You’ve probably heard of it before, but there is a hot new workout that is making a lot of people talk. It sounds like a type of African soup, or even a wild fish specie off the coast of New Zealand. However, it’s simply just a dance. Or more specifically, it’s not just a dance. It’s an exhilarating, easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired, calorie-burning dance fitness-party that is moving millions of people toward joy and health. Zumba is expanding all across the country in dance studios, fitness centers, and even in the comfort of homes. And if you have never heard of it before and you have no idea what I’m talking about, consider yourself warned.
When I first heard of the Zumba class, my first assumption was that it was some sort of tribal dance. Similar to a belly-dancing class, I thought instructors were teaching the students how to perform some sort of African cultural dance. A few of my friends were going, but I had been content with not Zumba-ing at the gym.
Then, I kept hearing about it. More and more and more were people raving about the intensity, interesting, and very entertaining dance class. That being said, I finally caved. I went to my first Zumba class!
When I got there, I felt a few different things. One was that I was horrifically nervous; I figured everyone knew this routine except for me and I would look like a very big fool. Two, I still had no idea what kind of dance this was. I felt uninformed and inprepared for what was about to come next.
Then, the music started. Over everything, I heard stringy acoustic guitar that was quickly being picked at, I heard a drum with excellent rhythm, and finally, I heard a man’s voice speaking Spanish.
The Zumba class, people, is a Latin American dance inspired workout class.
Despite the insanity of the rhythm, the lack of instruction for each move, and the embarrassment I carried throughout the entire class, I can’t deny that I had a very, very good time. Nothing is funnier than seeing your best friends make fools of them self while pretending they are Latina princesses from Spain, then realizing you look the exact same way.
I go to Zuma twice a week now. I finally feel comfortable with most of the moves, I’m getting comfortable to go to the class alone, and I’m actually finding myself mimicking the moves at home to show my boyfriend what I’ve learned. (That last one can be considered moot since my boyfriend never has any idea what I’m talking about with this dance.)
If you’ve heard of Zumba but have been hesitant to try out the class, DO IT! It’s a little ridiculous at first, but you really just have to let go. I can honestly say that I’ve toned up and become more active because of this class.
If you’ve never heard of Zumba but want to learn more, visit Zumba.com to find out more about the class, where you can find classes, and more.
If you have or haven’t heard of Zumba but you are completely uninterested in the class, well, fair enough. But you’re the one missing out on this taste of the spicy, fun Latino culture . 
Last year, my boyfriend bought me a vintage ‘79 Schwinn Cruiser that I literally went everywhere with. The warm months were filled with endless bike rides, maintenance projects, and good leg workouts, all while I looked old-school on my old Schwinny bike.
The colder months, however, provide a different story. We had an unbelievably chilly winter that actually extended quite a bit into our spring. Actually, we are just now seeing consistent sunny weather as of last week. Therefore, my poor old bike has been in my garage, looking at me each time I get into my car wondering if I had perhaps forgotten about him.
Well, let me tell you, I have never been so ready for this sun! I have my cute new Lucy hat, my new shades, and a lovely, polished cruiser that has been patiently waiting for my attention.
I also found out that the place I will be moving into this fall has an awesome little bike shop right around the corner that provides every bike service you’ll ever need, or the option to work on your bike personally at your own station. So guess what? My Schwinn will be getting the attention it deserves—almost nearly year-round! Not only is working on my bike a little therapeutic, but it also allows me to have an entirely new respect for bikers and their lifestyle of clean and active transportation!
Currently, I have two great things to be very thankful for: a GREAT man and an awesome mountain within an hour drive.
Since my birthday is in the next coming week, my man has been bugging me and wanting to know what in the world he is going to get me. Because I’m half stubborn and half indecisive, I always reply, “I don’t know” or “you don’t have to get me anything!” (Hoping that he’d take that last comment as a joke and actually get me something.
Due to the fact that he is an avid snowboarder with a season pass, I guess he automatically turned to the possibility of a snowboarding day for him and I. He knows that I am rather cheap and refuse to pay the day-pass fee of nearly $60, so he used this as an opportunity for quite a lovely birthday present. However, it’s actually a huge change to be thinking about snowboarding at the end of April, because there is usually hardly any snow left up on the mountain! This year was an exception, though, since our mountain snowfall and level was the highest in history for this time of the year.
Looking ahead at the forecast, he knew that there would be a prime opportunity within this last weekend that would serve as a great day of snowboarding. That being said, last Sunday we headed up for our day, (or rather, my day) up on the mountain. When we arrived, we saw people in shorts, no shirts, people only wearing t-shirts, and even a guy in his boxers and skis! It was a whopping 54 degrees up atop the mountain, where it had been 14 degrees the last time I visited in January.
By the end of our day, we had taken off two layers of clothing, and still dealt with a sweaty day of unbelievably hot and sunny snowboarding. As a souvenir, I know have an excellent goggle tan and a rudolph-burned nose to remember my perfect birthday gift.
Most would agree that sporting goods can really cost us. The more I thought about this, the more angry I became. I thought about all the opportunities that an active, outdoor lifestyle bring to an individual’s life. Family time, healthy benefits, and a positive outlook on their environment—an active lifestyle should not be ran from because of the cost of products like shoes, warm clothing, or backpacks.
Purchasing a new travel backpack was a goal I had set out on about a year ago, but expensive prices from REI and other companies scared me away. Across the board, these backpacks seem to carry more than just your travel necessities—they seem to carry an insane price as well.
So when I came across this Osprey Porter pack, I was sold. Not because of its hauling capabilities or stylish look, but because of its extremely affordable price. Compared to some that can go for a whopping $300-400, the Osprey has a vastly comparison.
After purchasing the Osprey, I learned that,along with a great price, the pack was the total package. My backpack is very reliable, weather-proof, light and sustainable, and easily capable of carrying all my hiking necessities. :)
Depending on where you live, the weather could be permitting a start to 2011’s hiking season through the summer. Some of you might still be experiencing large amounts of snow or chilly weather, an unfortunate number of rainfall, or perhaps too much wind. Even if you are not weather-permitted to begin your hiking adventures, you can initiate your preparations for different excursions you will take this year.
This will be beneficial in a couple different ways. (1) You will be consciously thinking about the possible hikes so you can take all the necessary actions for supplies or gear in order to be ready. (2) You can research more on the different possible trails if you need to find out more about them. Maybe they are currently under construction or even closed. Finally, you can create an outline of your spring and summer hiking months which enables you to have some sort of check-list.
Having a goal in mind allows us to stretch for that plan, no matter what its difficulty, and then we are able to look back after all the time spent on that goal and actually feel proud of our accomplishments—-even if it isn’t finished! I have this same mindset for my hiking experience every year. I’ll set a goal or list of places that I want to visit, whether they are mile-long hikes or three-day hikes, and set out to at least attempt these goals. What a great way to bond with family and/or friends too! So go pick up a great hiking excursion book that contains all the great hikes in your region. Good books usually contain beneficial tips, cautious reminders, and numeral information for each of the unique hikes found in that book. Talk to different family members and friends, tell them about the possible excursion, and make a plan to carry out the adventure. You will experience awesome satisfaction and accomplishment when you get to check off that trailhead. Think of it like a mini bucket list, for a 4-6 month period.
If there are places on your list that weren’t accomplished that you had hoped to visit, carry it over to the following year’s bucket list. Make an effort to be actively engaged with the beautiful and interesting environment around you!
Within the last couple years, I’ve become more and more interested in outdoor climbing. The enjoyable hobby began when I started to rock climb at a local community college and loved the thrill of being in control of every step and the strategic moves that are required for rock climbing. I started to think of climbing as a puzzle: a strategy or plan that forced me to really think about my every move. Then I took indoor climbing to the next step and began climbing outside, without an instructor, and my fate in my own hands.
I soon grew to love outdoor climbing as well, but my feet would say otherwise. Because I hadn’t expected to nurture climbing as a complete hobby of mine, I settled for a cheaper pair of climbing shoes that weren’t exactly high-cliff material. Soon enough, my feet were aching with large and juicy pink blisters.
I wanted to just power through the wounds and continue my everyday life, including climbing once or twice a week, but the irritation got to a point where I didn’t even want to walk upstairs. As a result, I took time off from physical activities, including climbing, and had to wear 2-3 layers of socks just to get around.
When I got my feet back to a manageable state, I was ready to get back into action. While I had been couch-resting for those couple days, I searched the internet for some good climbing shoes that wouldn’t let me down. Since I had little knowledge of what distinguished a good shoe from a bad, I decided that the price would probably determine which was the safer buy. I came across the Katana climbing shoe by La Sportiva in a light grey-blue, and waited for my package to arrive.
I have to say, I was a little nervous to get back into climbing because I thought taking time off, even if it was only a week or so, that I would lose my passion and desire to be up there. The day I began to climb again, with my new shoes, I felt a few different things: lighter, sustained, and capable.
I absolutely love my Katanas. I highly recommend them to other fellow climbers, or anyone who is interested in the pastime. For those of you who are just beginning this exciting hobby, take my advice and splurge on the GOOD shoes ahead of time!
The past couple if weeks has proven to be the busiest I have been in the past year at my job. Coupled with recent knee pain, and I am a little worried that I am not going to be ready for this race once in Sunday. As the date for the big “Long Run” is drawing near, my body feels that it is at a state of total exhaustion. The funny part is, my legs don’t ache any longer, but instead I have an entire body soreness. There is this feeling that I am on the verge of getting sick, and just one mistake could hinder me sick in bed. I almost feel like I should be sitting at home every night and watching a movie with hot tea as I nurse a cold, and really I am sure this probably wouldn’t be a bad idea. Yet, I have to remind myself that I have felt this way in the past at the end of long marathon training periods. This is all a part of the process. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and know that after this coming week, I can taper, and regain my strength.
This past week’s long run was a complete disaster in my sight. As stated previously, this week has definitely proven to be a difficult one for me. While trying to recover from the Staten Island Half Marathon, I have also dealt with shoe issues (my current racing shoes are now discontinued) and reoccuring stomach cramps. I decided to run my long run with a girl from the Harriers, and as I crashed and burned at mile 15 of what was suppose to be my final 22 mile long run, Vicki stood by and talked me through my walking breaks as I held my stomach in pain along the west side highway. Completely humiliated, I left her at Central Park at mile 18, where she finished the last 4 miles solo, while I hung my head and hopped on a train to recuperate at home. As I fell asleep in an epson salt bath later at home, I had to admit to myself that I had pushed myself a little too hard this past week.
When running the half marathon just a week ago, I looked over (or failed to realize) that I would be entering such a state of exhaustion immediately after. Although I got an immediate high and confidence booster from completing the race fast, this week has humbled me, forced me to take a step back and rest a little. As I start a new week in my training (and my last hard week before taper) I can only hope to start on better grounds and regain my strength as I enter the final stage of marathon training.
I did it! In an effort to prove to myself that I am in fact ready for this Marathon, I raced the Staten Island Half this past weekend. This race felt really good. I made sure to really take it easy during the week, and the night before reviewed the course, and mapped out hopeful split times. Although the course was relatively flat, I had never actually ran the route, and was told that there was at least one major hill. So not only did this help to get me familiar with the course, I was also able to make sure I had some breathing room to pace myself on the hills. Once the race started I ended up running slightly faster then my predetermined split times, and at times thought that I might pay the cost at the end of the race, but luckily that didn’t happen, and I was able to finish strong and make the qualifying time for the competitive start time in the Marathon. (only 400 people actually get in from the several hundred who qualify, so it is still up for grabs)
This race was definitely a confidence booster. Half marathons are somewhat deceptive because I never really feel completely wiped out, but I always have to remind myself that they still require some rest afterwards. This week has already proven to be a tough one for me. After taking a day off on Monday, Tuesday’s “easy run” ended with a torturous stomach cramp, resulting in a taxi ride to the closest subway stop, and me bent over in pain for about 1.5 hours post run. During last nights speed workout, I saw one of our top girls, running easy for the second half of the run, and it reminded me that we all need to slow it down at times and just let our body rest. For the rest of my week, I have decided to focus more on just getting miles in, rather then running to fast and exhausting my body.
With only 3 1/2 weeks left in training, Coach Kevin started last night’s workout with three important tips in making sure we dont “fuck up” our training in this last final stretch . . .
The temperature has begun to drop, and it has been raining off and on for several days. I have now brought out my cold-weather running clothes. My body and mind seem to be reacting to the fall weather — it’s as if they they know that the marathon is around the corner, and they better be ready. For the past few days, I’ve noticed that my legs feel stronger — I am gaining back my confidence.
This past Saturday was Grete’s Great Gallop Half Marathon in Central Park. This was a points race for NYC running teams, and with the Marathon right around the corner many people used this as a tune-up. I on the other hand, obviously did not get this notice. I decided to join up with a male member of my team to run this “race” as part of an easy long run. We had talked beforehand about running at about 7:45min./mile pace, right from the beginning we ended up running about 15 seconds slower. Although I knew I could run faster, I also felt some loyalty to the runner since I had previously agreed to run with him. We did end up running a fast last mile, but in the end I was frustrated with the entire situation. Just as I was starting to feel strong again, I was running an easy half marathon (my slowest one to date). In the end I took it as a lesson learned. Although it is good to treat some races as training runs, and also to start slow and finish strong, it is most important to run one’s own race. On that same note: Adam had a great run! He ran fast and said that he felt good and relaxed the whole way.
Thankfully there are always more races, including the Staten Island Half Marathon this weekend, AND it is on a relatively flat course. I sit here on my first night off in about a week and a half. As I look upon the remainder of the week, my main goal is to maintain my strength, and hopefully run a strong, fast half this weekend. Although I have run several half marathons, my best official time for the half is just 20 seconds shy of qualifying for a competitive start in the marathon (1:35). With this weekend as my last chance to qualify, I can only hope my training will pay off and that i can finish with a PR, without exhausting myself in the process.
