Three Things Thursday: Pure Joy

Really, this is the three blog posts I never got time to write this week.  Ever since day light savings time, the days and weeks have seriously been disappearing on me.  Anyone else having this problem?

ONE
Last Saturday, I completed my official Spinning® certification class.  Our Master Instructor Angie was really knowledgable, thorough and her passion was fun to be around for nine straight hours.  I learned so much, not just about Spinning®, but some new (to me) training methods (more on that another day). I came home with my head literally spinning from all the new ideas and the rides I want to create!  Exhaustion at its finest.  Next steps... I feel like I need to study and process everything a bit more.  I'm hate feeling unprepared for anything, so I need that mental confidence before I perch myself up before a real live class. I have lots of practice yet to do before I take the official Spinning® Instructor test.

TWO

Not only did I find my running mojo on
Mother's Day, my kids got me a new
boxing bag!

As many of you know, I've been in a funk.  I lost my running mojo over a month ago over some stupid drama in my life, and have struggled to get it back. I kept on banging out the miles, knowing my mojo was just around the next corner.  Ironically, I ran my second marathon in the midst of this, which is one of the reasons I feel like I had "more" to give with that race. {race recap here}  Today I'm happy - elated in fact - to tell you I found my RUN-JOY again!!  It came on a simple, no frills run on Mother's Day.  I had planned to meet up with a group early that morning. But instead I was in my mood again, so I headed out alone. I left the house without a watch, no phone, no music... just me and the road... and the most perfect running weather anyone could dream up.  I really had no idea how long or far I was going to run (so no fuel or water either).  I threw all my typical routes out the window and ran like a lost child... up and down dead-end roads, just to see what was there... looping through parks with no concern for hills or pace. I gazed at all the pretty landscaping and just got lost in my run.  10+ miles later, I came home with the biggest smile on my face.  I'm back!

THREE
A local running group in Peoria hosts a Kids Run Series every spring.  This is our second year participating and we absolutely love it!  It's basically a mini track meet every Monday night. All the kids pin on a bib and can run as many heats as they want (1/4mile, 1/2mile, and 1mile) within their age groups.  Afterward they get a ribbon with their race time, along with cookies and juice.  For $2 a kid, you can't beat this family fun!  This week, my husband and I extended it into a Family Fitness Night.  After the kids races were done, we set out for our own 3 mile run - one kid in the stroller and the other on her bike.  We didn't eat supper until 8pm on a school night, but it was such a fun night with my little family. My heart bursts with joy when I get to share my running passion with the ones I love most.

Kids stretching out before the race heats begin.

My girls sporting their new running outfits (from Target)

I was so darn proud of my Little Girl.  The first week she fell and got trampled...
but this week, she ran like a little champion!

So rarely do we run together, but I always enjoy getting a sweat on with my hubby.

Don't forget to enter my CLICK-tastic giveaway here!

Ends Monday, May 21.