when i was in college i first started running at 18yrs old (to compliment my weights and nutrition lifestyle change), i could/would only do a mile because i was in bad cardio shape(only played basketball in high school). the next 5 years i bumped it up to around 3.1 miles about 3-4 times a week. 3 miles was a much as I cared to run, before i usually got too tired. maybe once i made it close to 4 miles but 3 was my ceiling. i got down to 19:20 for 3.1 miles was my best time. usually around 26 minutes. i am 5'10 but was about 195 lbs then. stocky build
but then - after about 8 years of running (26 yrs old now), while drunk one night, this chick suckered me into doing a bikram yoga telling me how hard it was. i said "whatever, a bunch of streching....easy - i run 3 miles all the time" and continued to drink. i made the 10am class and it almost killed me bc i wouldn't give up in front of her. hardest workout of my life and it's just stretching.....but in a 110 degree room. i didn't sit down once but kind of didn't stretch all the way at the end. 90 minutes of hell.
being a hard head - i wanted to get better because i saw the benefit of being more limber. so i went about once every week (sober) for about 3 weeks after. After the 3-4th class I decided to go for a run. crazy shit - i did my 3 miles like it was a walk around the block! don't remember the time (not really fast but good pace - prob 22 minutes) and i thought to myself that i'll just go further since i'm not tired. boom - did 6 miles! twice my norm and it was all because of the yoga. not bc of the stretching per se, but bc of the heat and pushing yourself to your real limit of when you might overheat/pass out from super high heart rate.
most of you will have to sit down at first if you try the class. i dare you. they have them everytwhere now. make sure it's 'bikram' yoga or it will probably suck
that being said - fast forward a few years (33 now) and i haven't been working out in a long time (a year/2) bc of gf and work, etc. i'm up to 215 and all my pants are tight. fuck. but no more cigs after this pack and i'm toning down the drinking after this weekend (post breakup binger) if i can get laid hopefully. but this thread has inspired me. maybe in a few days i'll post my run and/or bike result if i'm not too ashamed.
thanks
