(More) Conversations With My Trainer

M. the Reasonable and I make training look fun. Some gems from today...

1. Gazelle

During my first one-minute set of bench jumps (hands on a bench, jumping both legs from one side to the other), I mentioned feeling a bit awkward with this new exercise.

"By the third week, you'll be like a gazelle!"

The minute was up, so I stood and grinned at him. "A gazelle."

"I love that word."

"Yes...though it's not one I've ever used to describe myself. More like...lumbering elephant. Though I'm not an elephant anymore."

"No. You are not an elephant."

"Do these antlers make my butt look big?"

2. Planting seeds

I mentioned today that I want to add more swimming to my workout repertoire. M. thinks that's a great idea. In Stockton, I'd gotten in the habit of swimming once a week and while I'm not particularly fast, I know I benefit from doing it, and it's something to change up the monotony of running.

Today:

"Maybe we'll make a triathlete out of you!"

"Oh, Jesus...don't even go there."

Laughter.

"You plant these little seeds. 'Don't buy Angry Birds...' and all that." (Which is another story for another blog post.)

More laughter. "That's how I roll!"

If I buy a bike in the near future, you know who to blame.

M. is completely and totally responsible for me having every flippin'
version possible of this addictive game on my Kindle...and therefore, he
is responsible for me posting stuff like this on Facebook.

3. Running Fool

While I was effortlessly pulling off sit-ups and backwards crunches:

"Gah, I used to do so many sit-ups with G. holding my feet and making me want to reach my fist up..."

This was met with laughter. I followed up with:

"So, in the 'Who have I even become' news category...I'm thinking of joining a running club."

"I think that's awesome!"

Honestly people, I don't know who I've become.

I do this for fun. Good grief. P.S. My body has
come SO FAR since this pic was taken in January.

So, yeah. Thinking of checking out a local running club. I can visit and do a workout with them to see how it goes before committing and paying membership fees. But I think that having other people to help motivate me, and some really expert runners coaching me, might help my time and my distance. I have a hard time pushing myself beyond a 5K, but I'd like to try for a 10K. First person to ask if I'll ever set out for a marathon gets a poke in the eye. No. Just...no. There is such thing as too much of a good thing.

I've done two sub-10 miles this week, but I also still suffer from a huge lack of motivation sometimes.

My next meeting with M. is on Saturday--then I'll be on my own for another few weeks, perfecting the workouts he's giving me and working on getting even more gazelle-like every day.

Now, if you need me, I'll be Googling bikes.