Tackling the Gym for the first time

Tonight starts Week 4 of the my conditioning program. As I mentioned, when I started this whole thing I decided to use the Jeff Galloway training and started with Conditioning. Since I started on Week 3 this means I am on Week 6 of the 8 Week program. This week calls for Monday and Wednesday--Run/Walk for 30 minutes, Tuesday/Thursday--Walk for 30 minutes and then a 2.25 mile run on Saturday for time.

Well up until tonight I have been able to do every run outside. The weather has been on the windy and chilly side but no real issues. The first Saturday there was a light sprinkle but really it has been perfect training weather. I knew that could not last forever. I mean come on, we live in Michigan. By the time I got home with the kids it was pouring rain with no end in sight. Now, I started trying to talk myself out of doing anything tonight. I even mentioned to Jeff shifting the whole week one day. He was the one who really pushed me to go and do this.

Now, here is the issue--The gym scares me. I feel like a kid going into a new school. I don't really get what goes on there and I don't really know how things work. You know, the unwritten rules of a place. Where to stretch, what to do, who can use what. I had belonged to Lifetime Fitness when I was pregnant with Danny and I loved it there. The towels, the lockers, the little membership cards, the nice locker room area, the HUGE pool, the classes. The problem was, it was EXPENSIVE. So when I was told I was on modified restrictions for the end of my pregnancy, I cancelled my membership. In an effort to find something closer to home and cheaper, I joined Planet Fitness. Instead of towels and membership cards with your name, I joined a place in a former golf shop. My membership card is a keychain thing with my member number on a piece of paper scotch taped to the back. I am not trying to be stuck up, everyone there has been super nice and it is closer to home and SO MUCH CHEAPER but I am not used to it.

So tonight I sucked it up and went. I actually survived and I won't mind going back. Now, I was unsure of the whole using the treadmill the best way but I muddled through tonight and did not do as well as I would have done outside but I did OK. I came home and after about 20 seconds of YouTube searching I found a perfect video and now know how to set my intervals to work next time I go. Better than the up and down I was trying tonight!

So I tried the gym and I made it! I have a feeling this was the first of many nights I will be there. Maybe in a couple months I will finally feel comfortable going but so far I at least don't feel uncomfortable.