Thursday, April 4, 2013

Improvise: part...?

My husband and I drove 3 hours to Lubbock, TX this morning because our 15 year old son has been having unexplained abdominal pain.  We've ruled out gall bladder, kidneys, and liver.  Tomorrow, we see a pediatric GI.

When my husband was booking the hotel room, he found one with an indoor pool. I asked him if it had a workout room.  It didn't.  But he found one for a little bit more that did.  (Isn't he sweet?!?!?)

We arrived at the hotel about 3:30 (after the time change) and things started out bad.  The desk clerk was going to charge us $11 extra because we didn't tell her our son was with us.  John pulled out his phone and showed her the confirmation e-mail from Travelocity.  She finally backed down.
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Before heading the to room, I peaked into the pool room, and saw the exercise room was on the other side of the pool.  I knew it wasn't big, but it looked like about half a dozen machines.

                                        

After dinner (Joe's Crab Shack!) and some shopping (including a quick lap around the mall), we came back to the hotel so I could do my run. (After stopping for Krispy Kremes!)  I only had today and Saturday left in the official C25K app.  Then it's just working on increasing my speed and endurance.

I put on my workout clothes while my teenager attacked the donuts.  (My husband, at least, had the decency to wait until I left the room!)  I grabbed my iPhone, earbuds, room key, and iPhone arm band and headed out.  I went through the pool area, grabbed a towel, and opened the "gym" door.

Yesterday, I read a blog (if it was you---or you know who it was--leave me a link in the comments and I'll add a link to the post) that talked about hotel fitness centers. She mentioned how they take pictures at such an angle that the mirrors make it look bigger.  She was right. The "fitness room" had 1 treadmill, 1 bike, 1 elliptical, and 1 tiny weight machine.  I wasn't discouraged, though, because I only needed one treadmill to complete my run.  I was a little nervous about the treadmill. It definitely looked like a lightweight home model---a "starter" treadmill.

So, I hop on and push the power button. Nothing.  I get off and check to make sure it's plugged in. Nothing.  Try a few more things. Nothing.  So I went to the front desk and asked if the treadmill worked.  The desk clerk (a man this time) said, "No. It broke yesterday".  I may (or may not) have told him I didn't believe it broke yesterday.

I went upstairs (fuming!).  I asked my husband, "Do you believe the treadmill broke yesterday? Me either!" I was so disappointed. I really wanted to finish my C25K this week.  I told my husband I was tempted to run up and down the halls for 28 minutes!  Instead, I walked up and down the halls.  The hotel is one long hallway with rooms on either side and 2 floors.  There are stairs on each end, and a set in the middle. So I made a figure 8.  Whenever I came to stairs, I climbed them.  I walked the whole circuit about 6 or 8 times.  I walked a total of about 1.5 miles.

Then I went and changed into my swimsuit. (By this time the boys decided to go to a late movie). I went and jogged in the pool for half an hour.  I thought of my new friend EmDub of Faster in Water as I kept moving in the pool.  The deepest part was about 4 1/2 feet deep. So my shoulders weren't even under water.

Notice the white circles on the steps of the pool?  I'm guessing that's where the safety rail USED to be.


                                 


So, if you made it this far through my rambling.....I didn't get my run in, but I burned somewhere between 6-800 calories. (My FitBit and MyFitnessPal can't agree about my workout!!)


3 comments:

  1. I hope your son's problems aren't anything serious, Julie, and that they get him fixed up real quick!

    I do the hotel hall circuit, too! Or in nicer weather, I just walk around and around the outside of the hotel. I actually prefer that to the too-small exercise room.

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  2. I hope your son is okay!

    I'm jealous you got to to go Joe's Crab Shack...mmm!

    That's a girl who is getting after it! Up and down the hall/stairs!

    And, of course, I love the swimming! Get it girl! Looks like they broke that handle off and then filled the little holes in. Silly. But you've gotta love the water. Even if it is not very warm, water still feels good. Plus you don't really feel sweaty, which is nearly my favorite part!

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  3. Way to go! At least you know that when the odds are stacked against you you will adapt and get the workout in!

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