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Beach Runners Program Kicks It Up A Notch
Yoga With the Beach Runners
The Beach Runners kick it up a notch. I loved being open to being inspired. Last Saturday was one of those days.
My Saturday’s started out early, yet most of my days do. I try to be in the parking lot by 6:35 AM preparing for the Beach Runners group run. Today was a usual day; Larry was there first and then slowly our participants showed up.
Everyone arrives around 7 AM and we usually do not get started until after an informational talk, business and ChiRunning® Body Looseners. Today, I ran with the marathoners, while Gary ran with the half marathoners. Gary was in an interesting mood. It seemed his game face was on, preparing for Sunday’s 5k race.
I was able to run with many people I have not run with yet. This is the reason to join the Beach Runners. We run with you and help you learn ChiRunning®. You cannot put a dollar value on this part of the program. The bottom line is that ChiRunning is not easy. So many people that have bought the book and DVD still need a certified teacher to get the technique. It also usually takes more than one session. I practice ChiRunning® almost everyday and I practice even when I am not running.
During my Saturday run I was able to run with at least 50 different people over the 2 hours. We worked on cadence, arm swing, foot fall, loose ankles, chin position and much more. I started to see immediate improvements. Then I walked over to lead the marathoners in yoga, my first time teaching to this group. When I turned around I saw the hoard, 80 – 100 people. After a 2-hour run they were psyched to do another 40 minutes of yoga. I taught a moderate flow class. We followed our breath and did strength moves along with some traditional poses for stretching.
I was inspired by the size of the group that just as easily gotten in their cars and driven home or out to breakfast. We are truly the warrior marathon training group out there. The other groups offer good training and good runs, yet when the run is over the workout is over, sometimes it feels like we are just getting started. Our yoga can be very demanding but by the end the payoff is big, you feel great. Gary and my goal is to build the world’s best marathon training program. Train with us and you will feel the difference not just on Saturday but all week long.
Later Saturday night I had a movie night and watched “A Peaceful Warrior and Conversations With God.” I was inspired once again. I had already seen “A Peaceful Warrior” and in some ways it reminds me of my training under Coach Ilg. “Conversations With God” lit me up again too.
So without spoiling the ending, we are ramping up our training program. Look for more of the same and more potential self-discovery. Today reminded me why I like to train, because, when I focus in on the present moment and make my training a form of my meditation, I discover parts of my true self. One that is not based in fear but based in love, one that takes on challenges with a smile on my face and does not quiver when the times get tough. I get all of this out of my training.
If you are interested in joining the Beach Runners, do it quick. We will be offering two ChiRunning workshops in July. One more reason you get so much when you train with us. See you Saturday and feel free to Email Steve with questions.
Train Focused, Steve Mackel – Beach Runners’ Head Coach
Warrior Workouts and Trail Running
Halfway Straight Up Taxman in PV, That’s Matt Pushing Forward
Want a warrior workout, trail run with Gary or I. The number 1 reason to learn ChiRunning® from us is because we put it to use everyday. Gary’s Tuesday Night Trail Run and Power Yoga tops the charts. When you look at the picture above, know that this is what a warrior workout is all about, learning to make it to the top of a super steep, long uphill with loose rocks.
You can work hard or ChiRun and work smart, its your choice. And don’t let this scare you. We have other trails that aren’t so difficult starting out of the same location. Everybody has to start somewhere. We thought about this and have a safe and fun way to get you going or really challenge you.
“Tough Races in Beautiful Places” that’s our motto.
Train Focused, Steve Mackel – Certified ChiRunning/ChiWalking® Instructor and Trail Running Instructor
Yoga May Help Treat Depression, Anxiety Disorders
Yoga’s postures, controlled breathing and meditation may work together to help ease brains plagued by anxiety or depression, a new study shows
Yoga May Help Treat Depression, Anxiety Disorders – Yahoo! News
Gary’s Tuesday Night Power Yoga/Trail Run – One of LA’s Toughest Workouts
Gary’s Power Yoga Crew, minus yours truly the photographer, and there is plenty of room for you
It’s been a long time coming. Tuesday always used to be the night I looked forward too, as a bunch of friends and I drove to Tarzana to take Coach Ilg’s High Performance Yoga® class. At that time, it was the toughest workout in LA. Many of my friends that I was able to talk into attending were beginner yoga practitioners and learned to embrace the challenge. We’d find our way through the simplest of poses working as hard as possible gaining the internal strength to match the physical strength required, as only few yoga teachers teach. I remember many classes hanging out in child’s poses, still sweating.
Gary and I weren’t even aquatinted yet. In fact, it would be a year later that Gary and I would becomes friends in the ChiRunning® instructors training class. We hit it off immediately. I quickly asked him to help me coach the Beach Runners.
From the beginning of Beach Runners, yoga has been an integral part. The first season Michele, one of LA’s best yoga teachers, drove down with me to train for her first half marathon. At the end of each Saturday run instead of just doing stretching, she started teaching a full-blown flow yoga class. The people responded and Gary and I knew that with our yoga and ChiRunning® practices, we could develop this group in ways far beyond any other marathon training program out there. Hence MaraYoga was born. More about that story later.
In those years, Gary has gone through extensive yoga teacher training and started teaching his first studio yoga class. Over those years I took him to Coach Ilg’s class whenever he was in town. Influenced by Coach Ilg’s classes combined with the graceful practice of his teacher Rosie, he started teaching one strong yoga class. This class flows like a Coach Ilg class. It is about creating strength and flexibility, understanding that these too must be in balance the same way the yin and yang together in a circle are a picture of balance.
The funny thing is many yogis out there couldn’t run a half-mile, let alone try, because they might “tighten up.” Where’s the balance in that? Hatha yoga is balance, Ha – Sun, Tha – Moon. I can rant on that later too.
As Coach Ilg only comes to LA a few times a year, Gary and I started the Trail Running/Yoga duathlon. It started with Gary, Al and I. Al couldn’t make the yoga part that day. Gary, Al and I ran in Griffith Park that day for two hours then were “Well Trained” in Coach Ilg’s yoga class. Who knew where this was going to take us. We only knew we had done one of the hardest workouts in LA that day.
Fast forward to this year. Gary starts teaching his Tuesday Power Yoga class and I leave his first class thinking, “Its back!” An ass-kicking Tuesday yoga class. The really cool thing was that this time more people showed, mostly new yogis, wondering what the hell this class was. They were not used to Gary’s unique style of yoga. “I’ve never done that before, that’s not yoga,” I heard one person say. Well friends, yoga is simply stated is the union of breath and movement. Mindfully moving your finger is yoga, so are Hindu squats. Gary knows what he is doing, making us stronger and more flexible in body and mind.
As if that’s not enough, starting last week, he decided to add a PV trail run before class. I’ll let him explain the run yet having run the hills of PV; I know that it is up and down. Trails and hills are where ChiRunners excel.
Scared, you shouldn’t be! This is where we get our strength. That warrior spirit that Coach Ilg talks about and you’ll hear Gary and I refer too. If you are new to running and /or yoga, you’ll learn to go at your speed, this is not a competition for you. I promise after a few weeks you will be stronger. You may even catch the warrior chi and find a way to make this a regular part of your routine.
Join us and Catch the Warrior Chi!
Namaste and Train Focused, Steve Mackel – Aspiring Yogi
Of Faith, Non-Attachment and Racing
He who perceives Me everywhere and beholds everything in Me, never loses sight of Me, nor do I lose sight in him BG VI:30
Sound like Mother Teresa who said, “I see God in every human being. When I wash the leper’s wounds, I feel I am nursing the Lord himself. Is it not a beautiful experience?”
Today and the last week I have been focusing on the principle of non-attachment. It has just jumped out and grabbed me by the ankles or throat depending on how I look at it.
Days away from another birthday or one more year’s experience, I would think I could do better. At least, I am working on it but let me tell you, this non-attachment stuff is a bitch.
I know what you are thinking, what are you so attached too Steve? A bunch of stuff without getting too personal is my answer. Chocolate ice-cream could start the list and that’s not even the tip of the iceberg.
I find myself thinking I need an answer. Answers are nice and in my logic I tell myself that they can help me become a better person, yet do I really need to know? Can I go with my feelings and/or move on, My heart knows what to do? Why not just do it?
So, I write about non-attachment because out of the blue a coach I deeply respect, Rich Strauss, posted an article on his blog about “detachment” from race results. Rich seems to me to be more of the science coach than a coach who whips out yogic principles. He knows how to use scientific data yet when race day comes around even Rich talks about, “Detaching yourself from the end result.” From this point on in his blog article, he talks about using detachment to help set up successful splits, and how to be smart in doing it. I guess I didn’t expect to read it from the science guy but he knows.
Your best races (days in life) are the time you are completely to detached from the results and focus on the journey or moment.
My coach, Steve Ilg and his Wholistic Fitness® training has me emptying before a race and out on the course. I am constantly letting go of any momentary thought, feeling and/or emotion that can hold me back. And if I am able to this, I always race strong. This is the art of non-attached racing.
If I can do it in a race, I know I can do it in life. Quite often you’ll here me say that endurance training is a fantastic metaphor for life. I guess I am just reminding myself of this tonight, when I find myself struggling, and thought I’d share it with you.
As for the top quote, I took this picture to be reminded that my most inspirational heroes see God in everything. It is not a particular religion, its people with unwavering faith of all religions. I appreciated being reminded of that too.
Any or all of this can start with training focused. Find ways to remind yourself daily.
Steve Mackel, CHt
Awesome Power Yoga Class
Well, I mentioned that Gary’s Tuesday Night Power Yoga Class was on my weekly training schedule. Gary mentioned in his last article what a big difference yoga made in his Catalina Marathon effort.
My Yoga is Everywhere
Last Tuesday’s Power Yoga Class was awesome and tough. The class consisted of a lot of upper body strength training, lower body flexibility and sweat. I was shaking during the abs section of class. All, important work for runners. If you want to get fast and strong, you gotta do the work.
SoCalRunning.com members Lani, Jim aka Uncle Sam, Jason, Mike, Mary and Steve got their yoga on.
Come join us next Tuesday Click Here for More Info
Train Focused, Steve Mackel – Certified Hypnotherapist
Power Yoga with Gary Smith
Power Yoga with Gary Smith
Yoga on the beach in Cambodia
Tuesday Nights: 7:45 (1 hour class bring a towel) $14
Starting Tuesday March 6th at Yoga Bindu in San Pedro
Studio Yoga Bindu
718 S. Weymouth Ave San Pedro, CA
310-521-9555 www.yoga-bindu.com
Power Yoga is about developing internal strength through a rigorous dynamic yoga practice. Power yoga combines Vinyasa flow sequences with strength building yoga poses perfect for athletes or those wanting a “work-out” in their yoga practice.
Instructor Gary Smith was certified by Rosie Good in 2006 after his own personal yoga practice for many years. Gary is a competitive trail runner, marathoner, and ultra marathoner. He also teaches people to run effortlessly and injury free through the revolutionary ChiRunning system. He has coached over 500 runners, conducted large yoga classes, and yoga retreats. He recently taught classes in Cambodia and Thailand.
“While I love all types of yoga, my teaching follows my personal power yoga practice. You’ll learn to develop whole body fitness through a rigorous Vinyasa flow sequence followed by asanas designed to open up and strengthen areas of the body that get restricted and tight from traditional Western sports such as the lower back, hips, shoulders, and hamstrings. Athletes that follow my sequences testify to better recovery and performance.”
Yogi Hermit from Angkor Wat
My First Overseas Yoga Class
Happy New Year from Cambodia
Dear SoCalRunners,
Got up at 4:30 this morning, ran 6 miles to an ancient Hindu Temple, Angkor Wat. Which is the largest Temple in the world. Did my sun salutions and HP yoga routine with Vishnu, Shiva, and Apsara looking on while the sun rose. Saw a massive mural covering the battle of Kurukshetra with Arjuna and Krishna. Visited many Hindu and Buddhist temples that are elaborately decorated and located in the middle of a Jungle.
Its like I’m in Spiritual Disneyland.
Then I must of been the only tourist out of thousands that walked home. Nobody could understand. But you aspiring yogis and ChiRunners know exactly what I was doing. It takes work to be strong and fit.
Do the work yogis and runners. That’s the best New Years Resolution you can make to yourself. That you will take the hard road while everyone else succumbs to a life of lazy pleasure. Walk, run, bike, make your own silly yoga routines, whatever it takes to push yourself to doing more than you think you can do. A yoga of possibilities and infinite potentials begins with just walking around your neighborhood.
Thanks for a fantastic year everyone. This year was one of the best of my life and that was largely due to being part of such a magical group of runners.
It has been a true honor to teach you this past year and I look forward giving more running and yoga lessons.
Happy New Year and Namaste,
Gary
Yoga Practice (Part 2) – Quieting the Mind
The mind thinks 72,000 thoughts a day.
Okay, you think that’s a high number. Then set your watch to beep in five minutes and just sit quietly counting your breaths and see how many thoughts pop up in your brain.
Now do you believe?
Sutra 1.2
Yoga Citta Vritti Nirodhah
“The restraint of the modifications of the mind is yoga”.
This is from Patanjali’s sutra’s written 2,500 years ago. Before that were the Vedas…poems stories, epics, songs, of ancient India. Patanjali was an ancient scholar who read through the Vedas and extracted its most important teachings which he summarized in the Sutras. Kind of a Yoga for Dummies of the ancient texts.
A sutra is a strict concise saying of truth. Sutras are the heart of yoga. The teacher is the prana (life force) that brings them to life. Like a good Shakespeare teacher, a good yoga instructor can make the sutras seem like laser beams of wisdom. I heard somewhere that doing yoga without studying the sutras is like having spaghetti without the sauce, and well while some people might like the plain noodles, most prefer to be cleaning the plate with a soft baked breadstick.
So what is the goal of yoga? What is the point of some of these crazy poses we put you through?
The goal of yoga is is clear your windshield of dirty thinking. Imagine your mind is a windshield. Ideally you want a clean windshield (VIDYA) which enables you to percieve life clearly, calmly, and peacefully. When your mind is clear, you can see the truth and then take the appropriate action. However, according to the sutras, our minds are dirty like they’ve been in the Baja 100 race. Instead of correct understanding (VIDYA), we have incorrect understanding about life (AVIDYA), So with this dirty windshield, we go through life discontent, anxious, angry, fearful, unhappy, and other assorted ailments because we don’t see life correctly but with a twisted warped perception.
For example of this, say you have finished a hard day at work and return home. You planned to run (Intention) 40 minutes as part of your training schedule. Then a little thought comes into your brain “but its cold outside”. The thought then gets worse, “and I don’t have any warm running gear”, and “besides, its getting dark”. Then the thought comes across your mind, “I won’t run tonight”, “I can run tomorrow”. But your intention all along was to run. In this way your actions now contribute to an even greater level of misunderstandings until it gets to a point of habituation called SAMSKARA.
This SAMSKARA now becomes your life. You sit driving to work. You sit at work. Your thinking prevents you from working out at night, and then you sit in front of the TV eating junk to hide the guilt you have from a broken obligation to yourself to go for that run.
So yoga can help us break this cycle. Yoga allows us to take action mindfully, gracefully, elegantly, with strength, focus, and breath all of which we work on in practice. So by cultivating a focused mind in practice, and by doing all the other wonderful things such as elongating the spine, opening the lungs, stimulating the inner organs, stretching the muscles, we open ourselves to new possibilities in our bodies. We learn the truth about our bodies, our strengths, weaknesses, flexibilities, tightnesses. We learn some truth about how our bodies move and breath.
And all this knowledge will illuminate all aspects of your life. You won’t even have to strain or overexert yourself. Your life like your practice will find more peace, grace, and energy.
And you can come home, put on running shoes, leave your house and have the most amazing spiritual run noticing the thousand colors of a late fall in our beloved Southern California…without your mind getting in the way.
Ultimately, this creates more focus, and the ability to see situations for what they really are. Thus we don’t see through a dirty windshield anymore, but rather the light of life comes shining through so clearly that we know what to do for our health, happiness, prosperity, spirits, and relationships.
This is the promise of yoga.
How can you apply this to your practice and your life?
Easy…
1. Quit thinking so damn much.
2. Roll out your mat everyday and do your yoga. Don’t think about whether you’re doing it right or wrong. Just do it.
3. Tune into your breath in your practice instead of your scattered mind.
So today after you’ve practiced your yoga, and had 71,599 thoughts instead of 72,000 then you’ve been doing your yoga.
Sita Ram
Gary Yoga teacher and fellow overthinker
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