Memoirs of a Gym Member - The Beginning

In what I hope will be a lengthy series, I introduce to you tonight "Memoirs of a Gym Member." In an effort to be more like Mike (though not gay) and more like Liz (though not a woman) and more than anything because I'm tired of looking pregnant - I joined a gym. It turns out that as a County employee, I get a 65% discount and I don't have to pay any initiation fee or activation fee or any other fees. I just get to go for an incredibly low price.

I joined on the 22 of January. I went on the 22 and did 10 minutes in the hot tub, 12 minutes in the pool and 10 more minutes in the hot tub. I swam approximately 150 yards or 6 laps.

The next time I went (Thursday the 31st) I swam for 20 minutes and I swam 300 yards (or 12 laps) before going to the hot tub for ten minutes. So far I haven't been very impressed with my performance, but I'm learning. I'm learning to stretch first because it hurts less later. I'm learning to eat dinner after a good swim, not before. I'm learning to walk to the gym because parking sucks. I'm learning to use the hot tub after and not before.

I learned all of this and came to the gym tonight. I stretched, I swam, I walked there and I didn't eat until I got home. I swam 600 yards (24 laps) almost continuously (I stopped every 8 laps to rest). In total I swam for 22 minutes and went to the hot tub for 8 minutes.

So for my next paycheck I'm pricing out fins and new swim shorts. I'm really excited that this is going so well. I know the hard tasks are still ahead (In a week I'll start doing crunches to start to do something about this baby inside me.) but it's a good start. Maybe in 18 months I'll be healthy enough to run a half marathon.