Road-ent Rules

I have changed my goals a little bit on the right side of the page to show where I am at now. I ran to the gym again this morning and I discovered there is an indoor track circling above a basketball court. Not a very long track, but smooth, even, and out of the elements. I whipped one turn around that thing, and I was out of there. It's one thing to have A weird guy leering, but the two entire basketball teams of mid-life crisis, headband wearing jocks watching me bounce around above was almost enough for me to want to quit for the day. But I did not. I went on the elliptical again. I am trying to make peace with the gym, you see. It is weird and awkward, and sometimes I feel like a stupid hamster on a wheel going nowhere-FAST, but because of the gym, I can exercise even when it is pouring rain. I may not always live in such a sunny place as SoCal, so I must face my demons at the gym (mostly the 40-somethings with black, fingerless, weight gloves). And I read in this endurance magazine that it is important to change up the exercise especially when training for a race--safety for the joints. I will try to run outside about 4 out of 6 days, and tough-out the gym the other two. There is one more awkward thing that I have encountered though: seeing people I know. I have seen some of my husband's classmates, among others, heaving under some torture contraption in the weight room, and I know they have seen me. But we don't acknowledge each other. It almost feels like I am walking in on someone doing a #2, then later we both pretend it never happened, ya know, it just doesn't feel right to see people in that state. I know! They should make exercise stalls with little locks that are soundproof, so you can grunt, huff, puff, belch, and sweat without anyone giving it a second thought. Then I could fulfill my dream to run naked! (it's a joke, people). I just have to say thanks for all of your support, it really has helped me stick with it, even when it makes me feel like a dumb, cuddly rodent.