Working Out

I don't know how many of you know this, but in April, 2004, just before we moved to Utah, I crashed my Honda Shadow motorcycle. I had to get about 15 stitches in my elbow and I totally tore all the muscles in my lower back. Since then I have had severe back pain every day. At times it is difficult to walk. I went to the doctor in 2006 and they told me the only thing I could do for my back was exercise and rebuild the muscles. At the time I thought, "Yeah, right! Cristie Roach and exercise in the same sentence doesn't compute." Anyway, in May, 2008, I tore the meniscus in my left knee. It took about 6 months to heal where walking wasn't painful. In March, 2009, I tore the meniscus in my right knee. It is just now healed, although, high heels are still painful and I only where them on special occasions. Again, exercise was mentioned to strengthen the muscles in my knees. Yeah, right! Anyway, about three weeks ago, I finally joined the gym a block away from my work. It costs $10 a month and it has an amazing amount of workout machines. I went three times last week. I am walking a mile a day and working on my core muscles and knee muscles. I actually enjoy it. I plan on working out four days this next week. I am meeting with the trainer there to make sure the exercises I am doing are correct. It should be interesting.

I have to share my first day experience with you. So here I am walking on the treadmill with an incline of 2.0 and a speed of 3.0/mph. Working up a sweat. This lady gets on the treadmill next to me and starts running. Not jogging. Running. She runs for a good 15 minutes at this pace. I would have been dying. A guy walks up to her and starts talking and she can actually carry on a conversation. Not breathless or anything. It was truly amazing. Then I hear the guy ask her about any marathons she has run lately. That explained it. I finished my mile and she was still running. My hat is off to her. Maybe one day I can get to that point ... maybe not.

I will keep you posted on my progress.