running and yoga are complementary...right?

I'm on the struggle bus.

Running and yoga are supposed to be perfect complements. Yoga keeps you strong and supple while running keeps your heart happy (physiologically, anyway). Running, Yoga...I love you both equally...so, why can't you two get along???

Since the beginning of time, I have had a very tough time finding a good balance of my two loves (especially since I still have to work for a living and want to spend time with my fiancé). For some reason, when I'm knee deep in marathon - or half marathon training -  yoga falls by the wayside. The same is true right now, when my mind, body and soul are walking down the path of yoga teacher training, I've only been running about 3 miles every two weeks.

Is there ever going to be a balance? I guess I don't know.

When I recapped my 2011 races, I talked about all the races that I want to do in 2012...one of those was the Cleveland Half Marathon in May. If I don't get my act together right now, I won't be able to run a half marathon in May.

Last year at this time, I was running running running. This year, life's all about yoga (well, there's wedding stuff, and lacrosse...but as far as personal fitness and mental well-being go - yoga). Again, I'm just not able to find a balance.

So, my question to you...is it possible?

Right now, all I want to do is find a warm yoga studio or the comfort of my own home to downward dog my life away. Going outside is the last thing I want to be doing. Since the Cleveland Marathon last year, I've wanted to stay in half marathon shape year round, but I just haven't been able to find the motivation to get there.

Right now I don't feel like I'm a runner OR a yogi. Can I run the half marathon in May AND get certified to be a yoga teacher? I don't know.

How do I find my balance?

Control the Controllables

(image source)

This may seem obvious, but it didn't occur to me until today how much not exercising affects my mood. This does not bode well for the impending winter.

This week has been tough, with traveling over holiday weekend, an art show last night, a Hanukkah party tonight and flying down to Miami for work tomorrow...I haven't had time to go for a run since Saturday! What else has happened since then? I have been continually frustrated at work and I've gotten into two silly fights with Brandon that managed to sour my mood for the rest of the day.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME? I'll tell you what, I'm not controlling the controllables. I can't control what Brandon thinks or feels, I can't control what my colleagues say in their emails. What I can control is how I react to all those things. Instead, I'm letting it consume me.

Not okay.

The worst part is, I'm perfectly capable of getting out for a quick run on my lunch break, but not running for the last four days has managed to make me even lazier. I don't want to go for a run on my lunch break! Not to mention it's been getting colder all week and now it's SNOWING!

You know what? I can't control that either. I'm just going to have to roll with the punches.

In the picture at the top of this post: B = f(P,E) ... behavior is a function of the person & his/her environment. I can't control the environment, I can't control what is going on around me. So there is no reason to get upset or overwhelmed by it, because that just becomes wasted/misused energy (or just plain "waste" if we're talking about Lean manufacturing). The person (aka, me). Now that is something I can control. I can control my thoughts, feelings, actions, reactions.

The best advice I've ever gotten was from a sports psychologist giving a talk to my college lacrosse team my freshman year of college: control the controllables. Everything else is not worth stressing over.

Becca, it's time to live by that.