5 months at the gym

I love the solitude that running the mountain trails provides, the gym is certainly not a solitary environment but it's proven to be a welcome change. A year ago, had someone told me I would be in the gym instead of on the trails, I would have laughed. I love running that much and simply being able to tell people that I run 200+ miles a month... well considering the average American can't run 1 mile, it's pretty crazy.

I started at the gym in October with a trainer. I knew what goals I had in mind, and while it wasn't cheap, I needed the direction that only an expert can provide. There is so much crap information out there about proper training at a gym. Running is simple, you put on your 'sneakers' and just run, eventually figuring out you need real running shoes. Beyond that, you can be like me and get a running kilt and short-shorts.

In mid January my trainer moved and it was time to stop having my hand held. I had dropped a lot of fat and strengthened my core, and now it was time to move on up into the heavy weight area of the gym. I've done some bullshitting and bad workouts, but the majority of the time I give it my all, constantly tweaking my routines and changing thins up entirely so I don't stagnate.

I track what I do, I visit the gym an average of 4.5 times per week. I've only been hurt a few times from doing stupid things, but I just let that muscle group rest for a few days and I'm back at it. No different than knowing how many miles I ran each day, telling someone exactly how far it was on a selected route to this spot, that tree, said cliff, etc.

Bench press has gone up 110 pounds, deadlift has gone up 170 pounds, rear squat has gone up 155 pounds, bar curls have gone up 60 pounds, I can swim a mile, I can see my ab muscles. Some of these numbers are mind boggling to me but I've always had strong legs from running so it's sort of a natural progression to hit such big increases.

I still run some as well, and my times haven't changed on the selected routes. The big difference is running requires more carbohydrates, something I don't get a lot of, so I just airborne shuffle for 5-6 miles, no problem. In fact, this past Saturday I ran without my shirt on, something I'm proud to be able to do again, at 40 years old (and not have people gouge their eyes out). I can still bust out a half marathon, and it would still suck since it sucks to be slow all the time, but at least I can still do it.

Mind, body, soul, food, medical supplies, seeds, water, gear, training, knowledge. There is so much to work on, all the time, it's a wonder anything at all gets done. Being prepared for whatever isn't easy but at times, many time in fact, it can be really rewarding. Hopefully the more serious stuff is never needed, but in the meantime if you need heavy things moved about just let me know.