National Running Day!

Today, June 3rd, is National Running Day!  So grab a buddy, stroller, ipod, or just your thoughts and head out for a jog if you haven't already today!  I went my normal 5 miles this morning with my mom.  I am getting spoiled having someone always willing to run with me!  It was really humid today, but not nearly as hot as it has been because the sun was hiding behind the clouds and there is a promise of rain later today.  We can hope!

Speaking of exercise, I will begin teaching Core Rhythms this Saturday morning!  Core Rhythms is an aerobics latin dance class aimed at giving you a 360* core workout without having to lay down and do a single crunch.  It is fun to do, however I am a little nervous about having to teach it!  Wish me luck!

If you would have told me 3 years ago that I would be an "aerobics instructor" I would have gotten a good workout from rolling on the floor laughing!  I spent most of my growing-up years avoiding sports and outdoor activities; "swimming" consisted only of reading a magazine in my swimming suit.  And the only exercise I got on Saturday mornings was walking downstairs to collect the donut holes my mom would bring me after her morning run!  

Well, the Christensen family had had enough of diets and baby weight and the like and decided to hold a health challenge to encourage all of us to be a little better.  We began in January of 2007 and agreed to do it all year long.  Each month had a different focus and different rules; we all tracked our progress on spreadsheets which we had to send in weekly to be scored.  We got points for things like eating fruits and veggies, drinking water, and doing various forms of exercise.  We lost points if we ate out too often, had too much soda, or had too many snacks during the day.  

I did not know that I was so competitive, but I guess the "Christensen Family Challenge" brought it out in me.  That, or I was just finally determined to do something with the body I was constantly uncomfortable with.  Either way, I began running in January of 2007.  I would walk to the indoor track at BYU and see if I could make a lap without walking (5 laps was a mile).  My roommate Katie started to come with me and we worked up to a whole mile without walking...we thought then that we were pretty much the most fit people ever.  And although her interest varied over the next few months, I kept at it.  I went in the mornings before class or at night after a long day at campus- usually traveling over snow and ice to do it.  But it slowly got easier and soon it was summer.  I went home to Texas and ran with my mom- something I had never done before in my life!  

Now since then my fitness routine has varied- I have taken breaks, hiked, biked, and gone to the gym- and now I am in a good routine of running a few days a week with my mom, going to the gym a few days alone, and doing a lot of dancing at the studio.  So when the studio wanted to start up this Core Rhythms class, it seemed natural to them that I would be the one to head it up...which is so funny to me!  While I enjoy it (or the results at least), I have never considered myself a pro in the fitness area.  I agreed to get certified and give it my all, but I am still nervous as this is such a different thing than anything I ever would have imagined myself doing.  I just hope that since I am changing my habits now, while I am  young, that eventually exercise will be something that I see as a natural part of my life!