Yoga on top of a mountain (NBD), at Wanderlust Whistler 2012.

Last August, I had a conversation with someone who was nervous about attending her first-ever Wanderlust - the yoga and music festival that has four North American stops in summer 2013.

“I don’t think I’m advanced enough to go,” she said. “Doing that much yoga is scary.”

Seeing as the yoga festival season is now upon us, I thought it was a good time to address her concerns in this blog post in case any of you have similar thoughts when you think about the possibility of attending all-day back-to-back classes at a Wanderlust festival near you.

wanderlust is for everyone

This is what I told my friend. Firstly, you need to know this: Wanderlust, just like all yoga, is for everyone. In any given class there are things you can physically do and things you can’t. Everybody will breathe together, everybody will move together, and if you need to take a time out in Child’s Pose at any time, nobody will judge you. Whether it’s your first class or your 5,000^th, you’ll fit in.

Various stages of handstands, Wanderlust Vermont 2013.

yes, you will be sore

Doing a lot of yoga will make even the most hardcore yogis feel muscles they didn’t know they had. Pro tip: when you build your schedule, balance your classes with meditations & speakeasies. Also, stay hydrated. Rest. Listen to your body, and if it’s telling you to go to the market place for gelato, do it.

like music? they’ve got music

At night, the yoga mats get rolled up and the musicians come out to play. Each festival has a different line up. There is no better way to cap off a day of yoga-ing than under a summer night sky with a community of like-minded folks, many of which will have Total Yoga Hair.

Michael Franti at Wanderlust Whistler 2012.

Don’t go to Wanderlust if you already know everything about yoga you need to know. Don’t go if you’re looking to get uninspired, because that is guaranteed not to happen. Oh, and don’t go if you’re not a little bit nervous about it. Wanderlust can crack you open and teach you whatever you need to learn, but only if you’ll let it.

#justmymat

The coolest part about Wanderlust Festival and yoga in general is that it’s a journey. You show up at the studio, at a big white tent, on the top of a mountain, on a hotel room floor, in your living room. Sometimes you don’t know why but you do it anyways. Join our community this summer and share your yoga journey, whether you’re attending Wanderlust or not. We know your mat has stories to tell.

We’ll be celebrating community with updates from each Wanderlust Festival here on the blog, written by a local host who will share their journey with you. Coming soon: meet our Wanderlust Vermont local host & storyteller, Elizabeth Crisci.

Wanderlust Festival has four festivals in summer 2013:

Vermont, June 20-23.
Colorado, July 4-7.
California, July 18-21.
Whistler, Aug. 1-4.

Learn more at http://wanderlustfestival.com

get to know steve

Steve the Pace Beaver is a four-wheeled, buck-toothed furmobile (read: vintage 1960 food truck). He's been riding the streets of Toronto to and from local run clubs, parking along popular trails and paths through the downtown core, and leaving smiling and somewhat perplexed faces wherever he goes.

why a beaver?

A pace bunny is that bunny-ear-wearing runner who sets a steady pace for distance races, so that runners of varying levels can reach their goal times and keep track of their race pace.

Think of Steve as the Canadian spin on a pace bunny - setting the pace for Toronto's run scene this fall.

best steve moments

Steve has created spontaneous cheer stations along Lakeshore and dance parties at every red light. He's been to early morning and late night run clubs, and he's shown us the best training routes tucked behind skyscrapers and busy city streets.

We've product tested technical run outfits with runners so they can focus on achieving their personal best. Last weekend at the Toronto Marathon, we even let our tail down and cheered loud and proud through rain and shine until the last p̶e̶r̶s̶o̶n̶ marathoner passed the 31km mark at our epic cheer station.

When someone emails you from across the country saying you made their brother's day with a just a pair of arm warmers and words of encouragement during a long cool run, you know you're onto something good.

find steve

Look for Steve the Beave out in the Toronto community and online at @lululemonCAN. Tag your photos and tweets with #pacebeaver to connect with Team Steve and let us know where you're running - maybe you'll spot our purple hubcaps on the move.

They say things don’t always translate well into English and in our opinion ‘Gran Fondo’ is one of those things. The Italian phrase loosely translates to “big race” but we can’t help but think that “big” doesn’t quite do the enormity of the challenge any justice.

gearing down after the gran fondo whistler

This past weekend marked the 2^nd annual RBC GranFondo Whistler Race. Cyclists took to their bikes and rode from downtown Vancouver to Whistler Village. We caught up with three lululemon employees to see what they had to say about the 120km uphill ride.

jaci – director of people resources

how would you rate yourself – training wheels or tour de france?
Queen of the mountains! I love to bike and have been cycling for eight years.

what other activity best complimented your training?
I run a few times a week, teach two spin classes a week and practice yoga one or two times per week.  Between all that, I love to get up the Grouse Grind or do some laps in the pool when I can.

what was your ultimate goal?
I wanted to beat all of the lululemon ‘dudes’ that were also riding – goal achieved!

what’s your go to fuel for long distance?
During the Fondo I had a protein/energy bar, a pack of organic sport chews, and ate half of a banana.

120km of you, your bike and the road - what were you thinking?
It’s funny, a lot of people asked how I enjoyed the scenery on the Sea to Sky highway. To be honest, all I saw during my four hour race were bums and pavement!  I was mostly thinking about how many more kilometers were left to ride and how many more hills I had to climb.

we have to ask, what do you do when you have to, you know, go?
In a race, I just hold it! But there are usually stations along the way to do your business.

shirley- ecommerce project specialist

how would you rate yourself - training wheels or tour de france?
I’m a first time rider. I bought my road bike just over 6 weeks ago.

how did you train for the gran fondo?
Every Thursday, my training group did a ride that was about 55km with small hills along the way for practice. I also used spin and yoga to cross-train and found that rather helpful. The longest ride I did pre-race was 70km.

what was your ultimate goal?
To survive my first Gran Fondo and enjoy the scenic ride to that finish line in Whistler.

120km of you, your bike and the road. what were you thinking?
Did I wear enough sunscreen to avoid a wicked bike kit tan line?

when the going gets tough…
Take a deep breath, keep your pedals moving and tell yourself out loud “YES YOU CAN!” I must’ve said it 20 times.

hindsight is a beautiful thing. any words of wisdom for future riders?
I’m in good shape so I was able to complete the race but I’d recommend starting training earlier than I did. Also, buy all your supplies (tubes, gels, energy snacks, etc.) days before the event or your favourite retailer may be sold out.

ben - community groove trainer

how would you rate yourself - training wheels or tour de france?
Coworkers have been teasing me about my shaved legs and spandex for awhile now. I ride as much as possible and this was my second time doing the Gran Fondo.

What was your ultimate goal?
I wanted to ride faster than last year and to have a blast in the process.

What other activities complimented your training?
Yoga – I aimed to get in one power class per week.   For your training to take effect, you need to focus on rest / recovery.  Yoga helped by providing “active recovery” and alleviated the tightness in my legs and back.

when the going gets tough…
Remember you’re not alone.  I ended up riding in a group of 12 random strangers who quickly bonded together. The collectiveness got me through the tough parts of the ride.

is it necessary to drop a lot of dough on a good bike?
If you’re a poser, then yes.  Otherwise, no. You can get a great bike either new or used (check out Craigslist) and not pay too much for it. If you’re buying your first bike, fit is super important so it’s wise to actually buy one from a store.  They’ll also be able to talk you through other needs you’ll have like shoes, gloves etc.

chamois – oui ou non?
Is this a trick question?  Chamois is essential.  The extra layer of padding is going to help prevent a ton of discomfort.

While Gran Fondos are traditionally popular in Europe, lately we’ve seen them popping up in North America too. Any cool races coming up this fall that we should know about?

want more?

• Feeling inspired? Check out the November Gran Fondo in Miami
• Register now for the 2012 Gran Fondo Whistler
• Something for your noggin – safety meets style

We’re keeping our feet firmly in the sand and hanging on to the summer sun for as long as possible. Catch us in downward dog at complimentary outdoor events like Parliament Hill Yoga or join us in your local community for Salutation Nation coming up this September!

want more?

• follow us on instagram
• keep your cool during summer running

there's an app for that!

instagram turn your photos into mini pieces of art!

Our bodies are feeling a little battered and bruised lately; trying to make the most of summer and inspired by the exploits of the Tour de France riders to go for long runs and bike rides. Our regular yoga practice goes a long way to strengthen our muscles and ease those aches and pains; Ryan Leech, lululemon Elite Ambassador, certified yoga instructor and mountain biker extraordinaire, is taking it to the next level.

ride and reach

In August, Ryan will be leading a 15-person Ride & Reach retreat in Canmore, Alberta. The retreat will feature:

• Yoga for cyclists workshop at Gaia Studio
• Mountain biking skill progression at the Nordic Centre
• Guided all mountain ride
• Post ride yoga flow at Gaia Studio
• Dinner & social at the Paintbox Lodge

6 important questions

what: Ride & Reach mountain bike and yoga
when: August 6, 2011
where: Gaia Collaborative Medicine, Inc. Canmore, AB, Canada
who: Ryan Leech
how: contact the Gaia Clinic to sign up
why:

• meet amazing people
• be proactive about taking care of your body
• improve your technique on the mountain and in the studio
• to encourage Ryan to run more of these workshops

what's going on locally?

With only 15 spots available, this may seem like a bit of a tease but we thought we'd share the love and hopefully get a little love in return. If you know of other workshops like this one in your area, let us know. If you need help finding yoga (closer to home than Canmore), your local lululemon store can connect you with yoga studios and styles.

In celebration of our first year, here is a list of some of our most read and commented-on blog posts in case you missed them the first time around. Enjoy!

1. how do i wash my lululemon?

In case you're not a laundry-symbol whiz (I personally always have to Google to decode them), this post has tips on how to care for your lululemon.

2. how to know you’ve found your groove (pant)

How to find your perfect fit in our Groove Pants.

3. 5 things to know about the mat

This past spring we welcomed a new mat to our family: the Mat. Our product trainer, Brittany, takes us through what you should know about it.

4. wunder under challenge

Elim wore Wunder Unders every single day in January and blogged about it! Read this series to see how she took her WUs from street to sweat.

5. why we love the gusset

Say no to toe.

6. we heart feedback

When we introduced We Heart Product Reviews to our product detail pages, this blog post introducing the ability to leave product feedback also received a ton of feedback! Thank you to everyone who left a comment and shared their thoughts with us.

7. the gift of yoga in our stores

All lululemon stores have weekly complimentary yoga classes. But you already knew that, right? Read this post anyway and invite a friend to join you next time.

8. put your goals out there… this is why

A guest experience in Ottawa last year became a blog post which turned into one of our most commented-on posts from the last year.

9. love your body

This post inspired me to run around more with my shirt off. A must-read if you're ever feeling doubtful about your radness.

I'd like to give a big shout out to all of you who have contributed in some way over the past year to the lululemon blog community - whether it was through sharing your story, leaving a comment, or "liking" a blog note on Facebook. We are continuing to grow and evolve the blog and it's because of your feedback and contributions. Here's to a great year of blogging and many more to come!

Remember last month when we introduced you to the ladies behind ivivva athletica? We are more than excited to announce that if you live in Vancouver BC, as of this morning you can now check out ivivva in person!

The first ivivva location of three opened today in Vancouver at 10 am, followed closely by Calgary on December 5th and Victoria on December 11th. All three have planned grand opening dance parties and  ivivva Vancouver's is tomorrow, November 28th! RSVP for the event and get the details here.

Welcome to the family, ivivva!

• Visit ivivva's website: ivivva.com
• Become a fan of ivivva athletica on Facebook

We tend to do things a little differently around the lululemon parts. Rather than update our board of directors with an endless stream of charts and powerpoint presentations, this year we tried to capture what we're doing in our communities through video.

What you see below is the latest in a series of videos that is meant to highlight our big wins in PR, interesting events we’ve held at the stores, ambassador profiles and to show the impact we’ve had in specific communities all over the world.

Here's our Community Update for Q1, 2009. Drumroll please ....

Community Update: Q1 2009 from lululemon athletica on Vimeo.