Back to the gym

So, I did make it back to the gym this morning. I lifted some weights reeaaallly slow and now at 7:30 pm my muscles are screaming at me! But here's the fun stuff: I was watching this man with a santa clause belly do dead lifts this morning. That's nothing too exciting but he only had 10 lb. weights in his hands. What's that gonna do? So, I decided I better watch this guy. He would do a set, lean on the bench, wipe his forehead (for what?) and then rest for about 2 minutes between each set. Come on buddy! That's not gonna do JACK SQUAT! I finished with the weights and went up to the stair master. I decided to do my rotation. Twenty minutes total: 5 minutes facing forward, 5 minutes to the side, 5 minutes backward and 5 minutes to the other side. So I'm working on my forward set and hey, I can see Santa Clause belly from up here. Still doing the same routine. What is that guy wiping off of his bald head - seriously? There can't be any sweat with his "intensity". Anyway, it's now time to make the people to my right uncomfortable - switch to the 5 minute right side session. Try this some time. People start getting really nervous when you turn sideways on the machine and look at them. It's kinda fun. Now, backward routine - check on santa clause belly. Still there - working up a storm. Back to staring at the people on the treadmills behind me, that I'm now facing. Look, no eye contact! You could have sworn I asked for a volunteer to say the prayer. Checking to see how much time I have left on my backward routine. Santa Clause belly moving away from the resting bench - huh - I wonder where he might be heading? Anyway, time to stare down the people on my left. Oh, what fun. Well, I finished and got off the machine. It was a no eye contact day for me too. I didn't feel like looking at anybody on my way out - but wait....it's Santa Clause belly moving to the sit up bench. I think he might even take a nap in between sets now that he can lay down. Whew! Well - it's a run tomorrow morning for me! I'm BACK!! Woo hoo!

Woke up this morning and it was lightly raining. I certainly was not going to run and get wet out there. Besides, I'm recovering from a marathon I ran last week. Well..I didn't really run, it was more run...walk....walk....walk....walk. My friend had an injury from about mile 7 and couldn't run very far. I must hand it to her, that particular injury can stop a person from finishing, so I commend her on finishing. My other friend ran up ahead but only finished about 2 minutes before we did. She said she had to go to the bathroom and had some issues with the pants she was wearing and that caused her to run slower. Uh huh...
Back to my inability to run and get wet. Ok, I didn't want to get up! I'm back to the gym on Monday. I need some people to observe. Now, I'm a newby again. I will have to work hard to establish my "regular" status at the gym. I hate it when I have to start over. I have been eating everything I can get my hands on and quite frankly, it's frustrating me!
So here's the deal. I'm going to exercise 6 days a week for the next 2 weeks and I will report. Whether it's running or at the gym - there will be news to follow....

Gym cheating

So I went to a new gym this morning. My sister had a pass I could use so I decided, "what the heck". You really shouldn't try a new gym if it's more expensive and much nicer than the one you go to. It makes you dissatisfied with yours. Kind of like when you talk yourself into getting an economy car and you are ok with it, but then you take a ride in a luxury car - "just for fun". Big mistake!

But anyway, back to the gym. Oh man, this gym was nice! It has way more equipment than mine does and quite frankly, it was full of beautiful people and beautiful bodies. It has raquetball courts too. It even has pilates classes (with the tables!). My experience there also blew my theory about ratty people going to the gym early in the morning. There were even older people there with matching outfits and nice hair (possibly makeup-but I wasn't looking that close). There were even a couple of younger guys there doing some serious exercise. Hum, who would have guessed.

We did some weights and then ran/walked for 20 minutes. I tried this new "cushy" treadmill and I really liked it. The weird thing was, it kept shutting off on me. Weird. I took it as a sign that my body was giving off signals that I had exercised enough - so I stopped. A treadmill knows these things. We figured we worked so hard, we should go out to breakfast after - so we did.

Now I'm scheming how I can get a membership there. Oh man, gym cheating...what a mistake.

A New Commitment

Well I did it. I went to the gym this morning to start a regular routine. I was really proud of myself because it's hard to get started again when you have had weeks off (well, a sporadic visit here and there). I actually woke up even before the alarm went off. I must be excited, right?

So I decided to start with this 4 week program that I have done before. It involves weights, cardio and an ability to time yourself. You do squats, then some weights, some core work (you know, abs and stuff). I did pretty good. Then I decided to do the elliptical. I did manage to last 45 minutes on that. Hey, not bad for just starting up again.

I must admit I was surprised there weren't more new people there at the gym. Most of them were the regulars (including me, of course - because I AM A REGULAR). I did spot a newbie with a trainer. She was warming up on the elliptical before being tortured by weights. Those trainers have a sadistic streak, I swear!

One thing you need to know about gyms if you go early in the morning. It's for regular people who are really there to exercise. We go with mismatched outfits, half-done hair, absolutely no make-up etc. We are really there to exercise. Now, contrast that with the, oh, say, 5 pm crowd. Now if you are looking for a mate or possibly someone to flirt with, that's when you go. None of this 4:30 in morning business. You see people there that have no intention of getting sweat on that outfit! The females have make-up on, hair pulled up nicely and as aforementioned, nice coordinating outfits (they will now be referred to as "spa bunnies"). The guys, well, they are strutting around the weights and checking themselves out in the mirror (oh yea, for correct form). There is also the occasional midlife crisis guy too. They are a hoot to watch. So, if you are looking for someone to flirt with, go then. Occasionally a spa bunny will happen by early in the morning. You can spot her in a second. Nobody looks that good, that early. You're thinking to yourself, "what time did she have to get up to look that good?" I estimate that it's around 20-30 minutes earlier. Imagine her disappointment when she gets there and there are REGULAR, Joe Average (as opposed to Joe six pack) exercisers there. Well, she definitely looks better than all of us but what's the reward? Sweaty people in cotton T-shirts? (yea, no moisture wicking fabric wearers in the bunch!) She soon learns she needs to come later to score. There is one exception to this rule: the aerobics instructor. They usually look pretty good and make darn sure they can out-step, out-spin and out-crosstrain anyone who happens to wander in their class. They would be shamed if they didn't. It's a rule - just accept it.

I will discuss weight room etiquette in a later entry. Really, ya gotta know this stuff.

Getting ready to run

I think I may have jeopardized my standing at the gym. I have not been since December 29th. I could very well be lumped in with the new years resolution exercisers.

I've decided the only way I can overcome this possible label is to make sure to talk to every regular-thus giving the appearance that I have at least been to the gym enough times that I know all these people. "Of course she's a regular", all the new exercisers will say. Yep, that's gonna have to be my strategy.

So, I have at least made a commitment to exercise, I signed up for the Salt Lake Marathon. Now I have to start establishing a regular routine. If I don't, I will be one sorry runner when the marathon happens in April.

I did have one marathon when I did not prepare. It was last September, the Top of Utah Marathon in Logan. I had decided I was not going to run this marathon but my sister decided she was going to. I wished her luck and tried to cheer her on when she did her long runs. No, I didn't run them with her, why would I, I'm not running the marathon!

Well, it turns out that her daughter wanted to run a marathon and my sister was going to run it with her. Then, as usual, she got bitten by the speed bug. This is a condition where serious marathoners start concentrating on how fast they can run the chosen marathon. I have to hand it to them, they train hard, glancing at their watch all the time to see how fast they are running. I seem to have an immunity from this bug. I really don't care (well, as long as I'm not the LAST runner in the marathon).

Anyway, my niece became scared that she would have to run this alone, since my sister had admitted to her that she was going to run it fast (remember, she was suffering from that aforementioned illness). My niece kept asking me to run it with her. Quite frankly, I was feeling sad that she would be alone in her first marathon. I ran my first with my sister at my side. So, I signed up, ran it (not prepared, mind you) and suffered physically for about 2 weeks after. No injuries, just REALLY tired.

That won't happen again.

Opps...overslept

Ok, so I set out all my clothes last night so I could exercise. I was ready to conquer the world.

My friend texted me about 3 minutes before my alarm was going to go off (about 4:12 am). She had a bad night and wasn't going to go exercise. No problem, I say to myself, I will exercise by myself. I've done it for years. I'm just going to lay here for a second......

When I woke up at 6:45 I must admit I was surprised. How did I fall asleep so soundly? Frustrated and knowing it was too late to go to the gym, I got up and took a shower. How am I going to maintain my position as a "regular" before the new years people hit if I don't go? I am in danger of being classified as "one of those".

I did manage to justify not going by observing how sore I was from yesterday. Yea, I probably need to give my body some "recovery time". Yea, that's it.

Guilt did set in a little later in the morning and to pacify myself, I ate some of my Sees Chocolates that I opened the night before. Since I still had some Mrs. Cavanaughs chocolates left on the table, I had one of those too, so they wouldn't spoil. All that chocolate is going to my "recovering" muscles. Yea, that's it. And this is how I reward myself for not going to the gym? Hummm..

Well, I don't officially start training for my marathon until January so I have time, right?

Look out body! Tomorrow is a new day!

New years prep

I've decided to try my hand at blogging. Never done it before but I feel I must express my observations about exercise.

I will soon be preparing for my 16th marathon. Ah, you might think I am really in shape and HAVE to run every day. No, that's simply not the case. Since my last marathon in the fall, I really haven't run much. Sad but true. I have gone to the gym and I do have observations about that. I will start with those.

I have been hanging back the last, oh, month. My gym consistency is sparse at best. Here's my challenge. If I don't establish some type of regularity before the end of the year, I could be mistaken for a new years resolution exerciser. This could be a point of shame if I haven't established my regularity. The thought of being mistaken for one of "those"-you know the ones that last about a month and then you are wondering where they went? This is so awful to me that this alone will get me to the gym. How these people will know I have been going before January is a mystery to me but still...I must keep going.

So this morning I went. I'm still not committed to eating good yet because I have a 1 lb. box of Sees chocolates that I don't want to spoil. You know those chocolates don't last long. Anyway, I did some weight training and quite frankly, it kicked my butt. I did the elliptical for about 25 minutes and my friend had to leave so I did too. I really don't want to overdo it - I might be too tired for tomorrow...