My husband, Wes, and I are back from our annual visit to lead a yoga and running retreat to ZAP Fitness, the wonderful training center in the Blue Ridge Mountains. (Wes’s title is “cruise director”: he keeps the conversation flowing, he provides the drinks, and he models how to listen to your body and make things easier whenever you need to.) Just like last year, it was great. A cozy space, with a lovely rainstorm all Friday night that let up in time for a Saturday run up to the Moses Cone mansion off the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Our practice included yoga nidra, play with inversions, and plenty of hip openers, including reclining twists and yin yoga. Here’s a picture Wes got of me leading the Saturday afternoon practice. Fittingly, it’s focused not on me but on the super cool AlterG treadmill ZAP has for the season. We got to see this machine in action and observe the way it modifies a runner’s stride to reduce impact. We shot some video of Frank Tinley on it, and it’s fascinating to see him almost floating (especially when, for our amusement, he took it to 40 percent of his weight).
I’m already looking forward to visiting again next year, and perhaps you’d like to join us! I’ll post the dates once they are set.
Meanwhile, if you or anyone you know is going to be in New York City on Saturday, October 31, please consider my pre-marathon yoga workshop. It will be very mellow, and it’s appropriate for anyone, athletic or not, running the marathon or not. There’s still space!