I've known for a while that a hole in all of my training has been the lack of strength work. I have about zero muscle tone that doesn't come strictly from running and cycling and a bit of yoga. In high school, to get out of gym that required lots of running or being outside, I was one of three girls that elected to take Weight Training. Honestly, I really liked it. I liked that by semester's end I could see a change in my posture, in my arms, in my overall fitness. But I didn't stick with it.
Then, a few years ago, I started again. I decided I wanted to get in shape again, so I started going to the gym in the apartment complex I lived in at the time. No one was ever there, so I went 3-5 days a week, and it worked. I found my muscle tone again, and along with adjusting my diet, I lost weight and got in shape. I loved it. I'll admit, I even started wearing tank tops when I worked out for the sole reason of being able to see my newly toned arms in the mirror while I worked out. Michelle Obama, eat your heart out. Then I moved, and the strength training stopped, and I've been talking about starting again for a while now, but haven't quite made it (this includes a brief stint where I belonged to my local Y for a year but only managed to go a grand total of three times).
So today I went and joined a gym about three blocks from my job. I really have no reason not to go, and if I run near work in the mornings, I can shower and get cleaned up there. So, I'm telling myself, that if I have a great view of the river while I work out, and I have a place that's so close I can go on my lunch break that it will work. I also get a complimentary personal training session as part of joining. I go next Tuesday. I'm curious to see what all my measurements, body fat, etc. are, but I'm also a little terrified of what I'll find out. Fingers crossed!