The last 365 days

My best friend died last year, today. I have lost friends to kayaking before; Jeff West, Stephen Forster, just to name a couple. But, I have never lost my best friend. 

Enjoying the Idaho sun. 

It took me a long time to get close to Shannon. For a year, she told her parents she would make me be her friend, she would ask Snowy to tell me to hang out with her. 

Little bug. 

I'm not very good at having female friends. I'm competitive, protective, and I like having all of the attention. I finally gave in. Shannon started coming over to our house, her infectious attitude always made people laugh and smile, we (and Caroline Moon) started going to yoga together a couple of times a week. I remember one class we made Jay Mahan come with us, we giggled the whole session. Always pushing each other over, making farting noises, doing arm balances after class. We were like two peas in a pod. 

On the Bechtals front porch, best swing ever!

 In the spring of 2013, I was asked to go on a Backcountry Babes trip on the Middle Fork of the Salmon with Canyons Rafting out of McCall Idaho. I of course said yes. I was then told I could bring a friend with me. It took me a little, but I decided to ask Shannon to come with. It was the best decision I have ever made, every day since then I smile when I think about how excited she was to go on the trip. I was happy to be able to give her the chance to go. 

The takeout to the Middle Fork of the Salmon.

Shannon taught me a lot in those 2 short weeks in Idaho; an infectious smile gets you anything, find happiness even in the smallest of things, and always look to the future without fear. 

When we got back from Idaho, it was back to the daily grind. I was training really hard for the Freestyle Worlds at the NOC being held in September, I was working, and so was Shannon. We got busy for the next few weeks. She really wanted me to come to the Great Falls Race with her. I was in the midst of having some massive breakthroughs in freestyle so I decided to stay back, I regret that decision every day.

The girl with no belly button lives. 

 I think about if things would have been different if I was at Great Falls, one year ago today. 

Where we belonged, on the river together. 

 She stopped by the house when we were eating dinner one night, my friend Josh Chambers was there. Shannon came bursting into the house, started laughing and smiling and saying that she was off to the Potomac for the weekend. She was so excited. I wish I would have known that was the last time I was going to see her.  

What I woke up to every morning for 2 amazing weeks. 

 On July 11 2013, I woke up at the NOC like another normal day. I paddled in the morning then mid day I was at Slow Joes with Claire O'hara doing a blog post. I got a pretty frantic message from Anna Levesque telling me to call Patricia Beaks and it was about Shannon. My life changed forever in the next few moments. I was told that Shannon was missing and presumed dead. Patricia was asking for Shannons' parents contacts. I only knew they lived in Andrews, NC, right up the road. 

Ah, jet setting. 

I had so many thoughts go through my head. I was alone in a place where I grew up and knew everyone. I just wanted to disappear from the world and pretend it didn't happen. I of course called Snowy, who had already heard the news and he told me to stay at the NOC because I should not be driving. I wanted to go home so bad. I wanted to be held by the man I love and grieve the loss of our friend together. I knew it was a bad idea to drive though. 

Besties for good. 

The next days were a whirlwind. I found Shannons' parents and met them for the first time on July 12. I felt like I already knew them and they already knew me also. I met her twin brother, whom has the same infectious smile, I could not stop staring. Her older brother was like a teddy bear to hold, when he hugged me I felt like everything would be ok. Her family is the most amazing family I have ever met.  

Smallest plane ever!! That poor pilot. 

We rock at fishing. 

Things started coming together, Snowy and I had to fly to DC to get the Dagger van with Shannons things in it, her family was going to fly up for the weekend, it was all a blur though. I told Snowy "If we can make it through this, we can make it through anything." Snowy had lost a friend and collegue. I lost one of the few people who broke through my hard outer shell and saw me for who I was. 

But, not golf. 

 In the month after Shannons death, I was a wreck. But, only on the inside. I kept as busy as I could, I was on a different plane every week, going places, doing things. I never sat still. I cried a lot, but no one saw it. I heard from people with condolences and their thoughts on Shannon.

Shannon was good at everything. :-)

 I lost a part of me that will never come back. As I write this, one year later, I have changed, and grown, a lot. I don't want to run class 5 anymore, I don't want to be scared all of the time. Doing the Grand Prix this year was something I wanted to do to tell myself that it's going to be ok, and I knew that Shannon really wanted me to do it. 

Driving on the golf course. 

Shannon is with me every day, when I am at work, at school, at home, on the river. Losing her made me rethink my priorities a lot. It also has made me love more powerfully. 

Living the dream. 

On that note, CHEERS to Shannon, her infectious smile, hilarious laugh, amazing personality. May we all try to be like Shannon and embody what she wanted this world to be like. Smile at every one today and brighten someones day the way Shannon did every day.

Looking to the future, without fear. 

Shannon was the best thing thats happened to me since I met Snowy. I miss her so much every day. 

Forever together. 

 I am typing this from the information center in Sort, Spain. I am here for the final Freestyle World Cup. I compete in an hour and a half. Today, I compete for Shannon. Today, I find happiness in the small things and I have no fear of the future. Today, I smile at everyone. 

Rest in Peace my best friend.
12/7/1989-7/11/2013

Yoga pt 3

Pt 3. of my yoga blog is going to consist more of the core workout and the arm balance aspect of my power yoga practice. This is the part of yoga that really strengthens my core and stabilizes my shoulders for strong paddling while on the water. It is also my favorite part of yoga because of how challenging it is!

Chair pose

Chair is the base of multiple separate poses, this pose is naturally going to strengthen your glutes and thighs while working on balance, placing your weight on your heels. Keep your back straight and try to tuck your pelvis so you are not sticking your bum out. Sit as low as is comfortable for your knees and your strength. 

Boat

You can go into boat from chair by slowly lowering your bum to the ground and then lifting your feet. A variation of this would be to keep your knees bent. This pose is brilliant for your abs, from this pose, lower down into canoe so your shoulder blades and your ankles are hovering off the floor, then lift back up again. This is great for your lower back and your abs to build core strength. You will also relieve stress and improve your digestion! 

Crow

For crow, start back in chair position and place your hands on the floor while putting your knees on your elbows or into your arm pits. Slowly, lean forward onto your hands (make sure you get a good base to ensure you don't hurt your wrists). This pose will start with you just lifting one foot off the ground and then you will get two and then you can become a little balancing ball on your hands! This pose is great for increasing your arms and abs. It also stimulates confidence and reignites energy while also learning balance. 

Dolphin

Dolphin is awkward the first time you try it, this pose really builds stabilization to your shoulders all around and I am positive it has made my shoulders stronger and much more stable. Starting in downward facing dog, place your forearms on the floor directly under your face, making a 90 degree angle with your arms and shoulders. Your legs stay in the shape as downward facing dog. You should feel a stretch in your hamstrings and also strength building to your shoulders and lower back. This posture naturally relieves stress. 

Forearm Stand

To start on forearm stand, make sure your base is strong to ensure no un-needed injuries happen. Use a wall to help you when you first start this pose. From dolphin, begin to kick one leg up and slowly you will catch your balance. This pose, like most inversions, calms the brain and helps relieve mild depression. This pose also strengthens your shoulders and your core, along with your sense of balance. 

Scorpion

This is one of my favorite poses. From forearm stand, touch your toes together and balance while bringing your feet behind you. This pose is great for stabilization and strengthening of your shoulders, also it naturally elevates your heart rate. You also are opening your hip flexors and stretching your abs. This pose is great to be practiced next to a wall. 

Camel

The opposite of Scorpion is Camel. Stabilize yourself on your knees and slowly lean back, supporting your back with your hands, if you can't see the wall behind you, go no further. This posture makes you feel very vulnerable by pushing out your chest and all of your vital organs. It also is going to stretch your psoas muscles and even improve your posture. This pose is going to naturally give you a head rush, you are doing the opposite with your body that you usually do. I always feel like it gives me extra energy also. 

Knee to elbow

Some core building moves for you are the knee to nose, knee to elbow series. From downward facing dog, lift one leg straight up. Using your core, pull your knee to your nose, curving out your back like a cat. Hold here for a second, feel where you are tight and feel your abs contracting. Lift your leg back up and then place your knee on your left elbow. Just tap at first, as your core gets stronger you will be able to bring in the balance aspect of this pose and "fly" with it.  

Knee to opposite elbow

After tapping your knee to your elbow, bring your leg back up into three legged dog. Then, once again, using your core twist and place your elbow on the opposite knee. When starting, just tap your knee to your elbow and as your core gets stronger you can "fly" with it again. 

Standing Splits

Moving on, a lot of people have been asking to how to do a handstand. Handstands are about core strength, balance, arm strength, and huge positive mindset. From Crecent, lift off and go to Warrior III, these poses are from my previous blogs. From Warrior III use your core to lean forward and place your hands on your mat in front of your leg. Once here, start hopping with that leg to lift both of your feet off the ground. These hops are going to teach your brain what it feels like to be upside down with your arms holding your weight. Take this slowly and use a wall if you need. 

Handstand

After building that core strength and balance you too can do a handstand. Use a wall if you need for support but don't make it like a crutch otherwise you won't be able to do a handstand in the middle of the floor. :-) 

This is my final "yoga" blog. I hope you guys found it fun to read and informative. I want to let people know that yoga is for everyone, no matter what size, shape, gender, or color. I hope this worked!! 

I am now in Glenwood Springs, Colorado getting ready to head to Vail for the GoPro Mountain Games and Homestake Creek Race. Wish me luck!!

See you on the river. 

Yoga Pt 2

In this second part of my yoga trio blog I'm going to go into some more challenging poses. They will work on stretching your side and front body, balance, and strengthening multiple muscles. Remember, yoga is about breathing, stretching, and going into the pose so that you get the most out of it. It is not about who can do what, I do yoga for myself and my health, I hope you all do too. Even the most simple of poses is great for you.

Disclaimer: I am not a yoga instructor, all of the poses and descriptions that I have are from learning during my practice and through the help of trained yoga instructors at Zanti Power Yoga. For you paddlers out there, check out Anna Leveque's (owner of Girls at Play) Yoga for Kayaking series which is online, you can find them here:
http://www.watergirlsatplay.com/webstore/

Extended side angle

From Warrior 2, "tic toc" your torso over your bent leg keeping your torso engaged and as long as you can. Bring you lower hand to a block, your knee, your foot, or to the ground. Extended side angle is known to help with sciatica, infertility, constipation (by stimulating the abdominal organs), and lower backaches. Your back leg is staying very strong and rooted to the ground, using your torso to support weight and strengthen your side body while getting a very strong stretch in your legs.

Concentrating for a full bind. 

The next two poses are advanced and do not attempt them until you are comfortable with extended side angle. Keeping your torso engaged, place your upper hand behind your back, by your bum. The lower hand clasps with your upper hand between your legs behind your back. Get it? Me neither. :-)

Bird of Paradise

When you get your shoulders strong and flexible enough to clasp behind your back, go even further and fly into a "Bird of Paradise"! Bring your back foot forward (with arms still clasped behind you) balance yourself and open your chest to the world while standing on your rooted leg. This pose, not only is a balance pose, but it stretches and strengthens your arms core and leg. I also find it a mentally challenging pose because you are like a flamingo with one leg, breathing (and smiling) always helps me through this pose. 

Crescent

For crescent pose, start in the low lunge position and use your core to lift you up so your arms are straight up. Keep your back leg as engaged as you can. This pose will stretch the quad of your back leg, strengthen your glutes and thighs. It is also a great way to help sciatica. 

Revolved side angle with prayer hands. 

From Crescent, place your hands in front of your heart in the prayer position. Keep your torso as long as you can and lower your torso over your bent leg. You should feel this stretch in your side body and your back leg the most. Make sure to remember to keep your back leg as engaged as you can by lifting up on your knee cap. Use your lower elbow to push your chest more open and deepen the stretch. Just like extended side angle this pose is great for constipation, sciatica, infertility, and even osteoporosis.

Side plank (with raised right leg)

From Revolved Side Angle, place your bottom hand on the ground next to your foot front foot, move your front foot from the bent position to stacked on top of your left foot, balancing on the side of your left foot and your left hand. To deepen this strengthening pose raise your top foot from your bottom foot. I love this pose so much because it is hard to stay in for an extended period of time. With your top foot raised from the ground, every muscle in your body is contracting and in turn, getting stronger. 

Stronger. 

Engage your top hand by extending all the way to the ceiling, engage your core by being sure your hips are not dipping towards the floor. At the same time, you are stretching your abs, legs, and arms while building strength in your lumbar and thoracic spine. Side plank is also great for making your balance better. Remember to breathe!!

Wild Thing

Using your core, drop your top foot to the floor behind you and open up your body to the sky bringing your eyes to the wall behind you. Wild thing relieves mild depression and fatigue. The whole front of your body is also being stretched within this pose, including opening up your pelvic girdle and lungs, chest and shoulders. Your bottom (supporting) arm is also getting strong and stabilizing your shoulder joint.  

Upward Plank

For one last chest opener, upward plank is great. From a seated position with your legs straight out in front of you, place your hands behind your butt, with your fingers facing your feet. From here, lift using your torso and core strength. This pose opens your chest as well as gives strength to the shoulders and wrists. Also, it is a great posture for relieving mild fatigue. 

Ahh.... Savasana (corpse pose)

After a hard class at Zanti, we all end in Savasana. This pose is about restoring your body and thanking your body for being as beautiful and amazing as it is. It is also about clearing your mind and taking a moment for just yourself, letting all of the tension of life go and 100% relaxation. Sometimes, if I am really tired after class, I will fall asleep in this pose, maybe that's why I like it so much!!

Extra information: I practice hot power yoga. These classes are generally 1 hour long and are hot, sweaty, and sometimes challenging. I have burnt 800-1000 calories every class. There are many types of yoga in the world, find a class that looks good for what you want/need and try it out. Most classes in the area give you introductory times of a week or two to see if you really like the studio or the type of classes. I know Zanti does their first class FREE, just come with water, a towel, and a positive attitude. 

See you on your mat!! Until next time. 

A

Yoga Pt 1

During the winter, I have been trying to stay warm and in shape by doing loads of yoga. I am going to do a series on some of the best poses that I have fallen in love with and also some health benefits of the poses. Contrary to popular belief, yoga is not just sitting a room with a bunch of hippies who chant "Om" for hours. There are multiple different types of yoga and one type may not work for you but another one will. 

Shannon and Caroline found Zanti Power Yoga on the west end of downtown Greenville. This place is brilliant. I have been to a lot of different studios and I have always felt like I was being judged or looked at like I was doing something wrong. The culture and the people who come to Zanti to practice and teach are amazing, always welcoming and there are always smiles on peoples faces. 

These blogs are only to educate my readers on some of the benefits of yoga and to encourage people to try something new, it may surprise you what your body can do. Disclaimer; I am not a yoga instructor, if you want to try yoga go to a studio to get proper education from a trained professional like Julie or Ramsey at Zanti Power Yoga.

Childs Pose

 I love childs pose. Knees spread apart, arms stretched forward, stretching your lower back, thighs, and ankles all at the same time. This pose is a great resting pose for recuperation as it slows your heart rate when you get into the posture. With your head touching the ground this causes your body to begin relieving stress naturally and it also calms your mind. When I am feeling really stressed out at home, I will get into the pose and just sit for a few minutes to gather my thoughts. 

Downward facing dog

From childs' pose you can push up to downward facing dog. Try to flatten your lower back and push your shoulders out, hollowing out your under arms. If you get into this pose and you are not feeling comfortable, change it, try to bend your knees, migrate your heels to the ground and most of all, remember to breathe. Aside from stretching almost the whole back part of your body this pose is great for improving digestion and decompressing the spinal column. Some other benefits include treating headaches, insomnia and back pain. Also, as an inversion, this pose brings fresh oxygen to the central nervous system. 

Plank pose.

Low plank.

Plank pose is brilliant for your abdominal muscles and your wrists. If this pose is challenging, drop your knees to the ground. Push the floor away from your with your hands and engage your body from the feet to your shoulders. Plank engages your mind and gives you full body awareness. From here, lower to low plank with elbows squeezed to your ribs, keeping your body in a straight line. This pose will strengthen your core muscles along with your wrists, arms, and shoulders.

Upward facing dog

Straight from a low plank, you can transition to upward facing dog. You will be balancing on the tops of your feet so the only things making contact with your mat will be your feet and hands. This posture is going to stimulate your abdominal region and strengthen your arms, wrists, and back. It is also really good for your BUTT!!! 

Knee to nose

Low lunge

Moving into some basic standing poses. Start in a downward facing dog and lift your right leg straight in the air, bend your leg, round your back like an angry cat and try to kiss your right knee. This pose is brilliant for working out those abdominal muscles. It will also work on strengthening your base (leg) and work on your balance. From there, bring your right foot to between your hands, into a low lunge. Staying in this pose is going to relieve constipation and indigestion while helping take the pain out of sciatica. At the same time, you will be working on balance, core strength, and mental focus. Physiologically, your hips are naturally opening and you are strengthening your knees.  

Warrior 2

Warrior 2 is such a strong feeling pose. Keep your back foot rooted to the ground and bend your knee until you feel a stretch in both legs. Your arms go out to make a "T" and reach to the walls with your hands. This posture is great for back pain and it increases your stamina. At the same time, this will stretch and strengthen your legs, ankles, and shoulders. While gazing over your front (left in photo) arm you will increase your concentration and focus, warrior focus!

Reverse Warrior

 From Warrior 2 use your core to place your hand on the back leg and get an intense side body stretch. Be sure to not put too much pressure on your back leg. This is an intensely calming pose and makes you feel vulnerable because of opening up your whole side body to the world. Your hips will open up and you will strengthen your hips and gluteus. 

I truly hope people are finding this helpful. I really want to encourage people to live a healthier lifestyle and show how easy it is, if you put your mind to it. I see yoga as an hour in my day that I don't have to worry about everything else going on and I can worry about only what my body is doing and what amazingly good things I am doing for my body.

All photos are shot by David Dodge in the Zanti Power Yoga studio on 1116 S. Main Street, Greenville SC
http://zantipoweryoga.com/

Till next time!!!!