Another something new

Did I mention that I joined the gym while I was on vacation a few weeks ago? Yeah. Not only did I join the gym, I signed up for trainer training. I wanted a few sessions where someone tells me what machines to use (or what weights to use) and how to do the "exercise" properly so that I can lose weight, firm up and gain upper body strength. I signed up for three sessions with the option to get more later - for a fee of course. He asked that I go to the gym at least three times before I met with him.

That meant that I couldn't meet with him on our originally scheduled time last week - I hadn't gone at all.

But this week I was better. I went to kickboxing on Monday. It was different than I expected it to be but it was definitely a good workout.

Tuesday was a spin class. It was my first one ever. It was a good workout but OMG my legs are STILL sore!!! And you know how when you get off the bike you're usually straddling it for a minute and then you swing one leg over the peddle area to "dismount"? Well, when I was in the straddle position the thought that went through my head was "I don't think I can lift my leg over that." Then later when I got home, I heard Harley bark outside and heard a noise that could have been some poor critter getting injured and as I "jumped" out of my chair to try to save it, I realized that if its survival depended on my ability to move quickly and stop my dog from injuring it, it was in sad shape. Seriously bad shape. I could barely move. Fortunately Harley came in almost immediately and he wasn't carrying any creatures in his mouth so I think it was just a false alarm (I hope!).

Wednesday we (a lady at work has been going with me. she lives in Tennessee and has been working with us this summer but she's going back in a couple of weeks so I'm losing my workout buddy) had planned to do the step aerobics but when I told her I was too sore, she confessed she was too, so we went to a resistance training class instead.

That's where we met the nazi instructor from hell. She would show us what to do and then stand over us and yell at us if we weren't doing it EXACTLY how she showed us. I'm not even kidding. She was very rude and offensive. Very unprofessional. And it was all made worse because SHE wasn't even doing the exercises herself! Totally ticked me off. My friend felt the same way and another lady flat out told her she was a bitch and walked out of the class. Okay, so she did come back but she also told me she didn't like the instructor.

We were going to to Yoga last night but we didn't for two reasons: 1) my friend had another commitment and 2) nazi instructor was subbing for the regular yoga instructor. So I gave my body the day off.

But, I had been three times in the week so I was able to meet with my trainer. Now, remember, all I want to do is learn how to work the machines properly - the ones that will best help me reach my goal - that's it. And I'm fine with paying a professional to do it. He has me fill out a form and starts asking me some questions. He uses some thing to "pinch" my fat and then tells me he needs to weigh me.

Uh, that's not happening! And I let him know that. I haven't been letting my doctor weigh me but I'm going to let someone at a gym do it? Don't think so. So, what does he do? He says I have to give him a number...of my weight. Uh, hon, if I was going to TELL YOU my weight, I would have just let you weigh me. We'll pass on that option too. Then he wanted to take my measurements. Like I was going to go there? That'd be a no!

Now, for those that might think I needed to let him weigh and measure me I have this to say...it's not important to me if they think I'm making adequate progress. It's only important if I think I'm making adequate progress. I'm not doing this for them - I'm doing it for me. For me, that's the bottom line. Their opinion doesn't really matter to me - only mine does.

But anyway, then he had me do some squats so he could evaluate some things about my body? I'm not sure. I made sure he understood that I didn't quite have full function/control over my legs yet and he supposedly took that into consideration.

We did a couple of machines (so he could note some more things about me) and then we went back so he could ask me how many reps/how much weight/etc. I wanted to do. Um, yes I'm a trainer virgin but I thought that was your job to know? I basically told him that too - only a little nicer (I think).

He tried to plant the seed that I would need more sessions with him than the three I signed up for and ultimately I might get more but again, it will be because I want to, not because I'm being pressured to.

Overall, it's all been a decent experience. The one real stand out BAD experience was the nazi instructor but then, I don't have to take her classes if I don't want to. :)

Running - Day 3

Well, I went running last night. Since Brewsky was the dog I took with me, there was no chase him warm up or cool down.

I clipped on the MP3 player and was listening to some good tunes with someone telling me when to walk and when to run. You know, I thought I was doing better than I am because I could still feel the burn when I ran (one minute is a LONG time - don't let anyone ever tell you differently!). Anyway, I had taken a shorter route than what I take when I walk them (but longer than I took Harley the other day) but I wasn't near being done when I got back close to my house. So I went down another street, thinking there was no way I wouldn't be done by the time I made it back around to my house. I was coming back around the corner by my house and looked at the time on the MP3 player - I'd been going for 20 minutes. The session is just over 30 minutes but I decided to pack it in and go home - I was too close. So, as I rounded the corner, she said "this is your next to last run". I responded with "uh, that was two runs ago sweetie" and I walked the rest of the way home. I felt like such a loser but well, I was dying and decided I'd rather die in the privacy of my own home than on the streets in my neighborhood. Plus, recent experience has shown that Brewsky wouldn't have run for help - he'd just have run (although he was pretty tuckered when we got home so maybe he would've just laid down beside me 'til he got his second wind).

Anyway, I got home and changed clothes and logged on to the computer to look up the link for the podcasts - I'd told someone at work I'd send the link. Well, I clicked on the wrong thing and ended up at the coolrunning.com webpage. For the first couple of weeks it says to do the routine for 20 minutes! Not 30 - 20! Which means I accomplished the task. Yeah, I'm still dying but I did it.

And the thing is, I do actually feel better after I've done it. In the long haul it will be good for me too - once I get used to it.

Oh, and something else I've learned about myself through this whole experience. The other day I went to the grocery store. I was buying healthy food to go with the exercise program. I'm walking/running now, with the goal of running a half-marathon by March. But what did I do? I drove around for ten minutes looking for a good spot. Apparently I'm one of those people - the ones who drive around a while to find a spot at the gym so they can walk on the treadmill, sort of people. Anyway, the irony didn't really sink in until I was walking into the store. If I'm going to run/walk 13.1 miles, I can surely walk a little further to get into the store, don't you think? Next time!

Happy halloween!

Oh what a feeling!

I love that everyone is being so supportive of my joining in on the marathon fever. Really, I am. But I've discovered something about myself. I'm a follower. I'm not the leader - the pied piper, or the person with the great idea. No, I'm the one who gets tapped on the shoulder and asked "where's everyone going?" I say something like, "I don't know, something was said about a bridge, something about jumping. . . it sounds like fun though. Join us!"

It was that way with school. Last year Kristen and Ellen decided to go back to school. I followed suit in the spring.

It was like that with the marathon too. Inspired by others, I jumped right on the marathon train (oh if it were only that easy) with both feet and registered before I could change my mind.

Today is day two and I worked out with Richard . . . Simmons. I was sweating to the oldies. Tomorrow I will run again (I'll take Harley this time I think - and we'll hopefully skip the "chase down Brewsky as he bolts out the door and down the street" warm-up we had yesterday). I'm going to plow through the pain and work to achieve the goal of finishing a half-marathon in March.

In the meantime, I'm being told how cool it is that I'm doing this. People are proud of me. People are envious of me - or at least of what I'm doing/trying to accomplish. It's a nice feeling, really it is, but I can't help but find it kind of funny that I can't feel my legs but I'm inspiring people. :)