I continued to take advantage of my free 7 days at Gold's on Tuesday night. I wanted to try a spin class and this class called BodyCombat, which the Gold's Web site describes this way:

"BODYCOMBAT™ is the empowering cardio workout where you are totally unleashed. This fiercely energetic program is inspired by martial arts and draws from a wide array of disciplines such as Karate, boxing, Taekwondo, Tai Chi and Muay Thai. Supported by driving music and powerful role model instructors strike, punch, kick and kata your way through calories to superior cardio fitness."

Kickboxing was one of my favorite classes to teach at Maryland and I was really excited to try this variation.

I hit the spin class first though and was horribly let down. Bad music, boring class, not challenging at all (and I made sure I cranked the tension extra high). I barely broke a sweat. The whole time the instruction was telling us we were burning 800-900 calories. It's a personal pet peeve of mine when instructors talk about how many calories we're burning and how Spring Break is right around the corner, which he mentioned a lot too. It just takes the focus off all the other benefits of working out and makes it solely about body image. Plus, I think I barely burned 300 calories. I felt bad for the two girls next to me who were talking about going out and eating lots of food after class because of all the calories they burned.

After the disappointing spin class I was really excited to get to BodyCombat. The instructor looked like she had been a fighter her whole life. She was jacked, but not in a manly way. The class was set to fun music and I was beat by the end. My arms got worked, but in a good way and I can still feel the workout today. Unfortunately all the kicking really upset my knee even though I had it taped. I'm still hobbling around today. Bad times. I'm staying off it for now as best as I can and hoping it's just a little flare up from motion it wasn't used to.

Took a rest day yesterday and I'll most likely be taking another one today with the knee acting up although I may try to get to yoga. I'll have to see.

Happy Thursday!

Time: 1:31:35
Distance: 8.38 miles

Seriously, I thought Gmaps was making that up when I charted my route this morning. I was like no way could I have possible run close to 8.5 miles. But there it was laid out in front of me, plain as could be. Eight miles. Eight miles with no pain. Eight miles with lots of sweat and wishing I'd brought a PowerBar or something along for when my energy crashed around mile six.

But the reason I was not prepared with my PowerBar was because I had only planned to run five miles this morning. And then I had planned to hit the gym and get in a bike ride and a swim. (I wanted to do a mini Fourth of July tri to mix it up and amuse myself). But as I was running past the gym in mile two, I realized it was all dark and closed up because it wasn't open for the 4th. Duh self.

So then and there I decided instead of running for a little less than an hour, I'd bump my run up to an hour and a half to compensate for the lack of being able to swim or bike.

I was cruising through mile five feeling awesome and thinking whooo hooo only 35 minutes to go, when all of a suddenly I felt the arch of my foot seize up. I've had this happen before. (I'd link to the previous entry if I could remember where I described it) But basically, my arch got really tight and it felt like it was ripping in half. Yea, it's a pretty painful feeling, but it's never stopped me from running. It's something I've always been able to push through and then it goes away.

Same was true for today. By mile six the pain was gone and I was feeling mostly good again. Then the energy crash hit. I never eat before I run anything six miles or less, because I don't need to and it just feels heavy in my stomach. Since I had only planned to do five miles, I obviously didn't eat. Well, turns out when you suddenly decided to up your mileage, you still only have the same amount of energy left in the tank. And those energy supplies were seriously depleted from the first five miles.

So while I was thinking man I wish I had a PowerBar, I was also thinking, hey, maybe I need to call it quits for the day. But we all know I'm not one to give up in the middle of a run. So, needless to say I pushed through the last two miles and change.

Got home, chugged some water from the water fountain on the first floor of the building. Tried to take the elevator up the six floors, oh but it decided not to work. So I get back out of the elevator and schlepp it up six flights of stairs. My legs = wayyyyy not happy with me at this point.

I get inside. I'm feeling super-energized (God only knows why) and had the crazed idea that I'd pop in my kickobxing DVD and do the half hour segment. No lie. After running for an hour and a half, I kickboxed for another 30 minutes. I am a wack job. Seriously, I think I might need my head examined.

Now I am tired and must go shower and ice my legs down. I'd take an ice bath, but I'm lacking the ice.

Later this afternoon, my friends and I are heading into D.C. to catch the concert and fireworks on the West Lawn of the Capitol building. Should be a blast. Will be crowded. Security will suck because the terrorist level has been raised because of the recent London stuff. (Stupid terrorists) But it will be fun.

Hope everyone has a fun and happy Fourth! Enjoy the fireworks whereever you are!