So I finally did it.  I joined a health/fitness club.  It is cheap, not contract-based and has just opened so the equipment is brand spanking new.  The treadmill has fancy hill programs, an iPhone connector, TV screen, little fan that blows right in my face and can get annoying but what do you do.  I worked out yesterday and today and I am hating it. Let me count all the ways:

1. The color of the walls, I believe I would call it puce, makes my eyes hurt
2. I have to get on I-95 to get there
3. Even working out right next to the window, I get antsy with a large gym full of people. I am far happier walking by myself, and I like it even more in the relative darkness of my favorite route.
4. I chose the window to have a little sense of space, but people come right up to it and stare in.  Awwwkwwaaard.
5. I see bodies so much more fit, so much more lovely, so much more lots of things that I could never aspire to.  Unfortunately, odious comparisons are inevitable…
6. It smells sort of funky–all the air freshners in the world can’t mask stale sweat.
7. I forgot to bring a bottle of water and went to buy one–I just won’t pay $5.00 for a small bottle.
8. I haven’t figured out how to turn off the TV so even though I get to listen to my own music, there’s this TV I can’t get away from.
9. It is way, way, way more boring using the treadmill than walking, especially when my walks include the view of the ocean or unexpected encounters with owls, racoons, the occasional snake, frogs and other critters.
10. I figured out that my pace is not really steady when I am out training feet against concrete–I go really fast some of the time, slow down a little, speed back up and it all averages out just fine.  The treadmill forces me to walk at one single pace and it feels like I am at the mercy of the machine.  I don’t like it, not one little bit.

Here’s the thing though:  it is the only way I am going to get anything approaching decent hill training.  I am pretty driven right now to see this through.  So I’ll keep going until I go to Birmingham.  After that?  It’s back to my rambles.  Not that I’m a cranky pants about this or anything…