Juiceheads Beware

In my former life, I was a gym rat. I lifted five days a week, consumed a huge quantity of protein and espoused about muscle groups with my fellow rats. Despite my best efforts, however, I never found myself particularly muscle bound.  Depressed with my permanent status as an ectomorph, I gave up on lifting and focused again on running. 

Winter in Vermont is brutal.  It is particularly brutal for runners.  We face ice, sleet and snow.  Sidewalks don't get plowed for weeks after a blizzard and if we don't run at noon, we are doomed to be creatures of the dark at either end of the day. Last winter, I ran outside almost every day as a matter of pride.  I have screws in my "ice" shoes, an indeterminate quantity of winter running layers and a healthy dose of Yankee stubborn in my blood.  This year, however, I broke down and joined a gym.  I still plan to run outside when the footing is good, but on days when it's slippery, you'll find me slogging away the miles on a treadmill.

Yesterday, I talked about how inclement weather is a good training tool for Boston.  Today, I'm telling you I joined a gym to avoid it.  So what gives?  Inclement weather is one thing.  Getting hit by a snow plow or breaking my leg is another.  Beyond bodily harm, a 6 mile run slogging through a foot of snow is not necessarily the quality I need to be putting in on the road to Boston.

What gym did I join?  None other than the juicehead haven of Planet Fitness.  With unbeatable low rates, few people doing cardio and 24 hour availability, it was the best choice for me. It looks like I'll start to get my money's worth immediately, with freezing rain on Friday morning in the forecast.

Happy Running all. Think of me fondly, running along side this guy: