Three Things Thursday: Work it out

I am a masochist. Or an exercise addict. Or a mom with a night free who wanted to do the most with the time she had.

You pick.

Last night, I had a plan. I was going to go home, run a few miles with Denali and head to a yoga studio that I had a Living Social deal for. I've been having scheduling classes with the studio and when I wasn't confirmed for the class by lunchtime Wednesday, I thought I'd make other plans.

First it was run and then Turbo Kick at the gym where I teach but the instructor was injured. Instead, TX was going to offer Zumba with my favorite gal. The plan became to run, hang out a bit and then go to Zumba  at 7:30. Well, then the gym posted on Facebook that the night's specialty class, which is before Zumba, was going to include running.

And well you see where this is going.

1. I came home from work to an empty house - Mark and Miles were at Camp Grandma - and quickly threw on some shorts, got Denali leashed up and headed out. I wanted to get two or three very slow miles in. The summer-like humidity helped me with that. We covered 2.6 miles at a 9:44 pace, and I still managed to be covered in sweat.

2. I got home, quickly changed shirts and was out the door for specialty class. I was a bit late - I blame a train - and found the class hanging out at the corner, where a trail starts. I parked and quickly ran over, only to find out that I wasn't going to stop running. The workout: Run or walk a half-mile; stop; do circuit one; run or walk a half mile; stop; do circuit two; hill sprints; jog back. It was a (very tough) class after this runner's heart - I was just disappointed that I didn't have my MOTOACTV to track the mileage. The best part of the class might have been the cat calls, though. The trail ran alongside a busy road and 5 minutes din't go by without being honked at.

3. I finished the class soaking wet - again - and tired but I was committed to doing Zumba. I hung out with the girls, picked up a couple weeks of subbing duties and caught my breath. Soon enough, it was time to dance. Let me tell you this: I forgot just how hard Zumba can be. Like any workout, you get out of it what you put in it but I struggled to keep up and, at the end, I definitely had to modify the movements to stay with the group.

It was fun, though, and a great change of pace. And something that is not going to happen very often. Three workouts, back-to-back, is just crazy.