What I Love About The Gym

Running isn't easy. I already knew this, but over the past few weeks I expected it to get just a little bit easier. Maybe run a little further or at least have the short distance I do run not feel like a race towards death.

The past two weeks seemed particularly challenging. I had a lot going on at work, I wasn't sleeping as much I as I know I need to be and the workouts were kicking my butt. Going to the gym should be something I look forward to, so to keep me motivated I compiled a list of things I love about the gym. Maybe you'll find something that encourages you.

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For Less Than A Dollar A Day
My membership is only $10 a month. How insane is that? If I break it down to the five days a week I go over four weeks, that's only $0.50 a day. I can't park downtown for that little. Price is a big deal to me. I'm pretty cheap, so if I feel like I'm getting a steal I will take advantage of it as much as I can. It was also motivating when I was paying significantly more for a membership. I'll be damned if I'm going to spend that much and not use it all the time, I would think.

TV Land
There's this room called the theater room, which is full of treadmills and TVs. For a man without cable, having 12 or so TVs blaring different cable channels is a like heaven. They also have little consoles on each treadmill so you can plug in your headphones and listen to whichever TV you want. And the best part, no one knows exactly what I'm watching. Am I watching the Patriot's game? Maybe rolling my eyes at Greta Van Susteren? Or am I catching up on the latest escapades between LC and Speidi on The Hills. Probably all of the above. But mostly The Hills.

Don't Stop The Music
I really love listening to music. It's blaring in my car where ever I drive, and there's almost always some tune stuck in my head. So for the hour or so that I am at the gym, I get to listen to all the music I want. Everybody has different things they listen to to keep them motivated when they run. On my playlist? A little remixed Killers music, a horribly wonderful Bloc Party mashup, and a little of The Patrick HatTrick. There may be some Britney throw in there too. Don't judge.

Easy On The Eyes
A large number of people in the gym look like, well, me. Somewhat frumpy and disheveled people who really shouldn't be wearing shorts that short. And that's fine. Working out with unfit, unattractive people takes the pressure off and makes me less embarrassed that I can only bench 60 pounds. In the right situation, though, the beautiful people can be extremely motivating. Put some hottie bouncing on the treadmill in front of me, and I just might run an extra lap or two.

Its a Planet Fitness
Which means, I don't have to work out with people like this. They have a big alarm at the back of the gym that I have yet to see go off.

All Grown Up
Most days I still feel like a kid. In fact, I think my mind stopped comprehending time somewhere around 2002. In some ways I've still got that not quite mature, looking to make his way in the world mindset. But each day I head to the gym. I get a glimpse of something different. I carry a gym bag in my car and head straight there after work (if I go home first I'll think of 101 reason why I shouldn't go work out). There is this huge wall length mirror that I see myself walking in towards the locker room. Everyday I see myself, wearing my work khakis and either a tucked in polo or a button up shirt. My ID usually still dangles from my neck as I carry my gym bag ready to do what I got to do. I don't know. Every time I see that, I feel like an adult. And it feels kind of good.

Project RunDay
Some of the treadmills have their own individual TV attached, which comes in handy on Wednesdays. Wednesday nights are all about Project Runway, the fantastic Bravo TV show I've become addicted to over the last few years. Wednesdays are also run days. So I combine the two, running during the show and taking a walking break during commercials. I'm actually able to watch all but the last 15 minutes of the show like that. I can't wait until the day I can skip the walking and run right through the commercials. That little goal is oddly motivating. When I first started running a few years ago, I would take off right at the climax of a song. That first time, I didn't make it to the end of the song before stopping to catch my breath. I remember the first time I made it through an entire song. I was so happy. A minor accomplishment, but to me it meant so much. As my goals get longer and longer, I know that feeling of accomplishment will only get sweeter.

Get Loose
There are actually several of the weight training exercises I like, but my favorite thing to do happens at the very end. The stretching. I've never been a big fan of stretching. I go through the motions a little before a run or some heavy lifting, but mostly I didn't much see the benefit in it. Until I read that stretching can be a runners best friend. In fact, getting a nice long stretch after a run helps fight off the soreness and stiff muscles that I would always get from a challenging workout. The day after a hard run used to leave me hobbling around. Now I actually feel good and refreshed the day after a good run. How great is that.

Being Fit Just Might Come In Handy
Last week Friday I covered a high school football playoff game at the Alamodome. Good times, except that the game ran late, putting me in a deadline squeeze. So when it was all over and I had my sad, we-just-lost-the-game shots, I had to turn around my photos fast. So I ran. I ran from the center of the field, through the tunnel behind the end zone, wrapped around the under the concourse and back to the center to make my way up into the press box. It kind of sucked, but when I made it upstairs, I didn't want to die. I've ran in similar situations, but usually I stop and walk some when I'm out of sight (or breath), but this time I kept running. It kind of sucked and I was obviously winded, but I didn't feel like I was going to die. It was an oddly practical use for running I'm sure I'll need again sometime.