Wanderlust 108: Mindful Triathlon Coming To SF
By Rachel Nichols
Wanderlust 108, the “mindful triathlon” that combines three mindful activities—running, yoga and meditation—is taking place in San Francisco on Sunday, April 23 at one of our favorite local parks—Golden Gate park, of course—and it is a perfect way to get outside and celebrate springtime and sunshine.
The triathlon will begin with a 5k run (or walk) followed by a 75-minute yoga class and 30 minutes of meditation. There are also a number of scheduled activities throughout the day to choose from, including aerial yoga, acroyoga, hooping, walking meditation or a community class (note that you must sign up for these ahead of time as space is limited). Also of note is the Kula market with great mindful-based vendors.
One of the highlights that we are excited about at San Francisco’s Wanderlust 108 this year is Los Angeles-based yoga teacher Mary Beth LaRue. We caught up with Mary Beth, who has been teaching yoga for 10 years, to find out what she is most excited about for this year’s Wanderlust 108!
A Celebration of Community
“Wanderlust is a celebration of community. I love these festivals so much,” Mary Beth said. “It’s a nice taste of what a Wanderlust festival is like (note: for those of you who aren’t familiar, Wanderlust also organizes four-day weekend long festivals all over the world), but a very unique experience. The energy is palpable—you can feel it! I love teaching 108s because I love seeing cities and the vibe of their yoga community. It’s just FUN! You have such an amazing, diverse city and this is a way to celebrate it.”
Another unique aspect of Wanderlust 108, according to Mary Beth, is that you get to interact with people who you maybe walk by on the street but get to experience each other in a different way. “And in a time where we are so divided right now it's imperative we turn to our practice and share in our communities,” she said.
What to expect from Mary Beth’s yoga class at Wanderlust 108? “When practicing outside, I like to do anything where we are rooting into the ground, which is really nice to explore when you’re outside,” she said. Mary Beth also shared that she has been focusing a lot on grounding, spending more time in meditation and with the breath. “Always, always, always at the top of mind for me is breath and mindful, creative movement.”
San Francisco Love
Mary Beth said she fell in love with San Francisco years ago. “Its one of my favorite cities. My aunt lived there growing up and we would visit from Iowa. It was the first time I saw the ocean and I just love the people and the culture. It's such a great city. I am so excited and honored to be a part of the Wanderlust community and teach in a city that I love.”
I attended last year with a group of women, and I couldn’t agree more with Mary Beth—Wanderlust 108 was one of my favorite mindful events I have been to, and I look forward to checking it out again this year. It’s a great event to check out with friends, enjoy good food, the outdoors and like-minded people in our amazing SF yoga community! Check out the video below to see a recap from last year’s Wanderlust 108 event in SF. We hope to see you there!
For more on Wanderlust 108, to view the full schedule or to purchase tickets, CLICK HERE. For more on Mary Beth LaRue and to learn more about her project, Rock Your Bliss, an organization she co-founded that focuses on yoga and self development through coaching, retreats and workshops, visit www.marybethlarue.com.
