Free training is the best kind of training!

I am well aware that you have to stretch everyday to get more flexible. Similarly, I am well aware that I will have to run more regularly to comfortably run my second half marathon in less time than my first. These things are obvious and make perfect sense, however, I am rather reluctant to embrace them because I am ridiculously lazy.

In an effort to jumpstart my training, I have been on the hunt for something new to boost my morale and to keep me accountable to staying consistent with my workouts. My boyfriend, whose cute little retired parents teach classes at the William Lutsky YMCA, automatically suggested Zumba. If you don't know what Zumba is, click here.

If you know me, you know that Zumba is what I do while working on my computer or at my lab bench. My friend David suggested I start marathon training, which sounds terrible considering that my half-marathon training is pretty darn half-assed. Like I told the associates at my favourite Running Room store, I firmly believe that I need the time and the cause to commit to running a full marathon because I want to do it right. Now is not the time.

Then, like a beacon of light out of the shadows of laziness, came the voice of one of my fellow dancers. Kelsie is taking yoga teacher training with Lion's Breath Downtown and suggested that I try some free yoga on Friday nights.

Say WHAT?!

She said FREE yoga, yo. From 5:45pm to midnight, Lion's Breath lets you sample everything from flow yoga to acro-yoga (acrobatic yoga) to movement. How long will this free yoga streak last? Nobody knows. Best to get in on a great deal when its available, right? Free yoga will:
1. Help increase my flexibility and help me get in my daily stretch on a day during which I would rather be drunk.
2. Ease me back into activity that I enjoy and can feel the immediate benefits of right after class.
Sometimes, we just need a little help to see the rewards of our activity to motivate us to continue. Some people look for the loss of inches or pounds, some people shave minutes off of their personal bests, and then I just want to feel like I did something productive and useful for my body as both a dancer and a runner.

On one hand, this spring rut has me discouraged because I haven't been doing as much running and/or dancing as I know I should be doing. On the other hand, motivational ruts like these also help me discover activities to love!! If you have any other suggestions to help me breakout of the winterspring hybrid blues, fire them my way!

As a side note, my modern instructor, Jodie Vandekerkhove is offering a nearly-free drop-in class at Mile Zero on Monday nights in May and June. She is super high-energy and trains her dancers like athletes (which is why I love her) AND the "final performance" is going to be AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME! If you're interested, let me know and I'll refer you to Miss Jodie!