Zumba – Kicks like a workout, feels like a party

December 22nd, 2010

The Minneapolis – St. Paul, Minnesota Star Tribune recently published an article about Zumba.

University of Minnesota kinesiology professor, Beth Lewis was quoted as saying: “For someone who’s physically fit, probably going for a run is going to provide a better workout, but for people who work out rarely, this is a fabulous gateway exercise…”

I very much disagree with Ms. Lewis. Zumba is a great interval workout for people of all fitness levels, not only “people who work out rarely.” The Zumba format allows each individual to work as hard as they choose or as hard as they are able. Zumba recruits muscles from the entire body while challenging the cardiovascular system. Choreography may be difficult for some former athletes to pick up and therefore, some “physically fit” participants may need more time and practice to feel comfortable enough to work at a high intensity.

I have been a long-distance runner for over 15 years and I never saw the rapid results that I saw from Zumba from running. Since doing Zumba for the first time in March 2009, I personally have lost over 30 pounds. I consider myself well-conditioned and toned. I ran my best-ever Ragnar Relay race in the summer of 2010 after training by primarily leading Zumba classes.

I love seeing my participants smile and build confidence, spirit, and attitude through Zumba. Viva Zumba!

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What to Pack for a Ragnar Relay

August 15th, 2010

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!

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