Me And The Treadmill--I Remembered What I Forgot!

It was an earth-shattering moment today--I'm sure you felt the earth shift just a bit around 1:30 Central Time:  I went to the gym.  I had to confess to one of the personal trainers, (Wendy) that no, I hadn't been going early in the morning, I just hadn't been going at all.  Guilt times ten!

I've realized a few things from my visit to the gym today:

1.  I am pathetically out of shape.  Really bad.

2.  I can run again!  But, referring to the above statement, I can't run very far without wimping out.  I can't believe I ever trained and ran a marathon.  It seems like eons ago.  I have much work to do!

3.  The spinning classes, as explained by Wendy, are fun and not packed with people,  so I should go. 

4.  There's a mini-YMCA that opened near my house that has super cool new bikes that have screens so you can program a bike ride on paths around the world.  Sweet!  And the handles move, so you feel like you're really riding an actual bike.  I will be checking out this new mini-Y before everyone knows about it and it gets crowded.

5.  I inexplicably crave McDonald's after working out.  Have no clue why.  Just do.

6.  I don't enjoy running on a treadmill.  It's like parsley to me:  I think if I try it enough, I'll like it.  But no, I don't.  But I'll run on the treadmill through the winter months anyway.  However, no parsley, thank you.

7.  At home, the pumpkin bread I made had a huge hole in the middle, and wasn't baked all the way through. Now I know that adding a tablespoon of baking soda, instead of a teaspoon, will result in bread with no middle.  Into the trash after a taste--will try again later this week.  It tasted really good, just looked like someone put their fist in the middle of it.

So I feel good after hitting the gym, but my performance was sub-par.  Just getting down there, and putting on my work out clothes made me feel less sluggish and happier.  Will I get down to the gym before Christmas?  Who knows.  If I plan it, I will certainly not do it.  I will be one of those people in January who make a huge effort to kick start the year by setting a new habit--and that habit will not be eating my weight in food!  Spin classes will be on my list for sure.  My only hope is that I don't fall off the bike.  

A Truth I Know to be True, But Ignore Anyway

So I went to the gym this morning to start the week off running.  My goal was 3 miles.  I haven't run  3 consecutive miles in months.  Of course I did everything wrong before I went to the gym:  I lingered at home, drinking coffee and eating peanut butter toast.  Now I know this much about running and my body:  it does not appreciate coffee and a full stomach before I run.  I know this, and yet I do it anyway.  I think to myself--"I'll be fine!  It will be an hour before I run--plenty of time to digest!"

Duh.  Wrong.  I get to the gym, psyched up to run.   I have my Super Wee Pod set to my new favorite running podcast and I step on the treadmill to warm up for a few minutes.  So far, so good.  I start to run and feel pretty good--if only this feeling would last past the first 30 seconds!  As I approach the half mile mark, I realize my throat is parched and when I try to swallow, I just want to hack up a lung.  I slow down to a walk, grab my water, and take a few quick sips.  I've started to sweat and I can feel my face getting really warm, which means I will look like a lobster rather quickly.

I begin to run again, and start to take stock of different areas of my body.  Legs feel good--they apparently don't forget how to run, and those body pump classes I've been taking must be helping.  Yeah!  Then I realize from the waist up, I have a problem.  My gut is sloshing around and my breathing is sounding terrible--and this with headphones and music in my ears!  Sure enough, the side cramp begins.  I slow down again, and try stretching from side to side as I walk, knowing this won't help, but still making a futile attempt.  Oh well.  Live with the cramp.  I've made it over a mile by now, and bumping up my speed so I'm actually running hard.

 I make it to 1.8 miles before I call it a day.   I actually get looks from people at the gym, because my face is bright red, my hair is dripping with sweat, and maybe they think I'll be dropping to the floor at any time.  The other ladies on the treadmills keep walking, reading their magazines and looking gym-glam in their sweats and matching tops.  I don't care.  I'm there to sweat! Onward to tomorrow, and getting to that 3 mile mark on the treadmill--and no coffee until I return home from the gym.  Have a great Monday!!