Deborah Dunham
That was my mentality when I first started yoga a little over a year ago.
I was highly competitive in all things athletic, but for some reason, yoga was my arch nemesis. You see, as much of a runner and triathlete that I was, a yogi I was not. I could run 26.2 miles and qualify for the prestigious Boston Marathon, complete half-ironman races and place second in my age group, and yet, I couldn’t touch my toes. Nor could I come close to a wheel, lotus or boat pose. And a standing split? Please.
Excelling at a sport had always been a fixation. But in reality, the pursuit of perfection was the enemy. I was constantly challenging myself to newer and bigger goals, faster times, longer distances, just to see if I could do it and out-do others. Which is why yoga caught me so off-guard.
Not sure which inflexible appendage went where on most of the poses, I struggled at first because I was determined to conquer yoga. I wanted to look like Gumby Girl. I wanted to not feel ridiculous when doing a half-pigeon that looked more like a stuffed bird rolled over on its side. I wanted to be a yogi!
The only problem was, I sucked. Continue reading
