Ballet progress and more fitness updates

I should start by making it very clear that i've progressed very little over the last 2 years of ballet classes, but in the world of adult ballet, that's about all you get.

You'll never really master anything in ballet at this stage in your life, but you start to appreciate tiny improvements.  If you can hold a position in releve for 2 seconds, you feel like a star!  When you remember your arabesque positions without thinking about them, you feel like a star!  When you do one clean pirouette, you feel like a star!  I don't think i've quite mastered a clean pirouette but one day I might. Oh and I can almost do my side splits on each side.  Almost.

I have become much more comfortable with the ballet terminology and once in a while I can actually perform an entire combination at the barre without any glaring mistakes.  But progress is slow and steady.

I also recently changed ballet studios to a more serious classical school.  My class remains the same because we have the same awesome teacher, but the studio just feels more serious.  After all, with a name like: The Russian Classical Ballet School, you can't help but get serious about ballet.

In other news, I've added boxing classes to my weekly workout mix.  It's more of a circuit training class but it's fun to watch more advanced people spar in the boxing ring nearby.  For now, our training consists of:

• 4- 1 1/2 minute rounds of jumping rope
• 4- 1 1/2 minute rounds of shadow boxing (just slowly jabbing with your left hand)
• 2- 1 1/2 minute rounds of push-ups and sit ups (not my favorite part)
• 2- 1 1/2 minute rounds of simple arm circles (very challenging by the way)

It doesn't sound like much but let me tell you, we are sweaty and exhausted by the end of our 45 minute training session!

Here is our small gym at a local Chicago park district.  One day maybe i'll get in the ring.  Ha.

I'm also still playing volleyball Monday nights and I've been running consistently every day about 3 miles on my treadmill or outside if the weather isn't too brutal.

And finally, I'm excited to report that I've been writing short fitness blurbs in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin for the last 3 months.

Here are my articles.  Enjoy!

Running and Ballet on the same day!

As always I begin by commenting how long it has been since I wrote about anything.  Mostly it's because I post about my life on FB and twitter so I figure if you want to know how I'm doing you'll read about it there.

I do like writing down my thoughts and sharing blog posts with others so I'll really try to post more often here.

Let's recap from December 2014 to April 2015.

I really focused on keeping up my running during these past few brutal winter months in Chicago.  I hardly ran outside but my dear friend gave me a treadmill so I've been running a few miles on my treadmill almost every day.  My running has improved a lot since I started running in August 2014.  I started out walking/running of course but soon I was able to run 10 minutes straight without walking!

Then I started improving my pace.  I thought I would never get below a 10 min. pace but soon I was down to a 9 minute pace consistently and finally today I ran my first ever 5K PR at a 7:57 pace! I am so happy today!  I ran the Race to Wrigley 5K in 24:38.  I was hoping for a pace just under 8:20 but I can't believe I ran under at under an 8 min. pace!  It felt pretty good too.  I was a little tired around mile 2 but I pushed myself the last mile to keep up my pace.  According to the official race results it looks like I might have finished in 6th place in my age category too!

The husband and I before the race.  It was rainy and cold but we did it!

I have another 5k tomorrow morning but depending on how I feel I might take it easy tomorrow, especially since the race isn't chip-timed.

My next race is the Soldier Field 10 Mile Race on May 23rd.  I have 4 weeks to prepare for that race but I've been trying to run some longer runs on weekends.  I ran my first 10 miles last weekend at about a 9:20 pace.  It wasn't awful but I ended up with a pretty sore hip/butt from that run.  I rested for 3 days and felt much better.  I have to really pace myself carefully for this race so I don't injure myself.  I'm aiming for about a 9 minute pace on race day.

Enough about running.  Let's talk ballet!

I've continued taking ballet since I first started in September 2013.  I was taking classes twice a week but now I'm down to just once a week.  I love taking ballet and I've improved a good deal since I started almost 2 years ago.  I'm still working on doing a consistent pirouette but my flexibility has really improved!

I take classes at a wonderful little ballet studio near my house.  Our class is taught by an amazing Russian ballerina.  She is a great teacher and I've learned so much.  Today we had a mini ballet recital at a local public library.  Our adult class is small but I think we did great today! (Yes I ran a 5k then rushed to ballet!)

Adult fairies

I still can't believe I decided to take ballet classes at the ripe old age of 33 but I'm glad I've stuck with it.  I've improved my turn out and flexibility and finally feel comfortable doing some of the basic bar exercises.  Center work is a whole other story!  I feel like I really need to hold on to the bar to do anything right during class.  

I also can't believe how incredibly difficult ballet has been.  Apart from having to learn all the terminology: plies, releve, ronde de jambe, adagio, arabesque, attitude, battement, passe, pas de bouree and so on; I've struggled with maintaining my turnout while performing all the above mentioned moves!  

My 1st position is ok but I swear my hips and feet just don't want to be in 5th position.  Trying to force your body into ballet positions that most people practice for 15 years or longer is HARD for an adult!

Still, I'm loving every minute of ballet and I hope to continue for many years!

Until next time, I'm going to keep running and dancing!