What to Pack for a Ragnar Relay

I’m getting ready to run my 3rd Great River Ragnar Relay. A new friend, one of my Zumba participants, has joined the team this year. She has a lot of questions. To help her out, here’s my suggestion on what to pack for a Ragnar Relay.

Clothes: Pack your favorite running clothes, but don’t over pack. You also get a very nice shirt from Ragnar in your race goodie bag.

1 or 2 Pairs – Running Shoes
3 – Running Tights or Shorts
3 – Running Tops
3 – Running Socks
4 – Comfortable Underwear
3 – Sports Bras (or if you’re like me 6 sports bras – why do sports bras have to be so terrible?)
1 – Long Sleeve T-shirt
1 – Light Jacket
1 – Comfortable Shoes or Sandals
1 – Comfortable Top
1 – Comfortable Pants or Shorts
1 – Baseball or Running Cap
1 – Swimsuit
1 – Towel
1 – Gym Towel
1 – Wet/Dry Bag
1 – Reflective Vest
2 – LED Lights
1 – Headlamp
1 – Sunglasses
1 – Glasses with Clear Lenses
1 – Small Hand-held Mace (for those wild animals they warn you about in the race bible!)

Toiletries: You might not need all of these all of the time, but hopefully someone in your van has them when you need them.

Sunscreen
Chapstick
Gum
Bug Spray
Deodorant
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Floss
Hairbrush
Moist Body Wipes
Moist Facial Wipes
Pepto Bismol (Beware Runner’s Trots and Dehydration)
Tums
Travel-size Contact Lens Solution
Contact Case
Travel-size Shampoo
Travel-size Conditioner
Travel-size Toilet Paper
Travel-size Vaseline
Band-aids
First Aid Kit
Nail Clipper
Ibuprofen
Garbage Bags
Paper Towels
Hand Sanitizer

Food: This is for the whole van. Bring any special food items that work for you before/during/after running. Avoid new foods on race days.

Water (bottles of various sizes)
Sports Drinks
Protein & Energy Bars
Sandwich Materials (bread, peanut butter, & jelly for me)
Fruit (not too fibrous)
Nuts
Trail Mix

Entertainment: Race rules have changed and a lot of legs are non-support legs. Keep yourself occupied.

Camera
Magazines
MP3 Player
Travel Pillow
Car Games
Sense of Humor
Good Attitude
Team Spirit

I’d love to hear suggestions and recommendations based on your experience with Ragnar Relay!

I Hate Clif Bars

My mom used to say, “I hate the word ‘hate.’” I don’t use it very often, but when I use it, I mean it. I can only think of a few things I hate – like February. I also hate Clif Bars.

I mean it when I say, “I hate Clif Bars.” I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Everyone I know loves Clif Bars, but the thought of eating one makes me gag. Even after long, grueling runs, I can’t choke down more than a few bites of a Clif Bar simply for nourishment.

I admit, Clif Bars are hard to beat nutritionally and unfortunately, they’re everywhere: race goodie bags, grocery store checkouts, gas stations, sports supply stores… What’s a good alternative to Clif Bars? Here are some suggestions:

Snickers Marathon Bars
I got one of these in a race goodie bag and I now buy them on the regular. They are so good, I feel like I’m eating a candy bar! I get them at Wal-mart in the pharmacy section near the Boost and Ensure meal replacement drinks. It seems unnatural to eat anything with the Snickers name on it for nutrition before or after exercising, but I’ve had success with them. I will continue to buy them and eat them until further notice.

Kashi Go Lean Protein & Fiber Bars
Eh. These bars are OK. I like the Chocolate Caramel Crunchy Protein & Fiber Bar, but it’s the only one I’ve found that I’ve liked.

Luna “The Whole Nutrition Bar for Women” – Lemon Zest
Yes, I know Luna bars are made by the Clif company. I never said, “I hate the company that makes Clif Bars.” I said, “I hate Clif Bars.” I can’t eat Clif Bars, but I can eat Luna Bars. I don’t know why. I’m a woman – maybe that’s why. Lemon Zest is my favorite so far.

As I noted, Luna Bars are The Whole Nutrition Bar for Women. So can my boyfriend eat a Luna Bar?

From the post Will Eating Luna Bars Make a Guy Grow Breasts? on Chow.com:

Clif Bar, manufacturer of the Luna nutrition bar – marketed “for women” – is asked this question all the time. The concern is baseless, however. Luna bars, which come in flavors including Lemon Zest, S’mores, and Dulce de Leche, contain no estrogen or other hormones that might cause men to grow mammary glands. They’re for women because they’re fortified with nutrients females typically need more of or sometimes have a hard time getting in their diets. These include folic acid, calcium, iron, B vitamins, and fiber.

Kashi Go Lean Protein & Fiber Bars – Chewy PB & Chocolate Versus Crunchy Chocolate Caramel

Some days, meal replacement bars are a group fitness instructor’s best friend. On my latest trip to the grocery store, Kashi GOLEAN Protein & Fiber Bars were on sale 10 for $10 so I decided to give them a try. I bought four Peanut Butter & Chocolate Kashi Go Lean Chewy Protein & Fiber Bars (13 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, 290 calories) and six Chocolate Caramel Kashi Go Lean Crunchy Protein & Fiber Bars (8 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, 150 calories). These two varieties were my only options at the time.

I started with the Chewy Peanut Butter & Chocolate Go Lean Bar on day one. I eat in the car between classes. I opened the package and it looked like a giant chocolate bar, and in my opinion, that is a good thing. The first bite was sadly disappointing. Inside the chocolate was a grainy, flavorless mass that did not resemble any peanut butter I’ve ever tasted. I forced myself to eat half the bar for nourishment, and I left the rest in my car to melt in the summer heat while I taught Zumba.

After my bad experience with the Chewy bar, I hesitated a couple of days before trying the Crunchy Chocolate Caramel Go Lean Bar. Actually, my boyfriend tried it first. He described it as a Rice Krispies bar. I tried it and agreed. It was something like a soggy Rice Krispies bar or Special K bar with chunks of marshmallow on a bed of chocolate. Between me and my boyfriend, all six are now gone. I will buy these again.

The Kashi Chocolate Caramel Crunchy Go Lean Protein & Fiber bar is low in calories and protein, but it was the clear winner of the Rencsi.com Crunchy versus Chewy taste test.

Want Z1 Zumba Shoes from Zumba Fitness? Get Them While You Can!

I’m a Zumba and Zumba Gold instructor and I had the same pair of Zumba shoes for a year. At first, I was only wearing my Zumba shoes for about one hour per day, two or three times a week, and they were holding up just fine. As luck would have it, I started getting more and more classes at more and more facilities and soon I was teaching two or three times per day, four days a week! As awesome as it was, my Zumba shoes broke down quickly. I was having foot, ankle, and shin pain during and after Zumba class. It was obvious I needed a new pair of Zumba shoes and I needed them fast.

I had been wanting the new Z1 Zumba sneakers from Zumba Fitness so I went to the Zumba shop to order a pair. I searched and searched, but they were not there – the Z1 Zumba sneakers were temporarily unavailable! I needed new shoes badly, but I decided to wait a week.

A week later, I checked the Zumba shop again. No Z1 Zumba sneakers! I couldn’t wait any longer and I decided to replace my Nike Musique IV with the exact same pair.

I just checkd back and the Z1 Zumba sneaker is now available at Zumba.com.

The moral of the story: If you are thinking about trying out the Z1 Zumba sneakers from Zumba.com, do it while you can! They are insanely popular. If they are temporarily unavailable, check back regularly because they might come and go from the Zumba shop as they are in stock. Hopefully, this means new styles and colors will be available soon.

Good luck!

What Are Zumba Shoes?

One of my Zumba participants walked into Lady Foot Locker and asked for Zumba shoes. The LFL sales team looked confused and responded, “What are Zumba shoes?”

How embarrassing! Someone is willing to walking into an athletic shoe store and drop $60 to $110 USD on a pair of dance shoes and the sales team at a store like Lady Foot Locker doesn’t even know what Zumba is?

In an athletics store, you are most likely looking for Nike Musique athletic dance shoes. Ryka also makes a couple of styles of athletic dance sneaker, Ryka Studio D and Ryka Sync, and from what I’ve seen, they are similar to the Nike Musique. This type of shoe is used by cheer and dance teams at the high school and college levels so they are somewhat easy to find. They are attractive athletic shoes, but obviously not built for most sports. You’ll find them on the edge of the athletic shoe section, not mixed in with the running shoes. Because they are not common, they are also easy to find on the clearance rack if you are a bargain hunter.

There is also currently a Nike shoe called Nike Huarache. It is more of a hip hop dance shoe so you might find it mixed in with the street wear.

If you have access to a dance studio or dance supply store, look for Capezio or Bloch athletic dance sneakers. These sneakers are also worn by dance teams and instructors so they are easy to find. Capezio and Bloch sneakers usually have a split sole which allows more foot flexibility during dance training and performances. To me, the split sole takes away some of the stability of these athletic dance shoes. The split sole is why I personally chose NOT to wear them for Zumba – I need stability and support. However, I do know plenty of people who DO wear them for Zumba.

In stores, you will pay about $30 USD for Zumba shoes on the clearance rack. Full price, Zumba shoes will cost $60-$110 USD. Online, you have more options and better prices. You will find Nike Musique and Huarache and Ryka Studio D and Sync online. Discount dance supply stores sell Capezio and Bloch athletic dance sneakers online.

I hate to order shoes online, but I like online shoe store prices so I use a little trick. I go find the shoes I want in a shoe store, try them on, and make note of the size, style, and color. Then I go home and order the same shoes online. It take a little more time, but I think it’s worth it.

If you have a favorite brand or style of shoe that you use for Zumba, I would love to hear it!

Calories Burned During Zumba

I’m a Zumba instructor and I was tired of guessing how many calories I was burned during Zumba class so I bought a Polar FT60 heart rate monitor. I’ve been wearing it for a couple of weeks now. Here’s a quick summary of how many calories I burned in recent classes:

Zumba
Minutes / Calories Burned
50 / 474, 60 / 733,  50 / 676, 60 / 734, 50 / 626, 50 / 810, 50 / 652, 50 / 790, 50 / 701, 50 / 779, 50 / 638, 50 / 668, 50 / 595
Average = 683 calories per class

Zumba Gold
Minutes / Calories Burned
50 / 461, 50 / 492
Average = 474 calories per class

What I learned is that the number of calories burned during Zumba varies widely depending on the content of the class. There are certain songs and dances that really get my heart rate up. For example, there is a significant increase in calories burned during those classes that include a quebradita (i.e. Zu Bailaito and Ritmo Caliente). Choreography that includes jumping or “riding a horse” also bump up the number of calories burned (Evacuate the Dance Floor, Jump in the Line, and Que Te Pica to name a few).

Stay tuned while I learn more from my new heart rate monitor! Zumba hugs!

May Zumba Music Playlist

Time flies! Some of my May Zumba songs. Enjoy!

Telephone (Pop / Warm Up)
Lady Gaga

Obsesion (Bachata)
Aventura

Chaiyya Chaiyya (Zumba Toning / Bollywood)
Bombay Dreams

Salome (Salsa / Pop)
Zumba Fitness ZIN 24

Que Te Pica (Reggaeton)
Notch

A La Nena Le Gusta (Merengue)
Zumba Fitness ZIN 24

Zu Bailaito MIX (Quebradita)
ZIN Bonus Download

Boro Boro (Belly Dance)
Zumba ZIN 22

I Need to Know (Cha Cha)
Zumba Fitness ZIN Volume 25

Rain Dance (African)
The Very Best Featuring M.I.A.

Evacuate the Dance Floor (Pop)
Cascada

La Agarro Bajando (Salsa)
Zumba Megamix 4

Lean Like a Cholo (Zumba Toning / Latin Hip Hop)
Down AKA Kilo

La Negra Tomasa (Cumbia)
DJ Kane

Waiting in Vain (Reggae / Cool Down)
Bob Marley

Heart Rate Monitor for Zumba

Enough guessing. I’m buying a heart rate monitor for Zumba.

I’m a Zumba instructor and I track my diet and exercise through a free online fitness diary called hotcal. Until now, I’ve been using the cardio exercise entry “Dancing, aerobic, ballet or modern, twist” to track Zumba. According to my height, weight, age, and sex; I should burn about 272 calories in one 50-minute Zumba class.

As an instructor, I exaggerate all of my movements and give 100% during each song of each class. After Zumba classes, I am drenched from head to toe in sweat. I don’t think 272 is an accurate measure of the calories I burn in a typical Zumba class. That is why I’ve decided to buy a heart rate monitor.

After a little research, I’ve settled on the Polar FT60 heart rate monitor. This hr monitor comes with the fabric chest band with the snap on/snap off electronic brain. The fabric band was important because I’ve used hr monitors with the plastic band with the built in electronics. It was very uncomfortable and I can’t image doing Zumba while wearing a hard plastic band around my rib cage. As I mentioned, Zumba makes me sweat hardcore. I need equipment that I can rinse or it will be ruined in no time.

The FT60 is not cheap, but I am also a long distance runner and biker. I don’t need a foot pod or gps capability now, but these are optional add-ons to the FT60. I would not like to buy another heart rate monitor any time soon, but I may want to accessorize later.

The other nice thing about the women’s FT60 is that it is attractive. The band is magenta and the face is white and silver with decorations on the face. If I have to wear this thing daily, I might as well like the way it looks.

Stay tuned as I try out my heart rate monitor for Zumba.

Should I Buy a Heart Rate Monitor for Zumba?

I love teaching Zumba. I teach high intensity Zumba 4 times a week and Zumba Gold 2 times a week. I smile a lot and sweat a lot, but how do I know much exercise I am getting from Zumba class?

Until now, I have relied on free online calorie calculators and exercise diaries like hot cal to tell me how many calories I burn during exercise, including Zumba. I enter every food and beverage I consume each day and I enter every minute of exercise I do each day into hot cal. The site software uses my 1) Basal Metabolic Rate or BMR, 2) daily calorie needs based on my activity level, 3) net calorie needs, and 4) exercise bonus calories to calculate whether I’ve stayed within my daily calorie target to meet my personal fitness or weight loss goals.

I currently use the cardio exercise entry “Dancing, aerobic, ballet or modern, twist” to track Zumba. According to my height, weight, age, and sex; I should burn about 272 calories in one 50-minute Zumba class.

272 calories? That’s it? That can’t be right… Can it?

I think it’s time I invest in a heart rate monitor so I know exactly how many calories I burn in each Zumba class – not only for my own personal fitness, but to also allow me to use the music and moves that will get my Zumba class participants’ hearts pumping (safely, of course).

Stay tuned as I shop for my first heart rate monitor for Zumba!

March Zumba Music Playlist

Some of my March Zumba songs. Enjoy!

Don’t Matter Calypso Remix (Calypso / Pop Warm Up)
Akon

Papa Loves Mambo (Mambo)
Perry Como

Loba (Latin Pop)
Shakira

Me Gusta, Me Gusta (Salsa)
Zumba Fitness ZIN 24

La Morena (Merengue)
Zumba Megamix 14

Hava Nagila (Traditional)
Zumba Gold

Tigy Tigy (Reggaeton / Arabic)
Zumba ZIN Mega Mix 15

Brinca (Cumbia)
DJ Kane

Salome (Salsa / Pop)
Zumba Fitness ZIN 24

Evacuate the Dance Floor (Pop)
Cascada

Jump in the Line (International)
Harry Belafonte

Rain Dance (African)
The Very Best Featuring M.I.A.

A La Nena Le Gusta (Merengue)
Zumba Fitness ZIN 24

Na De Na (Pop)
Angel & Khriz

Chaiyya Chaiyya (Bollywood – Zumba Toning)
Bombay Dreams

Obsesion (Bachata)
Aventura

La Isla Bonita (Pop – Cool Down)
Madonna