Fat Boy’s Adventures in Exercise: Week 3

Monday – 5:40pm I walk though the doors of the Dolan Aqua Centre with my pre-packed bag of gym attire. It had taken two weeks but finely my adventures in exercise were actually going to contain some exercise.

Once I was changed I went to the counter to speak to the trainer. I may be determined to do some exercise but I still have tendonitis in my knee, and my determination does not outweigh my desire to walk without limping.

“Complete rest.” This was what the trainer recommended when I asked which exercise would be best for me. Not exactly what I wanted to hear but after a little chat I was able to get him to agree that very light exercise would be acceptable. Basically I can walk on the tread mills – so that’s what I did. For twenty minutes at quick pace. At first I thought it wasn’t so bad; there was a girl beside me a little younger than I am and she too walked on the treadmill. Maybe lots of people just do this, I thought, you’re not a wuss. Of course they do not and I am. The girl was merely warming up before her run which outlasted my walk by at least ten minutes.

After the treadmill I headed down to the weight machines in Gym 2. I travelled from machine to machine for about ten to twenty minutes. On each machine I visited I read the instructions provided having forgotten the coaching I was given in my induction so long ago, back when I first joined. You need a special electronic key to operate each machine which I forgot to remove after each of my attempts to operate the apparatus. If you’ve ever seen a new parent trying to fold down a baby buggy they you may have some concept of how I looked in my attempts to operate the weight machines. If you’re unfamiliar with the baby buggy problem try instead to visualise your dad’s face when attempting to read the instructions on how to assemble your new bike. There was a guy across the floor from me who I saw watching my sad attempts from the corner of his eye several times. At first I thought his gaze was mocking me but as I visited each machine I could gradually see that he in fact looked at me with the weary pity you grant on the pathetic.

After I gave up there I went back to the tread mill for another 15 minutes, this time telling myself that a light run would pose no problem. This time around my running partner was not a young girl but an older gentleman who ran at just as quick a pace. The fact that this man – so twenty or thirty years my senior was able to run with such grace only compounded the embarrassment I felt at my clumpy pain inducing short jog. Short being the kind term, in this case, for barely over a minute.

***

When I eventually limped home on Monday I told Michelle of my weight machine fumbles and cheek warming jog, but, I also told her that I was glad I went and that I planned to go swimming on Tuesday then back to the gym on Wednesday and carry on with this pattern. My adventure in exercise had finally begun.

After dinner that night I got up to pack my shorts and towel for Tuesdays swim but was stopped by a phone call from my mum on the way through.

“We’ll leave tomorrow at nine o’clock?” she said much to my confusion. I had forgotten all about the minor operation I had scheduled for Tuesday morning. I was having a fatty lump removed just above my hip – I was cut into and then given stitches. Swimming was out of the question – not unless I wanted to look like shark bait in the water. At first I thought I might still be able to go to the gym but on Wednesday I was in quite a bit on pain. The stitches were right on my waist band and were being rubbed so much that my wound bled badly enough for my dressing to burst. I was sent home from work then and when I returned the next morning found it impossible to walk on even sit at my desk without my wound stringing badly. I got a line from the doctor the next day and will not be back in work until after the holiday Monday.

I think I will still stay out of the water for another week but I should be able to continue my walking on the treadmill as of Tuesday coming. In order to prevent further embarrassment I think it would be a good idea to get another crash course on the machines when I go back too.

‘Till then.

THIS WEEK
I Watched: - Zodiac, The Lost World:Jurassic Park, Jurassic Park III and the Season Three finally of Lost.
I Read: - The Closers by Michael Connelly.
I listened to: - Nothing.
Time in Gym: - 1 hr approx.