My Newest Obsession

So here's the thing. A few years ago, spinning became really popular in the gyms. I watched Dateline and 20/20 stories on it and thought "how dumb. Riding a stationary bike at the gym with a bunch of other people. How would that be even remotely exciting?"

And it's not. It's boring.

But, as I found out this week, it's an incredible workout.

I have spent the last few weeks trying to find something to do that would make my evenings not seem to drag on. Wade is gone Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings. He's usually holed up in the bedroom Monday evenings doing homework and Friday nights he'll spend in the basement.

Tonight though, we're going on a date. A real, live date with other adults and no children. I'll actually be able to have conversations with other people.

I'm clearly very excited about this.

Anyways, Saturdays are spent either doing homework or working in the basement (more the former than the latter, but that's for another post.)

The point--I have a lot of free time to fill with Josh and Aunika.

A lot. And coupled with the hours I spend with them during the day, I'm like a single parent without the benefits of being single and a stay-at-home mom without the benefits of being stay-at-home. I sorta have the short end of both sticks.

But, I'm happily married and would like to remain so, so I'll put up with the craziness for a few years because I know, at the end, there will be something cool waiting for me--like a trip to Hawaii or Cabo San Lucas.

Or at least there better be.

But I digress.

I learned early on with Josh that to be the best mother I can be, I do need a few hours a week to myself. Or nearly to myself. I need to be involved in other things that don't involve my children. It's true when they say that distance makes the heart grow fonder. It's one of the reasons I got into running. So I could "run" away, if you will, for a little while and remember that I'm an individual too.

Tuesdays, I usually spend the day in Salt Lake with my mom doing errands. Every week, on my way home, I drive by the Magna Recreation Center. A few inquiries into the Rec Center yielded some surprising finds. There is a spinning class that starts at 6:30 on Tuesday and Thursday nights. For $1.25/hour they'll even watch Josh for me. So for $3 a time, I get a killer workout and someone to watch the noisier of the two children. Unfortunately, they won't take any kids under two, so I have to drag Aunika upstairs with me to class, but she's such a good baby, no one even knows she's there.

This will be a good thing until she's grows out of her carseat. Which is looking to be in about a month at the rate she's sprouting. But, I'll just stuff her in as long as I can. :)

The really nice thing is that the Rec Center is only 17 minutes from home, roughly the same amount of time it takes to drive into Tooele anyways, and so it's no big deal to just run down there on Thursday night as well.

And so I hit both classes this week. Tuesday, my butt was literally kicked. The bicycle seat was uncomfortable and the handlebars weren't set right to my ape-like arms and so I spent most of the hour gripping the seat with my (apparently, amazing) glutes to keep from slipping off. After class, the instructor showed me how to properly set up my bike and Thursday, I did much better, though my butt was still very sore when I sat on the seat. I was told I would eventually get use to the seat, but that I needed to remember that I did just have a baby 11 weeks ago. (Oh, yeah, I guess that would play a minor part in the comfort level wouldn't it?)

This morning, I'm feeling much better than I did Wednesday morning, so I think I'm getting used to it.

In any case, the workout was great, making me sweat and getting my heart racing. I felt rejuvenated, both mentally and physically. Josh was happy to be playing with some other kids his own age. Aunika just slept off and on through the workout, waking up and occassionally poking her head up to look around and then drifting back off.

The best part is that I'm working muscles I don't work when I'm running and so I'm getting a better workout.

And I'm getting into better shape for triathlon season. So maybe I can be a contender for a top position one of these days in our dinky little one here in Tooele in August.