training with limited resources…

I finally got control of my eating

check your ego at the door

After a shoulder injury at the end of July kept me off the bike for a month, my friend and co-worker, Jenn Ludington, suggested I attend a “hot yoga” class with her.  “It’s fun, Cristy,” she said.  “It feels good to really sweat and focus inwardly.  It’s an hour for yourself.”  I replied, “Jenn, it’s 106 degrees in that room and I’ve never done ANY yoga before!  Are you sure?”

 

Now, I’m a huge fan of yoga and encourage anyone and everyone to attend.  I see the benefits with my clients and I’ve seen lives change through yoga.  But picture this, if you will:  I was a top-ranked professional boxer with almost a decade of fighting under my belt.  I love boxing and I love to fight.  I’m an aggressive cyclist, having ridden some of the toughest mountains in this country and I’ve clawed my way to becoming a top amateur female cyclist in the Treasure Valley.  And now you want me to step into a yoga class and perform a plethora of graceful moves in front of 2-dozen people? 

 

Yes.

 

Time to check my ego at the door.

 

Attending hot yoga classes has taught me a lot about myself.  Not only are the moves difficult and challenging but also the heat is overwhelming and it’s easy to lose your wits.  But for me, it has been more than that.  At the ripe old age of 37, I don’t think I have an ego “problem.”  But I certainly have an ego.  It’s very telling to put a world-class athlete in a setting where that athlete does NOT excel and see how they handle it.  I have fallen, tripped, slipped, missed a step; I mess up constantly; I don’t bend, twist, torque or split like I should.  I watch Jenn glide gracefully from one pose to the next without skipping a beat—her toes pointed, fingers long and her expression soft.  I’m a fumbling fool in her wake.

 

But there is no judgment from Jenn or the other students; there are only encouraging smiles, affirming nods and kind gestures.  Still I fight the urge to show everyone my championship belt so they can all see that HEY! I’m not a total athletic idiot!  I find myself wanting to explain to the class that I’ve only been doing this for 2 weeks.  But I don’t because it doesn’t matter.  I quietly check my ego at the door and take my place at the bottom of the totem pole where I will pay my dues like everyone else.

 

Having just read my story of humiliation and challenge, I now urge you to step out and try a different sport or a discipline—or anything new—you’ve never tried.  Don’t wait for an injury or unfortunate event to force you out of your comfort zone.  Having a humbling experience is not a bad thing.  I’ve learned that just because I’m not as graceful as Jenn doesn’t mean I’m going to quit.  In fact, this has fueled my drive to continue to grow and improve and one-day match her move for move.

 

Code Red rarely tells you to eat dessert!  But I highly recommend a slice of humble pie.  You might discover something about yourself that you never knew was there.