Yoga, Not Running, and Lessons for a Minimalist

This is a great one for those of you looking for something to mock. I'm not sure what this has to do with becoming a minimalist, but I will try and figure that out as I go along.

Besides trying to minimize my life, I am trying to be fit and healthy. As such, I have developed a love for trail running. That's minimal fitness, right? You just need a trail. In fact, I run in New Balance Minimus trail shoes, and love the whole minimal/barefoot movement in running.

Which brings me to what happened this morning...

For a few weeks now I have been increasing my trail running pace to get ready for the Coastal Trail Runs race tomorrow at Stinson Beach. The race is called Steep Ravine and has 1,800 feet elevation gain the first three miles, followed by four miles of downhill back to the beach.

I was all set, feeling great after my last training run yesterday. So today, Kate and I went to a "gentle yoga class" she'd bought through Groupon. About five minutes into the class I feel some pain in my lower back so I did what any other guy would do...tough it out till the hour long class was over. Now, I can't stand up straight and may not be able to run tomorrow. Ah the vanity of dudeness. Three weeks of hard training probably down the tube because I don't want to quit a yoga class early. Ridiculous.

So, as a wannabe minimalist, I have to wonder, was this the universe telling me to let go of my need to achieve in races? Or was it just forgetting that as an older guy, just because you can go run a few miles, does not mean that other muscles and joints are not out of shape?

I guess this is the lesson: Just because you can do one thing fairly well, it doesn't mean that it will translate to another thing or activity.

If you want to run well, you have to run. If you want to do yoga well, you have to do yoga. If you want to learn to minimize the stuff in your life, well, you have to practice the skill of minimizing.

There, I managed to bring the blog back to minimizing, although all I am currently doing is sitting in a chair with a hot rice pack on my lower back and feeling like an idiot.