Changing my mind about something, and other stuff

I've documented here more than a few times how much I totally, completely, overwhelmingly HATE the treadmill.

Maybe I just needed a new perspective.

I joined a new gym last week, just in time for the bottom to fall out. It has rained here for approximately 120 days, y'all (OK, maybe I exaggerate). When the weather permits, I have been able to log in some miles outside. But when the weather has been insane, I've run on the treadmill.

And I kind of like it.

My new gym has TVs on each treadmill, so I can watch anything I want. My old gym had a bazillion TVs mounted on the wall. That sucked for so many reasons -- my neck hurt from craning to watch, if I couldn't get a treadmill in front of a show I was interested in, I was stuck watching "Teen Mom" or something, etc.

When the weather became unpredictable yesterday, I ran six miles at the gym while I watched the Texans suck it up in Foxboro. Their misery completely took my mind off mine.

I won't be relying completely on the treadmill for my runs. I still prefer running outside, and I think running outside prepares you better for races.

But in January and February, I'll take what I can get.

---

I did my long run on Friday night, so I hit the gym Saturday morning for a class and some extra mileage.

The class focused on the core, and OMG, did it focus on the core.

I was able to do all the moves in the class with little trouble, and I worked up a sweat. I felt great afterward, and ran my five miles without a problem.

Saturday night was a different story. Getting off the couch was a multi-step process filled with pain. Walking was filled with pain.

And Sunday? Well on Sunday morning, I sneezed multiple times. Unbearable.

I'm going back this evening! :-)

---

During the Christmas break, I decided to organize my running stuff. I had previously kept all my sports bras, shorts, tights, skirts, socks and shirts in a laundry basket in the corner of the living room. My reason for doing this was that I didn't want to wake up my husband by digging for workout clothes when I got up for early-morning runs.

(Yes, I could get my stuff ready the night before. I also could veg in the recliner watching crime procedural shows. You guess which one I chose...)

My laundry basket wasn't organized, though. I wasted a lot of time digging for my favorite pair of shorts or my most comfortable socks or whatever. Plus, did I really need all those race t-shirts? All those really gross, sweat-stained-beyond-sweat-stained sports bras? All 50 pairs of socks when I really only like to wear about three of them?

No.

I tossed a bunch of stuff, bought some new stuff, and organized it all in a three-drawer cart that I placed in my laundry room. Easy to access, easy to put stuff up right out of the dryer, and a good landing place for my often-wet-and-gross shoes when I come in from a run.