What's Your Intention?

What's your intention? That was the question my Core Power Yoga instructor Heather started class with yesterday.  My initial intention was to just to try to keep up with the flowing moves (I'm still a yoga newbie), sweat, focus on my breathing, and stretch.

It is funny to me how my mind wanders in a yoga class as I think about a sentence or a few words an instructor says in the beginning.  Maybe I do it so I don't focus on the heat or the fact that so many others in the class are so much better at yoga than me.

This class was packed.  There were literally a couple of inches between each mat.  Deep in thought over the word intention, flowing from one posture to the next in the heated, crowded room, somewhere out of no where the old-fashioned stereotypical small town idea of the father standing at the door with a shotgun with his daughter's suitor trembling on the door steps as the father ask, "What are your intentions with my daughter?" popped into to my head like it was a scene in a movie.....then SMACK!

The girl next to me had just kicked the guy behind her in the head as she was going up in a handstand. Rule #1 I thought, don't try a handstand in a crowded yoga class, especially when you are in the middle row.  His head snapped back.  He sat back without saying a word but just put his arm out for her to stay away as she turn around and moved toward him to make sure he was ok.  From his reaction I'm going to guess it really hurt and he might of had some sort of neck issue.  She sat shaken on her mat for a few minutes and slowly rejoined the posture series.

Just like the smack to the head, I suddenly realized that the intention of this class just turned in to me analyzing and pondering my dating life. Well that hit me like a ton of bricks.  Really? Yoga correlates to dating?  Ah heck, I really just have to go with this right?  Just go with the flow I thought, since I'm in a hot yoga class....although I did wonder for a sec if the heat was getting to me.

Okay here's the deal, I apparently stink at dating.  I'm blessed to have a ton of friends, but Mr. Right? Well he's certainly hasn't made his presence known....yet (at least I hope there's a yet in there).  As far as intention, working in television, I do wonder at least for a split second when a guy ask me out if he's asking me out because I'm a chick on tv or because he's asking me out for me.  I've gone out with both and the first type I realize in a hurry.  Those are road blocks, but you have to run in to those to appreciate the joy of spending time with those who want to spend time with you, because of you.  It's just like in yoga, you have to put in the effort of trying a pose, fail, or not quite be able to do it, to relish in the joy when you can.  Wow, I am correlating yoga to dating I thought.  My closest friends say I'm perceived as a strong woman.  Not that there's anything wrong with that, but apparently it's not such a great thing when dating.  Struggling through postures and poses in yoga while watching others bend and twist in ways I'm not sure I'll ever be able to do, I know I have many weaknesses and weak moments, but I'm willing to at least try and search for a strength inside of me to get through.  In a roundabout way I figured out my intention in that class:  weaknesses and struggles can lead you to a new joy.  Mr. Right?  He'll come along but it's probably going to take me getting smacked in the head to realize it.  It's ok to laugh, because I am.

I did smile when Heather said near the end of class to think about the intention you started the class with....and then how the intention changed over the 60 minutes of class.  Wonder what my intention is going to be for my next yoga class.  

Lazy Day Monday

I'll admit - I took a lazy day Monday.  After a busy weekend of traveling to Telluride and some fun adventures there, I took a nice long nap after working Monday morning.

Plus since it was a holiday I decided it was ok to take a lazy day.  You have to every once in a while!

Taking A Ride On An ATV

Sunday I got a chance to ride with Telluride ATV.  It was a blast going through the trees on some rocky dirt roads near Telluride.  While it's not a break a sweat kind of workout, you do have to use core strength to stay balanced on the ATV and even some quads as you go through the twists, turns, and maneuver the terrain.

It was great to be outside on a beautiful day soaking up some picturesque views.

We did stop and walk around in a meadow for a break before heading back.  We ATV'ed for about 2.5 hours.

Ok, I know it's a stretch for a workout but that's what I did before driving the six hours back to Denver.  And it was a heck of a lot of fun!

Jeeping Saturday

After spending the morning walking around Telluride I went on a jeep tour with Telluride Outside.  It was a fun shoot as we headed up to the Tomboy Mine, then back down in to Telluride, and then up to Bridal Veil Falls.

Not sure how much of a workout it counts for but you do have to do a lot of holding on as you get bounced around in the jeep on the bumpy roads!

At Smuggler Mine on way to Tomboy Mine

Bridal Veil Falls

Friday Travel Day....of course!

Friday was another travel day for me.  No surprise right?  I was off to Telluride for Mountainfilm Festival and to shoot a couple of stories.

Push It With Intervals & Weights

Today was one hour of intervals and weights with Cristina at Pura Vida Club.  Which really means one hour of push me to the max.  I went in full of energy and ready to rock after a great day of work and 45 minutes of running around scrambling to get a few errands done.  We hit it right away with sprints after a warm up.  That meant 30 seconds running on treadmill at 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, and 10.5 miles per hour with 30 second breaks in between.

After sprints, it was some arm work, several intervals with VIPR, squats with 85 pound barbell, more arms including TRX moves of pull ups and triceps extensions.  All weights were three sets of 12.  All intervals were 30 seconds with short rest in between.  Goal with intervals is 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off like Cristina has me do with sprints.

Here are a few of the exercises so you can see how to do them if you want to try them out!

Talked Myself Out of a Workout

Yesterday I was really tired and feeling a little rundown.  I'd taken my workout clothes to work but managed to talk myself out of working out and headed home with plans to take it easy and get some work done.  I was more tired than I thought as I felt asleep for over an hour afternoon nap.  That's something I normally don't do!

Busy Day Tuesday

My Tuesday was jam packed with work, appointments and a friend in from out of town.  So I took it as a planned rest day.

Balancing Act on the Foam Roller

Monday was my usual Kinesis and Pilates session with Erin at Pura Vida Club.  One of the exercises Erin had me was on the foam roller.  I have this love-hate relationship with foam roller when it comes to using it for stretches.  I love the benefits but if you use one, you know it can be, well let's just say there can be some wincing and breathing through the roll, especially for calves, hamstring, and IT band for me.

I love when Erin incorporates the foam roller in to abs or back exercises.  She did that Monday with a balancing move that works abs and helps with hip stabilization.

Here's Erin explaining the how to do the exercise.

Let Go

I needed a yoga class after my Mt. Yale 14er climb Saturday.  So my friend Heather and her friend Logan said they were taking the 2pm Core Power Yoga class at the Highland studio yesterday.  It was an intro to hot yoga class, which meant the room was a little cooler than the other Core Power classes I'd taken and was perfect for me to stretch, re-center, realign, and find balance.

Sitting in child's pose to start class, the instructor Holly said on the inhale think "let"....and on the exhale think "go."  Two simple words that have significant meaning.  Think about it.  How many times in your life have you just had to let go?  Lord knows I've had to do it over and over and over again.  From letting go of some doozies of boyfriends (good ones too) to letting go of the security of a place you call home to tackle the next adventure in a new town, to saying good-bye and letting go to someone for the last time as they pass on to Heaven, those five simple letters carry so much emotion.

Sometimes it's simple, but more often than not, it's a tough journey.  Workouts are journeys.  Some are fast and furious, some short and sweet, some are attaining a goal, while others are flowing and stir something in your soul. That's what this yoga class did to me.

Ironically, I had let go moments on Saturday during the hike.  As I was hiking Mt Yale and was on the rocky terrain above treeline, slowly working my way to the top, with the changing weather I had a moment of maybe today isn't my day to make 14,000' and I should just let it go. But as soon as I thought that, I saw a friend running back to me who wasn't going to let me hike it alone.  I had to let go and give him my pack - something that was very difficult for this...yes I'll admit....sometimes very stubborn person. Above 14,000' as we were less than 150 feet from the highest point on the summit, I had to let go again.  In a moment of panic and being extremely cold in a snow squall I had to let go and admit my vulnerability, something I'm not exactly the best at doing...okay I'm horrible at it.  I had to admit to myself that I wasn't as tough as I thought I was and rely on the emotional and physical strength of several friends stronger than me in the moment to get me out of a dangerous situation.  You can't reach success if you don't try.  Sometimes you'll fail, sometimes the path and dream changes, and sometime you succeed with flying colors.  Although I was less than 150 feet from my goal of 14,196' I had to change the path because the weather forced me to.  Ironic isn't?

During the class my mind wandered to other moments of letting go - dancing in the rain, singing like no one is around (my Good Day Colorado co-workers will tell you I do that on a very regular basis), to laughing and giggling as my friend Heather and I did during one moment in the class.  Life is full of let go moments.  This class was 60 minutes to let go of whatever was weighing heavy on your mind and heart, sadness, and anything that might be holding you back.  Funny that today when I was running through Whole Foods after my Kinesis and Pilates workout, that I saw a card with this Zen saying: "Leap and the net will appear."

Yes I'm taking note of the signs as I did when my brother and I let go of our dad almost two years ago spreading his ashes out into the wind at Pretty Place, right on the South Carolina-North Carolina line.  As we did, the ashes floated and sailed carried by the wind.  A small change in the breeze brought a little of the ashes back to my brother and I as we stood on the cliff.    My mom said as she watched it - it was my dad giving us one last hug and kiss as we let him go to soar in the beauty of mountains in a place that is like a Heaven on Earth.  There truly is beauty, peace and strength as you let go.

Climbing Mt. Yale...In Sun, Wind, Snow, & Hail

Yesterday I set out to climb my first 14er (peak of 14,000 feet or higher) of the year, my first of the Collegiate Peaks in the Sawatch Range, and my 5th 14er.  There are 54 in Colorado.   This is my short version because I'm doing a longer version of the hike for my website Swept Away with Jennifer Broome.  Look for that soon.

According to 14ers.com Yale is 14,196' in elevation.  We were hiking the Southwest Trail that starts at 9,900' elevation.  That means a 9.5 mile round trip hike with a 4,296' elevation change.

The weather was looking iffy but we had a big group of some co-workers and friends and all wanted to give it a go.  So off we went at 7:22am - 14 of us and 3 dogs.  Within the the first 15 minutes our big group split as Amanda (the only other girl), Pete, Josh, and two dogs were hiking at a slower pace.  

That meant I was trying to hang with a group of 10 guys.  There were two 14er first timers in my group.  There were also several very seasoned hikers/climbers:  Chris leading the group, Sean who was the first cancer survivor to summit Everest, Sean's buddy Ryan, and Scott who hikes a lot.  This is my second 14er with Chris (did first 14er of Quandary with him) and third 14er with Scott (did Grays and Torreys with him).  We were going at a pretty good pace up the first big incline that you hit right off the bat, winding through the trees, tromping through snow, traversing logs across streams, and climbing higher and higher with sunshine changing to intermittent light snow showers.

As we started hiking out of the trees, getting above treeline, I started getting behind the guys by a few minutes because I was taking video (of course!).  I felt that if I could keep the guys in sight then I'd be okay.  I caught up to them as they were gearing up with additional winter gear because the wind and snow started picking up.  I'd been fine without gloves to that point but my hands were getting cold so put on my glove liners along with fleece pullover and wind shell.  As I was gearing up at 9:35am, the guys started to hike again.  My friends Jeremy and Jeremy offered to wait but I said go on because they had already been sitting and getting cold.  After gearing up myself and eating a GU packet, I started hiking again but went about 10 minutes and realized I needed my heavier gloves.  

So I trudged along, hoping the guys slow down some so I can catch up, and I got deep conversation with God about please just let me make it and really telling myself if the trail and weather got to treacherous then I would be smart, stop, and wait for the guys to come back down.  That's about the point when I looked up and saw my friend Sean running back to me.  He wanted to make sure I was okay and didn't want me hiking the rocky trail that was getting steeper by myself given the wintry conditions.  It took three times of Sean asking me to take my pack and I finally gave in.  That meant he was carrying mine and his....I justified it in my head that it was okay because he's training to take a group of cancer survivors up Kilimanjaro in July with Cancer Climber Association.  As we climbed another group coming down said we were about 15 minutes behind the group of guys.  As we're hiking I start noticing that my brain is working but as I'm talking either the words just don't come out or it sounded like I'd had a few too many.  That's altitude.  It also affected my stomach and the desire for any food went out the window.  That's definitely not good on a climb.  There were also plenty of moments of feeling like your heart is pumping up in your throat or going to burst as you gasp for air with less and less oxygen.

The guys going for Yale summit.

As Sean and I got to ridge line at 13,900' we had sunshine....but not for long.  

Sean took me around the side to ascend high.  But it meant I had to hug a rock and climb up through a crevasse with nothing but snow covered rocks extending below.  I have a fear of highs and this was incredibly tough for me.  I did it but but as we were making our way higher on the ridge line toward the final summit, the snow squall hit.  At this point, very shaken and extremely cold, I had what I'll just call my freak out on the mountain.  I was literally trembling out of fear and cold.  I made a decision I didn't want to have to make.  I was over 14,000' but with the near whiteout conditions my summit window to go the approximate last 150 feet or little less up had closed.  So Sean and I hiked back just a little bit so I could be in a semi-sheltered spot and he went forward to meet the other guys.  As he started solo, we saw the group getting closer to us.  There was no more waiting, it was time to go down and down in a hurry. 

The guys hiking back from summit in near whiteout conditions.

Smiling in the blowing snow...shortly after my freak out moment. 

My friend Scott helped me down as Sean and his friend Ryan had to get Sean's dog Maya down one area that was a little too sketchy for her.  As we climbed back to about 13,500' feet, we had a small break in the snow.  I took that as moment to re-center and get a Zen moment on a boulder.  We were there no more than 5 minutes before we had to move again as the next squall was moving in.  

As we got back to about 12,500' we saw the other three and two dogs.  They were doing great just going slow.  They were going to try to make an attempt at the top.  As we got back to about 11,200' we had hail - just another weather element to throw into the mix!

In total it took the first group about 9 hours to do the hike with the weather conditions.  For the second group it was even longer.  But finishing it made the challenge worth it.  I'm certainly thankful to have friend to help get me through even in the worst weather conditions.   

Travel & Rest Day for 14er

Friday was a travel day to Buena Vista.  I also took it as a rest day to rest up to climb Mt. Yale.  It's my first Collegiate Peaks 14er, first 14er of the year and makes number 5 14er peak me.

Intervals & Weights

Thursday was a one hour session with Cristina of intervals and weights.  It was my first push hard workout since tweaking my back and taking two full days off.  I started with sprints of 30 seconds running, 30 seconds off of treadmill.  I did 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5 and 9mph sprints.  The goal was to push but not go all out and if back hurt at all stop.  I did fine.  Then she shifted me over to alternating assisted pull ups and lunge step ups.  From there it was on to triceps pulls and weighted leg side lifts.  I really liked alternating upper and lower body in exercise pairs.  Here's that set of exercises.

Next it was on to biceps then a few things with the ViPR.  One of those moves I felt my back so had to modify slightly the alternating swing ViPR squat to overhead press to other side.  It's a move that I've done before with a swing squat, lift, and hop but didn't do the hop because of back.  Last was stretching and I was done for the day.

It was nice to push but not over do it!   

Another Day of Rest

Took another day of rest for couple of reasons - really tired, got out of work late, and want to make sure I'm good for the 14er hike on Saturday.  Looking forward to taking on Mt Yale!

Take It Easy Tuesday

Woke up with my back better but still stiff.  Thankfully the sharp pains were gone.  My Pilates and Kinesis trainer Erin text me early to ask how I was feeling.  Told her better but asked her opinion of what I should do as far as exercise for the day: Pilates class, hot yoga class, or nice walk.  She said nice walk and to take it easy for the day in part because I have plans to climb a 14er (14,000+ foot peak) on Saturday.

So rest and walk I did and followed advice for a take it easy Tuesday.

Franklin Method

Monday morning I tweaked my back about 6am by turning and catching one of my heels on some pulled up carpet at work.  It was the kind of take your breathe away sharp pain every time I tried to turn or bend over after that.  I don't generally have back issues so I thought I just pinched something and it would go away.  Well by 11am it didn't.  There goes my workout with Erin, I thought.  I text her and let her know I was taking two Aleve and laying down for bit but that I was still going to try to come.  Okay call me stubborn but I really enjoy my Monday Kinesis and Pilates sessions.  So when I got to Pura Vida Club, it was pretty obvious I wasn't in any shape to do Kinesis and really not much as far as Pilates.  So Erin turned the session into a PT session for me with the goal to loosen up the back and get me out of pain.

She had me do some stuff that is based in the Franklin Method.  I'd never heard of it, but apparently it's gaining popularity in the dance, Pilates, yoga and physiotherapy worlds.  She had me lay down on two softball size soft balls first both at the low back (where my pain was), then upper back, then one high and one low, and then the other way high and low.  Each position was done for a couple of minutes.  It suppose to help break up the fascia webbing of soft tissue.  Since the injury was still a very sensitive area, Erin used this method with soft balls instead of a foam roller or other exercises.  I could feel my back releasing.

She also had me do some other gentle moves to help with back and open up or stretch hip flexors and hamstrings then ice for 10 minutes on, 5 minutes off, then 10 minutes on again.

Crazy how sometimes a small move or twist can result in a lot of pain.  After the relief I got from the Franklin Method, I'm a fan!

What If Your Someday Is Now

What if your someday is now?  You're probably wondering what does that have to do with fitness.  Well, a lot for me today.

I took my fifth yoga class in 5 days at CorePower Yoga.  My friend Heather met me at the Highlands location to take CorePower Yoga 2 - Heated Power Yoga.  Here's the description of the class from CorePower Yoga website:  "Ready to sweat? CorePower Yoga 2 (C2) is a rigorous yoga class with demanding strength postures that will have you moving, breathing and sweating! True to its name, a C2 class focuses on building and engaging your core strength to support you in more advanced postures. Set to energizing music in a heated, climate-controlled room, CorePower Yoga 2 strengthens, balances, detoxifies and exhilarates the body and mind. "This class torches calories" – Shape Magazine"

Tiffany taught the class.  Right off the bat she said, "This hour is for you."  That came full circle near the end of class with her statement, "You gave yourself this gift."

Being a meteorologist, journalist, writer, and blogger I like story-telling with a beginning, middle, and end so these two simple lines or thoughts resonated so much with me.  I often look at my workouts as something I do for myself, a priority for my sanity, and a chance to check out for an hour.  Guess I'd never really thought of it as a gift to myself, but during the class it became so obvious to me that yes it is a gift to me.  Flowing through the postures and movements, I realized I gave myself the gift to sweat, detox, stretch out muscles, better align myself, re-center physically and emotionally.  I also realized later that I gave the gift of fitness, health and well-being to my friend Heather, as she did to me today.  Both of us said if the other one would have bailed then we would have too.  So glad neither of us bailed.

Not long into the class, when we were holding a pose, Tiffany also shared with us that she moved this week.  Yesterday she was unpacking and pulled out a magnet that said something like, "What if your someday is now."  I couldn't get that out of my head for the rest of class.....what if...my someday is now.  Someday I'll meet Mr. Right, someday I'll travel around the world, someday I'll reach my goal to travel to all 50 states (7 to go), someday my Swept Away will be a huge success, someday I'll climb Kilimanjaro....someday, someday, someday.  Trust me I've got a lot of somedays.

There was one moment in the class, when we were in chair position with right arm wrapped under left, hands touching in front of face and right leg lifted up, over and wrapped around the left leg, that I saw in the mirror a steady drip of sweat falling from my right elbow.  Same thing happened with the left elbow when we switched to the other side.  Totally zoning out on those sweat droplets that looked like rain droplets (fitting for a gloomy foggy and misty Sunday morning), I realized my someday that is now is pretty darn good.  I see that in the moments captured in pictures and video and on live tv of laughter, smiles and happiness.  It's great to have dreams and goals, but I'm one lucky girl....who's doing her best to be a yogi-in-training in her someday that is now.

Smallest Efforts Have Biggest Impact

Three days in a row I've done yoga....that might be a record for me!  With the dreary weather yesterday I didn't feel like running or hiking, so off I went to take Hot Power Fusion at the Highlands location of Core Power Yoga.  It's smaller than the Broadway location I've been going to but I like the cozy feel.

I walk into the yoga studio and it's packed with women.  This was the first class I'd taken that was all women.  There was one spot all the way across the room by the window.  So I trudged through the sea of mats, water bottles, towels, and women stretching, relaxing, and chatting to that window spot.  Somehow three more ladies squeezed in the room after me.

In a room full of women, in walks Anders, our yoga guide for the next 60 minutes.  Being a person who loves to laugh and smile, I was hooked on his class as soon as he said to do this class you must start with a smile.  Then he quickly moved us through an hour of postures and holds.  I really enjoyed how the class went from doing 30 to 45 second holds to movements that flowed with your breath of one movement with one breath.  For example, inhale as you extend arms overhead, exhale as you bend forward, inhale as you come halfway up, exhale as you extend hands back to ground (yes I still have a ways to go to get my hands flat on the ground but I'll get there!).

I wish I could remember a quote that Anders said in class.  It had to do with the smallest efforts have the biggest impact.  Even in the stillness of moments like when you are in savasana (corpse pose) you are reaping big benefits.  A moment of total relaxation allows your body, mind, and soul a chance to regroup, rebuild, and recharge.  For my crazy, stressful life those moments are invaluable!

"Rock Your Hot Pink Yoga Pants"

"Rock your hot pink yoga pants."  That's what my Yoga Sculpt instructor told us at the beginning of class.  This was my second Yoga Sculpt - Heated Power Yoga with weights at Core Power Yoga.  Morgan was subbing for the regular instructor.  Morgan used to teach at the Broadway location but left to go to law school in Arizona and is back for a couple of months.  She started class with a story of her first day at law school.  She had been teaching yoga for a year and went to class in her hot pink yoga pants.  Everyone else was dressed in suits with notepads in hand.  She quickly learned she wasn't a "suit" but was able to make it work for her.  The moral of her story is even if everyone else is rockin' a suit, or in class the positions or doing exercises with heavy weight, rock your hot pink yoga pants.  Stay true to yourself, listen to your body, and go for it.

This class is tough.  Have you ever done a yoga class that also has burpees, football runs, jumping jacks, and other plyometric moves?  Combine those with going into yoga positions using weights in between cardio sets and you've got yoga sculpt.  Add in the fact that the class is in a heated room and you are seriously torching calories along with detoxing and working hard for better vitality, strength, cardio, and balance.

It was fast-paced, fun and tough.  In the last 15 minutes of class we majorly worked glutes.  At one point, in the glutes series, my friend Joana asked "How's your butt feeling?"  Both of us laugh - it was such a tough glutes series of leg lifts with weighs that all we could do was laugh....and breathe to get through it.  After that series we went straight in to bridge lifts, which was more glutes work along with abs, inner thighs, quads and hamstrings.

For at least 45 minutes of the class I was dripping sweat.  That's part of the class - sweat out any toxins in your system since you are working out in a heated room.

I loved when I walked outside after class and it was raining.  As I walked in Mother Nature's liquid sunshine, I felt revitalized and renewed.  I tweeted out that it was refreshing.  It truly was!

Hot Yoga

Yesterday I took Hot Yoga.  Core Power Yoga offers a free week and I wanted to get in at least one more class during my first week.  I used to do Bikram Yoga on a regular basis but hadn't done it in at least 2 years.  So I was pretty excited about the Hot Yoga class.  It's a 60 minute class in a room heated to 105 degrees.  My instructor, Mary Beth, is very slim and fit.  I loved her calming tone of voice and that she corrected me with my hand positions.  I was separating my thumbs and fingers on a foot hold and she said I should keep thumbs with fingers.  It made the position a little tougher but it's suppose to be better for stability.  I'm a newbie yogi so definitely want the instruction and correction if I'm doing something wrong.

In the class we did a series of 26 postures.  I really liked how the class flowed from position to position.  I was a full out sweaty mess.  It's a different kind of sweat than sweating from cardio like running or biking.    You truly feel like you are sweating out toxins and opening yourself to a restored, renewed you.

No Workout Wednesday

Took a much needed rest/recovery day.

Too Beautiful Not To Run

I was going to take a rest/recovery day yesterday since I had a noon haircut and highlights at Posh Salon.  Waffling between doing a couple of errands and running at Wash Park....the run won.  It was just too beautiful of a day not to enjoy a little time outside.

So off I went on an easy 30 minute run before my hair appointment.  Wish I could have gone longer but that was all the time I had.

So much for the rest day!  Running in the park was way more fun.

I also got in some stretching for my hamstring - yes it's still bothering me - and enjoyed a nice 30 minute walk with my dog.

Slow Count Pilates

Monday was my usual Kinesis and Pilates session with Erin at Pura Vida Club.  Erin had a treat for me with some new moves she learned at a training session in New York.  She put me through the ringer doing what I call slow count Pilates.  They were 3-4 minute series of moves done on the reformer.  Each move is done for a minute with  a four count out and four count in steady count for the minute.

They are tough!  The plank series was 3 minutes of just hold on and hope you make it.  But I loved the change and something new to shock the system.

Here's the plank series with Erin cueing the moves.

Hike to Greyrock...With a Race to a Boulder

Notice I said to in the title of this blog and not to the top of!  Sunday morning I headed out with some friends into the Poudre Canyon.  At 10am we set off to hike to Greyrock.  There are two routes you can take: the shorter but steeper route of 3.1 miles to the top includes a 1000' elevation change within one mile or the longer route that wraps and includes meadow that is 4.3 miles to the top.  We decided on the longer route in part because it wasn't so steep at the bottom.  Keep in the mind that the crew I hiked with didn't exactly come prepared for a long hike.  As my friend Ben put it, "I thought we were just heading out for a nice walk.  Now I know, when you hike with Jen Broome, you hike up!"  They funny part was that we were still on fairly flat trail, but we were starting to encounter more rocky terrain.

We started at 9:59am, which is later than I usually hike but I was trying to let my friends sleep in a little on a Sunday morning.  Yes I was up and raring to go before 6am!  So off we went navigating the trail of switchbacks and ever changing terrain from in the trees to open areas to getting above the trees where the rocks get bigger and bigger.  At one point we stopped to enjoy an amazing view.

That's where I decided to do a few yoga poses on the cliff.  Yes I'm right on the edge.

From that point we hiked up to a spot of big boulders then went up and down winding through boulders and trees as we worked or way to the meadow.  About 11:30am we took a snack break....and I realized I was the only one who brought snacks.  Needless to say the snacks were gone in one fell swoop.

So we trekked on to the meadow that offered a moment of peace....until I asked my friend Kat if she wanted to race to the boulder.  She said sure, why not and her husband Ben said he was in too.

So off we went on very bumpy terrain racing to a boulder with my friend Amanda filming it.  Amanda's husband Pete was taking some pictures and busted out laughing at us when he saw the three of us running like little kids to the boulder.  Kat and I were laughing so hard running that both of us almost fell over.  What hoot!  Three grown up kids racing to a boulder....just because.

At noon we started our climb out of meadow up to Greyrock.  After a few minutes we found ourselves off the trail and climbing straight up through rocks into the area that was burned as part of the Picnic Rock Fire in 2004.  While there is new growth and life coming back in the area, the scars of the fire are still very evident.

We had a great time just exploring and trying to find our way back to the trail.  Once back on trail, it wasn't long before we were at the Greyrock loop where you can take the Summit Trail to the top, head down to the meadow or take the Greyrock Trail back down.  Since it was 12:30pm, we decided to head down the steeper shorter route because we were getting short on time and remember I was the only one who had brought food.

After a short break, we headed down at 12:45pm.  At 1:55pm we were back at the trailhead and completed a 6.4 mile hike.  Not bad but next time I told the group we're heading all the to the top!

Saturday Fun Day, Rest Day

Saturday I took as a rest day.  After three very tough workouts in a row, I was due a rest day.  So I headed up to Fort Collins for a day of fun with friends touring the breweries.  It was a fun day!

Sweating It Out In Yoga Sculpt

Friday I headed out to take a yoga class with my friend Joana at Core Power Yoga.  After two days of hard workouts, I was looking forward to take my first yoga class in ages.  I used to do Bikram Yoga on a regular basis.

Shortly before the class I found out it was yoga with weights...in a heated room.  So it wasn't the relax, rejuvenate kind of stretch yoga class I was expected.  Well here with go with hard workout for 3 days in a row.

The Yoga Sculpt class was a fast paced class of stretches, yoga poses, and cardio like mountain climbers with weights incorporated into many of the poses and exercises.  The noon class was packed.  I love the variety of people in the class.  They guy in front of me was one of those that can wear the short spandex shorts and get away with it because he was that fit.  One of the instructors was pregnant.  There were all shapes, sizes, and different fitness levels in the class.

Within 10 minutes of the class starting I was dripping sweat and continued to do so for the duration of workout.  I told Joana I want to join her on Fridays when I'm not traveling.  I loved the workout and the feeling of toxins out, happiness and strength in.  When I woke up Saturday morning, I hit the ground running after a better night's sleep than I'd had in a long time.  I'm chalking it up to the yoga.  Definitely getting more into my fitness routine!

Working The ViPR Outside

Today was high intensity intervals and weights with Cristina at Pura Vida Club.  We added an extra 30 minutes today to get some great cardio and strength exercises in.  Cristina knows I like to workout outside so as I as I got there we headed out to the top of the parking garage.  After a little jump rope to warm up, I quickly found out the ViPR was my workout partner today.  I actually really love working out the weight tubes.  Exercises outside were 30 seconds then rest 30 seconds with the exception of flipping the ViPR.  That one was 10 reps on one side then 10 on the other.  I did 3 rounds of everything including ViPR shuffle with press and ViPR lunge with press.

Then we headed inside for some weight work including what I'll call an upside push up and box slow one leg squat.

Here's a quick look at five of the exercises I did today if you want to try them.

Intervals, weights, abs, and stretching all in an hour.....this was a jam-packed work your butt off one hour session.  

How A 3-4 Miler Turned Into 8

Just going to call myself out right now....I went over double what I'd plan to run/hike because I got caught up in scenery, accidentally went off trail and had to go down a mountain bike trail, and paying for not taking enough water. It's okay to laugh at me right now.  I've already laughed at myself.

So here's the story of my workout adventure.  I was at Matthews Winters Park for a shoot today.  Since I hadn't run the trails, I took along my workout gear.  I glanced at the trail map thinking I'll just do a 45 minute out and back to get in 3-4 miles.

Off I go on the Village Walk then Red Rocks Trail.  The trail is easy to navigate with some rocky spots.  There's not much shade though.

I got to a spot with an amazing view.  It was place where hiking and biking trails convergence.  So captivated by the view, of course I headed out on the cliff the started down.  Well that was my mistake.

While navigating where the trail was I realized I had gotten on the mountain bike trail going down the hill.  So I decided to go all in and just side step and step and slide my way down the rocky terrain.

When I hit the road and end of the Red Rocks Trail, I decided to keep going since I was so close to the Red Rocks Amphitheater.  Plus I figured they would have water fountains where I could re-fill my water bottle.

I approached the amphitheater on the backside.  There was one spot where I ventured up through the rocks then kept going on the road down to the Trading Post then back up to the stairs that just seemed to keep going and going.  Up I went to the top of the amphitheater.

Unfortunately for me there's a lot of construction so the Visitor Center wasn't open and water fountains weren't working. Time to ration the water I had left and head back.

On the way back I stayed on the right trail and realized how I made my mountain bike plunge trail mistake.

The alternative mountain bike route is on the left.  Should have stayed on trail to right.

Did a little more hiking than running on the way back but covered 8 miles....way more than the 3-4 miles I'd planned to do.  Oh well, sometimes you just have to get lost in the setting and just go.

Running the Rock

Today I ran the Rock in Castle Rock.  Guess I should say I ran up, around the top, down, around the base, back up, around the top again, and down.  I've certainly seen the Rock from the highway but never hiked or run it.

So today I had to drive to Castle Rock and decided running the Rock was going to be my workout for the day.  I really enjoyed watching the clouds roll and winds pick up as I went up, down, and around the Rock.  If you do it once around the distance is 1.4 miles.

I ran the .5 miles up the John Emerson Summit first, then did the .2 miles around the Rock, then back down the half mile trail, then around the Paul Hill trail, including the climb on the other side of the Rock that leads you back up to the top, then the .2 miles at the top again, and back down.  Total for me was 2.6 miles going from a starting elevation of 6,220' and peaking at 6,590'.

The Summit Trail

View from the top

Loop around the top

On Paul Hill Trail

Close to the top

That's Pikes Peak in the distance

I really enjoyed the solo time and running somewhere new.  Now to spend some time with my foam roller!

Just A Walk

Just a walk for me on Monday.  Ironically I had to work on a fitness article instead of getting a workout done myself.  Since the deadline was May 1st, I had to get it done.  So once done, since it was late afternoon and too late for me to do a hard workout, I treated myself to a nice walk with my dog.