Yesterday it rained a lot. It rained hard, at inconvenient times, and a LOT. I remember this well – partly because it was only yesterday, but mostly because I was trying to keep my lunch from getting wet and it was almost a disaster. I was going to get a salad for lunch because I feel like it balances out the frozen dinners I eat for dinner, healthwise, but then the guy at the hot food section asked me if I wanted chicken and dumplings and I accidentally-on-purpose said yes. Then I asked for mashed potatoes too. Later I learned that this food combinations turns into the blobbiest heaviest blob in your stomach later, but that wasn’t too big of a deal. The issue was that I always use one of their compostable to-go boxes to get my lunch. As it turns out, those aren’t so good for heavy blobby food, and after some time I could feel it soaking through the bottom. This happened at the same time as I was rushing through the rain to get to my destination, and the top of the box was starting to get soggy too!
This story has a medium-happy ending, at least lunch-wise. My lunch box only almost fell apart, and my chicken and dumplings were only kind of cold when I ate them. The point I’m actually trying to make however, has nothing to do with chicken and dumplings at all. What I really want to tell you about goes back to the part where I was rushing through the rain. My method of “rushing” was to run, albeit a very slow and awkward run as I tried to hunch over to protect my lunchbox, also while carrying a medium-heavy backpack. I only ran for about thirty yards, at which point I stopped because my breathing got heavy and my heartrate went up. This is when I discovered that I am extremely out of shape.
I knew I was a little out of shape, but I had no idea that I was run-thirty-yards-and-get-out-of-breath out of shape. I guess that’s what when I don’t exercise at all. Usually I at least do some incidental running, but I’ve been carefully protecting my hurt shin and have been avoiding even that.
At this point I imagine you’re getting really worried for my well-being and my dreams of having an Ultimate Hard Body, but don’t worry. Like I said, I already knew I was a little out of shape, which is why I ordered a new indoor spin bike a couple weeks ago. After some transport and lifting logistics, I finally set it up tonight and had my first workout!
Twenty minutes on this thing confirmed what I already knew – that I”m out of shape – but now I have a spin bike positioned in front of a big television. Needless to say, I’m insanely happy to have a form of exercise available that is even more logistically easy than running. I was even able to workout despite having completely forgotten to bring exercise clothes with me (I’m a bit of a nomad, and just live here in Salem during the week, so I have to pack my bag every time). I would never go to the gym or on a run in a stupid exercise outfit, but my roommate and the dogs didn’t even judge me too hard for working out in leggings and rainboots.
The plan is to get back into shape on this thing and so when my shin is all healed up I’m ready to run again without embarrassment. In case anyone’s wondering, it’s called the Sunny Health & Fitness Pro Indoor Cycling Bike. Don’t be fooled by the term “Pro,” I’m definitely not one of those, and I managed okay (so far) on the bike. It makes a little bit of noise, but nothing too bad, and it wasn’t too hard to put together. It was also only $250 when I got it on Amazon.com, which now lists it for $288. I don’t know what the deal with that is, but if you’re interested in getting it you might want to shop around or wait a little bit for the best price.
I hope all my running readers don’t need to bother with a bike though, and that you are all healthy and uninjured and having a wild time running through the rain this fall!
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