MOVEment in Ukee

the trail seems to move beneath my feet without my realization. glimpses of the rocky shore, the turquoise waves, and the flat horizon peak through the towering trees. my morning run. i am at peace in this majestic landscape.

my training here varies between trail running, weight lifting at the gym, and the odd weekend surfing. but as i work with children, i have also discovered other ways to enjoy MOVEment, such as though dance, capture the flag, and spontaneous water fights. i can't even express how living here, in ucluelet, has changed me....imprinted something upon my spirit. i have been challenged and rewarded daily.

my thoughts drift to two of my friends these days, each who are also battling very different challenges.

one is confronting cancer and I am surprised by my own emotions around this. i feel angry. he has lead a healthy life and i feel he is being cheated. but even as i write, i know this is not true. we can never know the struggles, adventure, and bliss that are in store for us and because he is healthy, he is better able to fight. by confronting our fears and limits through physical fitness challenges, we often are able to better deal with other challenges, such as illness or emotional stress.

the other friend is currently competing in Raid the North Extreme. she is a member of Mandatory Equipment and full race updates can be found through the above link. a bit about the race:

WHERE: BC's West Kootenays

WHEN: July 23 - 31, 2011

DURATION: 6 days / 500 km

TEAMS: Four-person coed

SUPPORT: No support crews needed; fully supported by race organizers

ENTRY FEE: $4500 CAN

 

Mountain Biking

Biking routes will range from easy, meandering railway trails or country roads, to aggressive, rocky singletrack. The West Kootenay are world-renowned for epic singletrack, and you can be sure we'll include some of the best. Old, grown-in logging roads provide great doubletrack routes, but are often part of complex networks that must be carefully navigated. Teams may find themselves on snowmobile trails, ATV routes, historic mining trails, and possibly animal tracks. Hike-a-bike sections have appeared in RTNX, but only when it's the most sensible way to connect two disconnected routes.

Trekking

Atmosphere Raid the North Extreme is designed with an 'expedition' approach, in order to recreate the experience of early explorers. Trekking often provides us as course designers with the most opportunity and the most challenge. There are few checkpoints and typically no restrictions on route choice. We leave the decision-making to the teams. Although our checkpoints are never hidden (in fact, they are only ever placed on distinguishable features), the route between checkpoints is rarely obvious. Planning your route will be an important and time-consuming task. Aside from motorized assistance, there will be little to no restriction on route choice through the trekking sections.

Paddling

We design water sections in response to the wilderness available in the region. Mountainous regions such as the Kootenays offer the potential for high-energy river paddling in whitewater canoes or duckies, as well as quieter canoe or kayak paddles on still rivers or deep lakes set against rugged mountainsides. Canoes are the most common vessel for paddling, and often provide the most route choice and the enjoyment of good portage. Packrafts have been common features of our events, as an optional piece of gear carried by teams and used when crossing a body of water is faster than trekking around. In past events, we've included historic watercraft such as Voyageur Canoes in northern Ontario and Dory rowboats in Newfoundland. 

Fixed Ropes

Atmosphere RTNX generally features several heart-stopping rope sites, including rappels, zip lines, tyrolean traverses, and less often, ascending. Fully qualified ropes rigging experts manage our ropes sites to ensure absolute safety of the site, as well as to ensure competitors are geared up and prepared for each fixed rope activity. Skills required for the race will be tested at registration prior to the race, and any certifications necessary will be communicated well in advance to all teams.

the way both friends are able to tackle challenges is inspiring and motivating. it makes me believe more of myself. i think that is a good thing in life: to learn from others. watch their struggles. help. take part in their healing. and emerge a better person, better able to fight along side them in the next challenge. because there will always be the next challenge.

Water Colour

Water Colour

I am trying to capture the exact colour of the ocean
so you can paint it for me
when I am long gone from here.
You would use smooth, soft, browns
for the strokes of sand,
and a palette knife of stone
for the small islands off shore,
breaching as they surface for air.
But I am lost in the belly of the wave.
Look now and it's a dark turquoise
laced with white foam,
but it is only that colour for a moment
before it tumbles, turns, folds in on itself
to reflect a deeper green,
mimicking the wind blown cedars on the shore.
Then emerald and indigo
streaked through with silver
memories of oversized gum boots filling
with a shock of sapphire.
Hysterical laughter
soothed with smoky gray
until the ocean meets the sky
and there is no horizon.
Tiny rain drops of acrylic, oil, and watercolour
run down the canvas, all the way to my
childhood.

Florencia Beach Yoga

beautiful sunshine. picnic dinner. red wine. beach yoga. driftwood house. surfers to watch and critique. amazing friendships. constant laughter. unbelievable peace.

life on the edge

26.06.11
reflections on the past few weeks from a little coffee shop over looking the main street in Ucluelet, BC:
i have taken a position working with children for the summer in this little town bordering the Pacific Rim National Park, and consequently, i have moved my life away from victoria for three months. "life on the edge" is the motto here, and it fits in so many ways.
i starting my morning with a 50 minute jog along the Wild Pacific Trail, a spectacular gravel path skirting some of the most beautiful coastline i have ever seen. i can't think of a better way to start my morning. i am hoping to improve my trail running while i'm here, and why shouldn't i when i have such a perfect training ground! the trails are wonderful, but my true love is the beach...Long Beach, to be exact. i've taken to running the beach in my vibrum five fingers or even just in bare feet. the run along the sand is surreal.you can dip into the ocean waves anytime you like and  the mist comes in off the water to catch in the trees beside you.
to complement my running, i have found a weight centre in ukee! this pleased me greatly, and although it is small, i find it has everything i need. i also want to check out the local kayaking here as well as the indoor rock climbing gym in tofino.
so far, life is good on the edge...


20.06.11
Your face is sunburnt.
like a tomato.
and your back aches between your shoulder blades.
your legs are stiff. and your arms.
your face hurts. were you really laughing for hours?
you have a nagging feeling to see the ocean again and you check the wave report online.
you sway slightly when you walk, as if you were still floating on water.
but despite all this, you feel like you could take on the world.

this, my friend, is a surfing hangover.


i spent several hours riding the surf last sunday and it was spectacular! not my surfing mind you, just the act of surfing! i have never tried a more exhausting and addictive sport. i have been surfing for years now, coming to long beach as a child, but i am still only a beginner with so much to learn! my friends and i had many rides, laughs, and wipe outs to share. i also explored the rainforest boardwalk and the bog boardwalk which were both extreme examples of our west coast environment. extremely different and extremely beautiful.

04.06.11

i sat listening to the waves and watching the surfers and skim boarders play. the surfers looked like little black seals bobbing and floating in the ocean until a lucky one caught a ride.

children played in the sand as my brother and i used to, so many years ago. i have not lost my love for this place though. it has been my paradise for as long as i can remember. a true west coast love affair.

i have found work a little challenging but my reward is to live in this spectacular place surrounded by the ocean and forest. today's beach day was a welcome reminder of what i have here.

today was a good day.

an insight into Iyengar Yoga

My life has been very hectic the last few weeks, so my entries have been next to none, and i sincerely apologize for that. I have more to come but for now I wanted to describe some of my experiences in a recent Iyengar yoga practice.

During the past few weeks, my understanding of yoga has broadened, from a more physical view into a more holistic view. My experiences in class have fostered this development. I have gained a basic understanding of the philosophy of yoga, practiced many of the basic poses, and learned how maintaining a regular yoga practice will benefit my health and likely, my career in the future. The beauty of yoga lies within the fact that there is something for everyone at every level of practice: a benefit, a challenge, and a release.

Although I knew of the spiritual side of yoga, I didn’t necessarily incorporate a spiritual or mental awareness into my past practice. As our current practice in class deepened and we were exposed to the philosophy of yoga I began to recognize yoga, not only for its physical benefits. I learned that yoga is an ancient art which promotes wellbeing of the body, mind, and soul. Yoga is not a religion, but more of a way of life, with a prolonged yoga practice eventually leading to a sense of peace, being at one with the environment, and a realization of his or her own potential (Iyengar, 2006). In addition, practicing yoga can deliver increased flexibility, improved stamina and strength, improved joint mobility, increased relation, and increased breathing awareness (Iyengar, 2006). I was also introduced to the eight limbs of yoga: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi (Iyengar, 2006). In class we focused on learning the asanas, or poses, but we also based our practices around the five yamas, or the great universal commandments: ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truth), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (self-control), aparigraha (unselfishness) (Iyengar, 2006). The niyamas or personal disciplines, also guided our practice: saucha (cleanliness), santosha (contentment), tapas (great effort), svadhyaya (self study), and ishvara pranidhana (faith) (Iyengar, 2006).

The physical benefits of yoga are the more obvious ones and as I continue working as a personal trainer explaining the benefits of increased flexibility, joint mobility, muscular strength, and stamina to my clients (and enjoying them myself) will be straightforward. It is some of the spiritual and mental benefits that I am excited about taking into my future professional identity. When I practice yoga, I am tested in so many ways. My body is challenged, but my mind also struggles with the desire to come out of an uncomfortable pose. I struggle with the desire to quit and to stop trying. I also struggle with the desire to judge myself when I am not performing as I wish and I struggle with keeping my mind open and peaceful. I feel if I can work on my mat to overcome some of these desires then I can apply those lessons to all aspects of my life and I will become a better athlete, leader, friend, and person. If my clients can learn about yoga with professional guidance and start to embrace the struggle they may feel during a forward bend, the elation of improving downward facing dog, or even the satisfaction of maintaining mountain pose as they are waiting for the bus, then I believe they will also take these lessons learned and benefits gained into their daily living.

With yoga, as it should be with many pursuits, it is not only the outcome that should be satisfying. Each practice gives back to its students whatever they are willing to put into it. There is so much room for improvement, achievement, and challenge at any level. I plan to continue my practice in some form for many years to come and I will encourage others to try incorporating yoga into their routine as well. A yoga teacher once told me “pay attention to how you deal with struggle on your mat because it directly relates to how you deal with struggle in daily living. Your mat is like a mini-cosom of your life” (personal communication, Moksha Yoga Victoria, 2010).



Analysis of a Pose

Asana: Utthita Trikoasana Sanskrit meaning: Extended triangle pose

Entering the Pose

Begin in Tadasana and then jump or step your feet apart until you have a base of approximately four feet. Raise your arms up to shoulder height with your palms facing the floor.

Feet, Legs

Rotate your right foot and leg 90 degrees to the right and turn your left foot in towards your body. Keep your legs active with the knee caps lifted and feet grounded. Both legs should remain straight. Make sure your left knee cap is facing frontwards and not turning inwards.

Pelvis

Your hips should be as square and level as possible, creating a neutral pelvis.

Trunk

Length the spine by drawing the tailbone down and stretching the torso up through the ribs, neck, and up through the crown of the head. Then bend your torso to the left, extending and bending at the hip crease.

Arms

Your arms should still be raised to shoulder height. Stretch your arms all the way from your shoulders to the finger tips. When you bend your torso, ensure your arms follow until your right palm is either on the floor, resting on your right shin, or resting on a prop. The left arm and hand should be extended up towards the ceiling.

Head, Neck

The head and neck should still be in line with the spine, but if it is comfortable for you, turn your head and look up towards your left hand.

Coming Out of the Pose

Push on the little toe side of your left foot as you swing your arms in a controlled manor back up to center. Straighten your feet and jump or step them together. Repeat the pose on the other side and return to Tadasana.

Use of Props

This pose can have several variations to the hand placements. In my photos I most often place my lower hand on my shin and my upper hand straight in the air. This seems to be the best balance between comfort and challenge for me at this point in my practice. Our textbook suggested the lower palm could rest on the floor, but it would also be possible to rest it on several foam or wooden blocks, giving the student as much height as necessary. Sometimes we have also bent our upper arm and placed our hand on our hip. I find this really helps to open the chest and ensures there is minimal forward twist of the torso.

Challenges and Weaknesses

As illustrated by the photos, I do have some challenges with this pose. The first two photos were taken at the end of the first week of class, when my knowledge of the pose and ability to perform it correctly had not been developed. It is easy to see that I am collapsing through my ribs on the side that I am leaning towards, instead of really bending at the hip crease as we were taught. It also appears I am leaning forward slightly, probably to help alleviate the intense stretch I feel in my hamstrings during this pose. I am also not confident in keeping my balance and posture enough to turn my head to look towards my upwards hand.

Changes

When analyzing the photos, I realized my improvements in this pose are significant. First of all, my torso is bending much more from the hip and I am maintaining a more correct alignment through my spine when compared to my previous photo. My arms and legs are also straighter and I have turned my head to look upwards. A wider stance may allow me to bend further in this pose and I would like to work on moving my foot inwards slightly because it looks like it is turned outwards. Over all I feel I have improved in this pose.

Strengths

I feel that my strengths in this pose come from the muscular strength and endurance I feel in my legs, my balance, and the flexibility in my shoulders. This allows me to feel strong and stable in this stance and sufficiently open my shoulders to fully extend my arm upwards.

Benefits of this Pose

Benefits of this pose include the relief of gastritis, indigestion, acidity, and flatulence. This pose also improves spinal flexibility, massages and tones the pelvic area, and strengthens the ankles. It also may alleviate backache, shoulder misalignment, menstrual discomfort, and neck sprains (Iyengar, 2006). As well as these benefits, I also feel a stretch in my hamstrings (as I do with nearly every pose!). Increased flexibility in my hamstrings and my spine will likely allow for an improved performance in my running. Strengthening my ankles and improving my balance will benefit my trail running and hiking, and working to open the shoulders will improve my kayaking stroke. This posture also works to bring a simple awareness to the alignment of my body which is beneficial to all my physical pursuits.





References


B.K.S. Iyengar (2006). Iyengar yoga for beginners. London: Dorling Kindersley.

vancouver beach run

                                                  water.under.pose.up.accomplish.stretch.

a lesson learned.

so...i don't really know how to say this, but i didn't succeed on my 100 day challenge, round two.

i went to vancouver and got involved in some family stuff (excuses, excuses) and before i knew it there were two days during the week where i did not complete my MOVEment. i was a little surprised at myself. after all...this is my project, isn't it? if i couldn't complete the challenge again, am i still a capable leader? i like to think i am and even in this small failure (dare i use that loaded word?) there is a learning experience.

i talk a lot about goal setting and this experience proves an important aspect of setting goals. when i decided to complete the MOVEment X 100 days  challenge for the second time, i have to admit my heart wasn't completely in it. i was doing it partly because a friend asked if i wanted to and not because it was my goal at that moment. also, because i had done it before, i did not give the challenge enough thought or respect. i thought it would be easy the second time. but clearly, it wasn't. 100 days is a long time and as i proved, in order to accomplish a challenge (or goal) of that length and magnitude, one must be completely committed and the goal must be important to them. i'm not saying the goal wasn't important to me, but it wasn't my priority, like it was the first time. so, as with any goal, make it and truly claim it as your own. put your heart in to it, believe in it, gain support, and achieve it. for you.

so there you have it. lesson learned. i do have some other goals and challenges i am excited about, however.

the first of these is a new iyengar yoga practice. i am completing an intensive beginners course that runs four days a week for 1.5 hours a day, until june 1st. my goals for this include learning some of the sanskrit terms, increasing my flexibility, and increasing my knowledge and appreciation for the physical and spiritual side of yoga. i have dabbled in yoga for a few years now but this will be the longest i will have ever committed to a practice like this. i am looking forward to what this practice can add to my life and how it will complement my other activities.