It's All About Gym

It's six degrees outside (again) with 20-35mph winds. I opted to run during my lunch hour at work. Yes I am lucky there are one or maybe two days a week I have this opportunity. I realize that.

My February streak of running everyday is still going strong after 19 days and it's a 21 day streak if I include the last two days of January. My mileage is not high, but I have been running anywhere from one mile to seven miles everyday. My best seven day period is 31 miles, not bad, but I would like to see my average be 35-40 miles. If I only do one or two miles it's always on my treadmill and then I bike or more likely, lift weights.

The weather in upstate NY has been horrible since I decided to begin this streak. Right now we are having the 5th coldest February in recorded history (after the next two days we might move up a place or two - yippee!). We have had around 40 inches of snow to go with it. Yesterday I ran five miles outside. The neighborhood streets were like running on quicksand, just sucking my feet in and getting no traction.

Today there were a mix of students and staff in the fitness room, maybe 15 people total. While I was running I looked around a little and found it funny that in between sets or when slowing to a walk on whatever machine they were on, people were checking their phones. Maybe they were selecting new music? Reading a text? Facebook? I didn't ask. As the oldest one in the room it's probably no surprise I have no idea what they are connected to. Me, I'm connected to the noise that naturally occurs in my head, with some background music vibrations coming through the speakers in the room.

There is one television, but it's not in a location where I can see it without hanging on to the treadmill. Of course listening is out for anyone. The tv is on, but there is no closed-captioning or sound, I'm not sure what the purpose is?

Years ago in high school we always had to be concerned about the clock in gym class. Get dressed into gym clothes fast, learn/play a sport, back to the locker room, shower (mandatory) and dress all in 40 minutes. That was ridiculous. Depending on the sport I was still drenched in sweat going to the next class.

At work it's about the same. Hurry to the gym (5 minute walk), dress for running, run for 30-40 minutes, sometimes shower (the showers at MCC are not good, no water pressure), get dressed again, usually still sweating on the way back to the office, trying to make it in an hour. There are tall high dryers in the locker room, I guess for people who have hair? I used it today thinking my balding head might dry but also wondering if it would make me sweat more. It's a tossup, plus I look kind of silly.

I have run on treadmills in several fitness facilities and hotel "gyms". Why is the heat always so damn high? And you aren't supposed to have a water bottle? Is this some kind of Turkish Torture Chamber? Years ago I asked the fitness manager at one facility if he could turn the heat down. He said no, the weightlifters like it warmer and besides, most people didn't sweat like me. I took that as a compliment even if people kept two or three treadmills away from me. Sometimes I like my privacy. 

Tomorrow (Friday) the gym is closed, I'm not sure why. The high temperature is going to be about 6 with wind chills in the minus 20's again. I think it will be another treadmill day, this time at home after work where I can turn off the heat in our basement and watch my own tv without sound or crank up the radio and not listen to my own weird thoughts.