An exercise in frustration...

I may have mentioned that I got a membership to the city's fitness facilities (there are gyms and pools all over the place). There's one near the office, and there's one I take the kids to swimming classes at once a week. I was very excited and very hopped up and very excited and... well, you get it. Friday was knit night, and so that wasn't going to happen. Saturday, I had a knitting class and ended up with a migraine, so that didn't happen either. Sunday, however... Sunday, I got showered, got dressed, got my butt over to the gym and hopped on an elliptical machine:

and promptly got my ass handed to me by the machine. It took me several minutes (and the help of two other people exercising nearby) to figure out how to even start the bloody thing, and then I got going... my quads started burning, my calf muscles followed suit, and suddenly I was gasping for breath and my heart rate (the thing has heart rate monitors where your hands go) had shot up to 175. I stumbled off the thing in exhaustion and looked up at it to realize - get this - I had done two whole minutes on it.

My legs were total jello and I could barely breathe. I stumbled back to my car in humiliation and frustration and after a long and tearful phone call to Rob (poor guy, he tries, but he really just doesn't get it), I determined that getting my ass kicked after two minutes on an elliptical wasn't a complete failure. Rob convinced me that even getting through the door of the gym and not turning tail when I saw I was the only overweight person in the place was a small victory. I'm sure every person in there watched me walk out thinking, "Well that was quick. She won't be back." But I will. I have to. I'm going to be smart about it though. I'm going to go back - with help.

I'm hoping to recruit either a friend or a trainer (who is also a friend, but I'd pay her for her time, obviously... it's her job!), go back to the gym, and learn how to do this the right way, WITHOUT hurting myself. If anyone is interested in helping me out with this (I'm just looking for one, maybe two sessions), then by all means, let me know! There's a free lunch in it for you (and I'd pay your admission to the gym, obviously).

In other news, I have completely restricted myself to not touching ANY OTHER KNITTING until I'm finished Kimery's cowl, since it's a commission and it's sucking out all my will to live. I need to finish this thing, but if I allow myself to touch ANYTHING else, I'll avoid it. Miles upon miles of grey seed stitch. Ugh.

I'm also on day five of this headache (it doesn't feel like a migraine... it feels like lack of sleep and desperate need for new glasses) and I rather desperately want chocolate right now. Hopefully I will overcome that, since I still have to get through the rest of the day - and then school tonight as well. Monday indeed.