Wednesday gym

Since I got back from Cayman a week and a half ago, I have been ENTIRELY REMISS about my hard-and-fast three-times-a-week strength-training resolution. It drops easily out of my training schedule, it doesn't have a hold on my imagination, and yet I believe that it is ESSENTIAL - strength and biking are truly my priorities between now and May, even if it comes at the expense of my more dearly beloved swimming and running.

So I made it a priority and spent a bit more than an hour on the gym floor at Chelsea Piers earlier this afternoon. I literally haven't spent any time there since the initial session I got as part of my membership package, a triathlon-oriented strength session with Andrew Kalley which was very good but which could not fix my basic lack of motivation to get in and strength-train on my own.

Of course, like everything else at that place, the strength-training area is a THING OF BEAUTY. It is meditative, tranquil and entirely gratifying to work out there. I had a rather haphazard workout due to need to refamiliarize myself with where everything is (they are wonderfully well-equipped - I do not really care so much about equipment per se, it is easy to have a good workout with not very much STUFF, but I have a natural disinclination to use machines with cables etc. and it is nice to have the newest and more intuitive models rather than the rust-bound non-changeable-by-regular-human-hand ones at my old gym!).

(I was gazing at a mysterious attachment to one cable and a trainer actually came over and explained it to me and showed me how to use it - triceps! - NB his observation that "skullcrushers" are more effective than "kickbacks" is also persuasive, I made a mental note, it is not just that the name is more appealing...)

Anyway, I don't think I'll squeeze in three strength sessions this week, the week is almost over, but I am DETERMINED to make this strength thing happen between now and the end of May when I really switch over to my Ironman training, even if I go down to two sessions per week thereafter. It is all very well for the naturally lean to do sport-specific training only during full-on training season, but for the muscular athlete with a tendency to weigh too much, strength training is particularly valuable!

(On which note - an exciting delivery has arrived today...)