Washington, D.C

Thanks to a little piggy-backing on the husband's work trip, we were able to have a fabulous weekend in DC last week! It was a perfect 2-day whirl through the city, and it couldn't have been any more fun!

Day one was our museum day. We hit up Lincoln's Waffles, The Holocaust Memorial Museum (favorite - such a harrowing experience, and we even got to meet a concentration camp survivor who was volunteering there), the National Gallery of Art, the Museum of Natural History, and dinner/Jazz in the Sculpture Gardens. The bike exchange (also favorite) made it so fun to get around the downtown area.

Day two was our monument day. We saw the White House, the Washington Monument, the WWII Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Vietnam Memorial. We also rented paddle boats to see the Jefferson, MLK, and FDR memorials. That night, we ran the National Mall - a little over 4 miles and we got to see so many of those iconic places all lit up (final favorite)! I highly recommend it if you like running in new places.

Good food, cool sights, a nice run, and my favorite person.... what a lovely trip :)

Little Red Riding Hood 2016

It’s funny, for every person who says, “that’s awesome!” when they find out that I have a road bike, there’s another person who says, “ugh, I would never do that!”

They have all kinds of reasons – they hate cardio, the seat is uncomfortable, they dislike physical activity, they think the spandex outfits are stupid, they think it’s boring, they think it’s scary…

But, how strange is it, that people’s initial reaction to something that someone else loves is instant negativity? I’m certainly not immune to this – my friends that do ultramarathons and other crazy-long running events get an, “oof that sounds AWFUL!” from me. So, why? Why can’t I just go, “wow, that’s truly amazing!?” When I tell people about my latest half-century, why are so many of the reactions negative? Why do we make it about ourselves at all?

Food for thought :)


Anyway… I did the Little Red Riding Hood last weekend! I have an amazing aunt who lives up in Logan, and I LOVE this ride and this distance! I chose the 50 mile event, and it was simply perfect – warm weather, pretty scenery, delicious food, amazing (cross-dressing) volunteers, attentive support, fun and supportive participants (all women!), and a great opportunity to socialize and shop after crossing the finish line (okay, okay, I bought all the things. Not even sorry.). It gives me an opportunity to spend time outdoors, be alone with my thoughts, encounter wonderful people, be extremely grateful for my life, and generally appreciate things :)

Hands-down one of the best races/events that I have attended, I’ll definitely do this one for many years to come!

Costa Rica!!!

Costa Rica…

What a magical place!
If you’re looking for a high-adventure spot, it’s definitely worth the trip!

From swimming in waterfalls to lava-heated mineral pools to canyoneering to kayaking to spelunking to zip lining to giant-rope-swinging to scuba diving to beach-chilling…. It’s a gorgeous country full of exciting things to do!

What a wonderful way to spend a birthday :)

Thoughts on Yoga Teacher Training

Yoga Teacher Training is one of those things that I always kinda wanted to do.

Though my personal practice over the years has been inconsistent (no longer, however), I’d get that feeling each year that teacher training was something I should look into. So, each year, I’d look into options and get all excited, but things always got in the way. Schedules didn’t work out, mostly, since I do work full time. So I’d write it off and shove it into the back of my mind yet again.

Well, this year was different. Last fall I decided that it was time to make things happen. I did my usual do-a-ton-of-research-online thing, checking out different programs, schedules, prices, expectations, and teachers. I sent out a bunch of feeler emails, I started trying different studios around the valley, and I decided that Salt Lake Power Yoga was the perfect option. I made arrangements at work, jumping through a lot of hoops, and I bucked up and paid the fee. Then the nerves set in :)

Teacher Training lasted through March and April, landing on every other weekend (ALL weekend). It made life super full and busy, but it was such a great time! I learned a ton, met some wonderful people, deepened my personal practice (hello, headstand!), and, now that I’m done, have started teaching a few (2) classes a week to get started down this exciting path!

If you love yoga and want to share that passion, I highly recommend making YTT happen. The time, the money, the scheduling… they’re all so worth it in the end :)



A few things to share:
-You don’t have to be “ready” or “good enough” for YTT. I’m naturally inflexible, don’t have a handstand (yet), and struggle through plenty of poses. That didn’t matter. As long as you’re willing to learn, you are ready now!

-I learned a lot about self-care through the long days and arduous practices. Hydration, eating small-but-nutritious meals, plenty of sleep, and comfort items like blankets and tea were essential for getting through the training…. And the same applies to tough times throughout life in general :)

- I highly recommend doing your research beforehand, since you’ll be buying into your studio’s philosophy and “flavor” when you do their trainings. If you want to teach a gentle, relaxing yoga class, a power yoga studio might not give you all the tools you want. Knowing what I was getting into helped a lot :).


So thankful for this experience and opportunity!!!