(Vacation) Week

Post Ironman Lake Placid I've had an entire week off from training.  Other than sleeping a lot and getting two massages, I headed back to West Hartford Yoga the yoga studio for a few classes and a restorative yoga workshop. For years, I had done yoga on and off, but after my back injury this spring, I started attending classes (especially hot yoga classes) at W.H.Y..  The heat helps my very tight leg muscles and makes it so I can (almost) follow along with the instructor. 
After IMLP, I waited 5 days to head back to the studio and made the mistake of taking a power yoga class.  I thought my legs  felt good, that is until I had to sit in Utkatasana (chair pose) for several minutes.  My quads were screaming and it was all down hill from there.  Lunging, triangle, airplane, everything just made my quads burn.  I was seriously hurting by the end of class.  The only thing I did well were my back bends, everything else was ugly, very ugly.

One of the studios at W.H.Y.  Gorgeous re-modeled industrial building with cork floors.  Such a cool looking place.

Things got better on Sunday, several weeks ago I signed up for a restorative yoga workshop thinking it would be good for me post-IMLP. I convinced 6 month pregnant Erica to come along (if I can't run with her anymore, at least we can do yoga together). The focus of the workshop was on slow supported poses to help open up the legs, hips and spine. Totally different from what I normally do, but so good.  I learned that I love my bolster and that supported back bends are even better than "normal" ones -- all of the bliss of back bends without the strain on the arms and wrists.  After 2.5 hours of relaxing poses and some lovely lavender oils, I felt much better.  While it probably won't last for long (training starts again tomorrow for Ironman Florida), I'm going to make it a priority to regularly get to the studio.  I think it helps with injury prevention to do something totally different with my body than just repetitive swimming-biking-running and hopefully this will help keep my lower back happy as the bike volume gets big. 

Erica and I After the Class.  She is Adorable.