Riot and Frolic

a mostly ballroom dance, but also a bunch of other stuff, blog

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I own and rock people’s faces off teaching ballroom dancing at Dancers Studio in St. Paul, MN. My husband and I compete professionally in American style and wrangle eight children in our spare time. I’ve been teaching and competing in ballroom dancing for over 25 years and have lots of opinions on it. I am an expert by any means, but there are quite a few dancers who are better than me and I have a solid knowledge of basic technique, so suck it.

How to Make It Easier Than Childbirth

I'm sure running a marathon should be easier than giving birth, so in my ever-hungry, anandamide-high week after the "run", I tried to come up with ideas to make the next one better.  

 

epic garbage can

bring it, next race

 

Yes, the next one.  I went to demolish this year's time in an epic fight to the death.  

So, here's what I'd do…

  1. train.  Fucking train.  Sorry.  But seriously.  If I could finish by not reeeeally training, let's get real and bang out some 17+ mile runs here.  Dear Lord.
  2. peeps.  I'd have a lot more of "my people" out on the course.  Or, if not more, at least have those fabulous friends spread out more often along the way.  And maybe I'd NOT like to know where they are.  That way, I'd have to keep going strong the whole time.  'Cause I don't want you to see me with my "tongue hanging on the ground" (my folks requested that they see me before that point, I think I acquiesed).              
    not dead yet

    who's got two thumbs and isn't walking [right now]?
  3. gels.  I also scoffed at gels.  It could have been that I'd been running for 17 miles or it could be that THEY WERE THE MOST DELICIOUS FOOD OF ALL TIME.  As I approached the 17th mile marker, there were volunteers who were calling out "Vanilla!" "Strawberry!" and when I heard "Chocolate!", I veered for that voice.  I don't know if they did anything, but I do like the idea of fudge in my pants…  Bad choice of words.  #runningjoke
  4. the route.  The course was beautiful, I think.  There was a "turn by turn" video at the expo (the big mall/race number pick-up/party before the run), but I skipped that, because duh, I was running it the next day.  But after my fail with The Bridge (it's not the Ford Bridge? wait, it's not the Lake Street Bridge?!), I think maybe I'll take a looksee for the next one.
  5. I'd love an excuse to go to Vancouver (maybe this one will be a full marathon this year?), but the Twin Cities Marathon is really one of the highest rated races in the state.  Plus, #1 will be slightly less possible if I'm in Canada.  The handy MarathonGuide.com is helping choose wisely.  [Does anyone else read that as "marathong uide"?  Hilarious.]

Ta-da!  It's a short list.  But come on.  I'm not an idiot.  Often.  

 

Ben Whishaw

Q!

The pictures of me running were taken by my good friend, the amateur photographer/Microsoft nerd/PROFESSIONAL BODYBUILDER, Scotty the Body.  He's too hotty.

 

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