It's been a long time, but I worked out today for the first time in months. How sad!

Each time we have an event with James and his family, he always invites me over to workout in his basement. I finally took him up on it, even if it was bit forced. In the end, I am glad I went.

I brought Little One with me so I had an definitive end to the workout. Good thing as we would have continued.

He has a small universal and a bench. We worked on the chest, my weak area to be sure.

Back. It's too easy not to go to the gym. I need to find the excuses to go.

Tonight was tiring. I spent 35 minutes of the treadmill. Most of that was spent at 14% grade and a 15-minute pace. In all I did 2.25 miles, which included a warm-down lap. As I got off I felt more tentative than I normally do. My heart rate was up to 170 today. I felt fine on, but it seemed like I was exhausted once off. I think I am just tired.

A second visit to the gym this week. That is good. Tonight the entire family came. Beetle and Fritz went to the Child Watch program as Gert joined me in the gym. The treadmill and Precor were hardly on before we were informed Fritz needed a diaper change. Gert stepped up on this. The problem, of course, was that we did not bring a diaper bag. Sigh . . . Gert took the boy home, changed him, and returned.

It's been a while. After squandering the summer, I finally dragged my butt into the gym tonight. It's a bittersweet moment. I am happy I worked out; I am extremely disappointed with myself that it took four months to make it happen.

Today I walked two miles on the treadmill. I cranked up the incline to 10%, although for most of the time, it was six-eight percent. My walking speed was four miles per hour for most of the walk. I ran (6) for about a half lap, then back it down.

My heart rate was pretty good at about 130 bpm.

I am an elementary school teacher. This year our district moved a great majority of the staff and students as it opened two new buildings. My current school is a conglomeration from numerous schools. It has worked out well. We are in a much larger building than I have been in previously.

A month ago there was an announcement that the faculty fitness room was almost ready; electricity was the only hangup. I had never been in a school with a fitness room.

Today is the penultimate day of work. After the children went home after a half day, most of the staff left for a retirement luncheon. Those of us who did not attend (didn't know the teacher retiring) remained at school. There were not many of us. On the way back to my office via the gymnasium, I saw the fitness room door ajar and had a peek.

Perhaps this is serendipity. Today I attended a workshop about podcasting. This rekindled an interest of mine into getting an iPod shuffle. Normally my desire would be for a higher end device, but I just do not want to strap another device to my "utility belt". A shuffle is so small and lightweight it would be unobtrusive.

Then it occurred to me that a shuffle would be perfect for the gym too. I am not really one to buy accessories for the gym, but it does seem like this would be handy.

My big question right now is to find out how many podcasts can actually fit onto one of these things. I know Apple says 240 four-minute songs encoded in their format will fit. What does that convert to in minutes in .mp3?

Today I accomplished two things:

1. I had no soda until after 10:00 p.m. It was diet!
2. Gert and I joined the local YMCA.

Gert and I have worked out a schedule. Given the two little ones, Beetle and Fritz, this is necessary. I will hit the Y on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. I am scheduling Full Body Day 1 on Mondays and Fridays and Full Body Day 2 on Wednesdays and Saturdays. I am still researching these workouts.

Here I am at the beginning of a long process. I have never been one to diet or to work out much. While many around me have joined and ostensibly quit diet programs and gym memberships year after year, I have not done so.

Now that I am quite definitely middle-aged, being thin is no longer my case. A few extra pounds at first were cute, then it grew, and now it seems like despite no changes in diet, pounds keep getting added on. With this has been a noticeable lethargy. It is time to end this.

My wife and I are finally joining our local fitness center. It is not the best one in the area, but it is the one that is within our normal travel. To boot, it has a babysitting service, which we will need.