Gym Work Flop

So I ran a 5k back in September and in the swag bag was a free trial pass to a gym.  I know September it seems like forever ago.  It was kind of a trial/get-you-in-the-door-and-join sorta thing.  Well it worked to some degree.  Looking to change things up in my workouts the wife and I took unsaid gym up on their offer.  I'm not the biggest fan of running on a treadmill, but I thought it would be good to lift some weights.  God knows it has been a very long time since I have even looked at a barbell.  So we walk in and at first glance it looks alright.  No creepy spandex dudes gawking at themselves in the mirror, there is no roid raged muscle head hooting and hollering at a squat rack - um...that 800 lbs isn't going to move itself big boy.  Get on it.  Then we met the lady at the front desk and things started to go down hill.  When we told her what we were there for she gave us the crazy eye.  I gave it right back in a "you called us sweetheart" kind of way.  You know the one. 

Anyway we received some paperwork to fill out and some of the questions were priceless.  I wish I'd taken a picture because they slip my mind now.  For example one question I remember had something to do with asking if I'd ever spent at lest $1 a day on unhealthy food.  How can you answer that with a yes or no answer.  I mean I don't buy food everyday, but when I shop for my groceries some unhealthy things make it in the cart. Like those bottles of recovery drinks I bought; talking to you Big Sky Brewing.  So um....yes?

Moving on.  We finally get to go workout and I head over to the treadmills because I'm uncomfortable in a gym.  What does everyone do when they're uncomfortable somewhere.  They go and sit next to a wall so no one can sneak up behind them or they do something that is familiar.  Against my better judgement I hit the treadmill.  This way I can scope out the gym while not looking like an idiot.  Turns out this particular gym doesn't like treadmills because only 3 of like 6 or 7 were operational.  So Stacy and I manage to find 2 together luckily, remember safety in numbers, and we start.  I'm cruising along at a nice clip (8:30 pace) when Stacy says she's going to stop at her next mile and work on some weights.  I think alright cool I'll kick up the speed and finish at my next half mile, I was close anyway.  Beeeeeeep - that's me holding the speed button down.  Now I'm mooovin'. I'm probably somewhere in the 8-sub 8 pace setting.  The machine is humming, I'm settled in, thump, thump, thump, nice rhythm going, good posture, breathing, and - I. Was. Run-ning. When the machine sharts itself and I almost blow through the other end.  Dead stop and ERROR 21 across the display.  WTF mate?  One of the trainers working with his client says "oh yeah that happens with this one, the gym won't fix it."  Awesome.  Is it to much to put a note on it saying oh I don't know; makes frequent stops!  How about out of order?

So it was onto weights which turned out alright.  It's pretty hard to screw up on free weights.  One thing that did concern me was the lack of disinfecting towels and spray.  I only saw two rags in whole gym and one spray bottle to wipe down the equipment.  I'm not a germ-a-phobe by any stretch of imagination, but seriously 2 towels?  Is a tub of disposable wipes to costly that you can't splurge for them?  Needless to say I probably won't be going back unfortunately because I'd like to support them and it's close to where I live!  There's another gym Stacy and I are going to hopefully try out tonight.  I have high hopes that it will turn out to be a better experience.