tyranny of the gym
I'm so deflated. I went to the gym today for the first time since about May. I've never been a regular gym-goer but I like to work in a session if possible during my normal weekly routine of ~ three runs and one Pilates mat class. But when summer comes and the trail beckons I run more so gym much less... and abandon Pilates altogether. This summer I only ran -- and nowhere near as much as previous summers.
The first test was stepping on the scale right at the entrance. "I weigh how much? How is that possible? I don't eat nearly as much as I do when running regularly. Doh! Okay, not a problem, I'll just do my normal three miles on the treadmill before stretching and weights and I'll feel better." Naturally the minute I get up there I gauge the pace of the other people on the treadmills and ramp it up so that I'm in some kind of private competition with them. This used to be fun as I could usually go faster and longer than everyone except the youngest, fittest guys. (Bear in mind that this is a community facility and it's mid Monday morning, not a private gym full of Olympic contenders getting their weekend hard workout.) Anyway, by the end of this imaginary race the slightly-overweight slightly-uncoordinated middle-of-the-packers beside me had established their dominance and left me dying on the side of the road, just hoping I could at least run two miles in 20 minutes. (I haven't been this unfit since 2001.) After that, I decided I needed to get off the treadmill (so to speak) and while doing a few weights try to figure out what had gone wrong during the past 5-6 months to sap my motivation.
In May I discovered blogging.
posted by andrea at 2:41 p.m.
5 Comments:
So...you've been blogging instead of jogging? Sorry, I couldn't resist:> Haven't you also been very busy with your painting and so on? Is this the first school year since you decided to give up teaching to concentrate on your art? Perhaps you just need to rethink your schedule and make sure you start a regular fitness routine that works with your life at this point in time. I know that in the summer I have to absolutely plan a specific time to work out or the day will just get ahead of me... I do admire that you can run well outside. I do much better on a treadmill, and I am always one of the slower people.
I am feeling very frustrated right now because I have spent several hours trying to get a tablet to work on my computer...I downloaded the proper driver for OS X Tiger, did everything according to instructions, but it still doesn't work. Grrrrr...Meanwhile, I have brand new Painter IX that I want to play with, and I'm not having much success with the mouse. I tried to console myself by fooling around with an ink drawing in Photoshop, but I ended up with an overdone garish mess. I imagine you must have those days with your paint...you try and try and it just doesn't happen. And speaking that...I hope we'll get a post from you for this week's IF!
Ha! Good one, Carla. I've usually always had a lot of juggling to do so nothing much has changed, except I've noticed that running and working out have started occupying a lower rung on the priority ladder. I have to keep reminding myself that if I don't maintain the body, everything else will suffer in the long run.
My inability to prioritise prorerly is partly why I haven't taken any steps towards learning any Photoshop/graphics stuff. I don't dare! :)
So sitting at a computer coming up with interesting things isn't exercise? Who would've thought.
Maybe you could attach weights to your limbs, and lift as you type...
Try jumping to conclusions and chasing stray thoughts. Keeps me in shape.
Ah, but now you have something to work towards. Stare defeat in the face and take back what is rightfully yours.
Or you could go on blogging and admit that is much more fun than jogging. And you'll have the slimmest, sexiest hands in your entire gym class.
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