Oh Lord, I must be crazy!

     Well, tonight is my first dance class in years. No, seriously...the last time I took any sort of dance lesson, I was about 3 or 4 feet tall, and could barely tie my shoes!  I decided a couple of weeks ago that I needed to add something new to my exercise routine.  Running is still my favorite work out, of course. The problem is that I have started to call the Elliptical trainer fairly unkind names when I am working out on it.   In other words, it is time to find something new to try.
   I thought about trying Zumba again.  It is fun...but every time I thought about it, this picture comes to mind.

   So yeah, I think I may skip Zumba.  I really wanted to get back in to martial arts. Unfortunately, the issue of cost and time really makes it impossible.  As it stands, my work outs have all been free, except for the small amount of money I used to purchase my weights and gloves for my strength training, and my knee straps for running.  I use my church fitness room which is free, and I run at the local park.  We are a very low budget family, so the free route really worked.
    Then I thought about trying work out DVD's.  Well, I have been down that road before.  30 day shred, Yoga melt down, and a few others have all found their way in to my failed fitness collection.  I considered buying a Zumba DVD, so that I could at least have the dignity of looking like the above photo in the privacy of my own living room.  Still, it just did not feel right.

     As most answers do, this one came to me at a somewhat unexpected moment.  Kathryne was finishing up her dance class, and I was waiting in the lobby with the other moms. Her teacher came out, and was discussing beginner clogging with another one of the mothers who has a daughter in the same class.  The mention of a beginner class for women 18 and older caught my attention.
    I inquired about it, the cost and time, and realized it was something I wanted to try.  If you haven't seen clogging, look up YouTube videos of it.  Extra points if you find videos of One Step Ahead Dance Studio!  It is pure motion.  Your feet are constantly moving, your arms are constantly used in expressive ways, and your body gets an amazing workout.  The best part, though, is that it looks like an absolute blast to do!
    Fortunately, it will not kill our budget.  The shoes can be expensive, but with a little hunting online, I have found a few budget friendly options. Luckily Kathryne is already enrolled in one class at OSA, so a second class is discounted!  It only adds an extra $30 a month to the regular tuition. With a little help from Nana and Papaw, this is going to work out great!
   So here it was, my answer to the riddle.  We have had to rearrange our schedules a little bit to fit Clogging in.  One of my Rec Desk volunteer shifts had to be moved to a different day, and we will have to stop going to Wednesday night Bible Studies at church, just so we can have one week night without some activity or another.  I admit that one is a little bit of a bummer. I also have to rearrange my work out routine a little bit.  Clogging, while great exercise, is definitely higher impact, so my running days will have to change.  As much as it will irritate me, I will also continue with the Elliptical trainer at least once a week.  As boring as that *insert naughty word here* is compared to my runs, it really is a good low impact cardio alternative to my other workouts!
    I think this will be good for me.  Kathryne is excited that mommy will be taking "dance class" too!  It should be an interesting venture, considering the fact that I will be performing at a recital at the end of the year.  I would be lying if I didn't say that I am nervous about what whirlwind of a day recital will be, since both Kathryne and I will be performing.  I have a feeling Nana will have to take up her past role of dance mom, only this time with her daughter AND granddaughter.  Okay, I have to admit that thinking of that made me smile!  It will also be nice to have something special to share with her.  Daddy and Ayden have their things, this will be ours.
    Wish me luck.  I am not sure how much I will be able to do in class today, since I still have to order my shoes.  However, I will not let that stop me.  The real question, is whether or not I will be able to walk tomorrow.  I already predict that a hot shower (and, with any luck, a foot massage from the hubby) will be my best friend tonight.

Hopefully, I don't look like Ace Ventura when I dance....

Love and laughs!
Kristina