I hope, at least.
Instead of running or yoga, I went to the gym today. A few years ago I signed up for Planet Fitness and have never gotten rid of the membership. It's only $10. At my physical, my doc told me I had to do some type of cardio regularly.
I want to run. But over the summer my joints started to ache. I'd go running and then the next morning I would barely be able to walk. So I had to take a break. I hated it. I just got back up to almost 30 minutes with no walk breaks. I was so close. I was going to look for 5Ks.
School started in August, and then it was September, October, and well, here we are.
After my doc told me the news-- also that I need to seek a rheumatology specialist for the joint pain -- I made a plan. For the month of November-- the shortest month of the year-- I must go to Planet Fitness 12 times.
I made a schedule and a plan, and I promised myself that if I reach my goal, I am allowed to drop some coin on a cool new gym bag.
I dreaded it all day.
But I did it, which was the point. I tried a new form of cardio, the rowing machine. I didn't want to do the treadmill because the temptation to run would be too great. So I rowed and rowed and it was hard. Then I made the rounds on the machines. Then another 10 of cardio, this time on the stationary bike.
There is not a comfortable bike seat in existance. It's the worst.
I wonder about people who spend time at the gym, like how it's their happy place. I've spoken with people who work their aggression out and even knew a guy who was a 3 hour gym person. His body was banging. And there are some parts of me who's like, "what if you did that?" I watch The Biggest Loser and see those people in the gym all day. I know it's not "healthy". That's not the point. The point is you get what you put into something.
But my overall goal is strengthening my nonexistent core so I can put less pressure on my knees, and hopefully be able to run again.
Today was the first step to that.