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<\/a><\/p>\nSo it’s been quite a while since I’ve lifted weights. I know I’m going to be sore tomorrow. I focused on the upper body only. I also did a lot of ab work.<\/p>\n<\/a>I had lamented to Michael that I still hadn’t been able to wear my Hood to Coast t-shirt since I can’t run. He asked me why I couldn’t just wear it to the gym? I guess I could!<\/p>\n<\/a>I wasn’t sure what I was going to do at the gym without being able to do the normal cardio machines I love.<\/p>\n<\/a>I did the weights to start with. It was quite embarrassing to go to the gym and have to take the elevator to the second floor–but my doctor said no stairs. I tried not to let it get me down. I did two sets of 10 on each upper body machine. I did the entire circuit three times.<\/p>\n<\/a>When I first started doing the weights, I’d glance down at my heart rate monitor and feel disappointed that my heart rate was barely moving. I didn’t let it discourage me, though. I decided doing weights was better than doing nothing!<\/p>\n<\/a>I will admit: it’s been a LONG time since I’ve done weights. It’s never been my favorite workout. I’ve admitted before that I am a total cardio-junkie. It’s a struggle to do weights. But I had a half-assed routine I did about once or twice a week, never spending very much time doing it.<\/p>\n<\/a>This summer I was focused completely on running and training for Hood to Coast<\/span><\/a>. I honestly didn’t go to the gym much anymore–just to swim two times a week. I was spending my Saturdays doing long runs.<\/p>\n<\/a>Not being able to run might be a good thing (or at least, I’m trying to tell myself that) because it’s giving me an opportunity to learn how to do other things. I KNOW that weight lifting is crucial and something that can help people get over weight loss plateaus. My personal trainer, Christian, has told me that many times and I saw results when I did a regular weight lifting routine. Starting to run made it easy to slip out of that routine.<\/p>\n<\/a>I alternated between upper body weight lifting machines and the four or five Ab machines.<\/p>\n<\/a>Half way through my second round of the circuit training my arms were starting to shake a little! Remember how I said my heart rate monitor was giving me a pathetic reading when I first started? By the time I was half way through the workout, my heart rate was in the right zone!\u00a0 I kept at it and then moved to the other side of the gym where all the free weights are. I will admit, it’s been even longer since I’ve tried the free weights.<\/p>\n<\/a>When I was working out with my personal trainer, he did a Cross-fit style\/circuit training with a lot of core work and free weights. And man–Christian kicked my BUTT! I’d be sore for about 4 days. But it felt really good. I explored the machines and the weights that I’ve never even glanced at before.<\/p>\n<\/a>I did my lifting and then walked around the corner to a spot of the gym I’ve never even looked at.<\/p>\n<\/a>It was a corner of the gym where the personal trainers were teaching people the same stuff Christian taught me. I saw a lot of people doing some pretty cool stuff–without weights or machines. Just using their own bodies to work out. I also saw a row machine. I wasn’t sure if I could do the row machine but there was only one way to find out: try it.<\/p>\n<\/a>I knew my knee would tell me immediately if the row machine was out. I sat down and gave it a few tentative rows and there was no pain. Hmmm….maybe this is something I can do? I kept at it, listening to my body for signs of pain or discomfort. There weren’t any. I figured it was good! The row machine had a game on the screen. Basically, you are a fish and you have to row harder to prevent being eaten by sharks.<\/p>\n