After losing a eighty pounds it was time to get active again. Dancing, cheerleading and walking had always been my exercise. I played sports throughout my teen years and danced up until I was done college. So when it was time to start moving again I signed up for the gym. I went with the judgement free zone, Planet Fitness. I developed a program straight from the book. I walked on the treadmill for an hour and designed a lift program with core exercises (abdominal fun). It took 2 hours a day five days a week. It was the most boring thing I had ever done but it worked for a while. I saw results in my fitness. I was becoming more toned. I was still dieting so the weight was coming off anyway. I hated every damn minute of it. I was so persistent in my goals and that was the only reason I kept with it. The walking got faster, and I put myself on a hill program. I was still lifting and doing core exercises. One night when I got home I sat down and thought about running and devised the plan that started it all. I would run on the piece of shit treadmill for the last five minutes each time and slowly work my way up.
Not only did I hate my life while I was at the gym, but I felt extremely self concious even though it was called the judgement free zone. I was still overweight and looked horrible in my gym clothes. I wanted to workout and have no one see me. That's kind of hard at a public gym! So I would go to the gym really early or really late so the amount of people was less. I was so embarrassed with my self that it actually hindered my progress. I'm not sure why it never occured to me to walk/run outside and purchase some dumbbells. I think everyone just thinks they need to go to the gym when they really don't. It has become ingrained in society that that's the way to get fit. I could have done everything I did without going to the gym but there I was hating every minute of it crying in my car on the way home.
The first five minutes of running felt worse than any marathon I've ever participated in. I hacked, wheezed and felt like I was going to throw up. I was running about a 13 minute mile. I knew it was going to suck until I was trained and just kept moving. Every gym trip I just told myself it would get easier. I ran with music and tried to not pay attention to anyone else. After about 2 months I was able to run walk about 20 minutes, that's when I ventured outside. I was still going to the gym but also incorporating outdoors. It was about 2.5 miles of flat suburbia. I ran in the middle of nowhere so know one could see. I was also living in the middle of nowhere so that was pretty easy. In the fall I moved back to Cambridge and got rid of my car. I was still a member at Planet Fitness and went everyday after work. On the weekends I tried running around the city in the extremely early hours of the morning. The gym in the city was much more crowded. There was always a line for the treadmill and abdominal machines. I was still to chicken to run in less than perfect weather so I would still hit the treadmill. I could run for 30 minutes without stopping at this point and getting faster. I still felt self concious and became aware of the fact that people do actually watch what your doing.
By Christmas the weight was gone and I recieved my number for Boston. This past winter was one of the most brutal winters and I had told myself I couldn't run in a blizzard (so not true!). This is when my gym time came to an end.
I was kicked off the treadmill for being on too long. Nowhere did it say a time limit and I had to get in a run for Boston. At that moment I cancled and have never looked back. I wanted to be a runner and run outside. There is no weather in Boston you cannot run in. I refuse to go back. I've learned to run in any condition and love it. The gym gave me a horrible complex and I'm a firm believer in if you don't love you won't stick with it! The gym is not for everyone and that's ok! It's also ok to love it. My hat is off to anyone who does. For me, the fresh air and city sights are the best way to run! that's why I love city marathons, you get to see the city while you run. Plus being outside I personally feel less self concious. Maybe I just love it too damn much. So if your wondering do I lift? Nope! I just run everyday. That's all I do. Nothing fancy just me, sneakers, spandex, some woodland city creatures and sidewalks. Paris city sights, smells and sounds will be my next adventure and will be epic!! Here I come Paris!!
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