The things I do to get a little fitness.
While I was in Wisconsin these past two weeks for my Mom's heart surgery, I made it a priority to get in fitness while I was there. People may think I'm crazy to workout while my Mom is recovering like one smirky old man in a spin class who asked me why I was working out. I need to workout to manage my stress and the truth is we find time for the things that are a priority in life. I'm also that person who needs routines and familiarity to stay calm and exercise does that for me.
I won't lie, it took some planning ahead and perseverance to make fitness in Wisconsin happen. Before I left Arizona, I put word out on social media about my travel plans and asked for fitness recommendations. Within minutes friends responded with options.
One option was the YMCA. A friend of a friend offered me her YMCA pass that was good for another month. I taught cardio kickboxing at the Y years ago so I felt comfortable going there. I also knew they had a large swimming pool. I learned there are not a lot of facilities in Green Bay with pools for lap swimmers like me, which narrowed my options significantly. My friend's friend was awesome offered this and mailed it to my parent's house so it was waiting for me when I got there.
Just one snag...I had to look like her to get in. A person takes the card when you enter and verifies the face on the computer matches the person checking-in. My friend's friend doesn't look anything like me which meant I needed a disguise. So I took Mom's hat and a pair of her reading glasses and was able to squeak by. Thank goodness it was still winter in the Midwest!
I attended two spin classes at the Y and they were horrible. The worst classes ever. They were under taught and even some false information was given to the class around hand placement and foot strokes. I love the Y for its mission, family friendliness and community focused activities but I just couldn't bring myself to go back, despite the good pool. Onto option 2.
This is how I ended up at Xperience Fitness. I called them and explained I needed a short-term membership. Normally, they would charge $20 per day for a drop-in or you could sign-up for a 1 month membership for $9.99 + enrollment fees. Something that annoys me is that fitness facilities do not offer membership options for people traveling or needing something short-term. Money is money, right? There are no Xperience Fitness facilities where I live so it didn't make sense for me to pay a monthly membership.
The guys at Xperience Fitness enrolled me and waved all the fees. They also had me complete the cancellation forms while I was there to make sure my membership would not be extended beyond this month. Woot!
Xperience Fitness had all the usual suspects - weight lifting machines, free weights, cardio equipment, a lap pool, spin classes, aerobics classes. #selfie
They also offered a few bonus features such as a cardio movie room, TRX suspension, speciality group classes like Insanity and Body Pump and tanning. I passed on the tanning.
The spin classes were awesome. They were all in the dark, with a psychedelic light, which at 5am is really nice. I may workout in the morning, but it doesn't mean I'm always awake. Something else I liked, how friendly the instructors were. I had 3 different instructors and all of them knew their class by name so when I showed up everyone asked who I was. The Saturday morning instructor was one of the best spin instructors I've ever had. Her yelling was incredibly motivation. She taught a booty kicking class!
Something I didn't like was the bike. They were old spin bikes and without a monitor I couldn't tell what my resistance was set at and couldn't see my RPM's or trips.
By the end of my first week in Wisconsin, my foot was feeling a lot better so I gave the treadmill a whirl. While my Mom was in the hospital, my Dad was with her in the morning and I in the afternoon into the night. I went to the gym at 5am and rotated my training days between spin class and treadmill run-walk with weight-training.
My first time wasn't stellar, but I didn't care. I was simply excited I could do 5k without pain. I told myself I wasn't going to worry about pace right now. My focus is to gradually increase distance sans foot pain. I will work on getting back to my pre-injury pace later as my foot becomes stronger.
Random lol moment...a woman in front of me eating a protein bar while running. I know I shouldn't have, but I couldn't help myself. I just had to snap a pic.
By my second week, I was strong enough to walk the Fox River Trail near my parents house. We brought my Mom home that week and with the nurses coming in the early morning it wasn't as convenient for me to get to the gym so I hit the trail in the afternoon.
The Fox River Trail is along the water and winds behind some gorgeous homes. The scenery is pretty and for me, there's just nothing better than being outdoors. It calms me, allows me to think and take a time-out from life. The weather warmed up to 50-60's which made it enjoyable better than my first week when it was snowing and 30.
On my last day on the trail, I completed 7 miles and I was happy. Happy my Mom was alive and ok and happy my foot was on the mends. Sometimes life happens, but I believe it all happens for a reason.
Tell me what would you do for your fitness? Do you believe things happen for a reason?
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Stacey Crews says
I know how you feel because after having my second child I was desperate to lose the extra pounds and I was spending so much time at the gym. It took me a few months to get into the swing of things buy as soon as I got the bug, just could not stop myself. My hubby is planning to buy me a home gym just to see me more often. Hope your foot is better now
Joanne Smith says
I am a gym junkie as well and cannot really do without going to the gym for a workout. I recently developed plantar fasciitis from running on the beach and was told to take a few weeks off. I could not and continued going to the gym but only did stuff that did not involve putting lots of pressure on my foot.
I promise I get it. Don't feel bad.
bzroost says
Fitness becomes addicting, to the point that you will do crazy things to keep it up.
Hope your foot holds up; that is one thing that has slowed me down at times. I had a really bad plantar fasciitis case for almost 2 years that made me limit my running. But it forced me to the gym more, and now I like weight training even more than running. I guess things do happen for a reason...
Amanda - RunToTheFinish says
Ha, yes I've done some interesting things to ensure I got in a workout. I am really loving the crazy all dark cycling class that looks like fun!! I really need to do a class like that to push me on the bike.
Jessie says
Healthy foot & healthy mom - sounds liike you've been blessed & all is going well in your life at the moment <3
Michael Anderson says
When my brother had his massive heart attack just over a year ago and I stayed down at his place to help take care of things ... I went out running every morning. The weather was great, and more importantly the stress relief from the run was just what I needed.
I think that it is something you immediately either get or you don't - those who aren't workout people will wonder why you would do this, but for the rest of us it is clear.