CrossFit

Tonight was my 6th CrossFit class and I am hooked and in love!  The people are great; super friendly and encouraging.  I find myself counting down the days, minutes and seconds until I get to go back again.  I've wanted to try out CrossFit for awhile now but knew it was crazy expensive.  You know what else is crazy expensive?  Health care.  Spend a bit more money now for a healthy life and a better life in the future.  It's worth it. 

Find what you love.  Do what you love.  Be happy.  Simple as that.

Barre

I'm trying to switch up my gym/workout routine because I seem to be getting a little bored...and a lot injured.  I couldn't pass up a groupon for barre classes since I had heard about it from people who have loved it.

I headed over for my first class and boy was I in for a surprise (and not just that I fell in love with the class)

Instructor asked about injuries and I told her about my IT issues and she said this will be great to strengthen it and we will stretch it!!

When the instructor told me we’d be doing a lot of strengthening exercises for my ITB, she wasn’t kidding

The classes brought back memories from my many, many years of ballet..and tap and jazz….but mostly ballet

It’s amazing how your mind may forget positions but they say 1st position and your body remembers it and snaps where it needs to be

Your posture and “ballet hands” also remember

I had to stop for breaks or take the lower option occasionally because it hurt so much

I walked out of there in pain - in the best possible way

I know I’m going to hurt tomorrow

I called 2 of my friends and told them to get the new groupon before it expired.  I hurt so much but in the BEST WAY POSSIBLE!

Now I’m icing and getting ready for tomorrow.

I would love to try out Cross Fit but I just don't have that much extra money.  So, for now, barre classes it is and I'll see what other goodies I can find.

Ragnar, raising and fun!

The first time I heard about running relays was a few months ago from sweaty Emily who ran Hood to Coast.  I thought anyone who did them was CRAZY and must be an Olympic athlete - because who else would/could do something like that? 

As I was checking the blogs I follow, I came across a post about the Ragnar Relay (200 total miles in 2 days by 12 runners) and this person was looking for more interested people to complete their team.  Being the inquisitive person I am, I clicked on the link just to see what this race was all about and to check out the running legs.  You know you're in a bad position when your particular legs are Hard, Extremely Hard and Extemely Hard - lucky runner #12.  Though, in fairness, some of the legs are rated easy (a few) and moderate with only a few extremely hard's thrown in...for good measure of course.  As I read more about this, I kept getting more and more excited at the thought of doing this race....who am I???

Then I read the date and saw it was April 21st - 1 week before my Nashville half.  For those of you who don't know, I am doing the Shamrock Half in March and the Nashville half in April.  I just couldn't pass up the opportunity once I saw I could run for a good cause - Project Orange Laces / ING Run for Something Better.  It's an organization that looks to put running and health programs into schools to help combat childhood obesity.  Isn't that awesome?!?!  As a shameless plug, if you feel like giving - and EVERY dollar helps! - here is my support page. 

I immediately thought, unfortunately there is no way I can do the 200 mile race and then turn around and run a hilly half marathon.  I will absolutely shred my legs in Ragnar.  But I think I've got the bug because all I can think about is Ragnar!  I guess I need to make a decision (and soon) if I'm going to join this crazy team of people I've never met to run an EPIC race.  Fun, California, new people and an adventure!  What more could a girl want?!?!