I cannot say enough about the amazing prenatal yoga class that I had with Sheila last week. She came recommended by Emily Harding, but when I asked some of my other pregnant friends to go with me, one had already been and loved her as well.
Sheila does her classes out of her house in Point Breeze. She has the second floor of a duplex and her "studio" is at the front of the house with windows lining the room. Its a nice, big open space with hardwood floors and area rugs - very inviting.
We started on the large balls and while we weren't doing anything hardcore exercise-wise, it just felt SO good for my body. I wasn't sore the next day at all (which I don't think is the point anyhow), but just felt very cleansed and renewed. Sheila talks pretty much the whole time about everything that is going on in your body - what pregnancy does to parts of your body that seem so far removed from the baby - ankles? (She was big on ankle rotation given the extra weight a pregnant woman is caring.) And she made me feel more connected to the baby that is growing inside of me. Up until now, it seems so foreign, maybe even surreal, that there is another human being inside of me. She made us envision this baby and what it is experiencing NOW, not what it is going to be like when it is born or a two-year-old or its first day of kindergarten.
There was only one other girls besides me and she was 16 weeks, so we were able to move to the floor and do some things on our back as well. While I haven't really had bad yoga instructors before, I think the instructor really makes the practice. Sheila was able to tell me to relax certain parts of my body and my body was able to listen to her. Quite amazing that I can't just do that on my own - enlightening.
We also practiced toning, which at first I assumed was some kind of weight resistance, but no, this was toning your vocal chords. Sheila claims that 90% of women say that it is the most helpful tool in a natural childbirth. Still a bit odd and tribal to me, but if 90% of women say it helps, then who am I to argue that it seems silly?
Really looking forward to going back!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Pittsburgh Marathon (Relay)
Race day started out in the sixties with promises of a hot and muggy race if the clouds decided not to drop their rain. But just as we were approaching the first waterstop, the clouds let loose and it started pouring. The rain would not subside throughout the rest of the race (or day for that matter).
Before the race even began there were lots of people to try to meet up with. First, I attempted to meet up with a group from Shadyside Presbyterian for a quick prayer send-off, but none of us were in the same place at the same time, so we missed one another. Next, I had my mandatory team photo with Cool Runnings. Then there's always the thought of meeting up with the porta potty, but with the lines looking as long as they were, I decided to forgo. As we approached the start time, my father-in-law and I realized that we were way too far back in the pack. We tried to push as far forward as possible, but it was somewhat fruitless. As the race began and we approached the actual start line, we saw a whole bank of porta potties with no lines, so we jumped off course to hit them up before crossing the actual start line and then jumped back in with the crowd - perfect!
I have to say, the first three miles were mostly dodging walkers and slower runners. We had worked our way up to the 5:00 hour pace group, but it was really slow-going. Eventually, I think we made up some ground and caught up to the 10:00 min/mile group, which is what I was shooting for. The race itself was rather uneventful - it just felt so good. Running seven miles rather than the 26 you were originally training for just seems like a walk in the park!
I handed off the slap bracelet to Greg Anderson around the 7 mile mark and then I was done! Nathan, plus mother-in-law, sister-in-law and brother-in-law who had braved the rain were there to meet me and then we trekked back over to the finish line to catch Nathan's dad as he finished the half marathon. Originally we had plans to watch some of the other marathon and relay finishers, but with being soaked to the bone, we headed back home for warm showers.
I had this shirt made when I was originally thinking I was going to run the full marathon while pregnant. Still got some good usage out of it, but it would have been fun to run the whole thing...maybe next year. Hopefully up soon - my prenatal exercise plan!
Before the race even began there were lots of people to try to meet up with. First, I attempted to meet up with a group from Shadyside Presbyterian for a quick prayer send-off, but none of us were in the same place at the same time, so we missed one another. Next, I had my mandatory team photo with Cool Runnings. Then there's always the thought of meeting up with the porta potty, but with the lines looking as long as they were, I decided to forgo. As we approached the start time, my father-in-law and I realized that we were way too far back in the pack. We tried to push as far forward as possible, but it was somewhat fruitless. As the race began and we approached the actual start line, we saw a whole bank of porta potties with no lines, so we jumped off course to hit them up before crossing the actual start line and then jumped back in with the crowd - perfect!
I have to say, the first three miles were mostly dodging walkers and slower runners. We had worked our way up to the 5:00 hour pace group, but it was really slow-going. Eventually, I think we made up some ground and caught up to the 10:00 min/mile group, which is what I was shooting for. The race itself was rather uneventful - it just felt so good. Running seven miles rather than the 26 you were originally training for just seems like a walk in the park!
I handed off the slap bracelet to Greg Anderson around the 7 mile mark and then I was done! Nathan, plus mother-in-law, sister-in-law and brother-in-law who had braved the rain were there to meet me and then we trekked back over to the finish line to catch Nathan's dad as he finished the half marathon. Originally we had plans to watch some of the other marathon and relay finishers, but with being soaked to the bone, we headed back home for warm showers.
I had this shirt made when I was originally thinking I was going to run the full marathon while pregnant. Still got some good usage out of it, but it would have been fun to run the whole thing...maybe next year. Hopefully up soon - my prenatal exercise plan!
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