01/05 They have a club for this??

So...Mot (my hubby) and I belong to a gym that's really close to where I work.
I get us a discounted rate through work.

Win/Win.

It's a basic place....free weights, weight machines, all the cardio equipment, group classes, personal training. It's a small place, everyone knows each other, the locker room and showers are small but clean, and everyone who works there is very friendly and knowledgeable.

There isn't a pool, hot tub, or sauna, there isn't a cafe, there isn't an actual spin studio (although they do spin classes, you just have to wheel the bikes away from the wall of the ONE group class room), there aren't racquetball courts, and there isn't locker room towel service.

I've been going to the gym where my sister works quite a bit lately, as her "guest"....trying the place out.

We're going to cancel our memberships at the small place, and switch over to the larger. Mot wants a pool...badly. And I LOVE being able to work out and spend time with my sister...we don't get to do much of that with both of our busy schedules.

It's a nice place, but much more out of my way. Because sis works there, I can get a discount on membership....and that list of "does not haves" from my gym.....well, they have all of that and more.

One of the "more" is a run club.

Depending on the weather and the season, it's either inside or outside.

Last night I met with the group to try it out. They "roped" off a bunch of the treadmills (which is easier said then done this time of year) for us to use.

We started with some simple plyometric exercises down in the gym.

So...you know those shin splints that I had for 2 FRIGGIN' YEARS? After two docs, 1 specialist and three physical therapists, I finally got rid of them.

Yeah....one night of doing 10 minutes of plyometrics, and they are back. Full force.

(sigh)

Why can't my body be normal, like everyone else? I don't stretch, before or after my runs.....and these things, instead of helping, actually hurt. I'm backwards. :-)

Now I get to look like the "know it all" when I tell the run club coach that they actually make me worse, instead of better. I like to fade into the background...I like to be seen and not heard....I'd rather not bring attention to myself.

And now I need to.

Oh well...what's a girl to do??

So...after the session of pain (well, for me that is), we went back upstairs to the treadmills and did some 1K intervals. One at marathon pace, one at half marathon pace, and three at 10K pace, with 2 minute breaks in between.

I've run exactly zero marathons, 1 half and 1 10K.....so I took a general stab at what my pace is/should be.

I probably sweat 17 pounds away. With all of the "resolutioners" in the gym, the place is hotter than heck. :-)

After all the running I've been doing since May...you'd think 5 1K intervals would be easy peasy lemon squeezy...right?

Stupid treadmills.

(grumble, grumble)

:-) :-)

Will I go back? Yep! I need to go more than once before I make a solid decision on whether it's for me or not.

I mean, I did really well training for a half marathon by myself.

But I really like the idea of running with other people. I've heard it makes the time go by faster....and I'd like to give it a try and see if it's true.