Give the Gift of Zumba
Are you still Christmas shopping? (Don’t feel bad – I haven’t even started.) Why not give the gift of Zumba?!?
For the athlete… You already know she (or he) likes to exercise. Why not help them mix up their workout with Zumba?
For the dancer… You already know she (or he) loves to dance. Why not give them the gift of a workout they’re going to love?
For the couch potato… OK, she (or he) says she doesn’t like to exercise. She says she doesn’t dance. Zumba is the perfect gift for that couch potato of any age you’d like to start exercising. All she has to do is follow along. There are no rules. There is no right or wrong. Just keep moving and pretty soon, she’s dancing and exercising!
How can you give the gift of Zumba?
DVD’s: Two sets of Zumba DVD’s are available through the Zumba shop or Amazon.com. Zumba DVD’s let you start doing Zumba right in the comfort (and privacy) of your own home.
Video Game: Two Zumba video games are available for Wii, Playstation, and XBox Kinect. These are video games that will make you sweat, again, in the comfort (and privacy) of your own home,
Live Class: Pick up a punch card or gift certificate to a gym or group fitness studio near your loved one that offers Zumba classes. Some Curves locations now offer Zumba in the Circuit. There are Zumbatomic classes for kids and Zumba Gold classes for beginners, deconditioned exercisers, or older adults. Ask your favorite Zumba instructor for recommendations!
Happy holidays!
Filed under Zumba, exercise, holiday | Tags: athlete, Christmas, comfort, couch, Curves, Dance, dancer, dvd, dvds, exercise, gift, give, group fitness, gym, home, instructor, Kinect, live, Playstation, potato, privacy, punch card, shopping, studio, Video Game, Wii, XBox, Zumba, zumba gold, Zumba in the Circuit, Zumbatomic | Comment (0)Packing for Ragnar
It’s that time of year again. Today, I’m packing and shopping for my 4th Great River Ragnar Relay. I always over pack, but if you’re wondering what to bring, here’s my list of 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
4 – Sports Bras
1 – Long Sleeve T-shirt
1 – Light Jacket or Sweatshirt
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 (or garbage bag)
1 – Reflective Vest
2 – LED Lights (or these might be built into your reflective vest)
1 – Headlamp (2 per van)
1 – Sunglasses
1 – Glasses with Clear Lenses
1 – Small Hand-held Mace (for farm dogs or 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
Ponytail Holders
Headbands
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 and restaurants on race days. Remember, you can always stop at a gas station or grocery store if you need to reload.
Water (bottles of various sizes)
Sports Drinks
Protein & Energy Bars
Fruit (not too fibrous)
Trail Mix
Entertainment: Race rules have changed and a lot of legs are non-support legs. Keep yourself occupied.
Car Charger for Smart Phone
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! Let me know what you pack and what you wish you did (or didn’t) pack!
Where to Buy Dance Shoes
I did it. I broke down and bought a pair of Nike Musique IV dance shoes for Zumba.
There are a wide variety of dance shoes available online, but I had been hesitating about making a purchase. I personally don’t like to buy shoes online for several reasons:
1. I like to try shoes on.
2. I don’t like to pay for shipping.
3. I’m afraid I won’t get around to making returns.
4. I rent an apartment, which can make receiving shipments difficult.
So last week, when I found a pair of Nike Musique IV dance shoes on a clearance rack at Famous Footware, I decided it was time to buy. The pair of dance shoes I found are metallic grey and cool blue – a little more flashy than I would like, but you get what you pay for. I paid $40, which is about a 30% discount off the $60 regular price.
My advice for those of us who are not online bargain hunters, watch for dance shoes on clearance racks at stores like Famous Footware, Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Nordstrom Rack, or regular sporting goods stores. They are out there and you will find them, sooner or later…
Also see my “Sticky Shoes During Zumba” and “Best Zumba Shoes” and “Good Dance Shoes for Zumba” posts.
