, took everything apart, put it back together, put it in, and got 3 ounces of milk from that boob. Sometimes I'll peek in the mirror and move my bra to check, but then that has the tendency to displace one of the pumps, and it was all for naught. It's so frustrating. You can sometimes hear the sloshing and that's a good sign.<br />
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I've discovered that you can't drop it in from the top of the bra. I go to the bathroom, lift up my shirt and my bra, line up with powered-on pump with the nipple, stretch the bra over the bottom, hit play, and then do it with the other side. Sometimes, putting in that second side will displace the first side. Then I leave the bathroom and go about my work. I've done it from my desk before, but I think alignment is a lot better when I do it that way in the bathroom. I think it's best to leave them in for at least 20-30 minutes to get the maximum amount of milk (and I used to use my Spectra S2 for 10-15 minutes).<br />
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There is an app to keep track of the milk, but it doesn't always work right - sometimes it says there is milk but there's not. And it constantly loses connection. So that sucks.<br />
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I think not everyone would be comfortable everywhere wearing these pumps and doing things. Sometimes it's totally weird that I'm looking for books or walking around, and I am a bit conscious of it as I speak with people, but it's also totally fantastic that I can go look for books for my biography lesson plan or walk the 5 minutes away to the public library while pumping. It takes some of the intimacy out of pumping (I used to look at pics of my baby girl as I pumped), but doing more at work means I have less things to do outside of work, and more time to be with my baby girl when I get home.<br />
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But what's great is I have found, when it works, it works. I run errands, go to the library with it in my bra or even to the tea shop, and pump. No one notices on the street, especially when you have a little jacket or drapey scarf. It's easy enough to tuck into a totebag and bring places with you. I was at a yoga retreat at my beloved Bhakti Center all day yesterday. I slipped it in during breakfast and again during lunch. I was able to express a lot of milk while being able to participate in lunch chatting to other devotees. It makes it possible for me to do my super busy job and pump regularly without pumping being stressful.<br />
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Would I buy it again? I hesitate here because the cost is higher, and sometimes, I think it's easier to use my old pump. Though is it? I have to lug everything to the pumping room, sit down, put the bra on, set it all up, pump for 10-15 minutes, go back upstairs. This allows me a lot more flexibility to do things (work, errands, eat lunch, whatever) and not be tied to a pump in a closet.<br />
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To sum it up...<br />
Pros:<br />
You can pump anywhere.<br />
You don't have to be tied to an electrical outlet.<br />
When you don't have time to go to the pumping room, this is great.<br />
If you have a conference, or a retreat, or need to travel, or just need a pump in a different place than usual, this is WAAAY more transportable.<br />
<br />
Negatives:<br />
App doesn't always work.<br />
Hard to set up pieces and line up properly - even after a month I still struggle to do it right.<br />
When it's not working, it's not always obvious, and you don't realize until after you've had it on for a while.<br />
The price point ($499 for a pair) is a bit painful. I used my flex spending and it was a present to myself after starting a new job.</div>
cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-14014920865637129062019-10-09T13:34:00.004-04:002019-10-09T13:34:54.998-04:00It's been too long<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When you think you know what life is all about, and you think you have it handled, it changes. Always.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My life has changed so much in the past few years. I've shed toxic jobs. Let go of painful and toxic friendships. I've shifted how I eat even more than in the past. I've had a baby.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm still me. Still caring about the environment, wanting to live the most compassionate life. Still writing and running and practicing yoga.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But how I want to live my life has changed. So many thoughts out there swirling.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just listening to this on repeat lately. Thanks, KD.</span><br />
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cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-14820977741099846142017-07-26T06:59:00.002-04:002017-07-26T06:59:59.967-04:00Pajama Run 2017<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Pajama Romp is a tradition for me: run Vermont 100 a week prior, destroy my body, and then run this 6 hour timed race a week later. The course is just over a mile (I think something like 1.27 miles) loop around Astoria Park. There are two hills, nothing crazy, but an opportunity for a walk break at the end. The race is scheduled 5pm-11pm, not my best time for running, but an interesting time for people watching.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was not feeling that great, and it probably didn't help matters much that I did a tough core yoga class at 730am, and then Deep House Yoga at noon. Oh, and I rode my bike about 18 miles earlier in the day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My plan was simple: run the first hour hard, and then see what I felt like. The first hour was hard and I ran quite well. I ran with Elliot, and then, he took off after an hour. I felt better at a slower pace.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But then I felt crappy. My plan was to try to catch up to a friend that I had lapped earlier and then walk and run with them....that never happened.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The last hour or so, Alicia caught up to me. She is a tough runner, and we had some nice chats.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The race was ridiculously hot with some random periods of rain. And then, the last few minutes, it began to rain harder.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After we heard the whistle, we headed back to tell our lap splits. I grabbed my stuff to change in the bathroom, and then found Wayne. It was pouring now. This sucked.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I asked Bomina to pick up my trophy and then hopped into the car to go home to take a hot shower and sleep.</span></div>
cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-61621340889610491792017-07-25T14:07:00.001-04:002017-07-25T14:07:55.474-04:00VT100<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Vermont was pretty good weather this year: not too hot, not too cold, didn't rain. The hills were still there, but maybe because I remember it being so incredibly crazy hard last year, that I survived.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Good cookies, good folks to run with, lots of I'm so tireds...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I didn't have enough power in my headlamp due to weak batteries so some of the end dark portions were super dark and that was tricky.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I feel like now, it's another great year at a wonderful race. I'll be back for sure. The cookies, the people, the views - that's why I go!</span></div>
cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-11828015007235981242017-06-24T10:13:00.000-04:002017-06-24T10:13:12.534-04:00TGNY 100k 2017<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">TGNY100 is something you have to do. The race is pretty legendary and once you run it, you realize how epic it is, and you’re a lifer.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I decided to just do the 100k. I had various reasons, but when it came down to it, I’m glad I did just the 100k. (Can we say chafing due to a pantiliner? Start crying now.)</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The morning was overcast and not as hot as it has been lately, so perfect for a run. I started out having to pee, and this year, the McDonald’s in Times Square locked their bathroom. So at some early point in Central Park, I ducked into the bushes and peed. Lovely. And again.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was running with different people, and then up close to the GWB, I spotted the port-a-potties I’ve used in the past. Okay,, NOW I WAS BETTER.</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We ran through Van Cortlandt. Through Soundview Park in the Bronx, and others before it. When I looked at my watch and saw it was still morning, I smiled. How much had happened in my morning. How much there was to go.</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I survived the Triboro Bridge, which is saying a lot. That bridge terrifies me. In Astoria, I fueled up and headed off….and it soon began to rain. A little, and then it was a steady drizzle. I was running with Carl from Texas, and it was kind of ridiculous. We’d look at each other and say, “Maybe it will stop soon, I think it’s clearing up….” and it would continue to pour.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At mile 50, Jen came along and I stopped to pee under a tree. The rain had mostly stopped by this point. But now, it was becoming quite clear how out of shape I was. And how bad the chafing was. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I began walking a lot more. Jen and I hung out, caught up. It was fun. It was like hanging out with a friend versus running a race.</span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jen joined me in pigging out at aid stations, oversharing about our lives, and being a great friend.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-29c0d364-da6f-5db7-c328-75ec741edfc9"></span></span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I finished at 100k and was mixed at being done...but ultimately knew it was the best decision.</span></span></div>
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cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-18658113537559806262017-05-27T22:28:00.004-04:002017-05-27T22:28:53.844-04:00Let It Be<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In what feels like another lifetime, but was really just a year and a half ago, I was driving to <a href="http://www.etinternet.net/~runrbike/hinsoninfo.htm" target="_blank">Hinson Lake 24 Hour</a>. I had a few CDs I had with me, and one of them was a Beatles anthology. Suddenly, when <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih-8K1a_SsA" target="_blank">"Let It Be"</a> came on, I began to bawl. Bawl out of control. When the song ended, I hit the back button. And again. I listened to it on repeat for the rest of the drive.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I got to the race and felt shattered, and sat in my car before moving. What was I doing with my life? How could I go on, completely overcome with misery and sadness? How could I spend my days feeling awful and put down and undervalued? How could I do this?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Running loops with K, I confided in her that something was really wrong, very off. She told me that had happened to her too, but then "she divorced him." (Gotta love her sense of humor!) I thought about what I needed to do, really knew what that was...and wondered if I had the courage to do that, or how I was going to do that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I ran some of the race, but my heart was not in it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And two months later, I did what I needed to do: gave notice to a job that was no longer serving me, and plunged into the trip of a lifetime, four months in India.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And when this song came on Google Play again today, of course I had a flashback, and feel so happy with where I am today.</span></div>
cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-86217131743757897682017-05-27T22:18:00.004-04:002017-05-27T22:18:29.245-04:00Yoga Journal Conference<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.yjevents.com/events/ny/" target="_blank">Yoga Journal Live Conference in NYC </a>was pretty amazing. It was wonderful to be surrounded by other yogis. While some of the workshops were misses, most were amazing. The students were primarily yoga teachers, though not all. The teachers were phenomenal. I am so inspired to carry my teaching to further levels.</span></div>
cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-78325547634719209902017-05-25T19:00:00.001-04:002017-05-25T19:00:22.106-04:00An Indian Comes to NYC....and Runs the Brooklyn Half with Me and Our Own Unofficial Full<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I met Ash last year when I went to India, and he immediately became my best friend in India. So when I invited him to our wedding, of course I was excited when he bought his tickets (and then immediately began planning where we could go running and where to go eat...Ash is like me, running and eating are his favorite things (though maybe I like eating a little more?)).</div>
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After he arrived on Friday, we took him to <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.anellabrooklyn.com&source=gmail&ust=1495836015871000&usg=AFQjCNF7B-pv4gsokJD3L1n50Mc2ejGzwQ" href="http://www.anellabrooklyn.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Anella </a>for dinner. We ate dinner in the garden and even though it was 90F, he thought it was cooler, compared to Chennai, which has been having a heat wave with temperatures near 110 F. Ugh. Living in a place with tons of alcohol restrictions, he requested someplace with beer. He was happy.</div>
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We ran the Brooklyn Half. I've been feeling pretty out of shape, but still somehow managed to crank out a 1:37. Not bad considering the effort didn't tax me too much.</div>
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The Brooklyn Half is a lot of waiting, but it's actually a lot of fun. My running club had over 400 people in it so it was a lot of waving and chatting and having fun. And then Ash needed to have a Nathan's hot dogs, so there were some lines for that, then lines for the subway, blah blah blah. Still, it was a fun day and felt nice to be back.</div>
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The next day, we got up early. Luckily Ash was super jet lagged and I'm used to getting up stupid early, so we were fine. We ran down to Dumbo, me pointing out every little thing on the way. Then we got on the Brooklyn Bridge. We chatted until in the middle I began panicking....w my fear of the Brooklyn Bridge. Ash thought I was joking when I forced him to stop taking photos and grab my hand. We ran across the bridge hand-in-hand until the cement part, and then I sent him back to take photos (and try to regain my dignity).</div>
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Ash said it best: "you run over mountains, yet you're afraid of a bridge?!" oh shush.</div>
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We ran around the bottom of Manhattan, stopping in one of the worst port-a-potties ever (Hey, I was hydrated!) and then up along the Hudson. On 59th Street, we ran east until we hit the park, and then did a loop of Central Park. We ran into ultra runner Andy Jones Wilkens. Ash was in heaven, and then we ran back home via the 59th Street Bridge. Ash's assessment of the bridge: "It looks beautiful from afar, but not when you're on it."</div>
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We were at just about a marathon, and we ate Ash's first NYC bagel with cream cheese. Felt like it was def a NYC ultrarunning weekend.</div>
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cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-26119156889423386272017-05-24T18:00:00.003-04:002017-05-24T18:00:24.164-04:00Shape Women's Half in Central Park<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I thought I needed something faster so I signed up for the Shape Half Marathon in Central Park, put on by NYRR. However, I'm an idiot and signed up for the Sybil Luddington 50k. Oh well.</div>
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This was def a training run. My legs were tired from the 50k, so I could barely push. I had a goal of sub 2 hours, and I did make it. But my legs were dead, heavy, lead, tired. Ugh.</div>
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I happened to see Karen in my corral - she was not at her peak, and we ended up running almost the entire thing together. I picked it up the last mile, and oops, lost her a bit. But it was fun and we met at the finish line after.</div>
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This race was a women's only race, looping Central Park. So there are the hills we know so well, which aren't really that awful. But the signs....the idea that you now deserve brunch with a mimosa because you ran a half. It left me with a yucky feeling. Karen was like, "I'm gonna have brunch and a mimosa whether I run or not." It was very pink...and pink is my fave color.</div>
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Still, for $75 we got a medal and a sub to Shape mag. Ah well. And an experience of running a half marathon with lots of other women.</div>
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The time limit is higher than other races....which means you get a lot more walkers, which is great and I love the energy...but it makes for late race passing quite difficult.</div>
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I biked home, ate more food, taught yoga, and ate. I WAS BACK RUNNING - and oh so glad!</div>
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cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-28479420142434971782017-05-24T17:59:00.003-04:002017-05-24T17:59:39.466-04:00Quick Race Report: Sybil Luddington 50k!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I can't believe I have never run the <a href="http://sybilludington50k.com/" target="_blank">Sybil Luddington 50k</a>. It's runnable yet with some good hills (great opportunity for a nice break), scenic road route, most roads didn't have too many cars, the aid stations aren't overwhelming but have the necessities (water, gatorade, gingersnaps, pretzels, once for Esther, a beer!).</div>
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The story is, a teenage girl rode her horse to warn the Americans the British were coming....rode it 50k around a lake. "Paul Revere got more attention," a runner told me, "just because he was a man." No doubt.</div>
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This course was great training for Vermont 100. The hills were frequent, it was only 50k (so kickstart me back into ultra training) so that was good for me. </div>
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I ran the entire race with Esther. We ran at a pretty chill place (walking when we wanted, though at times it felt tough), but I still was aware that I have a bit more work to do on getting into shape.</div>
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The weather was hotter than expected, and my stomach got sloshy super early so I couldn't drink as much water as I wanted. I backed off gels too and ended up not eating as much. While this is a great weight loss strategy in the non-running world, this meant I had less energy and couldn't run quite as good.</div>
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We finished under 6 hours, so we were pretty happy. I can't even recall what time, but oh well. After, a long wait for a friend to finish, a long drive, and then, some wonderful Mexican food with the one I love. It was a great day!</div>
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cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-17251727533295023282017-04-24T21:09:00.002-04:002017-04-24T21:09:41.516-04:00RUN COMMUTE!!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Backpack Review: Trail 20 by Salomon</div>
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Since I've been run commuting a lot lately, I decided to get a bigger backpack for my runs. Running home usually requires a bag just big enough to store my outfit for the day, but running there requires space for work clothes, toiletries, towel, snacks, phone, work iPad, even snacks.</div>
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I bought the <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.salomon.com/us/product/trail-20-1.html?article%3D379981&source=gmail&ust=1493152155355000&usg=AFQjCNFyjjvHy9iPozWdJewW8sQ4jKgW-w" href="http://www.salomon.com/us/product/trail-20-1.html?article=379981" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Salomon Trail 20 </a>- I was mainly attracted by the large amount of space. Last week, I ran to work with way too many things - clothes, down jacket, jewelry, a thermos of oatmeal, a carton of yogurt, a muffin, a clementine, basically, the world. My back was so tired. When I got to work, I weighed myself. I was 13 or 14 more pounds than I normally was - that is how heavy my bag was.</div>
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But it held it all.</div>
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The waist clasps in two sections. I wish it would let it get a little tighter. One side has an open pocket. I've stored things like pens, sunglasses, iPods/headphones, gloves, hats, tissues, Kind bars, etc. Nothing has ever fallen out, but at the same time, you probably don't want to put something precious there. The other side has a zippered pocket. I usually keep my work ID, my metro card, my phone, and a zippered pouch of jewelry (paranoid I'll lose my grandma's jewelry if it is stored elsewhere.</div>
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The bag itself just really has one big compartment. There is a sleeve where I stick my Kindle and any papers, with a little pocket on the outside of that (where I have been putting my wallet). Then, it goes rather deep. You can really fit a lot more than you'd think. Sometimes, I'm doing the backpack version of sucking in your breath to zipper a dress. Only once did it pop open.</div>
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There is also a clasp along the chest. To counteract shifting and bouncing, I pulled this strap lower in the middle/below my chest, which is not super comfortable, but better than the bag bouncing.</div>
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There are two large mesh pockets on the outside. I typically stuff plastic bags (for sweaty running clothes) and a thin tote bag in here. Sometimes I also shove the majority of my towel (and it stays that way until I get to work and pull it out). Once, I even ran with a thermos of chai. They are surprisingly sturdy, but I expect that through time, they'll become stretched out. But for the past three months, they've been pretty sturdy.</div>
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They don't have bungee cords like a lot of bags. I actually miss this quite often. (On my other packs, I tend to keep a safety pin on the straps, and then I can shove clothing, pin it in, and not worry about losing it.) This is one of the main negatives.</div>
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The other negative is that this doesn't exactly fit my frame. I am on the smaller side (in dress sizes in the US, I usually wear a 2 or a 4) - I have a narrow frame and short torso. This bag bounces and shifts. Because I got the bag in the winter, I didn't notice it quite so much as I had more layers on. Now, as summer is approaching, it's more noticeable and not so comfortable. </div>
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I generally wash it fairly often - it doesn't hold the stink too much, but last week, when I ran four days in a row, I was fine wearing it home from work in a dress, but definitely washed it as soon as I got home.</div>
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Would I recommend this? If you have a slightly wider frame (I'm not talking fat even - more if you have broader shoulders than I do), you would find it more comfortable. While I miss the bungees, the infinite-seeming space in the bag is appreciated. And the mesh pockets are great.</div>
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For trail running or longer runs, this could definite accommodate a bladder. </div>
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cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-34267927317460744472017-04-19T18:14:00.001-04:002017-04-19T18:14:54.487-04:00Bombay, Bombay<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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So when people say, "Bombay," the generally mean "Mumbai," but none of my friends, not those that live there or elsewhere in India say Mumbai. Every time I did, they'd gently correct me, "Oh yes, in Bombay, they do have amazing restaurants." </div>
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So Bombay.</div>
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I only had a super short visit here, but I planned on doing as much as I could.</div>
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I arrived at night, and basically, checked into my room and crashed. Or that was my intention. Instead, I arrived there, and room number one was noisy and the lock was broken on the door. Room number two smelled like cigarettes. Room number three I just accepted. The chain was broken, but the deadbolt worked, and they upgraded me to a fancy suite for my trouble. Oh well.</div>
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I crashed out completely, then woke up a few hours later to meet Amit for a run. The head of <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://unived.in&source=gmail&ust=1492722661779000&usg=AFQjCNGd-nd_3oLcQ4UeVNx6TCweFfo8Mg" href="https://unived.in/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Unived</a>, India's first running nutrition company, he's super friendly and interesting. His wife Monica, who I also met last visit, was in America for a visit. He complained of being sore and I told him how my goals were not to poop in my shorts, and we ended up running slow and easy and relaxing. We followed our run with some walking, and then got some coconut water to drink straight out to the coconut. Nothing more refreshing....</div>
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Then a shower (obviously) and food...And I went off to a yoga class. It was a fantastic traditional hatha class. I went to <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.yogacara.in&source=gmail&ust=1492722661779000&usg=AFQjCNG5eMSH5gIYkYU2Mga2wyS28xKI2w" href="http://www.yogacara.in/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">YogaCara </a>last time I was in Bandra, and loved it. The teachers are excellent. It was probably one of the best classes I had been to: discussion and questioning and asana and the teacher was great. Ganesh is phenomenal, and so is Radhika.</div>
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After, I hopped in a taxi across to go to Colaba. I ended up buying a zillion more bangles that I had no business buying, and went to a bookstore to try to find a book I've been dying to read that I can't find in the US. No luck. </div>
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Hopped back into a taxi and went back to Bandra....ahhh....had a quick shower in my room, dumped off my stuff, then got in a tuktuk to head over to Juhu to the ISKCON temple. Here I was at home, chanting, "Hare Krishna, Hare Rama." After chanting and watching for a while, a monk began chatting me up. He spoke excellent English and knew the Bhakti Center and was a student of Rahadnath Swami. We began talking abt his book and it was a pretty interesting conversation. He gave me some pamphlets and books and his email address (yes, Krishna monks have email addresses).</div>
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I had dinner after the buffet opened and the food was much more than I wanted, but pretty good. I needed less than normal because I had been so hungry that I indulged in two samosas before. Yum.</div>
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Another tuktuk back to my room....repack my bags, shower again, and omg, I have to leave for the airport in a few hours.</div>
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I slept fitfully and got up too early - and was off to a journey back home!</div>
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My heart feels like a part of it will always be in India. I know it's not for everyone, but it's for me, and I truly love it. I want to go back before I've even gone. And I constantly say, "Next time I'm in India...."</div>
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cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-39732704197621323872017-04-19T18:13:00.000-04:002017-04-19T18:13:06.283-04:00OOTY!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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After a taxi, a wait, and a plane, I arrived at Coimbatore. I saw Ash almost as soon as I got off the plane - his flight had arrived a few minutes before mine. We had an excited hug in the airport, and I was excited to see that he had brought almost as much stuff as me. Ah, runners and their gear.</div>
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I hadn't packed as much stuff, because I didn't REALLY look at the weather until I was in Lonavla. Ash brought me a jacket and some extra long-sleeved shirts.</div>
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Coimbatore was hot. Humid. Ahhhh, India. I was melting already. We stopped by a friend's running shop, and it was cool to geek out and see all the Indian runners. The running community in India is SO incredibly welcoming and I would never have connected so much with India if it hadn't been for the runners. They are my favorite people.</div>
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We got food, and I'm proud to say we basically ate cheese for lunch. (File this under: reasons why I love Ash.) Then we drove to Ooty. I had it in my head that it was 30 minutes or so. Add 2 plus hours to that.</div>
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Still, it was fine. We caught up, laughed. I told him all about my yoga course and my job and then we got to our room. I was pretty tired after my long day (getting up at something stupid like 2am because of jet lag and an early flight) and then we just went out to eat, someplace "continental." I had actually been hoping for good Indian food - I had been so sick of all the boring ashram food, but this was amazing regardless.</div>
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The next few days were a blur. We drove around to different places - lakes, mountaintops, went running (my stomach was a wreck so the running was greatly reduced, sob sob), bought tea, ate paneer, watched running movies. It was just like hanging out with your best friend, only your best friend lives in another country, so you just chill and drink tea and talk.</div>
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I have to admit: I had a lump in my throat saying goodbye to Ash. He invited me in to his home and family and shared with me so much. If he lived closer, we would def hang out and run all the time. Now, I have to settle with rare occasions and WhatsApp.</div>
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cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-42273371761503240752017-04-18T16:38:00.000-04:002017-04-18T16:38:08.894-04:00Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training in India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I had been wanting to do a prenatal yoga teacher training for a while, but had trouble finding one that would fit my schedule. And then - found this one at <a href="http://kdham.com/" target="_blank">Kaivalyadhama Ashram</a> in Lonavla, also known as Gandhi's ashram. But it wasn't really his ashram; it was just the ashram where his teacher was, and some actually say that Gandhi's ideas were his teachers. But a true guru shows the light within - and thus, Gandhi was merely shown the ideas he had in him all along. But, alas, I digress.</div>
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There were only eight women in my program, which meant for lots of time for all of us to ask questions, speak our mind, share, and get to know each other. I have heard of teacher trainings with 100, 200, more people in a yoga teacher training program. In my YTT200, we had five. I found that perfect. Everyone gets to share, grow, connect, explore.</div>
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In the program, there were five Indian women, a Russian woman living in Bahrain, a Romanian woman, and me. We all had our own styles, our own ideas, our own energy. The teacher was VERY theoretical - perhaps too theoretical. She was a yoga therapist, so came from quite a different background, but we all learned a ton.</div>
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Days were intense, as they typically are in these sorts of programs. 6:45 we began with a little chanting, meditation. We'd move into lecture or practice, depending on the day. There were guest speakers: Ayurveda doctors, Indian OB/GYNs, naturopaths, meditation instructors, chanting experts. It was nice to get the flavor of India...even though our teacher had lived in the US for 30 years.</div>
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There was also a yoga college at the ashram. The students seemed very focused, but at night, in there rooms, you'd hear them giggling as they chatted on their phones, hanging laundry washed in buckets on rickety rusty drying racks ready to soak up any sunlight that would hit them come daytime. There were also lots of people there for different courses. And some just came for "the rest." They would see Ayurveda doctors and practice yoga and eat the sattvic food.</div>
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Speaking of...I don't like sattvic food. I find far too often that it completely lacks flavor, food tends to be overcooked. I know, I know, some people love it and say it's great for you...but I was sad. The food in India was wonderful. My WhatsApp messages to Ash were full of complaints of the food.</div>
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Ashram life isn't for me. I'm more of a "study yoga on the beach in Goa." I don't want to party and drink and etc in Goa, but I like being around different things, like beach and bikinis. I was told by my classmates that I was "pushing" things by wearing leggings and tank tops. They didn't know that I really just wanted to wear my short shorts and sports bras because it was approximately 1000 degrees every single day.</div>
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One night, we all went to visit a local temple. It was amazing because my classmates were Hindu and taught me all about who each god/goddess was, why we were given certain Prasad, what the priests were saying...It kind of gave so much more meaning to everything. Pretty incredible.</div>
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After getting soaked with holy water, buying extra batches of the cookies they gave with Prasad, we went to the temple for dinner. For 100 rupees (about $1.30), we feasted like yogi queens. Everything was incredible, full of flavor, spices, even spiciness. I was in heaven.</div>
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Our final morning, we did a hike. It was beautiful and always special to be in India. There was a lovely view at the top, and then, we went to the cave where Guruji himself meditated. A lovely energy.</div>
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The last day was a typical ceremony of yoga in India: flowers, certificates, photographs, sweets. There was crying. The assistant was super sweet and told me, "You must come back! You must! You must! You are most welcome here in India!" We did a bit of crying and a lot of hugging.</div>
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And then we all went to the market. There was a flurrying in helping classmates arrange train tickets. I bought samosas for us to eat on the street. We bought random things: stainless steel plates and pitches and statues of Ganesha and armfuls of glass bangles and sweets we couldn't pronounce and grapes that tasted like nothing we ever had before. The chaos of the streets was a shock after being in the ashram for a week - and I loved it!</div>
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And then we went back to the ashram for one final dinner. I was so relieved to be leaving the next day, and eating delicious food w Ash. We all hugged each other and swore we would stay in touch...and for now, I must finish my final paper on Fertility Yoga.</div>
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cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-15442753816028183132017-03-25T21:11:00.000-04:002017-03-25T21:11:16.487-04:00What to Pack on Your Yoga Retreat (or Yoga Teacher Training Program) in India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Before I went to India for the first time for my yoga teacher training, I was a little clueless about what to pack. The bulk my trip I spent at my yoga teacher training and other yoga intensives. My second trip was spent at a prenatal teacher training, and traveling to see friends. And of course, I still didn’t learn, and packed poorly, and oh well. I’ll survive with a heavy poorly packed bag. That’s life, I guess.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yoga retreats everywhere require slightly different packing lists. Feel free to read this if you’re going somewhere else, knowing that much of what is on here is specific to India. </span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yoga mat. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Most places have mats, but a lot of the time, they’re dirty, falling apart, and/or smell terrible. They’re heavily used. I brought a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://jadeyoga.com/products/travel-mat" target="_blank">Jade Travel Mat,</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and stowed it in a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.gaiam.com/product/tree-of-wisdom-cargo-mat-bag/05-60531.html" target="_blank">Gaiam bag</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The Gaiam bag has two pockets, so I stored mat cleaner and a rag in one pocket, and a strap in the other.</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mat cleaner</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. No one had any but me in my training program, and I was glad to share with my group. You can make your own. Get a small spray bottle and put 10-15 drops of lavender and tea tree oil each. Fill it up ⅔-¾ of the way with water. Top it off with witch hazel. Cap and shake to mix. I brought little bottles of tea tree oil (great also for pimples and bug bites and a good antiseptic) and lavender oil (you can sprinkle it on a dank pillow for a pick-me-up) so you can make more as your trip goes along. I used a very small spray bottle so I used less lavender and tea tree oil and didn’t use the witch hazel when I was on the road.</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anything to make your practice special.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I like to put my mala beads and a crystal off the corner of my mat to provide focus.</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Face wipes. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I wish I had packed these my first time, when I was sweating like a pig. These would have been nice for times I wasn’t able to wash my face in between practices. You are rushing around a lot, and odn’t always have time for a shower like you’d wish.</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sweat towel or bandana. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I wish I had packed this. Some training programs provide, but most don’t. If it’s miserably hot like it can be in India, this makes practice easier. </span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sports bras. Comfy good ones.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yoga tops.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Depending on where you are, a sports bra might be all. But bring baggy loose non-revealing short sleeve tops if you are in certain ashrams, and tank tops should work elsewhere. Bring long sleeved shirts for night practice so you don’t become dinner for the mosquitos. </span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yoga bottoms. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Depending on where you are going, shorts might not work. In Goa, shorts were so necessary - it was miserably sweaty grossly hot and short shorts for yoga (I love my</span><a href="http://www.athleta.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Athleta </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ones) were great. In some ashrams, dress is sattvic….so baggy pants. You can buy the harem-type baggy yoga pants for pretty cheap in India; in some ashrams, even yoga tights are not okay. You will prob sweat a lot and they will be gross.</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scarf. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It will cover you during savasana, provide coverage if a top you have is a bit revealing, keep you warm, and they’re fashionable in India.</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A sarong. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can sit on the beach with it, it can work as your top sheet (Many places do not have a top sheet - just a bottom - so if you’re grossed out like I am, a sarong is great), it can be your blanket on a plane, it can be a cover-up. Sarongs are indispensible. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A reusable water bottle. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While you can’t drink the tap water in India, a lot of places have purified water (for free or for a smaller cost than buying a bottle) that you can fill with your own bottle. You also might buy large botles of water and refill from there.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Snacks.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Think about things that won’t melt and that will travel well: different bars are great, small, and take up little room in your bag. You can buy things like nuts and dried fruits in many places, but if you’re going to an ashram straight away, you should pack some of these too. Many retreats and yoga centers only have meals at certain times, and you might starve until breakfast, or in between. Also, the food might not be so delicious. Snacks will keep you sane.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Melatonin.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Helps you sleep at night and helps with jetlag.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sleep mask. Ear plugs. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Who is your roommate? Maybe it’s some bugs...just ignore them.</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A journal to write yoga notes in</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. For neat sequences, taking notes during lectures, etc. </span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Soap to wash your clothes in.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I just use body wash or shampoo, saving on space, but this is critical. A lot of ashrams and yoga centers are in the middle of nowhere. You have to wash your clothes by hand in buckets and hang dry them in the room. Also, it makes more sense to pack only a handful of yoga clothes and wash them repeatedly. With the extra space in your bag, you can buy more mala beads and bangle bracelets. </span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sunblock and bugspray.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> You might not need either of these things, but especially if you’re in the middle of nowhere, you’ll appreciate it.</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Extra soap. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You will be showering more than you planned.</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Any kind of lotions or essential oils that help you relax</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Practicing asana for long hours every day is exhausting...Some lavender essential oil mixed with almond oil (carrier agent) will be nice to rub on your wrists before your savasana. Or Tiger Balm for sore muscles can be lovely. </span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kindle or books to read</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. While you’re in class nonstop, it might seem, on those rest times, you probably don’t want to be reading yoga texts. Pack something else.</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unlocked phone.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> You can get a SIM card at various phone shops. If you have an Indian friend, they can get you a SIM much faster; otherwise, you might need two passport photos. It depends. But you need an unlocked phone (or you can buy a cheap one).</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Slip on shoes, ideally flip flops. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In India, you can’t enter many meditation halls, restaurants, or shops with shoes on. Flip flops (cheap ones) are best to leave outside in the front. I specify cheap ones because so many people get their shoes stolen...it’s best to not be too attached (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">aparigraha) </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to anything, and if you are, leave it at home.</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An open mind. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not everything in India is as pretty as the pictures. Be prepared for trash, horrid smells, and mind-blowing poverty. But also be ready for kindness and warmth, vibrant colors, diversity, and so much fun.</span></span></div>
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</ul>
</div>
cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-32906987117052814572017-03-25T21:00:00.002-04:002017-03-25T21:00:24.109-04:00The Journey to Lonavla<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You take a train and a train and a train and a train and a plane and a wait and a plane and a taxi and you are there. That’s all. </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was the G train and watch two trains pass and then an M train and an F train and an E train and an airtrain and an airplane to Kuwait City and a seven hour wait in the airport and an airplane to Bombay.</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Welcome back to India, girl. Welcome home. </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was a long, difficult journey. I slept most of my first flight, lucky to have a row of seats to myself. The airport wait was long, and then a Jamaican-American began chatting me up. He was friendly, but then said that he was conservative sometimes, and passed a not-very-nice transgender comment and I began ignoring him. Back to my Kindle. </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was excited on the flight to India, especially when the flight attendant learned how long my journey had been.</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Immigration. Baggage. Customs. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the gate, I began looking for my taxi. And looking. And looking. Finally I asked a security guard to call. He did, and apparently, the driver was almost there. I met the driver, who took me to the car of another driver, and then I was on my way.</span></span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c56a8be-0820-826b-b161-5a621c87f542"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My driver was driving a bit erratic. We stopped for chai, which was amazing. Then we drove a bit more and he told me he hadn’t slept. Oh, great. Another hour, another chai. He also got pakora in between two rolls - delicious. And then, another 10k, and we were at Lonavla!</span></span></span></div>
cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-15705281881839418862017-03-18T14:23:00.001-04:002017-03-18T14:23:09.398-04:00Kuwait<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A cheap flight, with a six hour layover in Kuwait....okay, I can do that. I'll survive.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I spent the time people watching, chatting with other travelers, reading, writing....I noticed an obvious lack of women...most of the women I saw were covered up (those who weren't were in transit like me....but these were few). Most of the men were dressed all in white, head to toe....sometimes people stared at me, with my pink and blonde hair, hot pink hoodie, and clearly looking out of place. But I'm a friendly face. Sometimes they talk to me. Sometimes they ignore me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I tried to leave the airport - was going to head to the souq. But they said I couldn't leave. So it's here. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's almost like America. There is a Shack Shack, a Starbucks. There are some clearly American men - they all look like former military, prob here in Kuwait or the Gulf, working in the oil industry. They look like they took the wrong exit on the higway back home....dressed the same, acting the same. It must be weird to live in a culture that is so different from back home, so you try to keep your home culture because that's what your coworkers have in common...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It reminds me that we're all in transit. Even if we're not actually going anywhere, we're in transit of our lives.</span></div>
cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-62040336823560444462017-03-18T14:18:00.000-04:002017-03-18T14:18:54.744-04:00Now and Next<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes life is hard. No, it always is. But sometimes it's harder than other times.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Like when you can never get enough sleep and your injuries and illnesses aren't getting better like they should and when you're not getting enough sleep and it's too much, too much, too much....when you get up every day at 440 so you can practice yoga, because that's what saves you, and when love is so sustaining and everything can be too much and your side jobs are relaxing and everything is confusing.....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">sometimes it's just nice to take a break.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My life isn't bad. Sometimes I just feel like I'm drowning. I'm figuring things out more and more and they are getting better. I like my days. I'm challenged. I'm passionate. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have two weeks off now. I could have spent the time, sleeping in, writing, practicing lots of yoga. And that does sound great, honestly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But I like to do more. So I'm heading to India. A prenatal yoga course. Seeing some good friends. Some good running. Lots of paneer. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can't wait...</span></div>
cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-15399079804625596212017-02-12T17:37:00.000-05:002017-02-12T17:37:54.775-05:00What if money were no object??<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"Better to have a short life full of what you love doing than a long life spent in a miserable way." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/khOaAHK7efc" width="560"></iframe></span></div>
cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-22737405339352406332016-12-19T13:39:00.000-05:002016-12-19T13:45:25.479-05:00Conference House 6 Hour Race Report: Timed Races in the Freezing Cold Are Actually Fun<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://my4.raceresult.com/63385/?lang=" target="_blank">The Conference House 6 Hour Race</a> was 32 miles of cold, sunshine, and friendship. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I usually run a BUS race but whenever I can, but this time, I had my favorite yoga class that I teach: my Sunday Flow & Restore at <a href="http://awakeningny.com/" target="_blank">Awakening</a>. I usually include readings, meditation, sometimes pranayama - we open with short meditation, warmup, flow, and then totally melt into restorative poses. And I'll skip the class on occasion, but really didn't want to on this particular week. So I found this random 6 hour and signed up, despite having almost zero info.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I convinced my friend Jill to drive down from Rhode Island and run with me. She was struggling with a return/nonreturn to ultrarunning after a break (and ultimately, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9QsPHnAEsQ" target="_blank">decided to take another break</a>). I was worried about my tendon flaring up, and my training has been pretty minimal because of it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">NYC has been pretty mild this autumn. I've been biking everywhere and feeling pretty good about it. Of course, the weather plummets for the start of the race....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I got the start and realized, you idiot, the race is right on the water....which means crazy wind. Jill lent me a stinky windbreaker, which I was grateful for. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7gjOKmetP7X_XNIE5DYqbR8TFnjEHK28pMpuJDElsXL4KaY29pUqV8sLBIknqqeH3DwIFWDJ_MXG_9zaa0WGOUY6wcfNAWgJuGUBrnxNKM9KgYKWtfdIvHfWeRhITZj7K8f4Wg/s1600/15493603_10150743195704975_704170176277313252_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7gjOKmetP7X_XNIE5DYqbR8TFnjEHK28pMpuJDElsXL4KaY29pUqV8sLBIknqqeH3DwIFWDJ_MXG_9zaa0WGOUY6wcfNAWgJuGUBrnxNKM9KgYKWtfdIvHfWeRhITZj7K8f4Wg/s320/15493603_10150743195704975_704170176277313252_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The course was a two-mile loop, primarily easy trails. </span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">The terrain was pretty easy - trails, but nothing technical, one baby hill. There were two port-a-potties next to the course, and we could easily leave drop bags. There were some pretty basic aid stations - they had M&Ms and kisses and pretzels (pretzels, that's all I really ever need) and I think clementines too. But I mainly had eyes for pretzels. They only had water in small bottles, which meant filling up your bottle was rather time-consuming (especially as it wasn't always readily available).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Nearly every time we ran through, the RD and timers would cheer us on. It was a really great feeling. One of the runners had the most amazing wife - she was out there, cheering us on, the entire time, with the kindest of words and a huge smile. The volunteers were great, and I felt like I was running in a small race of neighbors and friends.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The race started and I took off at a decent pace, not pushing too much, but not going too slow. I ended up chatting with this random guy, and we ended up spending the first 10 miles together. The pace was in the 8 minute range the entire time, and I felt good.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">But I had decided I was going to run this one slow, for various reasons. I told Jill I'd run with her, and she tried to dissuade me. "I'm too slow. You won't want to run that slow." But I figured I'd run until I caught up with her (lapped) and then finish with her.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After 10 good miles, I passed her. I used the bathroom and then waited at the bottom of the little hill for her to reach me - and then it was like 22 miles of easy fun. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ultrarunning is more like hanging out with your friends sometimes than racing. Like, Jill and I could go out and drink wine and talk - but it was also pretty much the same as when we were running (except we complained about Jill's period and my stomach or whatever). Oh, and it was freezing, and I doubt I'd drink wine if I was freezing. Aren't you supposed to drink whiskey in the cold???</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We finished. There were no partial loops, and we finished without enough time to go out and do another loop. That was fine. I got my plaque, I got my 50k coin (32 miles), and I got some pizza.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Jill and I headed back, and I questioned my sanity as to why I had avoided heat for the past six hours. But I felt so good - so amazing in that "this is why I love doing it" way.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-29654209665382150472016-10-25T15:07:00.000-04:002016-10-25T15:08:04.583-04:00OMG: Last-minute running-a-marathon tips<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>This is adapted from the North Brooklyn Runners workshop from the 24th of October, where we shared our ideas on how to prep for the marathon. As the Educational Member Program Coordinator, I provided framework and ideas; everyone also shared their own great tips. While this is geared towards the NYC Marathon, you can apply many of the tips to any marathon. Ultras break all the rules, so many of them won't apply...unless, of course, they do!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">BEFORE THE MARATHON</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Last minute tapering...</i></span><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You can't cram in all the last minute training. These last two weeks, it's about maintaining your fitness and resting. Don't try anything new, don't exhaust yourself in workouts.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Add in a bit of speed if you can - but nothing you won't recover from.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Your mileage should be cut way down - 1/3 of peak to even 1/4 of peak. Less is best.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you haven't trained properly, tell yourself that undertraining is better than overtraining, because with overtraining you risk injury. </span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Nutrition</i></span></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Eat normal food, nothing out of control new.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Old school carb deprive/carb load is out. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You don't want to carb load w too many carbs. Sorry, you really don't need to eat 18 bagels.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Low fiber the day before. If you have stomach issues, pay attention to the fiber you eat. I know a runner who (no joke) does a liquid diet the day before races because of her stomach issues. (Sounds miserable to me, but she swears by it).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">No beets the day before. No. Just no.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Marathon Expo</i></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Try to go earlier so you don't tire yourself out.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Buy new clothes/gear is okay; using it race day might not be a great idea.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Usually cheap place to buy gels - but so is Amazon Pantry. You pay $6 for a box and you fill it w goods. But don't buy new snacks to try marathon day. No new clothing or shoes for race day!</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>The Night Before</i></span></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Remember - Daylight Savings - fall behind!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Set as many alarms as you possibly can. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Try to get lots of sleep all week long - it will make up if you don't sleep well the night before the race.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You should have been hydrating all day long (and all week long really) but stop drinking an hour or two before bedtime. You don't want to wake up to pee 12x.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you can't sleep, try to relax. Meditate, rest as well as you can, maybe even read (but nothing too stressful....like, don't read articles about the current state of politics in the US).</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">MARATHON DAY</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Breakfast and Coffee</i></span><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Only have coffee if you know it works. (Coffee makes you poop.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Low fiber breakfast - no more than 9 grams of fiber.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hydrate - but maybe stop drinking an hour or so before you get on the bridge.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hydration and coffee make it easier to poop.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A little bit of protein for breakfast w your carbs - some examples - peanut butter on toast or bagel; banana pancakes (Don't those sound delicious?); maybe even maple pecan oatmeal (small portion); smoothie.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>At Fort Wadsworth</i></span></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Stay warm. Bring throw-away clothes to stay warm. Hideous is fine, as long as it's warm.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Keep your bib on the bottom layer.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They have tea, coffee, bagels, bars, but don't try anything you haven't had before.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Keep a disposable water bottle to carry with you into your corral.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>First Few Miles - Halfway</i></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Use a pace bracelet (available at the expo) to keep track of your pace.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Try to stay even to your pace.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Don't get too excited too early.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">High fives are fun, but don't waste time high fiving everyone.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Tell spectators to wear bright clothing or carry a specific balloon or sign - it's HARD to see them, and for them to spot use.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Tell friends and family to track you with the app.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If someone love you, they can see you three times - by Atlantic Terminal, go onto 1st ave up in the 90s, then go to 5th ave to see you one more time before they meet you at the finish.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Set mini-goals (vs. "I have to run 12 more miles, shoot me...."): the next water stop, the crowds at 1st Avenue; seeing my BFF at mile 20; that huge TV screen in the Bronx; etc.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Grab your cup - pinch it twice if you can.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If someone wants to cheer for you, tell them chances are, you might be choking on water right after the aid station, so they shouldn't wait right there.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>The Wall</i></span></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Get your calories in early - 100-300 calories is recommended every hour. Most people take a gel every 45 minutes or so (and take it with water).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Regular nutrition can help prevent the wall. If you start to bonk, liquid nutrition (gels are great bc they're more calories than Gatorade) will be absorbed faster - and thus help you climb out faster.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Send a friend to the Bronx - helps to have someone to look forward to.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Set a goal - running in honor of a family member or friend - it's easier to dig deep for someone else than yourself. (I ran in honor of my Uncle Jimmy who died of leukemia; seeing all of the TNT peeps meant a lot to me that year he died.)</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>The Finish</i></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Last mile feels like forever - but the crowds at the bottom of the park ROCK.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Don't look at your watch at the finish - it will ruin your finishing photo (and how can you get your photo on the bus then??). The will have your exact time online by the time you're ready to look anyway.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Have your family meet you in the family meeting area.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you have a drop bag, add some sandals, socks, complete change of clothes. Also add a tasty snack with some protein if you are picky or if you want something more delicious post race.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Drink lots of water.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Change your clothes if you can - or at least get that wet sports bra off.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVMr0qoN9orWgGSfvw0qr8_aDBszv8tZjdM0f6MxUQZtlYjwXaRSNNE-HlyxLCMe4B3xowAsJFByprOpO9E6RBldtiqYBmjBeKSB2SrDeYRIyKKQNM16M36JCgRONJ808U_Jf7g/s1600/14639663_10106903582871400_492014301464257979_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVMr0qoN9orWgGSfvw0qr8_aDBszv8tZjdM0f6MxUQZtlYjwXaRSNNE-HlyxLCMe4B3xowAsJFByprOpO9E6RBldtiqYBmjBeKSB2SrDeYRIyKKQNM16M36JCgRONJ808U_Jf7g/s320/14639663_10106903582871400_492014301464257979_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">AFTER THE MARATHON</span><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Go run the next day. You will hate me for saying it, and it can be the slowest run you've ever done - seriously, 16 minute miles is fine - just get out there and DO IT. You'll get some of that crap out of your muscles and feel better. Then, take off the next week if you really want.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You will want to eat everything in sight - the next day too. Protein helps with muscle recovery. Try to eat 15-30 minutes after you're done - something w protein.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Get lots of sleep. You just trashed your body, your immune system is shaky - get lots of sleep.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The engraving on your medal the next day is pretty freaking cool.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pick out your next marathon!!!!</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-7686207650508015172016-10-24T09:51:00.000-04:002016-10-24T09:51:05.859-04:00Hinson Lake 24 Hour 2016 Race Report: Listen to Your Body<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hinson Lake 24 Hour is a race I kind of always have to do. My first time there was a blast - not only did I win it, but I made a ton of new friends. Everyone cheers each other on; there are silly signs around the 1.56 mile loop ("Mount Hinson" at the small hill; "200 miles to South of the Border;" "Woohoa, we're halfway there" amongst others); the aid station food is pretty fantastic; the volunteers are friendly; and the race is super cheap. Plus, it's 2 hours from my sister's place, and I always like to have another reason to visit her and my adorable niece and nephew. Oh, and her husband too. Hi Brian. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A few days before my race, my old tendon injury flared up a bit. I took off a day, and was glad the race was on softer trails.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My nutrition was good, my sleep was okay, and I was feel pretty excited to run for 24 hours.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Before the race start, several different people, including the RD, came up to tell me I had a win in the bag. I felt all the pressure on me suddenly, and it overwhelmed me. "I'm just going to have fun."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A lot of people out there, kept asking, "What's your goal?" I have various goals, but would rather not share them with people. I had a few people who kept saying, "Well, yeah, what's your mileage?" I'd respond, "All fun miles," and finally one guy I had to say, "LOOK, I don't want to talk about it - why don't you tell me your goals." He was happy to do that, and we had a nice conversation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the beginning, I was not topping the leaderboard at all, but I know Hinson. You get lots of people who just come out to run a fast 50k, fast marathon, whatever. People who think they're going to run all night, but don't. I had my pace, which was pretty chill, and I felt good. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My pace was slower than I would have liked, but I stayed there, deciding to take it a bit easier and see what would happen. Every so often, I felt a twinge in my ankle, but it was definitely better.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, better until the 40s. I saw Ray, my coach, and we had a chat lap. He of course is always favor of pushing it, and doesn't really understand the concept of injury. I told him I was going to go to 100k, and then make a decision. I got into the 50s and still wasn't sure. Darkness began falling, and what was I doing out here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My name was on the leaderboard. I watched myself climb places as people dropped from the race. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The pain grew. It wasn't a twinge; it was full out pain. I was at mile 59 and starting to hurt.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Two more. I can do this.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I finished those two more - at what cost? I was nearly limping at the end. I didn't take my own advice.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was in second place.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I walked away.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My tendon was hurting a lot. Did I ruin myself?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I saw Ray, "Maybe you want to just rest and then --"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No, this isn't something an hour or two can cure.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I drove back to my sister's and was there in the morning to wake up with her kids. I took a week off of running fully - and was able to come back to running. Listen first, run later.</span></div>
cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-44490761560708798932016-09-27T17:58:00.003-04:002016-09-27T17:58:35.864-04:00What Burning Man Is Like...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/183350217" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe><br />
<a href="https://vimeo.com/183350217">Burning Man 2016</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/dchill">David C. Hill</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>oh, and that cute girl on the hot pink bike you'll see around 9:50...that's me.</i></div>
cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-5446691721533366552016-09-12T15:24:00.000-04:002016-09-12T15:24:21.297-04:00Burning Man: EVERYTHING<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Best burn ever.</span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This year...</span><br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">50k went awesome (except I pooped 4x during mine!) w a new male course record set and fastest naked runner ever!</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Playa wedding to my love, Stedman. Will likely be more fun than our regular wedding (if we don't just run from our families and head to City Hall!)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Amazing art</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">BEST CAMP EVER - Pink Lightning totally rocked this year</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Awesome beer mile spectating</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Did I say amazing camp?</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fell even harder in love with Stedman</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love my yurt</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Great vibe</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Great music</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Super fun duststorms</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933750.post-64860847682441403762016-09-12T14:57:00.002-04:002016-09-12T14:57:37.371-04:00VERY Belated Pajama Run Race Report<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Super delayed, but better late than never! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Richie and the BUS crew moved the Pajama Run to Fort Totten Park in Queens...a way more inconvenient location, but there was a nice breeze, it was an interesting change, and there were raccoons (I am a bit scared of wildlife, so it made me run faster).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I began the race freaked out since apparently an email I had not fully read (I heart Richie, but his emails are like 10000 paragraphs long) said don't go topless. I had no shirt. Luckily I was fine w my sports bra and a mini-running skirt. We were basically running for 6 hours on what was the hottest and most humid day so far.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My legs still felt tired after VT100, and I ran well/crappy on and off. Some laps I was slower, others faster. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I ran with good friends: Stephanie, Matt, Zandy, Karen, and others. There was a super dark section and I had no headlamp so I kept slowing down.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At one point, a runner I vaguely know said, "Oh, just doing a training run?" I said, "Excuse me?" and he said, "Well, you usually run way faster. So you must be taking it easy and just doing a training run." I swallowed all the profanity in the world and simply said, "I ran Vermont 100 last week. THIS IS hard. I am racing, trying to."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Really bummed me out to hear that negative comment. (Also similar: "I can't believe I'm keeping up with you. What's going on today?" "Wow. I caught the great Cherie Yanek. You must be really struggling." Thanks, maybe you're just rocking it?!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I ended up with a decent amount of miles, and wiped down with baby wipes during the awards ceremony. I slathered some glitter on, shimmied into some sequins, and went out dancing at the House of Yes to the Kostume Kult Party with my Pink Lightning campmates! Great night!</span></div>
cheriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526588904610144501noreply@blogger.com0