Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Travel Mileage - Exercise Personalities

It's only Tuesday, but so far so good for a travel week.  We flew in Sunday (which was a scheduled off-day), went to the YMCA Monday morning and did a 4.25 mile jog on the treadmill followed by an arm workout (they are sore now).  Today we went to the Y again and I ran for 6.2 miles.  It was rough, I'm starting to get a crappy chest cold so I can't breath well, but I made it through it.  If I can keep it up for the next two days I'll be happy to take off Friday and give the 'Run with the Wind' a go on Saturday.  Even though I'm not prepared to set any time goals it will be good to do a timed run just to see where I stand.  The only bad part is I will miss my running friend being with me this year - it will be lonely!  :-(

So, visiting other YMCA's and/or gyms gives you a chance to see different people and analyze their workout habits a bit - get a feel for the different 'gym personalities' if you will.
I guess for the most part I'm used to the 'grunters' at our gym.  There are a few that are just over the top with their heavy breathing, dropping seriously heavy weights from their waist to the ground, etc., but most just are just your basic grunters.  You know, the guys who focus almost solely on their arms - sometimes they even have huge guts, a lot of the time they have skinny legs, but their arms are buff and they like to admire them.  This particular gym has a guy that I think the term howler more accurately describes.  He looks a little like Paul Sr. off of American Choppers, same gut, same arms, just shorter and wears some sort of spandex waist thing - I'm guessing modern day version of the corset?  Wow, the dude lets out a loud howl/scream when he's lifting.  I was in the middle of my run with headphones blaring and I hear it - loud enough in the next room above the buzz of the treadmill motors to startle me.  I thought he was injured until I heard it again.  Seriously, what's that all about??

I have thoughts on all the different 'gym personalities' - maybe some day I will put them into writing, but today I am just caught up trying to think up another name for guys like this - grunters who go the extra mile.

Till next time - run on!

2 comments:

  1. Sounds like fun people watching....how exciting. And sorry about missing the Run With The Wind. I will miss being there. Hoping you actually get to run WITH the wind this year.
    B

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  2. Funny! I pictured theses guys, big arms skinny legs..I can see some grunting but howling must be a personal problem...good luck in the race!

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