It Hurts So Good

So, I am thinking of joining a gym near work.  O2 Fitness in Cary just moved to a new building with a pool.  Lack of pool is why I have not joined any gym near work yet.  I really need a place to do a lunchtime workout and I really need a pool.

The pool at the new O2 location is not ready yet.   I decided to get my 7 day free pass anyway to check out the other stuff.   I went last Tuesday and did the Lesmill Body Pump class.   It is a strength class that uses a barbell with low weights and high reps to work pretty much every muscle in your body. It was fun and the leader was excellent – very motivating.  While doing it, I did not break a sweat and was thinking it’s not nearly has hard as P90X.

However, the very next day, I was in the hurt cave, which is where P90x puts me!  Every muscle in my body hurt, and I was limping around like I’d just done a marathon.   And for two days, I could not even lift up my telephone at work with my left arm.

On Wednesday evening, I went swimming at the Chapel Hill pool.    It was an enlightening experience to swim with sore muscles.    I could pretty much tell which muscle I was using during each part of my swim stroke.    Ouch.    I now know that I use my arms way too much during swimming, and do not use my core very  much.     Something to work on.    I started to do one length of breast stroke, and discovered just how much the quads are used there.   I always wondered if I should try to develop a powerful breast stroke for my triathlon swims, as sighting would be so much better.  But now I realize it would fatigue my quads too much.

On Thursday, I wanted to do the IOS Group Training ride.  My legs were still a little sore, but I felt I could ride.   My arms were still killing me, tho – I’m sure my Wed swim contributed to that!   I was concerned about the ability to control my bike with sore arms.   So, I put my Zensah calf compression sleeve on my left arm.  It did a great job supporting that sore tricep.

My plan for the group ride was to hang back and not get too close to anybody.  However, during the warm up, I felt fine.  I guess triceps are not really required much for riding.   The only time I felt them was when standing to climb during the hilly section of the warm-up.  There are not any hills during the fast middle part of this group ride.  So, I decided to stick on the back of the B group and see how it goes.    I hung to the back, again, seeing how I would perform.   All was good.     So, when they started the paceline, I got in.    We had a nice smooth paceline for about 10 miles.    At the very end of the ride, during the cool down, we hit some hills.  My legs were dead at that point, so I got dropped and just rode in easy by myself.   The average speed for the entire ride was 20mph!

Here’s my Garmin data: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/33199762

On Friday, I went to O2 Fitness to do a treadmill run.   I like my own treadmill at home way better, as I can program a custom workout into it, and it has quick speed buttons across the panel.  Just hit a button, 1-9, and it jumps to that speed.   Then you can hit + or – to bump it up or down by tenths.    The treadmill at the gym was much sturdier and had a built in TV.  Cool, but I’m not interested in the TV!  I want an easy way to control the speed, and all they have is a + and – button.  Made it very hard to do bump the speed up for intervals 🙁 .  Also, it kept cutting off on me after 10 minutes.   Before I join, I need to try the treadmill one more time and ask them to show me how to use it.  Maybe I am just doing it wrong.

As far as the pool, it looks like they have a lot of work to do before it is ready.  They told me June 1st but I am skeptical.  Trying to decide if I should join now, or wait for the pool.   It was very nice having the ability to do a lunchtime workout.    There is no shower at work, so I can’t run at lunchtime outdoors 🙁