A Yoga Challenge ~ @AuthorKristina Knight

For the last couple of years I've been running. Interval running, with more walking than actual running, but running. I like running, more than I imagined I would. I like the sweat that I get going. I hate those first few minutes of discomfort when I'm still getting my breathing right, but I like the endorphin rush once I'm in the groove.

A couple of weeks ago, though, I tweaked my knee - I ran too long and for too many intervals - because I wanted to challenge myself. Yeah, the best laid plans. I'm three weeks later and I still feel pain. It's not a constant pain and it's not debilitating and its really not enough to warrant going to the doctor. What it is is enough to keep me from running. So I've gone back to just walking, which is good.

But, I also know I need a change. Maybe even a challenge. Because I'm getting close to A Certain Age. I'm not afraid of turning that age, but I also know because of my weight that without a big change I'm probably not going to be able to run much longer. I may never be able to run a full 5k or 10k, and that's okay with me, but I don't want to give up my intervals.

Which brings me to the change and the challenge. I've decided to do a 12 week yoga challenge I'll still walk 4-5 times each week, but 3 days per week I'll add in yoga to build strength and muscle. I bought a DVD set last week and started it up on Monday of this week. I know, nothing like telling you how well things are going with one full day in the challenge bank.

Anywho, back to the topic.

The DVD has 12 "lessons" - you start with Lessons 1-3 and repeat them for 4 weeks, on the 4th week, you do Lessons 1-3 each day you do yoga. Then move on to Lessons 4-6 and repeat for 4 weeks, in the final week doing lessons 1-6 each day. Then Lessons 7-9 and repeat for 4 weeks, doing lessons 1-9 each day in the final week.

Each set of lessons builds on the strengths you've gained over the previous 3 weeks. Most people do this particular challenge with a weight or inches loss goal. I'm going in with this goal: I want my body to be stronger, overall, by the end of the 12 weeks. I want my knee to be healed. I want to be ready for an interval run at the end of the challenge.

How's it going so far? Well, day 1 is in the books and it was harder than I thought it would be. Like, by a lot. I trailed behind the instructor, I wasn't sure of foot placement and I forgot to breathe several times. Who knew yoga breathing would be weirder than interval run breathing? But. I did it. And I liked it. I'm excited for Day 2 on Wednesday. I'll report in on the full challenge toward the end of October.

How does this fit in with writing? More than you might think and I chose these 2 images and quotes because of that. Writing, like yoga, starts where you are. As a baby writer, you're not expected to know how to build a strong GMC or how to braid Trope A with Plot Point B. You're learning. You're getting stronger. You're scooping out those abs. Every day that you write, you become a stronger writer. As you become a stronger writer you start digging for deeper conflicts and those conflicts don't come just from your imagination. They come from your experiences - you don't have to write your specific life events onto a fictional page, but how you reacted to Event A might be similar to how your main character reacts to a catalyst on the page.

And with every sentence, every page, every book, the writing will get stronger. Just as with every tree pose, downward facing dog, and cobra stretch, my body is getting stronger.

What are you doing to strengthen yourself today?       ~ Kristina Knight