ashleyd /

Yoga Vida NYC

Happy Sunday! I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend. Bo and I have enjoyed plenty of time with our friends, catching up on sleep and relaxation, cooking in the kitchen, and long walks through our neighborhood enjoying the Fall weather.

After yesterday’s amazing run and afternoon of rest, my body wasn’t feeling too rough when I woke up this morning. Then I bent over to grab a pillow that had hit the floor and I felt the tightness that I expected. My hips were screaming and my quads were definitely tight.

Luckily, an hour later I was walking towards Yoga Vida NYC for the second NYC Blogger Play date, organized by the lovely Keelie. I really enjoy events like this that combine catching up with fellow NYC bloggers and an activity, such as yoga.  IMG_5107 (640x478)

Everyone in our group arrived by 11:45 so we were able to spend fifteen minutes chatting and catching up. It was great to get to know Juliette and Keelie while catching up with some familiar faces like Theodora, Ashley, and Sofia.

IMG_5108 (478x640)This was my first time practicing yoga at Yoga Vida NYC and I was immediately impressed. A local studio which has two locations, one in Union Square and one in NoHo.  As I left the elevator I was greeted with a fresh, light incense scent instead of sweat and grime which is often found at NYC yoga studios. The receptionist was very friendly, quickly informing me that they have a special for first time students, $10 for 1 week of unlimited classes!

The space includes two very large studios, bathroom, changing area, a relaxing lounge, and mat storage area.  IMG_5109 (640x478) IMG_5110 (640x478) IMG_5111 (478x640) Everyone I encountered at Yoga Vida really reinforced their philosophy,

At Yoga Vida we make yoga accessible, affordable, and inclusive.  Believing your daily yoga practice should not become a financial burden; we serve as a comfortable and inviting oasis where you can connect your body and your mind through the movement that resonates with you. There is no judgment, pressure, ultimatums, nor demands.  This is yoga for everyone.

Their classes are all 65 minutes, other than the Saturday and Sunday flow classes which are 75 minutes in length.

We were signed up for Yoga Flow, a 75 minute open level Vinyasa class, taught by Alex F. Alex immediately took his place in the front of the room on the yoga podium, an elevated mat sized podium where the instructor can practice so all students in the room can see the poses. His voice was calm and soothing as he welcomed us to his class. Like many distance runners, my muscles have grown extremely tight during training even though I stretch and foam roll frequently. There are some tight areas and knots that only a deep twist or inversion can access.  This class started with a longer than normal sun salutation series before moving into hip openers, twists, and floor poses.  Alex focused on adjusting students throughout the entire class, helping us move deeper into poses and properly align in unfamiliar poses. 

I am already looking forward to my next class at Yoga Vida NYC, hopefully one evening class this week and Alex’s noon class again next Sunday.

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ashleyd /

A Flashback Playlist

Tonight was not your average evening.

Instead of leaving work around 7:30, I was able to walk out guilt free at 6pm, just in time for yoga.  I’ve taken this yoga class a few times before and absolutely love the instructor, Samantha Debicki. She is young, friendly, and like a ray of sunshine after a long stressful day.

Samantha Debicki

Her class is described on the Equinox site as a more athletic class and I’d agree.

A vigorous, more athletic approach to yoga techniques characterized by flowing poses and sequences that are linked to the breath. Classes are diverse and sequencing will vary with instructor philosophy.

Tonight’s class included wall stands, crow poses, and multiple boat pose sequences.

After that class, I moved studios for a second class, Stretch and Restore for Athletes.

Using a foam roller and expert guidance, stretch and move to address imbalances, remove knots, increase blood flow, and release toxins in the muscles. The sweet dose of self-massage and myofascial release will align your spine and leave you feeling connected, relaxed, lighter and a better athlete.

This quick class was amazing as it combined some traditional foam roller moves with more complicated moves that I’ve never tried and some wonderful back work. If you live in NYC and ever have the opportunity to try this class you’ll love it! Next time I’ll try to take my iPhone so I can captures some of the moves.

By 7:15 I left Equinox happy, relaxed, and energized. I forgot how much I love evening yoga sessions.

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In very unusual fashion, I came home and didn’t give into Seamless Web. Instead, I took out the cutting board, our leftover Eataly produce, and some sipped a glass of wine while cooking dinner.

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Tonight’s dinner included a mixed green salad dressed with crumbled blue cheese and a drizzle of balsamic and olive oil. The main attraction included whole wheat rotini, sautéed squash, leftover chicken, and jarred sauce. Topped with a dash of garlic gold and parmesan this was delicious and filling!

I enjoyed dinner at my new blogging work station Bo set up for me this weekend.

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I really want to decorate the walls now that this is going to me blogging location and my home office.

While enjoying dinner, I put together a new running playlist which includes some blasts from my middle school and high school days.

imageNow, I’m going to enjoy some time curled up in bed with the book that never ends, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Question: What is your favorite workout song right now?

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ashleyd /

NYCM Long Run #1: First Avenue

Yesterday morning one of my favorite dates returned to my calendar, a long run with Theodora. As you may recall, we spent many miles training together last year as we each conquered our first marathon. You learn a lot about someone when you spend 18 miles running through Central Park or 15 miles exploring New York City and Brooklyn.

I was up by 6:15 to prep my CamelBak and enjoy some pre-run fuel.

IMG_3016 (640x478) I was excited to enjoy our first long run of marathon season and the hour of catching up.

IMG_3018 (640x480) Theodora met me at my place where we quickly stretched a few minutes and talked about our route. We are both tired of the West Side Highway so we chose to conquer the East River Path instead. Our initial plan was to run up the East River to the Upper East Side before heading back down towards Union Square.

Unfortunately we were met with some East Side barricades including running up the FDR on ramp by accident before having to hop over a concrete barricade. After that we were only able to progress a half mile before hitting another dead end. Come on NYC, why can’t you make the East River Path as nice as the West Side Highway? Frustrated, we headed over to First Avenue to continue our run up towards the UES.

I actually remember spending a very long 3 miles on First Avenue last November, with Melissa by my side, hating every minute. During the marathon you hit First Avenue around mile 17, right after the Queensborough Bridge, and then stay on it all the way until crossing the bridge into the Bronx.  It’s not the intimidating type of hill like a bridge or Central Park’s Harlem Hills, instead it’s a quiet gradual and consistent incline for two straight miles.

imageOnce we hit the 3.5 mile mark, we turned around and headed back down First Avenue until reaching 14th street where we cut over towards JackRabbit. IMG_3019 (640x480)

By the time we arrived we were disgusting, to say the least. We had dirt on our legs from our East River escapade and sweat everywhere else. Theodora was worried she’d get sweat in her eyes if she actually opened them.

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Only the two of us would decide to conquer a long run and then go directly to a Well+Good NYC free yoga for runners and athletes class. The second Saturday of each month, they host a free class at the Union Square and Upper East Side Jack Rabbit locations. These free classes are amazing because they specifically address the concerns of runners, cyclists, and other athletes.

IMG_3020 (640x478) By the time the class started there were six of us in attendance, enjoying an hour long class with an instructor from a local yoga studio. The small class meant that she adjusted us frequently which was a bit uncomfortable yesterday due to my sweat and stench. But, her adjustments did make me move into deeper stretches which felt amazing.

After class I ran .9 miles home to make my long run a total of 8 miles. My overall pace for the entire run came to 10:09 based on my faster last mile run home after yoga. Our pace for the 7 miles together was 10:17. While this is slower than normal it is still well within my marathon training pace and not bad considering the heat,  humidity, and gradual incline.

I used RunKeeper to track yesterday’s run with my iPhone and am overall very pleased with the output it provides.

image My goal is to try doing First Avenue again in a few weeks and see if I can improve the pace.

Question: Are you training for the NYCM or another race? How is your training going?

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