My boyfriend Gym, the commitment
Apparently this is the season for triathalons. Why didn't anyone tell me? I checked my email this morning to find myself as the recipient of yet another mass email detailing the emotional and physical duress and subsequent pride one feels as a result of enduring this masochistic undertaking.
It was from my friend Andra, who I had known was preparing for this, yet I hadn't realized the event was this weekend. It was actually a mini-version of the Ironman - a half mile swim, two mile bike ride, and 3K (5 mile) race. But it's still more than I could do. I could knock out the run okay, but not after swimming and biking for an hour and a half. The last time I swam I lasted a few laps and odd muscles hurt the next day. The last time I sat on top of a bike, I fell off. I'm graceful like that. Interestingly, Andra's email went in much less physical detail than Doug's, and took an entirely different focus:
"A lot of thoughts went through my head during the race. I thought of my friends and family who encouraged me through the adventure of preparing for this and all the last minute advice, especially my grandma who told me if I got tired to picture her slapping my ass telling me to keep moving! Most of all, though, I thought of my students. We had a 30-minute discussion once on commitment, dedication and persistence. I showed them a picture of a man crawling across the finish line of the Boston Marathon on his hands and knees. That is commitment. And then I shared with them my commitment to tackle this triathlon. If they can learn to read and write, then I can learn to run. So I said I would. And then I did. I actually bumped into a mother of one of my students during the race (way to go Liana!!) and when I thought of her going home to her son and telling him she saw Ms. Jacobs cross the finish line, it gave the whole thing a purpose for me that's worthy and real."
So that was very inspiring at 10 AM this morning while I was committed heart, mind, and soul to my venti iced coffee. I did actually make a fitness commitment today, and that is that I finally bit the bullet and signed up for Equinox. By signing up this month (for a gym that is not even going to open until November) I get locked into a discounted rate all year. And because I paid for the year in full, I got a month for free. The contract doesn't start until the club opens, so in the meantime I paid a set rate to go to the Equinox in Pasadena by where I work. I think it's a fair deal. If my club opens on Nov 1, as they say, then my Pasadena rate will be slightly more than the monthly rate that I am paying for Westwood. If my club opens any time after Nov 1, which is entirely possible - and god help me, probable - then it will work out (significantly) in my favor. I already gave my notice to LA Fitness, which means I still have a month to use their club, which I will probably do just on weekends when I don't want to drive to Pasadena. I am beyond excited.
Of course, this means I have to start bringing my gym stuff to work with me, but it's a small sacrifice. And did I mention how it will improve my commute? Not to put the cart before the horse, or all my eggs in one basket, but it should improve my drive home significantly. I did ask what would happen should an earthquake knock the building down before the gym ever opens (or in the case of some other unforseen event that might cause me to be royally screwed), and I was assured that I could get my money back anytime up until three days after the club officially opens. So, despite Mercury being in retrograde, I dare to think that I did the right thing.
It was from my friend Andra, who I had known was preparing for this, yet I hadn't realized the event was this weekend. It was actually a mini-version of the Ironman - a half mile swim, two mile bike ride, and 3K (5 mile) race. But it's still more than I could do. I could knock out the run okay, but not after swimming and biking for an hour and a half. The last time I swam I lasted a few laps and odd muscles hurt the next day. The last time I sat on top of a bike, I fell off. I'm graceful like that. Interestingly, Andra's email went in much less physical detail than Doug's, and took an entirely different focus:
"A lot of thoughts went through my head during the race. I thought of my friends and family who encouraged me through the adventure of preparing for this and all the last minute advice, especially my grandma who told me if I got tired to picture her slapping my ass telling me to keep moving! Most of all, though, I thought of my students. We had a 30-minute discussion once on commitment, dedication and persistence. I showed them a picture of a man crawling across the finish line of the Boston Marathon on his hands and knees. That is commitment. And then I shared with them my commitment to tackle this triathlon. If they can learn to read and write, then I can learn to run. So I said I would. And then I did. I actually bumped into a mother of one of my students during the race (way to go Liana!!) and when I thought of her going home to her son and telling him she saw Ms. Jacobs cross the finish line, it gave the whole thing a purpose for me that's worthy and real."
So that was very inspiring at 10 AM this morning while I was committed heart, mind, and soul to my venti iced coffee. I did actually make a fitness commitment today, and that is that I finally bit the bullet and signed up for Equinox. By signing up this month (for a gym that is not even going to open until November) I get locked into a discounted rate all year. And because I paid for the year in full, I got a month for free. The contract doesn't start until the club opens, so in the meantime I paid a set rate to go to the Equinox in Pasadena by where I work. I think it's a fair deal. If my club opens on Nov 1, as they say, then my Pasadena rate will be slightly more than the monthly rate that I am paying for Westwood. If my club opens any time after Nov 1, which is entirely possible - and god help me, probable - then it will work out (significantly) in my favor. I already gave my notice to LA Fitness, which means I still have a month to use their club, which I will probably do just on weekends when I don't want to drive to Pasadena. I am beyond excited.
Of course, this means I have to start bringing my gym stuff to work with me, but it's a small sacrifice. And did I mention how it will improve my commute? Not to put the cart before the horse, or all my eggs in one basket, but it should improve my drive home significantly. I did ask what would happen should an earthquake knock the building down before the gym ever opens (or in the case of some other unforseen event that might cause me to be royally screwed), and I was assured that I could get my money back anytime up until three days after the club officially opens. So, despite Mercury being in retrograde, I dare to think that I did the right thing.
Labels: gym
posted by Lori @ 7:38 PM
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