Triple Double

Day 24, Class 25

9:00 with Ivy Claire

I went out with some of my girls last night and got home at 2 or so. I had to be awake by 5:30 to deliver a Boy Scout uniform to my nephew. I stayed up from that point meditating, surfing and piddling. I made a green smoothie and started my third consecutive day of doubles. OK, team, we can do it!

Oscar Robertson

Record holder for the most Triple-Doubles

The first class went very well. It was almost too easy. Not that Bikram is ever easy, per se, but I was quite pleased with my practice. I had the usual challenges, but nothing worth mentioning, or that I haven't mentioned before. It was all good! Ivy Claire did ask me to put my forehead all the way to the towel to receive the full benefits of Half-Tortoise. I did and it felt great. The problem is that I fear that's what contributes to my forehead acne attacks. I hope not. After the final Savasana, I jumped up, full of energy, to shower, change, and enjoy a Zico before class two...

Day 24, Class 26

11:00 with Eric

Where does one begin with this fiasco? I am almost certain that we did 317 repetitions of Pranayama breathing in the first set... maybe 316. The other postures were going well, then on Balancing Stick, I got lost. I couldn't remember which leg we were lifting. Mind you, I was lifting the correct one, but had to come out and look around to be sure. That was the beginning of the end. I think that I sat out the first set of Triangle and made it through the rest of the standing series only by the Grace of God. On my least hydrated days, I take no more than 3 water breaks, and that third one is after the final breathing. Today, I actually ran out of water.

Eric re-filled my bottle and I guzzled a little more. The spine strengthening series was hit or miss for me. I have no recollection of what I did, didn't do, or how well. I did remember to take my hair down for Fixed Firm... and I would have even if Eric had not asked me about it. I don't know if he saw me struggling or what, but he placed the fan directly in my line. Usually, the heat does not bother me, but the breeze does. Today, the heat was unbearable and the breeze was welcomed. Final postures... again, no idea. I did some of them, I hung out in some of them, I stayed in Savasana for one of them. I don't know! Heck! It was hot and I was hungry. I realized toward the end of class that I had not really eaten a full meal in a few days. Boys suck!

After class, I was reflecting on what was so different about that class and how to never ever have that experience again. It was a double, true. It was my 6th class in 3 days, true. I had another early morning, ok. I was still distracted by life, sure. I had not eaten, fine. It's all making sense. Any of those factors would create a challenging class. Then, more students entered the locker room saying how hot is was, how that one student's worst class in 6 years, how another kept falling out, and so on. I said, "Oh! I thought it was just me! It's good to know that everyone had a bad class." I was half joking. I talked to Eric about the class afterwards and even he said that it looked like a hard class, but that it was no hotter than usual according to the gauges. I am so glad that I can laugh this stuff off. I am certain that even with today's events, tomorrow could be my best class ever. I look forward to seeing how all of this manifests.

I have to do a double on Tuesday to make 30 BYD classes before I go on retreat. I can do it! I don't even know what I win. It's a good thing I was doing this for myself, first. The rewards are already numerous!