Thursday, January 14, 2010

Done with they Gym!

I would like to think that I am a pretty nice person and that it usually takes a lot for me to get all worked up about something.*  I know that life is short and that is isn't worth getting upset over insignificant things or things we just cannot change.  But last night I had had enough of my gym!  I go to the local 24 Hour fitness, it's 1/2 a mile away, and often times in the summer I run there and back because the parking is just awful.  I've been a member for about 2 1/2 years and have used it pretty consistently.  It's funny, I know a ton of the members by face, I know all their quirks (you have a lot of time to people watch when your slugging out 12 mile runs on a treadmill), and you also know who are actually  there to make a difference in their lives or the ones who go there for the social aspect.

But lately it has gone down hill there.  They are pushing the personal trainer thing a bit too much.  They only have one area of mats for stretching and using things like medicine balls and stability balls, and often times you are competing for space with the personal trainers who are on the mats too, to show their clients (or in some cases, just checking their blackberries or chatting with their friends as they half-ass coach their clients) what their next move is.  Treadmills are always broken, weight machines are caput, and their just isn't enough machines in the building for the amount of people they let in during the evening so you can wait for a good 10-20 mins for a treadmill or machine. 

I know your asking, "Don't you have a treadmill at home Katie?"  Why, yes I do!  But I go through these phases where I can't stand the gym, or I can't stand my home treadmill, or gosh, should I say it?   I can't stand going outside and hitting the pavement on the same routes again!  Plus, I don't exactly have the weight lifting equipment at home.  A few hand weights, a yoga mat, and one of those big stability balls does not a home gym make.  My husband also uses the gym quite often, at least 4-5 times a week.  My treadmill doesn't like him, and he really loves to use the stationary bikes and weight machines - neither of which we have.

So after my nine miler last night, the hubbs wanted me to lift some weights and do some ab work with him.  We headed over to the gym at around 5:30 and what a mistake that was!  They have moved the whole gym around to accommodate the personal training sessions they are pushing.  Because, as you know, January is the month for all of those NY resolution makers who have vowed to get in shape and just have to do it with a personal trainer!  They took away the stretching mats, moved out quite a few stationary bikes and moved the ab machines over to where the stretching mats used to be.  WTF was all I could say?  They didn't consult me on this?  What were they thinking!  I blew a gasket!  I was sooo mad!  I know!  Crazy to get all worked up at a gym changing things around!  But I am not good with change in the first place, and they changed it to suck even more!   

I have been quite jealous of Aron's home gym since she first posted about it a couple of months ago, and now that she just posted about it again, I have really been thinking about doing it at our house.  We have four bedrooms, one of which houses my treadmill and a tv.  There is enough room for our own little home gym.  When I walked in yesterday when the gym was packed and all moved around I was done!  I canceled my membership on the spot and vowed to get a new treadmill this week, a weight machine and stationary bike  and fix that room up.  I think this was the swift kick in the butt we needed.  We spend $70 a month on that membership - I can think of a TON of other ways to spend $70!

So while I kind-of blew a gasket right their in 24 hour fitness (BTW, I don't think anyone noticed, it was so busy I just blended in with all the other crazies in the building) I think it was what we needed.  Ari just nodded his head in agreement and got on Craig's List last night looking for equipment.  He has always complained about that $70 automatic debit out of our account each month even though he used the gym quite frequently.  I am a bit sad that I won't get to run with my priest Fr. Jon for a while, and sad I won't get to see all of my usual gym rats that have kept me VERY entertained for 2 1/2 years, but I am more worried about what I am going to do when my home gym is buggin me or it's raining, or it's cold out.  I am sure if I remind myself I'm not spending $70 a month at that crap hole will be enough to get me to jump on my own treadmill at home.

So that was the long and short of it - I dumped my gym and am moving on.  Thanks 24 Hour Fitness for the last 2 1/2 years.  I was never that happy there in the first place, but it served it's purpose when it needed to.  I'm heading home early today for my long run - 14 miles to be exact - since I can't chance not being able to do it this weekend due to the lack of information my hubbs is still withholding.  Funny, it's driving my mom nuts, too!  Ari drops Lilly off everyday at my 'rents for doggy day care and he gets drilled every.single.morning. about where he is taking me.  I told him she is probably worried you're gonna take me out to the middle of no where and chop me into a million pieces! (I kid, I kid!) He laughed and said, "Oh no!  You guessed it, we're going fishing in the delta!"**  Oh, he is a very, very bad man!

Happy Thursday pees and Happy Running!
*I am a redhead after all. I may be nice, but I am an Irish redhead who does have a temper and does have my moments :)
**Very poor joke on his part - if you're from the Bay Area you probably got the joke.  Very, very bad (but I laughed - he is sooo funny!)

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

My wife's gym is a series of rooms (It's actually an old home that was converted into a women's only gym). Everything is by appointment and only one person is allowed into any one room at a given time. She thinks it works out well because you never have to wait for a mat or a machine or whatever.

Sarah said...

WOW so jealous you will have a home gym! I wish we had the room and money to do that. I am not a gym person at all, so working out at home sounds so much better! :)

Hope you have a good run today.

L.B. said...

...fishing in the delta? Is that from that high-profile case from a couple of years ago? Ouch.

Funny you should post about canceling a 24 Hour Fitness membership. That's what I am contemplating doing myself, actually. I only pay 20 bucks a month and have been a member since March of 06 when i weighed 308 pounds (yikes!) and I got a trainer there and lost a ton of weight, then lost more on my own. I do like the gym but - and I realize this is my own stupid fault - I lost my gym card. It's around somewhere, I'm certain of that, but I can't effing find it. Grr. So the gym wants me to pay 10 bucks for a replacement, and I really don't think I should since I've been a loyal customer for four years. Maybe I'm way off, but I think I should get a pass just this time and if I lose it again, well, then that's my fault. I haven't lost the card before.

But I have a treadmill at home that I've been using steadily for a couple of months now, since I lost my card actually. And it is soooo much more convenient for me to run at home because most of the time I have my 4-year-old with me, and it's easier to throw a DVD in for her and knock out my five or six miles than to have to go to the gym.

Anyway, I guess I shouldn't have lost my stupid card. But I get the frustrations with the gym. I hate all the busted equipment and the inconvenience that brings. Ugh.

Pining for Pinterest said...

I totally understand. Especially if you are spending that much money for a membership, you should be getting what you are paying for!! I would do the exact same thing :-)

Anonymous said...

I am all for people and their NY resolutions but I hear ya girl!! The other day at my gym, they put people on treadmills on 20 minute increments. WHAT!!! You know, I was ticked...because I will still be there in a month and have been for 3 years. It is frustrating! This is one of the main reasons I work out at the gym in the morning.

Shellyrm ~ just a country runner said...

Good for you! Stand up for what's right! Well, actually you just walked out and didn't make them fix they bad ways for the other dumbies who will continue to put up with it. Maybe you should rent out time in your new home gym and steal their customers!! (evil laugh!)
All kidding aside, I think you will like having the gym at the house more!
I am dieing to find out where you are going too! Hurry up weekend!

Heidi said...

We put in a home gym a couple years ago and I LOVE it! When it's late at night and you've put off your workout all evening, you can still usually convince yourself to go get a short workout in. But if I had to go get in my car and drive to a gym (the closest for us is a 15-20 min drive) it just wouldn't happen.

I LOVE that I can put dinner on to cook, go downstairs and exercise, and when I come up it's nearly done.

We got some awesome deals on craigslist. Other than the treadmill and elliptical, it's all from there - even the mirrors on the walls (those were super cheap).

Anonymous said...

Hey girl! Would you mind linking into my Big Giveaway/Raffle to Benefit Ulman Cancer Fund?

http://runninaround.wordpress.com/2010/01/12/monday-funday/

Thanks!

Jen Feeny said...

LOL! I love your rant only because I am the same way... creature of habit and redhead to boot when something changes I freak out! LOL!

Good for you for kicking your gym to the curb and taking your fitness into your own hands. I can't wait to see what you do with the room. Take pics!!!

Teamarcia said...

Oh I'm glad you posted this as the Caveman suggested we join a 24H F. We actually do have a great home gym but you know the Caveman needs MORE WEIGHTS! I do need to have my butt kicked in classes regularly too.
Good for you for switching!

Jill said...

Alrighty you...I love your spunk and tenacity. I am not one to hold my tongue and can vent up a storm (as we've all witnessed!) and all you're feeling. With that said, though, I am a 24-hour-er and I MUST go elsewhere to do the weight training otherwise I'd do two things and then go back and crawl in my bed. I'm so much more structured if I actually have to drive my sorry ass over to a gym. Plus I like Yoga (and you know how often I got to yoga :) ) and spin class! But that's just me...what I'm stating is that I love your drive and determination to get done what you need to (and I will be the first to admit that I heart my treadmill and prefer it sometimes that the SAME boring course outdoors...even if it's one of several, they get old)...so you tell them girl and you kick some serious butt in your new, cool home gym and show me some of those serious arm muscles I long to have so much!!! Okay, this was totally random comments as I'm thinking about 10 things here cuz that's what I do...but just wanted to say, you just vent away baby anytime you need a little support. That's what we're here for!!
Hugs to you!!! And oh Gawd...I pray you aren't going fishing for the weekend. That would ruin it for me right there. Oh, and I had to laugh at your comment on my blog...too funny!

Aron said...

haha you are funny... well if and when you get sick of your home gym just got pay the daily guest pass fee at a gym (ours is $10) and go there for a day or 2 :) we dont have a big machine for weights which i do miss for some things, but i can get pretty much everything i need out of free weights.

YAY cant wait to hear about your home gym!! it will be fun to have :) we love it!

April said...

So funny!
I quit our local gym about a year ago. It wasn't a 24F but they were doing pretty much the same thing. Catering to the PT sessions and clientele. Plus they had on PT who would not stop talking to me while I was working out. I get really annoyed when people talk to me or interrupt my work outs(this includes my hubby).

Kudos to you for doing a 14miler on the treadmill! How do you do it? I go bonkers after 6!
Can't wait to hear about your new home gym!!

Jess said...

Reminds me of the "friends" episode when Chandler "wants to quit the gym!" but they find ways to manipulate him into staying. So funny, but so often true. Nice job just flat out canceling it!

Natalie D said...

I totally hear you about sometimes not running your same route, can't run on the treadmill again, can't do the gym.. you need options. I Like the home gym idea!!

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