Categories: General

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 🙁

carolyahoo

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Jaime says:

June 12, 2010 at 10:09 pm

hi! I was wondering how you are liking the Cary O2....I belong to the one in Southern Village in Chapel Hill, but have recently been training at the UNC Wellness Center because they have a pool. (training for my first tri, the Ramblin' Rose). When I went to freeze my O2 membership, they told me they're moving up the road to a facility with a pool....so I'm wondering if I should unfreeze it after they move. :)
hope training is going well!