Keeping Pace

“How do you do it?!”

I can almost guarantee that this question will follow my answer to this one: “What are your plans next year?”

I regurgitate my schedule–Tucson, San Fran, Abu Dhabi, Oregon, Nevada, Santa Barbara, and Chile, all before the end of February–and I too am amazed at all the things I have on my agenda. I expect my body to follow suit and I am very grateful that it continues to perform for me with minimal injuries.  As a yoga teacher, climber, acrobat, slackliner, and adventure racer, my body is something that I can’t take for granted. I need it to practice, to create and to train.

That said, I am not super-human. I get sick, I kink my neck, sprain occasional ankles, and have off days like everyone else. I am not good at being sick or hurt, and I can be  difficult when I am coping with injuries. When, two weeks before a marathon, I got shin splints so extreme that I couldn’t walk down stairs, I should have canceled my run to rest. Instead, I ran the marathon thinking “If I just run through it, maybe it will go away.” I finished, but I couldn’t walk for three days.

That was years ago, and though I’m as stubborn as ever, my ability to cope and care for myself has improved.

After a handful of multi-day expedition adventure races I am more able to put my bad days into perspective. In a 6 day race, for example,  my body and mind will go through many changes. For a while I will feel strong,like I could go forever. But inevitably my legs will start feeling like lead blocks, my shoulders will get tired, sometimes I feels like a raging hormone, and I’ll start asking myself why I am putting my body through so much.

“Am I masochistic?!?”

The saying “this too shall pass” brings me comfort during endurance-testing events and emotional swings. When I started applying this philosophy towards my injuries, my ability to cope improved. I’ve begun to recognize the constant eb and flow of highs and lows, and I’ve developed a list of things I need to maintain my health and sanity while constantly on the go.

• A regular self yoga practice
• Inversions (for turning my perspective upside down!)
• Raw liver smoothies (email me for the recipe!)
• KT tape – they’re not a sponsor, but their product is amazing
• My fiance, Jason Magness
• Beautiful friends and family
• YogaSlacking (for play, inspiration and humility-
• Mountains, Ocean, dirt, rivers, trees, rocks, water
• Semi-regular bodywork and acupuncture
• Amazing Sponsors that keep me clothed, fed and using good quality gear that fits my body