Monday, January 3, 2011

Barbells and Buckeyes

Just the necessities...
I hate the first week in January at the gym.  Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that many people have made the resolution to get in shape, and I hope at least half of them stick to it.  What I don't like is when the majority of the treadmills are occupied by latte-sipping/cell phone talking women in velor jumpsuits.  Yes, I actually go to the gym to break a sweat  drench myself in perspiration while I begrudgingly pound the rubber.  My shorts rarely match my shirt and the lovely white towel my gym lets me use is caked with the day's make-up when I'm through with it. 

Despite an over abundance of gym wannabies crowding the machines, I was still able to snag a spot in my favorite weight-lifting class.  Although it was a tight fit and despite smashing my pinky finger with the weight from the girl's barbell behind me, I got my ass handed to me for a good hour.  And it felt awesome. 

Some sad-looking Buckeyes
When I take this class regularly (2 times a week), I definitely feel much stronger when I run.  Last fall, when I was training for the Columbus Marathon, I lifted weights on my own (i.e. did P90X whenever I felt the urge, which wasn't very often).  And I paid for it come race day.  Not only did I run my worst time since my marathon debut (because really, the first marathon will always be the slowest), but I felt weak during the race.  Is it just me, or are real-life trainers more effective than any DVD or self-regimented exercise programs? 

After my class, I whipped up a batch of buckeyes in preparation for the Sugar Bowl tomorrow.  Admittedly, this was almost more difficult than doing 100 tricep kickbacks.  Perhaps I should stick to barbells and leave the Buckeyes to Coach Tressel.

3 comments:

  1. A plus to running outdoors in January, the odds the road being to crowded with resolute runners are pretty much non existent haha! The warmth of a gym and some shorts does sound appealing though. Thankfully tomorrows speed work session is at an indoor track. Fingers crossed it's not overly crowded.

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  2. I so agree! There is a class at my gym called "Super Sculpt" that is all weights and strength training. That class 2 times a week mixed with cardio is how is lost more than 20 pounds one summer. Gotta start again...

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  3. aaaaahaha. I don't belong to a gym right now (thankfully) but I do recall getting the stink-eye once from a velor jumpsuit because I asked her if I could rotate in on the machine she'd been lounging on for 15 minutes. Seriously. And she said NO.

    Sad that they're so predictable but take comfort knowing they'll be gone soon!

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