The Gym Dropoff

We joined the Y last week, primarily to keep Benjamin in the water over the winter. It had already been a month and he's pretty rusty (though still plenty daring).

It was the last day for a no joiner fee, so we figured we'd be saving a month's worth anyway since we planned to join in November. (...and now there's a no joiner fee from Oct. 23-25, go figure.)

I put on my Turkey Trot 5k shirt this morning and Benjamin noticed the big Y on the front. The Pittsburgh Turkey Trot is affiliated with their local YMCA, apparently. Benjamin told me he wanted to go back to "the Y place, that Y-M-C-day place again). Today, in fact. Perfect, because it turned out our plans were lining up quite nicely.

This morning, I dropped the husband off at work because his car is in the shop and we were on our way to the gym. I wanted to keep my streak of 5 days in a row workouts going. I usually run about 2 miles to Benjamin's school for pickup with Claire in the double stroller, but Benjamin doesn't have school on Fridays.

Claire is attached at the hip to me. I prefer she weren't, but she has other interests. Benjamin, on the other hand, probably wouldn't notice I left for about a week. When we approach places she's been left before briefly (i.e. friends' houses, church nursery), she clings to me like ferocious lions are at my feet.

Needless to say, I was a little nervous about leaving her at in the free gym daycare dropoff. I chose a Friday so Benjamin, one of her safe people (never thought I'd use those words!), would be with her. I was nervous that without him there, she would be more likely to scream her lungs out for the whole hour I left her. I just didn't feel right leaving her in the arms of poor gym daycare workers, knowing how busy they were and knowing it's really not their job to engage with my kids so much as keep them safe.

Because baby, you know if I get "free" childcare that doesn't have to be re-payed in any way, I'm using it.

She cried at dropoff. I showed her the babies and she was thrilled, but that didn't stop her from looking at me with betrayal eyes as I skated out.

So guess what? I ran 5 miles on the treadmill. Sure, it was at zero incline, but I just kept running my buns off until I was left with little time for any more. I haven't run 5 miles ever in the state of Illinois. Seriously. I haven't ran that distance since living on the beach in LA about 6 years ago.

It felt good. It felt great. I could've kept going even. But alas, the clock was ticking.

When I clocked out and cleaned the machine, I went over and spied on Claire from the top railing (such a cool feature) and she and Benjamin were content playing with toys. I scooped them up, at which time Claire started her betrayal crying again, and we hit the pool, had nice warm showers and headed home for lunch.

That $79 a month is turning out to be well spent.

I'm now making tentative plans for spin classes on Saturday mornings with the hubs (I totally hate that nickname but it seems fitting for fancy moms with gym memberships) in our near future.

That kid play area just became my bee eff eff.

(After Andrew died, I would've never imagined being able to write this post. #feelinggrateful)