New Faces in the Gym

The gyms are crowded with plenty of eager new faces set on fulfilling their New Year's resolutions of getting into shape, losing weight, etc.  I have mixed feelings about this.  Sure, it's great to have goals and I suppose the new year is as good a time as any to start.  I think what really bothers me about this is that most of these gym newcomers will hit the gym hard initially but burn out quickly and by February will be going to the gym infrequently, if at all.  Nothing is more annoying to me than someone who doesn't follow through with what they say they're going to do.

The high attrition rate of these new gym members is great for the regulars in that it frees up more space in the parking lot and frees up a lot of the equipment.  I'm sure it's great for the gym too because they have a lot of people paying for new memberships which they'll hardly ever use.  But, it is sad to see so many people give up on their aspirations.  And from what I've seen so far of these newcomers, most of them really need to lose weight and get in shape.  What makes them give up?  Well, it's hard to get into shape and lose weight.  It's intimidating too for someone who's rarely if ever stepped into a gym to workout alongside seasoned gym rats.  Even those gym rats had to start somewhere though.

I have no problem working out alongside newbies.  I don't care if they walk slowly on the treadmill or lift the lightest weight on the weight rack.  I don't care if they ask questions or wander around like they aren't sure what to do next.  What does bother me is when they make negative comments about "skinny people" or "those girls wearing shorts". I have overheard these comments and, no surprise, they're all from women.  The shorts comment came from two ladies wearing pants and jackets who seemed like they couldn't understand why people would choose to wear shorts while working out unless they were trying to show off their legs.  To me this says that they obviously haven't run in the 70 degree gym before.  Just because you feel insecure or out of place in the gym doesn't mean you are right in making derisive comments about those who have been through the hard work of getting into shape.  Many new gym goers assume that those "skinny people" are naturally thin or athletic but that's a false assumption.  A lot of those "skinny people" have to work hard to be in the shape they're in.  Maybe it's just easier to blame your out-of-shape figure on genetics or some other external factor instead of looking at what you're doing wrong. No wonder so many people quit going to the gym by February!

So, if you are one of those people who recently started a gym membership and haven't spent much time in a gym before please keep some things in mind.

• Working out is hard, so don't expect it to be easy
• Everyone started at square one at some point so don't be insecure
• Don't make excuses
• Follow some sort of plan instead of wandering aimlessly from machine to machine
• Start gradually and work your way up to more intense workouts to avoid early burnout

There's a lot more I could add but I think this is a good starting point. :D

My Running and Fitness Goals for 2012

It's that time again...setting fitness goals for the new year!  I've realized that I have to set achievable fitness goals for myself or I end up floundering in a no man's land of exercise that keeps me more active than the man on the couch but does little else.  Last year my ultimate goal was to get back into regular running and increase my mileage to a half marathon distance by the end of the year.  I met and exceeded that goal.  Since I reached that goal mid-way through the year I had to set new goals.  I decided on the ambitious yet doable goal of running a full marathon, which I also accomplished. The full marathon was a far reach though, I'll admit.  I didn't finish it within a time that I'm particularly proud of (4:40) and I know that I have it in me to do better than that.  I realize that I probably pushed too hard too soon but I was really intent on running that first marathon.  Now that I have running experience with a variety of distances I have a better idea of what to expect and aim for. 

So, what goal(s) should I aim for as New Year's Resolutions for 2012? First I'll start by looking at the weaknesses I've identified after a year's worth of running.

Weaknesses

• Slow speed - I've sacrificed speed for endurance by competing in progressively longer race distances.
• Lack of upper body strength - Focusing on running has left my upper body strength training wanting.
• Weak on Hills - The Atlanta Marathon and Half Marathon taught me that hills are killer for me and that I need to work on leg strengthening.  

There are many more weak areas I could mention but these are the main problems I identified throughout 2011.  I don't want to spend the majority of my training focusing just on weaknesses because that wouldn't make running and exercising particularly enjoyable and I'd tire of the grueling pace of things quickly.  In order to develop a useful but reasonable and hopefully enjoyable training regime I need to take my strengths into account too.

Strengths

• Endurance - I know I can handle progressively longer runs and increased mileage if it's done slowly.
• Few Injuries - I have had few problems with injuries (knock on wood) that a short recovery period and some minor adjustments haven't handled.
• Training Plans Work - With a reasonable training plan in hand I usually follow it and benefit from it much better than when I allow myself to improvise.

With all this in mind I've developed a few goals for 2012 that I think are challenging yet achievable and will make me a better runner.

Fitness Goals for 2012

• Run a sub 4:30 Marathon - My ultimate goal for 2012 is to run a marathon before the end of the year in less than four hours and thirty minutes.  This would be a ten minute improvement on my first attempt but very doable as my first attempt was slower than even my training runs predicted.  If I find myself on track to do even better than 4:30 then great, but I'm not going to be overzealous.
• Tackle the Hills - I would love to run the Atlanta Half Marathon again next year but I need to be able to handle those hills a lot better.  At least once a week I will incorporate hill work or intense lower body strength training into my training plan.
• Get Faster - Before I start focusing on longer distances for the marathon I need to work on my speed.  For this reason I'd like my first race of 2012 to be a 5k.  My initial training plan for 2012 will be a 5k plan focusing on a 22 minute finish time. I'll also make sure to incorporate speedwork into my subsequent training plans once I transition to a half marathon or marathon distance goal.
• Don't Neglect the Upper Body - I realize that focusing on running won't allow me a lot of time to focus on the upper body (also depending upon how busy my schedule for 2012 ends up being).  So, I don't want to set an overly ambitious goal of doing upper body strength training three times a week but I need to do a minimum of one upper body strength training session a week and two sessions during my lower mileage weeks.

So, those are my fitness goals for 2012! It doesn't cover every aspect of my training plan because I know that'll change throughout the year depending on my progress and how much time I have available.  It's a good starting point though and includes things I need to keep in mind throughout the year. I have one larger, ultimate goal to work towards that can and may take the entire year to work up to (sub 4:30 marathon).  I also have a few smaller goals that I can start on right away and will help ensure I'm a well-rounded runner and increase my physical fitness level. What do you think? What are your fitness goals for 2012?