Girls On The Run & Walter's Run 5k

Girls On The Run is one outstanding and inspiring group. If you don't know about them, here is their mission statement:

We inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running.

Girls on the Run is a transformational learning program for 8 to 13 year-old girls. We teach life skills through dynamic, conversation-based lessons and running games. The program culminates with the girls being physically and emotionally prepared to complete a celebratory 5k running event. The goal of the program is to unleash confidence through accomplishment while establishing a lifetime appreciation of health and fitness.

I LOVE THIS!! I really wish there was something like this around when I was younger...

I've been hearing nothing but good things about this organization and finally started checking into volunteering a month or so ago.

Thankfully I heard back from Jen (their local Boston chapter's main contact) quickly and she let me know about today's event. The girls would be taking part in Walter's Run 5k in West Roxbury and they were looking for volunteers.

Yes! I was ready. :)

I arrived at the meeting spot - West Roxbury YMCA - early of course, but thankfully located the Girls On The Run Table. The pre-race scene was awesome. Seeing the girls meeting up with their coaches and running buddies, while also getting their "happy hair" (think pink hairspray) and some temporary tattoos from Athleta. I was really good at holding the water, paper towels and temporary tattoos for the ladies of Athleta. :P

I did try my hand at some spray painting for a little girl who arrived a little late - decent work I would say. :)

As the girls and their coaches/running buddies were heading to stretch, Jen let another volunteer Kate and I know they had a couple spare numbers if we wanted to run the 5k as well.

Twist my arm ... I was game. ;) Introduce Race #29 of 2012 - now this should be the last.

Since I wasn't sure if they needed extra running buddies or not I had arrived dressed to run - just in case. Plus, I had no idea how to dress for a race as a "volunteer" since I'm always participating. ;)

Kate and I grabbed numbers and headed to the Start Line. It was great to meet her, especially since she is also training for the 2013 Boston Marathon with a charity team so we had a lot to chat about.

We ran the first 2 miles together and it was nice. A nice casual pace since I had done a training run with Tedy's Team yesterday.

Kate and I parted ways at the 2 mile mark so I ran the rest alone - taking in the scene and cheering on the Girls On The Run participants I saw as I ran.

Then the hill hit.

Wha? I had not looked at the course map (I know - the usual) and did not see such a large hill on the horizon. There were volunteers saying "awesome job on the hill" so I thought I had reached the top. WRONG! As we turned left there was more hill.

BUT, this meant a nice downhill on the way to the Finish Line.

Since I hadn't signed up for the run officially, we will use my Garmin as the official time.

As soon as I crossed the Finish Line, I was handed a posterboard and cheered on the rest of the Girls On The Run participants as they approached the Finish Line.

It was SOOO much fun. I love running. I love cheering. It was awesome to see all of their faces lighting up as they realized they were about to finish.

My fellow cheerleaders

After the final runner crossed the Line

This woman was so inspiring!

we ended indoors for a pizza party and awards ceremony.

I loved all the posters hanging around the room!

The girls' faces lit up when they found themselves or their friends in a picture on the poster.

In addition to a great certificate that each girl got showcasing how awesome they were, they were each given a pretty sweet medal as well.

Yes I was allowed to take one too for my collection! ;)

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I am so lucky to have been able to be a part of the event this morning. It was a great experience and after chatting with Jen and Lori (the other main organizer) I really hope I can become more involved with the program ... and maybe even become a Coach ... in 2013!

I will definitely be helping with the Girls On The Run 5k in the Spring - as much as they will let me do!! We know I like planning races (see Birthday 5k). :)

Overall this was one awesome Sunday!! The girls really motivated me...

Yulefest 5k - 12/2/12 - 22:58 (7:24 min/mile)

It's the final countdown ... Danah DAH dun…Dana dat dun da! The FINAL race of 2012 took place on December 2, 2o12!

Race 27-of-27. I can't believe it was finally time for the Yulefest 5k.

(Sorry for the week delay in this post)

I was really looking forward to the Yulefest 5k since I was running with a bunch of friends and Captaining The Slumbrew Humbugs!

Isn't the Santa hat awesome? All 30 were made by Slumbrew Co-Founder Caitlin, while taking care of two kids (including a 2-week old) ... AMAZING!

Thanks to Caitlin for snapping this great pic of my buddy/Slumbrew teammate/Fellow Weight Watcher Success Story Frank and I! :)

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Once I handed out all the Santa hats to our team, it was time to make our way to the Start Line.

Well with the sheer volume of people attempting to start their Garmins and Polars at the same time, I started after I originally wanted to since my watch would NOT "acquire satellites."

I basically gave up on getting the Garmin going and just started. It finally kicked off about .2/.25 into the race. But thankfully my watch is pretty accurate on the "accurate pace" reading so I was able to gauge how the run would go.

Prior to the race, I didn't look up the course at all - shocker I know (I never do) ... so I had no idea what to expect.

The course was in Cambridge - starting and ending in Harvard Square - and weaving through the surrounding areas.

It was great. The crowd was lively and the costumes were entertaining, which always makes for a great race!

I was keeping a consistent pace around 7:15-7:30, which I was pleased with since I had done a 6 mile training run the day before with Tedy's Team.

There was a pretty decent hill at the end of the run, which was tough, but thankfully once you made it over you could see the Finish Line in front of you, which ALWAYS makes a hill easier. :P

I officially finished in 22:58 (7:24 min/mile pace). Not a PR, but I was happy with the results. I was the third person to finish on the Slumbrew Humbugs and finished 243rd out of 1,363 overall. The Slumbrew Humbugs finished 17th out of 57 teams - WOO!

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Right after I crossed the Finish Line I ran into my cheering section

My cousins (Hanna, Lena & Kiara) were there with my mom to give high fives! I was pumped to see them!!

After seeing these ladies, I ran off to meet up with the Humbugs - I am so proud to be a part of the Slubrew crew!

Thanks to Cambridge 5k Race Director Eddy for letting us snap this pic! ;)

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What I really love about doing so many races is meeting such amazing runners, seeing familiar faces week in and week out and becoming friends with them.

George is one of those people! He was Captaining The Most Informal Running Club Ever - a group I can't wait to check out...

And Eddy - the fabulous race director for Cambridge 5k and the VERT Race Series

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How can racing season finally come to an end?

What do I do now?

Well, that's easy ... start planning the 2013 season! ;)

Dynamic December

I am jumping on board with many of my fellow bloggers and coming up with some goals for December (just a week late ;)). But, now I am looking forward to a #DynamicDecember (I like alliteration so sue me :P).

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So here are the three challenges/hashtags you will see me using in the upcoming month:

1) #hlgDec2Rem - This challenge was designed by Jan (@HealthyLoserGal) and one of my favorite people in the world. :) For this challenge, I am really working on getting #back2basics, sticking with tracking (#trackstar) and getting in my Good Health Guidelines. I'm not going to beat myself up if I miss a day (since I did miss 3 of the 8 days in December), but I'll just try to do my best!

Jan is one of the best motivators, and people, around!!

2) #plankaday - This has been life changing for me. I am not one for crunches, especially with that back injury back in early 2011, so this is a great way to get some core work in without sitting and doing a bunch of crunches - I don't want to do - on the floor.

This program was started by Dr. Sherry Pagoto (@drsherrypagoto) and is open to interpretation. For me, I work on doing at least two planks a day and keeping the variety up! Front forearm plank, front straightarm plank, reverse plank, side forearm plank or side straightarm plank.

I started with a 30 second front forearm plank back in August 2011 and hit my PR of 5 minutes & 15 seconds in November 2012. Anything is possible... :)

I am going to continue to do my #plankaday every day. I am enjoying the versatility and loving the #plankaday community.

3) #100ozchallenge - This is actually the first challenge that I started on my own! I have had at times upwards of 50 people participating. Woo! I feel wicked cool. Okay, that wasn’t cool. Dammit!

Anyway, this is a pretty simple challenge: drink at least 100oz water a day. That’s it. Keep yourself hydrated during the winter months. I just saw on twitter today that “Dehydration can cause ageing & can slow down metabolism as much as 3%” – I am here to not let that happen! Stay hydrated!!

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I set these goals for myself because this is the person I want to be. The person I want to strive to be. The person I will work to be ... one day at a time.

And because of you - my family, friends, Facebook crew and twitterverse - that will hold me accountable, will support me and will keep me going.

The hashtags help to build a community. It opens the doors to new relationships, tips and most importantly more support.

So for me, this is what I will be striving for in December.

What will you be doing for you?

Tedy's Team Group Run - 8 Miles

Dark ... Cold ... Raining ... Windy ... Overcast. All of those were building up against me and the training run this morning.

My alarm went off at 6am this morning and as I heard the rain outside, I thought to myself - "Just skip it. You can run 8 miles later today or tomorrow."

Then a picture of my grandparents appeared in my head and out of bed I jumped.

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I am running The Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013 with Tedy's Team IN HONOR OF my stroke heroes - my grandparents.

Both of my grandparents have suffered strokes and Tedy's Team is here to raise money for the American Stroke Association, while also teaching the masses about Strokes, especially the warning signs.

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Thankfully I lay all of my clothes out the night before so getting ready this morning was quick and out the door I went.

The 15 minute walk to the train served as a time to acclimate myself to the rain/cold/wind ... yay?? :P

After a short train ride, I was at FitCorp waiting for the rest of the group to join me.

What I love about the group runs besides having people to run with :P is seeing so may dedicated people putting their time and resources into raising money for a good cause. There are about 5-6 charities that take part in this group run so it is a great way to meet people in your own charity group, but others as well.

Plus we can all suffer through the conditions (snow last week and rain this week) together!

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We headed out at about 8am for either a 6, 8 or 10 mile run depending on where you are in your training. Since I did 6 last week, I decided on 8 for this week.

I ended up being the last person to hit the course since I was waiting for my Garmin to acquire satellites. Darn buildings! :P

John (our coach) and Zack (our awesome Tedy's Team Leader) were at the 3 mile mark with water, Gatorade and encouraging words to keep going. Thanks guys!

It was basically the same course as last week (up Beacon St and back), which allowed me to better pace myself since I KNEW there was a nice BIG hill waiting for us at the end (near the State House).

I felt good during the whole run besides some slight twinges of pain in my right hip and knee. I'm really hoping with some stretching and foam rolling that will go away.

But, it was great seeing so many runners along the course and chatting with a couple different people alone the way. Since this was Week Two, we are starting to recognize each other, which is great!

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My Garmin was slightly off at the beginning of the run, but worked itself out (somehow) by the time I made it back to FitCorp.

I was worried with the hill at the end again, but I every time I face a hill I am thankful for the leg strength from Spinning, Body Pump and Pure Barre that helps propel me up. Each hill I encounter now gets a little more doable/manageable (I refuse to say easier because no hill is easy to me).

I'm pleased with a 8:35 min/mile pace, but I need to work on slowing my long runs down to closer to 9 min/mile (aka marathon pace).

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I'm so thankful for this team experience thus far and honored to be a member of Tedy's Team.

If you are interested in making a donation, please feel free to do so here.

I appreciate all the support! :)

Just 9 Days Left With Pure Barre...

How does a month pass so freakin' quickly? During Dana's 7:10am class on Thursday I realized I had just 10 days remaining in my time with Pure Barre Burlington.

Ahhh ... 2/3 of the way through the month ALREADY.

Each class is still as tough as the next, but I can really feel a difference in my body. 

I think this photo sums up my whole time at Pure Barre thus far.

Strength.

Determination.

Drive.

Desire.

Muscle.

Lean.

Toned.

Shaking.

Yes, shaking definitely is one of the adjectives I have felt from Pure Barre. But I know when you are shaking, it's working. ;)

What I have enjoyed the most from the experience thus far is pushing myself past the point of comfort and trying exercises I never thought I could possibly do. And they are exercises I can incorporate into my daily routine. Really!

I found myself "tucking the tailbone," which is a staple saying at Pure Barre Burlington, in the car while driving around the other day. ;)

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Jess snagged this action shot of me the other morning during class and I loved it because ...

... at first I was so self-conscious of how I looked in class, but then I realized I look just like everyone else. :) It is such a safe space, where I'm just one of the gang and I thank Jess and her whole staff for making that feeling for all their customers!

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Once I realized just 10 days remained I got down to business and started registering for as many classes as I could between now and then so here it goes:

Monday, December 10 - 7:10am

Wednesday, December 12 - 5:20pm with Contest Winner Heather :)

Friday, December 14 - 5:20pm

Sunday, December 16 - Noon

*Still need one more class with the other Contest Winner Robin!

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Will I see you at Pure Barre Burlington before December 16??

Thunder Thighs No More...

On November 16 I went to Lululemon to purchase a pair of Wunder Under pants I had promised myself after completing the marathon. Well I tried them on and all I could look at were my thighs and I said out loud to myself: "Hello! Thunder Thighs." I'm sure the people in the other dressing rooms were thoroughly confused by this little outburst.

After posting the picture on Social Media...

... friends far and wide commented and said they had no idea what I was seeing.

How could they not?? I mean look at those thighs jumping out of the pants! I had gone out of my comfort zone and tried on a blue/grey pattern instead of going with the normal slimming black option.

But as the responses came in one after another, friends continuously used the words - lean, strong, muscular and fit - to describe the thighs above.

Interesting.

While sitting in my car in the mall parking lot reading the comments (see don't Tweet, Facebook or Instagram while driving!), I asked myself: "What legs were they looking at?" I really just didn't see it!

So I put the phone away, headed to my first Pure Barre class and let the comments/compliments from Twitter and Instagram resonate. But in my subconscious I was coming to grips with the fact that those Wunder Under Pants I pined for just weren't for me.

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Over the next 10 days or so, things changed.

Ever so slightly.

With each activity I did, another one of those pesky compliments from my friends/followers jumped back out.

* I took the stairs to one of my Weight Watchers meetings a little bit faster than usual. My mind thought: "Wow, this seems easier than the last time I made this trek. Those Pure Barre classes are really paying off.

Muscles.

* I set a PR in The 18th Annual Framingham Turkey Trot Classic 5k on a course I found rather challenging. Okay, I wasn't ready for any hills and there were some. :P I thought to myself: "Something is changing in my body. Those Spin classes are really working to strengthen my legs. Go cross training."

Thighs.

* With each Pure Barre class, the exercises were getting slightly more doable. But since the exercises were being done in front of a mirror, I could actually catch a glimpse of their transformation. The "burning" in my legs was paying off. The Brain said to me: "Look at those strong legs in the mirror. THOSE belong to you."

Fit.

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My girl Nazalee on Twitter immediately pulled out the big guns. A campaign that Nike featured about how the phrase Thunder Thighs is actually a compliment.

(Feel free to click on the image above for a better look or check out the ad here)

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So over those two weeks, the little tweets/instagram messages from November 16 were breaking out of my subconscious and starting to break down through the self-negativity!

But the tweet I got that finally made the mental change was short and simple: "I see a pair of strong legs that just dominated a marathon."

Truth ... but I had to change my mindset to see that!

On November 28 I went back to the store and purchased those pants and now wear them proudly!!

Even in public! :)

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So moral of this little story?

Simple.

We need to be as positive with ourselves as we are with others!!

And of course wipe the phrase "Thunder Thighs" from the vocabulary! ;)

*WINNER ANNOUNCED* I Got My #SparkleOn At Pure Barre!

**WINNER ANNOUNCED**

Thanks to Random.org, the winner of the giveaway is #32:

Congrats to Marisol!!!

Thanks to everyone who participated and keep your eyes out for the next giveaway...

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Lifting. Toning. Burning. Sparkling.

Sparking you say?

Yes!

For those that follow me at all through Social Media or this blog know I have a slight love obsession with Sparkly Soul headbands. ;)

So last night like most Pure Barre Burlington classes, I wore one of my many Sparkly Soul headbands...

... and I was finally able to snap a few action shots of me during class. For all of your enjoyment of course!

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I was nervous heading to class last night because I hadn't been since Friday due to some back/hip soreness over the weekend.

But, I was pleasantly surprised that I actually felt stronger and more comfortable in the class than in any of the previous three classes.

Okay, yes, we tend to get more comfortable as we attend/work on any sport/exercise, but I didn't know if the time off would set me back.

But, folks - I felt STRONG tonight.

Wha?

Yes - me!

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My girl Jess (owner  extraordinaire) taught last night's 5:20pm class and I was looking forward to seeing what she had to offer ... and boy did she bring it.

We kicked it off with the normal warmup of arms (biceps, triceps, etc) and core (90 second varied plank/additional ab exercises on the floor).

I was wicked excited because for the first time to date I was able to hold the 3 lb weights throughout the entire warmup! YES!

Normally I have to stop halfway through or put them down and then pick them back up later in the workout. But not last night, I actually was able to hold them the entire time.

That must mean I have some baby muscles in there somewhere, right? :)

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I was feeling confident making it through the first section of class without having to alter the moves...

...then we headed into "thigh" work!

Can you tell I knew the camera was on me here? ;)

This is one tough portion of class where you have to be up on your tip toes, bend your knees, squeeze the ball and tuck your tailbone - sometimes all at the same time. Woo, the tops of your thighs definitely burn!

Then Jess instructed us to get higher up on our toes and deeper into a squat at the same time - hence my smile disappearing. ;) Note the concentration on my face.

Another successful section of the class where I didn't have to pause (another first). I did slightly lessen my squat while on my toes, but I kept tucking and squeezing the ball the whole time. :)

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After shaking out the legs a little and some light yoga stretching, it was on to seat work (aka booty work ;)) at the barre facing the center of the room.

It is fascinating how such tiny movements of the leg can work so many areas of your body.

With a slight bend in the standing leg, it was time to work the seat of the lifted leg through slight lifts, circling the leg, pointing the toe and straightening the leg. We did additional seat work on the lifted leg side on the floor (think tabletop position) before doing the whole segment again for the other side of the seat. :)

Woo! Three for three in making it through a section.

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And then came seat work in chair position at the barre ... and my streak ended. :P

Jess upped her game to a whole new level during this section.

We got into a chair position at the barre with straight back - like sitting in a chair - and we went on our left foot on tippy toes before doing dips and pulsing in this position ... then doing the same with the right foot on tippy toes ... the finally with both on tippy toes.

And here is where the burn got a little too much for me. So I did stop once to shake out the legs, but I made sure to get right back into the position as soon as I felt ready.

I didn't think I would make it through that section, but Jess' calming voice and constant reassurance to all of us that we could do it helped me out!

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Before I knew it, it was time to wrap the class up with 7 minutes of abs and 2.5 minutes of bridge work.

Thankfully for the ab work, Pure Barre wants everything to be done injury free so they have red balls available to tuck under your back and offer that extra support. Jess even suggested for my back to use two so I did that last night and the back survived the 7 minutes of core work without any pain. :)

I did a TON of bridge work in PT after my back surgery so I love this portion of class ... I got this. :P

We were able to snap a pic of pre-tuck...

...and post-tuck!

Can you spot the difference in the pelvic/hip area?

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Well I entered last night's class unsure and nervous, but left feeling confident and realizing that I am already feeling a difference after just four classes.

My inner sparkle now matches the outer sparkle of my headband...

... so now comes the giveaway!! :)

Sparkly Soul has agreed to give one lucky reader of my blog one wide and one thin Sparkly Soul band of their own.

Here is how to enter:

*Please answer the following question on the blog below: “How will a Sparkly Soul headband help you sparkle?” … I will take responses until 9am ET Monday (December 3).

The winner will be picked at random … Good luck! 

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Feel free to follow Sparkly Soul on Facebook (www.facebook.com/sparklysoulinc), Twitter (@SPARKLYSOULINC) and Instagram/Pinterest/Tumblr (SPARKLYSOULINC), Google + (Sparkly Soul) and LinkedIn (Sparkly Soul, Inc.). And here is the link to their press release for more information on their headbands: http://sparklysoulinc.word press.com/about-2/press-release/

*WINNER ANNOUNCED* Pure Barre Class With Me Giveaway!

**WINNER ANNOUNCED**

Thanks to Random.org, the winner of the giveaway is #7 .... AND #18:

THAT'S RIGHT! Jess at Pure Barre Burlington was nice enough to give away 2 free classes with me instead of 1! Thanks Jess...

Congrats to Heather Federico AND Robin Nichols!!

Thanks to everyone who participated and keep your eyes out for the next giveaway - which will be launching TOMORROW for Sparkly Soul headbands … 

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Are you ready to lift?

Do you wanna feel the burn?

Looking to tone?

Then Pure Barre in Burlington is the place for you! :)

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Just a reminder of what Pure Barre is courtesy of the Founders:

Pure Barre is the fastest, most effective way to change the shape of your body. Using small isometric movements at the ballet barre set to motivating music, Pure Barre lifts your seat, tones your thighs, abs and arms and burns fat in record breaking time. Clients see results in just 10 classes, lose inches in weeks and have fun doing it!

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I've been attending the class for just over a week now & am starting to drink the Pure Barre koolaid :P

Check out some of my thoughts so far: Class One, Class Two and Class Three!

It is definitely a unique workout that hits spots on my body I never knew you could strengthen.

So now it's time for the good news!

You ready?

Are you sure?

Well, here it is ...

... I'm giving away a free class with me at Pure Barre Burlington!

And following the class - we can grab a Dunkin Donuts coffee or a beer (pending time of class) ;)

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So here's how to enter:

*Follow @IrishEyes1982 and @PureBarreMA on Twitter (if you have an account) - leave one comment after following both

*Like Weight Off My Shoulders Blog and Pure Barre Burlington on Facebook (if you have an account) - leave one comment after liking both

and

*Comment below answering the following question: “What about Pure Barre makes you want to check out a class with me?” 

… I will take responses until 2pm ET Wednesday (November 28).

The winner will be picked at random … Good luck! 

Variety Is The Spice Of Life...

Cardio is my safe space. Since really starting my fitness journey a few years back, I have always gravitated to the safety and familiarity of the cardio machines:

*treadmill

*elliptical

*stationary bike

I always feared the weights floor at my gym, as well as, fitness classes.

For too long, I let my weight hold me back from trying new things.

Then one day in late 2010 I somehow gathered up all the courage I had and attended a Spin class.

After just one class, I caught the Spin bug.

I was hooked.

What had I been so scared of? Why had I let the fear of the unknown consume me?

So from that point on, it was time to break out of the comfort zone and try new things ... especially when it came to fitness.

And you know what? I survived.

And now I LOVE the variety of my workouts. I'm no longer in a cardio funk. I now have something different every day, which keeps me interested and rejuvenated.

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So what did my last 10 days of workouts look like? Here it is...

November 14, Wednesday: Comcast On Demand class - Kickbox Power

November 15, Thursday: Comcast On Demand classes - The 12 Minute Blend & Cardio Dance

November 16, Friday: Pure Barre

November 17, Saturday: Zumba

November 18, Sunday: Spin and Body Pump

November 19, Monday: Pure Barre in AM and Spin in PM

November 20, Tuesday: Walking

November 21, Wednesday: 5k run

November 22, Thursday: 5k run & backyard touch football

November 23, Friday: Pure Barre

November 24, Saturday: 10k run

November 25, Sunday: Spin and Body Pump

(Note: My core work is the same circuit each day at home, including #plankaday!)

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I love how in the past 10 days I have really worked all parts of my body, which keeps my muscles wanting more and my head doesn't get bored with the same old same old.

AND what's even more exciting? I'm finally starting to see some muscles now that I am making weight training a bigger part of my workout routine...

So if you are feeling like you are in a workout rut, I recommend switching up and trying something new!

Also, if you've wanted to try a new class and are too nervous to attend one at the gym, try to find it on On Demand and give it a whirl in the comfort of your own home. That's what I did with kickboxing. So when I whacked myself in the face at one point, the only people who noticed were the dogs. :P

How do you keep your workouts fresh?

Pure Barre Bursts My Comfort Zone

Ever since I joined Weight Watchers in November 2009 and started my weight loss and fitness journey, I have been constantly trying new things outside of my comfort zone.

Scared? You bet!

With each passing experience - trying my first Spin class, my first Body Pump class, joining road races - you would think going into a new class would get easier. But for me, that hasn't been the case.

Despite losing over 60 lbs, many times I still see myself as the 217 lb girl when I walk into a new adventure instead of the new fitter version.

I think that other people in the room still see that version of me on the left rather than the one on the right.

BUT, I don't let the inner fear hold me back any longer. I use it to fuel me. That and my amazing support system of friends, family and social media.

If they believe in me then I should believe in myself.

So all of this, helped me break through that cozy comfort zone and attempt Pure Barre ... and I am incredibly happy that I have.

Plus the staff (Jess, Dana, Danielle and Becca) and the other members create such a safe environment that my worries of looking like an idiot or doing the move incorrectly and being judged for it completely go away. You don't find that everywhere.

I was even more excited for my Third Class at Pure Barre Burlington on Friday because I had not 1, but 4 friends joining me!

Thankfully Jess was offering a "Bring A Friend" deal on Black Friday so I invited my friend and fitness accountability buddy Lindsey to come with me.

Then as the class got closer my cousin Jen let me know that she would be at the noon class with 2 of her friends as well.

YAY!

The Pure Barre love is already spreading amongst my friends and it has only been a week. :)

They were ready to Lift, Tone & Burn.

The Friday noon class was packed - I think people were taking full advantage to get in a good sweat after Thanksgiving. I know I was.

It was funny being the Pure Barre "veteran" amongst my little crew since it was only my third class, but I was wicked excited to hear what they thought.

This was my first class with the instructor Becca, but had met her before - she is super nice and super motivating.

I wasn't quite sure how the class would go for me after doing a Thanksgiving 5k the day before, but I was up for the challenge.

We started off with the warmup of arms and core. I usually use the 3 lb weights since I have a weaker left shoulder from a 2006 car accident. But, even those were feeling a little heavy so for part of the warmup I went weights free and still felt it working my muscles.

After the warmup, we moved on to the thigh work. It's interesting how such tiny movements of your leg or thigh can work so many areas of your body. It really does shock and amaze me.

But, just working on stretching out my leg and making small dime-sized circles with the foot pointed can be felt throughout my entire leg/hip area. I love that ... and hate it at the same time. ;)

For some reason, my hips were a little sore on Friday so I had to take more breaks than usual while working at the barre for seat work. But to keep myself working, whenever I took a break I continued to "tuck my tailbone" so the abs weren't missing out on anything.

Maybe I was just having an off day, but I was having a tough time keeping up with the tempo, but I appreciated how others were also taking breaks when needed and just getting right back to it when they felt comfortable and ready.

I could see my cousin raise an eyebrow when they announced that we would be finishing the class with seven minutes of abs, but I promised her it didn't really feel like 7 minutes. :)

But, after we finished our final 2:30 of class with some great tucking while in a bridge, I checked in to see how the girls liked the class.

And - not shocking to me - they all loved the class and told Jess they would all be back again. Yay! We had some more converts already.

(Note: my cousin just texted me that she will be attending the noon class today)

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I have now taken three classes at Pure Barre and had each of the instructors (Jess, Dana & Becca) and I LOVE how each class has a set formula when it comes to which parts of the body need to be worked, but each class and instructor make it their own. So they tweak and change up which how you do the thigh work so you don't get bored.

Now I can't wait to see what Dana will have in store Monday morning...