7 Gyms, 1 Girl

I'm beginning to collect gym memberships like I collect running shoes!

Last Thursday, I got the boot from my special little AC-ed room at the base gym. It seems they think I don't belong in a room meant for rehabilitating active and retired military (I'm usually always rehabilitating, that should count for something!). Sad as I was to lose my free AC-ed room, I kind of knew my days there were numbered. It was inevitable that they'd notice the very non-military little girl, pedaling away to The Chew.

I may be kicked out, but I left my mark. Mwahahahaha!



But have no fear! LA Fitness just happens to have 5 of the exact same bikes (Star-Trac) that I love to use! Sunday, I dragged the Turtle with me to help negotiate a membership. I tend to tune out after about 2 minutes of technical talk about things like terms and agreements, so I thought reinforcements would help. How little did I know......

Buying a membership soon became a U.N. negotiation with a little bit of Good Cop, Bad Cop thrown in. You would have thought the Turtle was negotiating an arms deal with some European country, not whether or not we could pay in full so as not to have our credit card number on file! And when the salesman couldn't get the check scanning machine to work,  fumes came out of the Turtles ears! I was alternating between smiling apologetically to the guys and glaring warning daggers at the Turtle.  I even had to mouth "Behave!"

In the end, the Turtle talked them down $20 and now I am the proud member of LA Fitness. When I think about it, this is the 7th gym I have access to! Between 3 gyms on base, the 2 indoor tracks facilities, LA Fitness and the rec center by my mom's house, that makes 7! The Turtle texted me while I was dripping sweat all over LA Fitness's carpet yesterday (seriously, who puts carpet under gym equipment?!), asking me to remind him again why I couldn't just use the bikes at the base? I politely reminded him that I don't question why he needs a whole stable of gaming systems (this weekend he bought an original Nintendo AND a Gamecube at 1/2 Price Books). I think he got my drift.



I won't complain about this. You don't complain about that!

Note the fancy shmancy hard wood lockers

In running news, my right achille's has been stiffening up again, just like last year. When I wake up in the morning it is so stiff  I hobble down the steps til it loosens up. I read up on it and they say adding heel cushions may help, so I stuck some Dr. Scholl's in my running shoes (completely defeating the purpose of my semi-minimalist Brooks). They felt great! So hopefully it'll improve soon, though Achille's injuries usually take awhile.

I cut the back off too, ya know, just to be extra safe!

Happy Friday everyone!

New Shoes

As I've mentioned, it’s been a year of injuries. Injuries and I do not get along (and coincidentally, when I’m on bad terms with injuries I don’t get along with anyone, sorry dear husband).  Nothing makes me crabbier than not being able to run. 

I blame it all on Brooks. Oh yes Brooks, you had treated me so well for the last 3 years, but then you stabbed me in the back and discontinued my favorite shoe (Brooks Infiniti). I'd been betrayed. Et tu, Brooks?

So, I bought the Brooks Ravenna, which was supposed to be the Infiniti's predecessor. But oh no,  this shoe turned out to be the bad uncle of my favorite dependable pair. They attacked my Achille's to the point where I couldn't wear shoes with backs (including my favorite hooker heels) and had to perform surgery on my shoes to be able to continue to run (don't worry, I'm a (shoe) doctor). 

Tape to keep the stuffing in

After that, I went to Fleet Feet in Cincinnati where the sales lady paid zero attention to me and put me in Brooks Glycerin. Same thing happened. These Brooks shoes were determined to mess my Achilles! So finally, after filling Brooks’ inbox with lengthy emails begging them to reinstate my precious Infiniti's, I found a few pairs on Overstock.com in my size! Wahoo! Happy dance!

But something was wrong. My first run, I had to tie them ridiculously tight, and still felt like I was flopping around in a pair of clown shoes. When I got home I had a huge blister across the entire back of my right heel.

“They’re just not broken in,” I rationalized. It’s a fluke! So I did the only logical thing to do, and stocked up on oversized bandaids. Eventually, I got used to my laces cutting off my circulation and kept running. After a few weeks, the top of my right foot started sporting a hard, nodule from the laces being so tight and the blister started to morph into a nasty calloused, bloody sore. But I could still run, and that’s all that matters.

I started stuffing paper towels in my shoe to provide extra cushion with the bandaid. After all, it couldn't be the shoes! They were the same size and shoe I'd been running in injury-free for 3.5 years!

Hard knob, courtesy of super tight laces

my leprousy

But then, the last straw. I went out for my usual 9 miler, and had so much pain in my groin that I........stopped……running. I NEVER stop. I've run through shin splints, a sprained ankle, fevers and once went running only an hour after puking from the flu (Lucky Charms have never been the same). I do NOT call a run short. But, I had so much pain from a pulled groin that had been bothering me more and more the last two weeks that I had to do the unthinkable and hobbled home in defeat. I had the Air Force 1/2 Marathon coming up in a week and for once, I decided to be smart. So, I sobbed and sniffled all the way home and then did what anyone in this situation would do. I called my mommy.

That brings us to now, two weeks after the horrible aborted run. As you've read, my new best friend, Advil, got me through the 1/2 Marathon with flying colors, and this week I've been torturing myself on the stationary bike.

Only another 45 minutes to go!

This weekend, I went to Fleet Feet Northfield and got new shoes! The poor salesgirl. I came prepared with notes about my different aches and pains. But, she listened, watched me walk and run (I don't pronate!), and I picked out what I hope will be my new favorite shoes. Which, ironically, are my old favorite shoes. Back when I first started running, I'd worn Mizuno Wave Riders, and now, it looks like we meet again. 

My, hopefully, new friends

 Not that I needed any more incentive to heal faster!