Missing Zumba

Unfortunately I can't get to Zumba class this week as Nico is away and we don't have a babysitter. Here's some midweek zumba style inspiration.

Exercise

In August I started a new fitness routine. The dance school where Isabella had a trial offers a programme for adults. For under 30 Euros a month I can visit two classes per week. (For ten Euros more I could take part in unlimited classes but I can't fit in more than two because of the kids at the moment.) The system is very flexible. If I can't make one class, I can choose another one in the week. This is perfect for me at the moment.

So far, I've tried three classes: zumba, hot iron and drums alive.

Previously I'd only done Zumba at home with a DVD. It's difficult to keep up at times as most of the others have been going for longer but I'm getting there!

Hot iron is a session with weights. I didn't expect to enjoy this one but it is a nice change of pace from the other courses. I ache for days after but I feel good for it.

Drums alive is the course I visit if I've missed one of the others. It's a fun course and combines drumming on a fitness ball with different disciplines. The one I took part in was step-aerobics which brought back memories. In this class, we built up new routines which made me feel more capable and engaged my brain too!

I'm feeling really good after workouts and losing weight. I'm looking forward to seeing how the next few weeks go.

Bike tour!

At the weekend, we tried out our new toy, the kids' bike trailer.

We just had a short ride around some nearby, quiet streets and cycle routes.

The kids loved it - Joshua slept and Isabella had fun.

It wasn't as arduous as I was expecting, not having cycled for so long, never mind the extra kilos.

These trailers are quite common here and double up as a pram!

The weather was glorious and I'm really looking forward to cycling more this year.

Back on the Bike

This week I've been enjoying cycling more. Since Nico needs the car to take Isabella to baby gym and baby swim, I decided to get the train to work twice a week.

It's the perfect time of year to be out of doors again and it feels great to be doing some kind of sport again. 

The train only takes about fifteen minutes longer than driving and I can read or knit on the way - benefits all round!!

Baby Gym

This morning, Isabella and I went to our first baby gym! I wasn't at all sure what to expect but it was really good. It was more of a play group in that we started and finished with songs - I sang in public for the first time ever...and in German!

We had an introduction round and the leader explained about baby development. There was also time for questions and answers. 

There were seven babies there, all at a very similar age and development. Isabella was curious as ever and there were some sympathy tears again - as with baby massage. There were giggles too though when we were doing the actions to some of the songs.

I can't wait to see how the group develops and how it helps Isabella. It was really great to mix with other parents and babies - something we should do more of.

We're already looking forward to next week!

Baby Massage

A couple of weeks ago, Isabella and I took part in a baby massage course. Werder Bremen runs a baby club and the course was part of that (next up, baby gym). 

It took place in one of the boxes with a spectacular view of the stadium and, more impotantly, a lush green carpet where we spread out our blankets and towels.

There were six babies and mums. The lady running the course showed us some different techniques. We followed her carefully and I took mental notes.

To be honest, I wasn't sure it was having much effect. It was the first time Isabella had mixed with other babies and she spent most of the time sympathy crying or craning her neck to see what the other babies were doing. When we were finished, she was completely relaxed and slept for ages though.

Since the course, we have tried the massage at home and with oil. She still enjoys it and the tummy massage is good when she is struggling in that area.

Running

As I mentioned, I got back out running again last week for the first time in a while and, considering the darker evenings and mornings, I went out with all my kit.  This includes my new Ipod case - thanks Mum and my flashy high vis band - thanks hubby.  They make running safer and more entertaining. 

I don't know about you but I find it much easier to run when I have something to listen to.  I hope I'll be able to keep running up for a while now.

Olympic Fever

source

If you're reading this in England, you will know better than me the fever that is gripping the country right now.  I haven't seen any footage of the events - just the opening ceremony, which I really enjoyed - but have been keeping up with the results and have to say, it's a great time to be British!  I want to take a moment to focus on a couple of messages I've seen on facebook this week.

First of all, what an amazing contrast to this time last year when I was almost ashamed to be British with the crazy riots that were happening in London.  It's a real source of pride to see how things have turned around in London in the space of a year.

Secondly, there are many calls for us and young people to focus on the athletes as role models rather than celebrities who are more famous for just being on television or other, less credible things.  Sport has never been my thing and it's only now that I'm getting involved in any way by training for the 10k in October.  When I was growing up, there were very few (or seemed to be very few) female athletes in the media.  I think it's brilliant that this generation will have much better and a wide range of role models, let's hope it has some kind of effect!

European Cup

For the last week or so, my time on an evening has mainly been spent hitting the update button on this German football website in order to stay on top of the situation in the European Cup and so far it has paid off with all three of my teams getting through.

I was brought up with rugby and still prefer to sit through eighty minutes of rugby than ninety minutes of football with the exception of when Barcelona hit the pitch.  It wasn't until my year abroad when I lived in that amazing city that I really 'got' football.  Part of it was the social side - hitting a sports bar with the Erasmus crowd and washing down a plate of tapas with a bottle of Estrella Damm, part of it was the fact that FC Barcelona invented the exciting football game.  It was also the year of the world cup which was extra exciting as we all had our little mini country groups within Erasmus and also adopted each others' teams when our own was knocked out.  The Italians were the biggest group there and the happiest on that night!!  

Of course Barcelona aren't in the European Cup, but Spain are and I still find them the most exciting team so this weekend will be especially exciting with all of my teams in the quarter finals and not against each other so I don't have to choose yet!  I may have to find some Estrella Damm here in Bremen and dig out the tapas recipes to relive some good times.  I hope you enjoy the football wherever you may be and whoever you are cheering for.

Training!

I know that there are a lot more than twelve weeks to go to my big race day but as part of my new mindset, I am starting the Race for Life 10km training plan tomorrow!  Here's the plan displayed in all its glory on the office door ready to make me get my backside into gear.

Projektwoche!

Well Projektwoche or Project Week has arrived with a bang.  I've been looking forward to this week for a while.  With the exception of today, I get to start an hour later every morning and instead of teaching lessons, supervise pupils carrying out their projects.  Being attached to year six, I feel especially lucky as their topic is 'Free Time in Bremen'.  Today we were at the Sports Park near the Werder Bremen stadium.  As many of the year group are skaters, they loved this and the others found some sporting activity to occupy them, even if we weren't impressed when they decided on a water fight twenty minutes before getting back on the tram to school.

On the whole, a good day was had by all.  The sun shone (a little too much for some - we had one case of sun stroke and one with sun burn that I know of) and we hardly heard from the kids for three hours.  The fresh air was great and I enjoyed discovering a new part of Bremen.

Tomorrow I am on a town tour of Bremen city centre.  I have done one before but I'm looking forward to it all the same.  The forecast is good and I should work up some points for the walking.

The Race for Life 2011

Now that England is booked, I've started seeing what's on while we're home and what we can fit in while we're back and this morning I discovered that the Race for Life in Wakefield is taking place on the Sunday that we are back.  I walked the Race for Life three years ago at Temple Newsam with my Mum and two years ago we walked it in Harrogate.  (I had planned to at least jog it that time but having been off work with the flu for three days before the event, I figured it was enough of a risk walking it).  I'm not sure what happened last year but this year we are taking part in Wakefield.  I would like to jog it this time and am going to get some practice in this month but Mum has just had a hospital stay with a nasty midge bite to the leg so watch this space...

As in previous years, I plan to take part in celebration of my Grandmother who received her five years all clear and is living proof of the good work that charities like Cancer Research UK are doing.  Unfortunately not everyone is so lucky - it seems hardly a week goes by without hearing of someone else suffering or losing their battle with this horrific disease and much work remains to be done until a cure is found.  If you would like to sponsor me, you can do so here.

The Friday Confessional!

Okay, I have a confession to make about my week.  After raving about it, just a few weeks ago and having had four weeks off already for one reason or another, I skipped French class last night.  I'm a little bit annoyed at myself...but in my defence -

1) It has been the first week back at school and I do think I have done well to keep on top of everything else this week in light of that.

2) I have been doing French activities every day to keep my skills up.

3) I skipped class but took a 12 km bike ride!  

Now those of you who have known me since high school will know how unlike me that sounds - give up a language class in favour of doing sport?!  It just goes to show how much nicer sport gets when it's not enforced and carried out with 149 of your 'peers' in the ugliest brown gym pants!

Visca el Barca!

Check out the match report here

Don't forget to tune in on the 28th!