With three weeks to go before race day, I'm forcing myself to get serious about this triathlon training stuff. Therefore, yesterday, when I got out of clinic an hour earlier than expected I went to the YMCA instead of to daycare to get the boys. (I hate not getting the boys when I'm off, which is one reason that this will probably be my last triathlon for a while.)
Usually I go to the "big" Y so I can swim, and it's big enough that you can be anonymous. Instead, I decided to take Jason's advice and check out the "Y Express." It's a mini-gym in a strip mall. Not my taste. I'm not sure I'll go back.
For the first 20 minutes it was just me and this 60, wish-he-was-still-30, year old guy. Just the two of us. Creepy. I avoided conversation and eye contact. Call it being unfriendly or cold if you want. After a few miles on the bike a middle-aged woman who was slightly overweight but still looked to be in good shape with short gray hair joined us. She seemed to be a good fit for creepy-cool guy, and they quickly struck up a conversation.
I pretended to play with my phone (because I couldn't figure out how to turn on the t.v., and I wasn't about to ask the only other person in the room) and eavesdropped on their not-so-private conversation. It's remarkable what Y people think they know.
Mr. Stud-man knew everything about everything! He knew what was wrong with the next generation and with government. He knew the best movies and why. He knew how the brain worked and how to prevent dementia. He went on about Co-Q10, flax seed, and fish oil. Then to the treatment of depression and obesity. It was remarkable. I wonder how many men's journals (or Reader's Digests) he's read.
His conversation partner agreed with much of what he said, but it didn't take her long to find another machine. (Who knows, maybe she was always planning on a 6.5-minute run on the elliptical.)
His insight made me laugh and shake my head at the same time. He wasn't that far off base. Sure exercise is great for depression and avoiding fast and processed food is good for your overall health. But at the same time, some of the stuff he said was not exactly based on scientific evidence. Anecdotal at best.
In case you're wondering, I didn't offer any of my advice. He isn't going to hurt himself or anyone else with his little pharmacy of multivitamins, so it was more just for my amusement that I continued to put my ears in his business. At least it made my bike ride go fast, and enough to keep my mind occupied during my run that followed.
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