It's a Dance Party!

Do you remember those high school and junior high years when you went to dances and had a blast?  I would dance with my friends, have a great time, and then head home and crash because I was exhausted.  Well, I go to a dance every Wednesday night, have a blast with my friends, and then head home exhausted.  The only exception is that there are no cliques and the usual HS drama :)

Picture this....The lights are low, your friends are all there, the music is really loud and everyone is singing along.  You dance like there is no tomorrow, but no one is paying attention to how you dance...You just dance.  Doesn't this sound like fun?  It is, and it is called ZUMBA.  I mentioned this in a past post, but every Wednesday, I take a zumba class at Pointe of Grace.  The owner of the dance studio, Kim, is the instructor and she is so much fun.

So, the question is, if I am training for a 5k, then why am I doing zumba?  Well, the question has a few answers.  The first answer is quite simple and honest. 

1. I think that running is, quite simply...boring.  Ok, I can hear my friends Kira and Brie gasping in shock that I just said that out loud.  I think that you have to be a very special person to love running, but I am not that special...lol.  When I do zumba, I pay more attention to the music and movements than I do the clock.  And, believe it or not, I actually laugh, joke, and even smile while I zumba.  It is quite simply....fun! 
2. I tend to work harder at zumba. When I jog, my heart-rate stays in the 140-150 range, and I jog for approx 30 min. When I do zumba, my heart-rate stays in the the 160-180 range for a constant 60 minutes.

So, the next question is....why am I training for a 5k if I don't like jogging?  Well, again, there are two answers to this.

1. While I am working to make myself healthier, I need a goal.  A 5k is a simple goal that can be easily attainable for anybody, however it pushes me.
2. This time around, we are working towards running the 5k together as a family - minus my husband who works really long hours and thinks I'm crazy. So, as a family, we go outside and spend time together. In my past post, you should notice that we have a blast doing this.

The only time that I really can do zumba is Wednesdays and some Saturday mornings.  So, I have tweeked my 5k training schedule.  It looks like this:

• Mon - 5k training
• Tues - REST
• Wed - Zumba
• Thurs - REST
• Fri - 5k training
• Some Sats - Zumba
• Sun - REST

This works for me, and I am still increasing my endurance.  So, find what works for you.  I would love to hear what works for you too.

Have a GREAT day!  One foot in front of the other or dance like there's no tomorrow.  Either way, you accomplish the same thing.