Thursday, January 13, 2011

Progress Report & True Stories of The Gym: Day 4

Let me just say this...there are some freakin' DISTRACTING ass people at my gym.  I'll revisit that in a minute.  First, let's talk about my slow-but-sure-progress. 

The basics:  35 minutes on the treadmill.  Interval walking/running (intervals at my discretion).  Walking 3.3 to 3.5 mph.  Running at 4.4 to 4.5 mph.  Ran a total of 1.12 miles...my longest stretch being .35 miles.  Walked the rest.  Feel pretty good about that.

I have many many running friends.  I have for a long time.  I think part of my problem before Monday was that I was sort of trying to compare what I'm doing to what they were/are doing.  And a friend told me Monday, "Don't compare your goals to those of others.  That's just ridiculous.  Be proud of the progress that YOU make in YOUR time."  And I'm doing that.  A year ago I would've never even THOUGHT of doing something like running 13.1 miles.  At one time.  Continuously.  And even now...only 4 DAYS IN...I feel like that may be just a few percent MORE possible.

And back to the distracting ass people.  Let me preface this by saying that I go to a gym whose motto is "No Critics."  And that apparently makes for a very diverse crowd.  There is one couple that I've seen EVERYTIME I've been to the gym.  Yes, that's only 3 times, but when I tell you about them, you'll see why I'm surprised.  They are a very young (maybe 20), uhm...."alternative" couple.  The girl has neon green hair...okay.  I don't care about the neon green.  I've had purple, pink, red, orange and blue hair before.  I worked for a summer camp one year and earned the name Rainbow Brite.  Neon green just wasn't my color choice.  But she wears clothes from Hot Topic to work out.  But...she NEVER works out.  She looks like she sort of wants to, but doesn't.  Kind of like if I wear a football jersey I sort of look like I want to play football.  But I don't go strutting around a football field in my jersey.  But I digress. 

She just watches the dude. She never actually does anything.  He tried to show her something on a weight machine yesterday and she almost cried.  Seriously.  The guy wears the SAME shirt everyday...a Misfits t-shirt with the sleeves cut off.  He wears plaid shorts that almost look like boxers.  He hasn't brushed his dirty blond hair in what seems like months.  He walks around the gym with a notebook and a pencil and does maybe 2 reps of...ONE...on each machine.  And then writes something down.  Um....couldn't the green haired girl be writing so he could actually exercise more?? 

Do you have any interesting gym stories?  I'd love to hear 'em!

1 comment:

Kelliebearblog said...

HAHA...well, first, congrats on going to the Gym. I got my new membership right before Christmas. It has been an adventure. I don't have anything as interesting as your 'misfit' couple, but I do find it hilarious when I am working out near people that breath in and out in extremely dramatic prose. I especially love body builder types that lift weights so heavy that they sound like they are trying to breath with a large frog in their mouths. To each their own I guess.
Keep up the good work!
Have you tried any classes yet? I'm not a big fan of most of them, but for some strange reason I love spin class. Before I tried it, I would have NEVER thought that it would be fun. It is not for everyone, but I just wanted to share since you are trying new things. :)