Zumba

My knees only allow me to run about four days a week most weeks before they start to revolt. We have come to an agreement that if I cross train on the other days and don't run they will behave (try to not swell up too much AND we can get some good runs in on the days we agree to). Now generally my knees are kind and follow by this agreement and so I try to reciprocate. I have gotten creative with my cross training - in the winter I did a ton of swimming and recently (as you have probably read about several times) I got a new bike.

I am loving biking and I do still enjoy a good swim however, last weekend at synod assembly a friend of mine introduced me to Zumba. I had tried it once or twice before but nothing really, I had tried it in a huge group of ladies who all knew one another and apparently were professional dancers, or so it felt like to me (the one who had no clue what she was doing and felt like she was just flailing around in the room and looked ridiculous). My friend brought his laptop and a Zumba DVD and one night as we were all hanging out he said he was off to do Zumba, between our snickers I was intrigued. I wanted to try it. I wanted to try it outside of a ridiculously large group of people who all knew the routines like the back of their hands.

So another friend and I joined him, we tried it. AND I LIKED IT, seriously when I wasn't under the pressure of all the other people in the room and I didn't feel like someone was criticizing my inability to dance  we had a great time, worked up a serious sweat, and laughed at ourselves during many of the moves.

My friend gave me a zumba DVD before we left as a gift! I was jazzed. I have already done the DVD a couple times at my house and LOVE it! What a fun and new cross-training option.


What types of workout DVDs do you enjoy? (I do love all of Jillian's workout DVDs)
Have you tried Zumba? At home or in a gym?
What do you think of it?

Training Plan

There is something utopic about planning for future races, there are the things I hope for (much fast times and personal records), the plan that seems totally do-able at the start (clearly not considering life, the weather, or any injury that will inevitably happen), and there is the excitement of upcoming races. I think I have most of my races planned out for the summer and into the fall. I need to fill in a few more races in September, November, and December, but I am excited to say that I am finally going to earn my coast to coast medal in 2013.  Ever since I heard of this medal I have wanted to earn it. I signed up for the Tinkerbell Half Marathon this coming January.

I just sat down and mapped out my training plan up through this race. I worked my schedule so that it easily fits the other races that I am registered for. It will take dedication to be committed to my training schedule, particularly since I have a couple mission trips this summer.

Note to self:

• you will miss some of the training runs and cross trainings that you have planned - it'll be okay
• keep dreaming big - keep challenging yourself - keep working hard
• update your ipod - stop being lazy - you know you are sick of the music on there
• this is a challenge between you and yourself - don't compare yourself to others - you are unique and you will have great victories and great challenges - embrace them - grow from them
• update your ipod - seriously - get it done