It would be just foolish to start an 18-hour road trip without an up-to-date iPod – yet both Mila and I put the musical responsibility on each other only to find ourselves in Susanville, Nevada (with 300 miles still to go) listening to the same songs over and over and over again. We fired off a quick (desperate cry for help) email to our resident lululemon mix master, Alexis, and she hooked us up with the ultimate #vannaontherun playlist. Here’s what we’re listening to:

official #vannaontherun playlist

st. lucia – closer than this
I swear Jean-Philip Grobler (the man behind St. Lucia) selected his band’s name to confuse people, leaving them to helplessly navigate Carribean-themed randomness in order to find his music. It’s worth the trouble, I promise.

twin shadow – five seconds*
Twin Shadow’s debut album in 2010 hinted at big things to come. That time is now….this is easily one of the best songs of 2012. It only gets better with every listen.

m83 – reunion
I have troubles describing this song without swearing. When “Reunion” starts, I get more stoked than a frat boy during frosh week. That’s right kids, STOKED.

little dragon – ritual union
Their front woman has the most interesting voice in pop since Nina Simone. The hook and beat on this song are infectious. Your part in all of this? Trying not to press ‘repeat’ 20 times in a row.

the naked and famous – punching in a dream
Everybody knows “Youngblood,” TNAF’s well, famous song from last summer. What none of us realized at the time was “Punching In A Dream,” the even-cooler track gracing the very same album. Get into it.

vacationer – trip
Speaking of dreaming, big road trips can be tiring. Pull on over, play this little ditty and relax. You’ll be having the sweetest dreams you could hope for in no time.

major lazer – get free (featuring amber of the dirty projectors)*
The sexiest and most dramatic pop track since “Heartbeats” by The Knife (no really). High praise, I realize, but completely justified. The only part that is kinda tough is thinking about Major Lazer performing the song without Amber…it just doesn’t seem right. Sync those tours, my friends!

passion pit – take a walk
Any group that starts by the lead singer making his girlfriend a tape of music as a Valentine’s Day gift definitely has their heart in the right place. Put it on and pump it up.

reptar – orifice origami
Do you love Vampire Weekend? Meet your new favourite band.

summer heart – i wanna go
If The Beach Boys came out in 2007 and lived in Ibiza, this is what it would sound like. This song was pretty much made for sunsets.

wintersleep – nothing is anything (without you)*
This is a perfect road-trip tune; catchy and poignant lyrics coupled with a melody made for campfire sing-along’s complete with guitar strumming and friendships. Plus, Wintersleep is from the Maritimes, which automatically makes them awesome (it just does).

the temper trap – trembling hands*
I’ll be honest, when I heard that The Temper Trap were going for anthemic, politically-tinged music, I got nervous. After all, this dude is the closest thing our generation is going to get to the Fine Young Cannibals! I wasn’t sure at first, but “Trembling Hands” has been steadily growing on me.

*this song is not available on iTunes (sad day) but was too awesome to leave off this list – hey, if there’s a will there’s a way and we’re sure you’ll find a way to get it.

Tahoe, you took our breath away! The combination of your bright blue waters and 5000ft elevation had us wheezing for air and scrambling for descriptive words. I’m pretty sure ‘oh em gee’ isn’t an adjective but it’s all we could manage around each bend of the lake. Truckee – we loved your small town single street vibe, your wonderful community and wicked French Margaritas – here’s what went down at the second stop of our #vannaontherun roadtrip.

if you happen to find yourself in tahoe (for 24 hours or less)…

eat
Cottonwood is the place to be on a Thursday (or any day) in Truckee! Pull up a seat on their patio, wrap yourself in a Mexican blanket and settle in for a night of fun times and French Margs. Make sure to order food, if you’d like to keep your feet on the floor. The butternut squash enchiladas come highly recommended and seem to do the trick.

sleep
Cozy up at the Cedar House Sport Hotel. In true euro style, each bed comes with two duvets, taming even the most aggressive cover stealers and ensuring a great night sleep. Its proximity to the Cotton Wood is also a bonus – trust us.

sweat
Studio Tahoe and owner Shaelah Morris stole our hearts. Her super sweaty, soul-filled, heated Vinyasa Flow class was as challenging as it was fun. Shout outs to the Studio Tahoe community for leading us on a hike to Eagle Lake – a moderate 45-minute climb in Emerald Bay. Crystal clear waters, cliffs and waterfalls? What a beaut.

coffee
Coffeebar. Simply awesome name, simply awesome coffee.

shop
Downtown Truckee has one main street lined with a ton of cute little local shops. Be warned, most of the stores close up around 5PM. You must check out Bespoke Stuff & Things (which has only been open for one week!). It’s  owned by the loveliest couple, their son and their wiener dog Lulu (some coincidence!). 

 ’Til next time Tahoe! Who’s ready to get bendy with us in Bend?

Has anyone else schnitzeled and Seawheezed this week? How’s your training going?

Dear San Francisco, you really weren’t kidding when you said you had hills. Seriously – you tempted us to take a toboggan to your streets (what can we say, we’re Canucks, we know a good downhill thrill when we see one). We loved your charm, your trollies and your sourdough. Here’s what we got up to during the first stop of our #vannaontherun road trip.

If you happen to find yourself in San Fran (for 24 hours or less)…

eat
A toss up between A16 and Plant depending on what your in the mood for. The Funghi and Bianca pizzas at A16 were the real deal and washed down nicely with a solid glass of vino from the wine bar. Plant’s vegetarian fare will appeal to veggies and carnivores alike. Fresh juices and delicious sandwiches – hit up the Embarcadero location to have your meal served with a view.

sleep
We settled into the Sir Francis Drake hotel just fine. Clean, friendly and accommodating with just the right amount of character. Special shout out to our Beefeater/doorman friend  who was more than happy to ‘stretch it out’ with us.

sweat
Get a two for one deal by checking out the Golden Gate Bridge via an early morning dash across it. It’s a great out and back 5k route and the only excuse we need to hit the sourdough bread basket hard.

Note: we didn’t have a chance to hit up a yoga class but we’ve heard YogaTree is rad.


coffee
We take our fuel really seriously – diesel for Vanna, Blue Bottle lattes for us.

sweat treat
We stumbled upon the cutest little cupcake shop in Cow Hollow and would go back in a heartbeat if only for the neon pink glowing washrooms and funky décor. Of course, the cupcakes didn’t disappoint either. P.S we’ve heard Tartine Bakery is simply the best so it’s definitely on our list for the next time we’re in town.

Peace out SanFran – it was a slice. Next up, Tahoe!

We’re gearing up for a road trip and we couldn’t be more excited. We’re driving Vanna (our beloved, manifestoed, complete-with-a-yoga-platform-on-the-roof van) home from San Fran to Seattle and hitting up some sweet places along the way – hey, it’s a tough job but somebody’s got to do it.

San Francisco, Tahoe, Bend, Portland and Seattle – we’re coming for you!

We’ll be getting sweaty in studios, tearing up run routes, hitting local hotspots (tweet us your recos)…and, yes, likely doing some touristy things along the way too (can you really blame a lifelong MK&A fan for wanting to see the Tanner household? No.)

Follow @lululemonlive for in the moment updates and check back on the blog as the #vannaontherun story unfolds!

Catch yah on the flip-side USA!

Side crow can be performed on it’s own or as a transition into eka pada koundinyasana. It’s also taught by teachers using either both arms or one arm as the balance point.

side crow option 1

1. Begin in a squat position with your knees and shins together.

2. Keep your knees pointing forward and rotate your torso to the right.

3. Set your palms firmly on the ground shoulder width, about a foot in front of you.

4. Anchor into your palms, lift your hips up, draw your core in and begin to transition the balance of your body: left elbow into your right knee and right elbow towards right waist and ribs.

5. Think “nose toward the ground, butt to the ceiling” in order to lift your feet off the ground.

6. Look forward slightly and lean forward balancing your torso on your arms like a little shelf.

7. Keep hugging your shins in as they can splay apart, and either stay here with bent knees or begin to press both heels toward the side wall.

8. Think Chaturanga arms, drawing shoulder blades onto your upper back and lift up into your core.

Repeat on the left side!

sidecrow option 2

For option 2, repeat the above, but when you set your palms, instead set your left elbow into your right knee and right palm at a slight diagonal and away from your waist.

1. The lift of your hips up is key when you transition to balance primarily on your left arm, versus collapsing forward.

2. Lift your torso up then forward and down, balancing between the line of both arms, your right arm will be free in space, allow both elbows to bend

3. To transition to eka pada koundinyasana, press both heels toward the side wall extending both legs.

4. Keep your bottom leg where it’s at and begin to push your top heel toward the ceiling, flexing both feet.

5. Think of kicking up to the ceiling with your top leg instead of just to the back of the room (nose to the ground, heel to the ceiling).

6. Stay active through your legs and feet. This is key in order to balance.

Enjoy this party trick for 5-10 breaths

Exit by either jumping back to Down Dog or rest in Child’s pose.

Watch Julia get into both side crow variations:

finding inspiration in all the right places (aka twitter)

I have a confession.  While I enjoy quotes, lyrics and inspirational messaging very much, I like to come across them by accident. Call me quixotic but I like inspirational material to make an immediate and surprisingly profound impact in the moment. This is why I love Twitter – in between the random musings of pals and the relentless take on the day’s events by various personalities, I follow a few yogis, athletes and musicians online. These special people often talk about their practices or training schedules – and sometimes they share musings or quotations (their own and other people’s) that strike a chord amongst the mad goings-on of the Twittersphere.

Here are the people that consistently inspire me to learn and reflect:

Elena Brower, @ElenaBrower

Without question, Elena is one of the coolest yogis on the scene (feel lucky, New Yorkers who get to practice with her!) She is so real online that it feels like I know her just through her tweets. She shares her experiences and thoughts in an accessible way that always seems to have relevance in the moment.

Alex Mazerolle, @girlvanayoga

Vancouver yogi Alex Mazerolle founded Girlvana Yoga to be a place for young girls and teens to discover yoga in a relatable and authentic way both online and in the studio. She is a must for daily inspiration and also for all the young folks in our lives who are just getting into their practice.

Marianne Williamson, @marwilliamson

Spiritual author and lecturer Marianne Williamson spits hot truth all over my Twitter feed on a daily basis. Her messages are simple, yet eerily effective; many times  I have dreamt out the window thinking and feeling a whole different way after glancing at one of her anecdotes.

Baron Baptiste, @BaptisteYoga

I completed an intensive Vinyasa retreat with Baron last year and still find myself thinking about what he said to us over the course of the weekend. He has the uncanny ability to sum up a profound ideology in a few words in a way that is immediately striking and powerful – and very, very yoga.

Danielle LaPorte, @DanielleLaPorte

This woman defies categorization. She’s a motivational speaker at events across Canada and works as a life coach – and many more things I’m sure I’m not doing justice to here. What I do know is that her Twitter feed is always filled with juicy nuggets that knock me on my butt and get me thinking in a whole new (and usually healthier and more awesome) way.

Who do you follow on Twitter for inspiration (and maybe perspiration)?

Whether you’re donning your first pair of trail kicks or training for your fifth marathon, adding a little yoga to your routine is a great way to amp up your run. Seattle University Village store ambassador, Erin Jasmine Taylor, shows us a five-minute, pre-run Jasyoga sequence that will help warm you up, align your stride and prevent injuries.

five pre-run poses to warm up your engine

For maximum benefit, complete the entire sequence in order and hold each pose for 5–10 deep breaths, engaging the muscles you need and relaxing the ones you don’t.

interlace and fold

opens chest and shoulders, stretches hamstrings

• start by standing hip-width apart. On your inhale, bring your arms overhead.
• exhale as you reach your arms out and back, interlacing your fingers behind you—use a strap or towel between your hands if it’s a struggle. Take a few breaths here to broaden the chest.
• fold forward, taking your arms up and overhead, keeping bend in your knees.
• shake out your head and relax your neck. Eventually release the interlace and drop your hands toward the ground for the last few breaths.

high runner’s lunge

(from forward fold)

trains the knees to stabilize, strengthens and lengthens stride

• take a long step back with your left leg and come into a lunge with your front knee at 90 degrees, tracking directly over the ankle.
• keep your back leg straight and your front knee stable over the ankle as you raise your arms overhead.
• find your balance, relax your neck and shoulders and breathe deeply—think less effort and more ease!

high runner’s lunge with side bend

(from high lunge)

lengthens side body, stretches top of the IT band and improves balance

• place your right hand on your right hip, bend your torso to the right and reach your left arm overhead and to the right—stretching the left side of your body.
• remember to keep that right knee stable over that ankle!

warrior III

(from high lunge)

strengthens ankles, legs, core and improves proprioception

• balance on your right leg and lift your left leg behind you as you drop your torso parallel to the ground.
• keep your arms out like airplane wings, or reach them forward.

low lunge twist

(from warrior III)

stretches hips and twists spine

• step your left leg back into a lunge, dropping that knee to the ground and releasing your hands to the ground.
• put your right hand on your right thigh as you rotate your chest to the right, while keeping your left hand on the ground.
• reach your right arm up and look skyward.

and repeat…

Return to your standing forward bend and repeat poses 2–5 with the opposite foot forward…

Now you’re ready to get sweaty and hit the ground running!

Erin Jasmine Taylor is the owner and head coach of Jasyoga, a mobile yoga studio that helps athletes around Seattle—from rec soccer players to NBA basketball players—find their flow. Special thanks to Nate Burgher for all the amazing photography!

cheer station* stats**

# of people: 203
% cheer-induced sore throats the next day: 98
# of cowbells : 119
# of cowbell injuries: 1
# of rain sticks: 1
# of smoothies served by The Juice Truck: 550

*The lululemon cheer station at the 9km mark of the half marathon.
**All stats unofficial but as accurate as possible to the best of our knowledge.

Inspired to #runcouver, too? Visit seawheeze.com – T-minus 94 days and counting!

When our Calgary Store ambassador, Andrea Rice hits the shore for a beach run she ditches her hair tie, tunes, shoes and inhibitions.

andrea’s recipe for a perfect beach run

set your pony tail free
Seriously, just do it! Ditch the elastic, the headband and the bobby pins and let your hair run wild as you hit the sand. Whether it’s been stuffed into a toque (Canadian-speak for hat) all winter long or simply pulled away from your face for a long, long time, nothing says freedom like letting the mane blow in the breeze while you’re footing it through the sand. It will feel awesome.

sink your toes into the sand
Barefoot running is all the rage right now but for those of us not quite ready to hit the pavement naked, beach running is a great sampler. The first couple of times you hit the beach barefoot, cut down your distance and duration to see how it feels. Running on a soft surface like sand will call upon the muscles in your feet, legs and core to work a little harder. Post-run, expect to be a little sore in few new places. Remember not to push your body through any physical pain – test the waters but ultimately do what feels right for you. If barefoot ain’t your thing, bring your sneakers to the beach with you.

ditch the watch
You won’t run as fast as you do on the pavement but every second of beach running will be time very well spent. It’s a nice way to remember that running is awesome just for the sake of running.

leave the tunes behind
Unplug from your headphones and listen to the waves crashing, the birds chirping and the people playing. How refreshing to run with a true awareness of your surroundings. Let your body fall into the rhythm of the natural soundtrack.

dive in
What better way to finish off a run on the beach than to go for a swim! The best part of running on the beach is that sweet, sweet, plunge into the ocean to cool off.  Enjoy it! After all, you earned it!

For those of us living in the frosty north, there’s a very small window to enjoy the warmer temps that summer will bring. How do you infuse your workouts with a little summer love?

People who run marathons are incredibly fit, incredibly inspiring and, well, simply incredible. People who run ultramarathons are all of the above with the  (and we mean this is the best way possible) addition of incredibly crazy. We asked ultramarathoner and SoHo store ambassador, Tom Cripps, a few questions about going the distance.

an interview with an ultramarathoner

what do you run for?
It continually evolves for me. Sometimes I love the solitude. Sometimes I love the company. Sometimes I love the grit. Sometimes I love nothing about the run at all! There’s nothing like getting out of the city, hitting a trail and tearing up a dirt path. I don’t meditate but I guess you could liken it to that. For me, running is a release, an adventure and a killer workout too.

what exactly is an ultra?
Depends on who you ask, really. The actual definition is anything further than a marathon… so if you jog to the beer station after running a marathon, you could say you ran an ultra (and congratulations on that extra effort too!). Some people say it’s got to be a race that’s at least 50 miles. I think the best definition is 50k (about 32 miles) or more. There’s a lot that goes on between mile 26.2 and mile 32 and I think the mentality for most runners switches from speed to survival around here.

what inspired you to go the extra distance?
Like a lot of people, I did the ‘I want to run a marathon’ thing. Then I ran one. For two weeks after, I promised myself I would never do it again. After while I started to miss the commitment and the feeling of accomplishment. Then, I read the book (Born to Run – Christopher McDougall). I had no idea humans could even run much further than a marathon let alone 135 miles in the middle of Death Valley in the heat of summer. I was just so intrigued I had to try it myself. I am still as intrigued today as much as I have ever been.

let’s talk logistics – do you run the whole time? how do you eat? hydrate? go to the bathroom?
I have never actually run 50 miles non-stop – I have run 32 non-stop but that was around Manhattan so it was pretty flat. 

Eating can be a chore for me as after a certain amount of mileage not everything wants to stay down. Hydration is really important too and getting the sodium levels right is pretty critical. There is an ultra golden rule that if you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated so I try to take a good sip of water every 10 minutes or so. As for bathroom, I guess men are like dogs. The world is our potential urinal. As for women, there seems to be more logistics involved but the concept is exactly the same.

running an ultra feels like the ultimate goal – how do you push yourself beyond that?
One of the goals I’m working on is to run an ultra marathon on all seven continents. I love to travel as much as I love to run, so this should save me some time and give me plenty of ammunition to bore people with when I’m old.

rumour has it you’re headed to china for a race soon?
In a few weeks I’m running The North Face 100km in China to raise money for LearnToLive. It’s a cause focused on providing sustainable healthcare and resources to areas in North Sulawesi (Indonesia) where there is absolutely zero history of any healthcare. The organization sends health workers and engineers to North Sulawesi for one month on an annual basis to diagnose, treat and educate these communities. This is kind of an intangible benefit but I also believe this experience provides these workers with a unique perspective that will simply make them better at what they do.

Are you ready for race season? We’re getting serious about our training (and cheering). Only 95 days to go ‘til The SeaWheeze!

We love us a good outdoor yoga practice – the park, the beach, there’s really nothing like hitting mountain pose with a sweet view of the mountains. This summer, we’re eager to get our feet wet and take our practice to the water. We caught up with Oakridge ambassador, Kristy Wright for the scoop on all things stand up paddleboard yoga.

what exactly is “sup yoga”?
SUP Yoga is essentially yoga on a stand up paddleboard in the water. Since the SUP board is large enough to act as a mat (and sturdy enough to support someone standing on it) it was only a matter of time before yogis started to discover the ways it challenged their practice.

which came first for you – paddleboarding or yoga?
Yoga! I began my personal practice about 10 years ago and I started teaching yoga just over two years ago. On a trip to Hawaii in the fall of 2010 my friend Coreena and I tried SUPing and both really enjoyed it. When we returned home she enrolled me in starting Stand Up Paddle Vancouver with the intention of starting a SUP Yoga program. What was missing in my yoga practice was the ability to be outside – now I’m so grateful to have both!

what’s a sup yoga class like?
Before diving into a SUP Yoga class, you should: 1. know how to swim and 2. take an intro to stand up paddling class.

I try to keep my sessions intimate (about five people) so that I can really pay attention to my students and their needs. We generally start with a warm-up stretch on the beach, working through a few sun salutations – then we hit the water. We take the boards out for a paddle to get the heart pumping and once we’re settled into an area we move as a group from pose to pose. We finish with a seated meditation and Savasana. Imagine the hot sun warming your body, the smell of sea salt and your fingertips grazing the water as your float around on your board –pure bliss.

what gear do we need?
For cooler days I recommend the kind of stuff you’d wear to a regular yoga class that will move with you and dry quickly if you get wet. In the warmth of summer, a bikini and board shorts (and of course, sunscreen) will do just fine. There’s always a chance you could get wet so come prepared – bring a change of clothes and a towel!

what about a board?
At first it’s a good idea to just rent a board until you’re ready to commit. I paddle an 11′ Rogue Vixen All Water SUP Board – this board is the most versatile to paddle and play on for SUP Yoga. If you’re just beginning go for a board that is much longer and wider, such as a Jimmy Lewis Cruise Control. The wonderful thing about the SUP Yoga practice is if you think it’s getting too easy… just get a smaller board.

on a scale of savasana to handstand how difficult is sup yoga?
SUP Yoga is definitely challenging (especially when it comes to balancing poses) but it’s a fun way to energize and transform your regular practice. Adding the element of water simply increases the amount of core stability you need to achieve every pose.

We can’t wait to ‘dive’ into Down Dog this summer. If you’re headed to Whistler Wanderlust be sure to catch a class with Kristy and Coreena!

When you’ve been travelling, your body can get confused. How do you explain “missed flight” and “jet lag” to your joints and ligaments? Our mission when we landed in Amsterdam last month (en route to Belgium to support the Specialized-lululemon cycling team): find yoga.

vondelpark: yoga found us

The scene: a misty early morning in Amsterdam’s urban park.
The stalkers: two bleary-eyed Canadians on rented hotel bikes, yoga mats in tow.
The yogi: We came across Ciara, who recently completed her yoga teacher training in India, and had to stop to take some stealth footage.

svaha yoga

After Vondelpark, we flowed and twisted in Wouter’s class at Svaha Yoga.

The neighbourhood: Jordaan, a central, walkable neighbourhood with cute shops.
The studio: a well-established studio in Amsterdam (with two locations). The Jordaan studio has two levels, and feels cozy and eclectic.
The yoga: All kinds of yoga are practiced here, from Ashtanga Vinyasa to Restorative.
Things I loved: harmonium playing to open and close class, chandeliers and a colourful roof, and lavender-scented eye pillows for savasana (side note – I want to make these – does anyone have a recipe?).

delight yoga

The second studio we visited on our DIY yoga tour of Amsterdam was Delight Yoga, where we took a yin class with Skadi.

The neighbourhood: Centrally located on the Weteringschans, in a heritage building with no signage.
The studio: Three floors, high ceilings, steep staircases, beautiful, light and modern.
The yoga: Multiple styles offered, including Ashtanga, Anusara, and meditation.
Things I loved: The most beautiful change room and reception area I’ve ever been in, sparkly class tokens, the sweet-spicy tea after class.

Skadi guided us through restorative poses and the 1.5 hour class went by in a blur – in fact, I may have fallen asleep completely but I’m not quite sure. I just know that when it was over, my back was smiling.

a few more reasons to pack stretchy clothes on your next trip

• downdogging with locals = direct access to local recommendations for the best coffee or post-yoga apple pie
• finding the yoga studio is an adventure on its own and a guaranteed way to discover new neighbourhoods.
• your body will thank you.

These are only two examples of the many studios and styles of yoga that Amsterdam offers. What’s your favourite Amsterdam studio, and why?