Monday, July 24, 2017

RWR:MEET ERIN, OWNER OF JASYOGA

"My inspiration and muse has always been the athlete, and my mission is to help as many athletes as possible use yoga to achieve their goals." 
~ Erin Taylor


We are long overdue for a RUNNERSWHOROCK interview so today I am more than thrilled to introduce you to the fabulous Erin Taylor of Jasyoga.  I first met Erin back in 2014 at a Oiselle Birdcamp out in Bend, OR.  We, the campers, were gathering for a running-related retreat, if you will, and Jasyoga was part of our package.  Erin had initially hooked up with Oiselle back in 2011 when she taught a class at their headquarters. It was "love at first hamstring" and she's been the birds' yoga expert ever since.  I am admittedly not a yoga/meditation person but after one session with her, I, too, was hooked.  She has this insanely magnetic personality but her vibe is super calm and mellow at the same time.  I found myself waking up extra early (pre-coffee...no joke) just to sit, chill and listen to her voice.  I've stayed in touch with her since then and have been eager to profile her here so you can learn more about her and Jasyoga.  A little background on Erin in her own words:

I was a journalist and started teaching yoga on the side for a while before deciding to pursue it full time.  I've been teaching yoga to athletes for over a decade but my practice officially became Jasyoga in 2010.  I first started doing yoga as an injured collegiate basketball player.  If you've ever been injured you know — you'll try anything to get off the bench.  Reluctantly at first, I rolled out a mat and in those early days I always wished that yoga would speak more directly to my needs as an athlete.  Since no sport-specific yoga solutions existed at that time, I eventually stopped waiting for someone to connect the dots for me and did it myself.  This led to big results both for me as an athlete — I haven't had a significant injury since — and in my ability to serve other athletes.  My inspiration and muse has always been the athlete, and my mission is to help as many athletes as possible use yoga to achieve their goals.  Over the years, my practices have evolved to suit the needs of all kinds of athletes with all kinds of different goals.

Originally based in Seattle, Erin moved to London in 2014 on account of her husband's job.  This ended up being the catalyst she needed for scaling Jasyoga to help more athletes.  While her team in Seattle continues to coach Jasyoga clients in the PNW, she has focused on building Jasyoga Video, a subscription-based video service that now has more than 100 yoga for athletes videos.  Which means we all can now can Hit Reset anytime, anywhere!  Erin has kindly set up a code for RWM readers - RUNNINGWITHMUSICRESET -  to use for a free month of Jasyoga Video.  Personally, I will be starting today as I have no excuse not to and neither do you.  Now, let's meet Erin, a RUNNER WHO ROCKS.

RUNNERSWHOROCK:ERIN TAYLOR

Name: Erin Taylor
Where you're from: Berkeley, Seattle
Where you reside now: London
Age: 34
Occupation: Founder + Head Coach, Jasyoga


RUNNING & MUSIC
What do you love most about running? 
It keeps me connected to my strength and resilience, and to the athletic experience and other athletes. It’s also a creative way to express whatever I’m feeling. 
What do you love most about music? 
It can be whatever you need it to be—from energizing to calming—and is a super supportive, readily available resource.


ERIN'S FAVORITES:
Band (current, all time or both): Currently loving Sigrid, top longtime faves include Bonobo, Ulrich Shnauss, Robert Plant & Joni Mitchell
Album (current, all time or both): Coldplay’s Ghost Stories—this was the soundtrack to a marathon labor before giving birth to my daughter and it supported me to be in a very magic space.
Race venue: I don’t do much racing but I love most courses in Seattle
Music venue: The Gorge in eastern Washington
Race distance: 5K 
Show you've seen live: That’s a tough one! Robert Plant at Chateau St. Michele in Washington was pretty goosebump inducing.  Coldplay’s Mylo Xyloto tour was pretty special, too.
Ice cream flavor: Coconut



THIS OR THAT
Sweet or salty? Sweet 
Live or recorded? Live
Coffee or tea? Coffee in the am, tea in the afternoon… or I could say coffee in the US, tea in the UK lol
Summer or winter? Autumn—it’s the best of both



 MORE MUSIC INFO:
Which band or artist would you go see tonight if you could? Liam Gallagher
Which band or artist (wait...but no longer alive or playing together) would you go see tonight if you could? Led Zepplin
Which band or artist would you like to have dinner with tonight if you could? The Gorillaz
Which band or artist would you like to be playing alongside you during your next race (or long run)? Red Hot Chili Peppers

THE PEPPERS

LAST ONE: 
Today, I feel like….(fill in the blank)
I need a burger, which is how I feel most days.

Top 5 Songs for running, dancing or both? 
It’s super rare that I get to run without the stroller and I like to be unplugged with my toddler in tow - I really miss running with music! But sometimes my faves pop into my head, and they really help to push me through.  I can use all the help I can get while pushing that thing, it’s like running with a shopping cart with a very large, wriggly turkey in it.
Don’t Kill My Vibe, Sigrid 
You’ve Got the Love, Florence of the Machine, The Broadway Project (during a calming, meditative run)
Anything Beyonce
Last 5 Songs you listened to today?
Good question. I have like 10 different nursery rhymes stuck in my head right now!

Also about music/video:
People ask me all the time why there's no music in my videos (video.jasyoga.com) and it's because music—like yoga—is such a personal experience that I don't want to insert my personal preferences into other people's Reset. If you've ever been in a yoga class and the teacher puts on a song you can't stand, you know what I'm talking about. That being said, my colleague Sarah Mac has curated some Jasyoga playlists on Spotify for anyone looking for some musical inspiration to play in the background. Details here: http://www.jasyoga.com/posts/jasyoga-soundtrack

Listen to this:
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