Dearest Rachel –
It’s taken a few extra days for me to do this, but I’ve finally got around to it. Maybe it stems from a guilty conscience about what I admitted to yesterday (combined with the fact that, as per said admission, I slept far too much during the day, and not all that much during the night). I woke up ridiculously early this morning – somewhere around 5:30 or so – and decided that, as long as I was up, I should probably get around to checking out that fitness center a few blocks away from the house. Maybe even sign up on the spot, as I wasn’t planning on going anywhere else; the whole plan with going there was because of its location, after all.
There were a few things, however, that I hadn’t counted upon once I made my way there. The first of these was that the door required a card or key scan in order to enter; you couldn’t just be any old schlub wandering in off the street. On the other hand, that could be easily remedied – and was, in my case – by someone exiting the center, and pushing the door open for said schlub (me) to enter. It rather defeats the purpose, if it happens to be due to security, but it does allow new and prospective members to check the place out.
From there, I was also not prepared to be given the grand tour by the… clerk? proprietor? I’m not entirely sure what role Linda plays at this place, but whatever it was, she was more than prepared. She went over various plans, admitting that some of the rules and what-have-you were somewhat complicated. At the same time she pointed out the possibility that, depending on my health insurance program, I might be able to have my membership dues covered by them – a possibility that I had not even contemplated, nor was it ever brought up to me when I signed up at Arlington Ridge. Although, the Arlington Ridge membership was, for the most part, a gift I had received for Christmas from the year before, so the membership fee might have been a moot point.
Granted, the ‘grand tour,’ as it was, wasn’t particularly a big deal. This wasn’t some municipal scale YMCA type of outfit; this had been built, as you remember, out of a small grocery storefront. I will say that, in terms of equipment, they had maybe half again to twice as much as in the Vitality room onboard the Serenade Of The Seas (interestingly enough, it seemed to be packed somewhat tighter, with machine next to machine almost cheek-by-jowl), and at the hour that I was there (6:45 a.m.), it wasn’t quite as crowded as that place, albeit not empty either.
There was one separate room for classes and the occasional weight training (as well as a room in back, specifically set up for spin classes with several dozen stationary bicycles), but I have to admit to not being interested in taking classes or bothering with a personal trainer, so it cut no ice with me. I expect to be doing pretty much the same thing as I’ve been doing at Arlington Ridge; that is to say, enough time on the treadmill and maybe on a rowing machine (which, now that I think of it, I never actually saw one there) to burn about seven or eight hundred calories at any given visit, plus a few reps on various weight machines, particularly having to do with upper body strength. Given that I already have a plan that more or less works for me, I think I’ll stick with it for the time being. And since it’s so close to home, on a good day, weather-wise, I can even add to the workout by walking to and from the house (although in fairness, I won’t be able to determine how many calories I burn in walking those few blocks – not that it really matters all that much).
Since she had mentioned the possibility that my insurance could cover my membership, Linda suggested I think about it, and contact my provider before actually ponying up anything in terms of membership fees. In the meantime, she offered me a three day pass to check out the place – and then proceeded to postdate its expiration date until Wednesday when I lamented that I would be out of town over the weekend, and thus be unable to use the remainder of the days on the pass. When I asked if, given this post-dating of my pass, I could still use the equipment right away, she waved off my concerns and told me to have at it.
So, I put in a good forty minutes on the uphill treadmill, climbing some two and a quarter miles or so at steadily increasing speeds, just as I’d been doing on the ship. I will say, it was actually easier now that I wasn’t having to deal with the irregular (if relatively minor) G-forces of the ship on the ocean. But I did work up more of a sweat than I was prepared to deal with, since I had left my towel back at the house; I’ll know better for next time – and yes, I suppose there will be a next time. Quite a few next times, in fact, if I plan to sign up, and I see no reason not to.
In any event, honey, I might as well ask for you to keep an eye on me, and wish me luck. I may have planned this out, but I’m sure I still need it
Letters to Rachel 