Day 25: Non-Negotiables

How I long for open lanes.

I used to write about finding my perfect man. Now I write about finding one man in particular - his name is Gym. I spend a lot of time with him. My boyfriend is not jealous, in fact, he encourages me to spend time with Gym because he knows how happy Gym-time makes me.

As many of you know, I recently started attending a new fitness club. With a new job up the Peninsula, the location of my beloved Club One Fitness became rather inconvenient and I felt I really needed to make a change. Like many woman do, I made a list of requirements/non-negotiables:

Not really a "gym" but a "fitness center with a gym"
Proximity to home or work
Pool (!!)
Newer equipment
Cool members
Nice showers,
Towel service
Good spinning and yoga classes
Not super busy

The options near Sand Hill Road are a bit too, um, she-she as they are high priced country club facilities with people in white tennis attire and valet parking. It's not that I wouldn't wish to be a member at this gym, but it wouldn't go for me. Sure they might let me try it out, but I'm just not long-term membership material. I looked in Palo Alto, but the options are at least 30 minutes away in the wrong direction so I feel it would turn into a long-distance relationship and it would just be too hard. Then there are discount gyms that give you only the bare necessities, and don't really fit my list of requirements.

I had it narrowed down to two great options that met my list of requirements: one was larger and had more amenities but was $178 a month plus a $1,500 initiation fee. The other was a bit smaller and more of a community center than a fitness center for $97 month-to-month. I joined my gym because the location was so great - 3 miles from home. Also, they have the same equipment as Club One and it was ranked one of the best Fitness Clubs by the Metro.

I went for the $97 option, because that was expensive enough.

Sad news. I got into a fight with Gym. When I had to start sharing a swimming lane with 3 other people - I snatched up my towel and walked the hell out. I just had to get through a 75-minute swim workout and it wasn't going to happen by dog paddling in a circle, while being whipped in the face with a pool noodle by the kids playing in the family area.

I'm not even sure if my pool knows how angry I was - even if I made phone calls in the lobby to two other pools to see if they had lanes available. I was hoping someone would overhear my conversation, "Oh great! It's not busy. That's fantastic because I really need to swim today. See you in 30 minutes."

Yeah, I'm passive aggressive.

I drove 15 miles to Santa Clara University's pool: it had 5 open lanes (ok, they are on summer vacation right now, but still), is the perfect 75 degrees, and I don't feel like I'm swimming through toys or pee.

Now that I'm doing triathlons, having a pool is a MAJOR requirement of a fitness center. Instead, I feel like I'm always running around town trying to find an open lane somewhere. When I joined my gym I thought it wouldn't get too busy, but unfortunately it's just too small for all of the activity they want to have there. First, this center is very family friendly, and I realize kids need a  place to go too, but they really need a separate space for their toys and puke. Yes, a kid puked in the pool about a month ago and we were forced to vacate. Second, they do a lot of social events like Family Pool Day and Jazz by the Pool. To me, the pool is a piece of workout equipment, not a place for a party. You wouldn't set up a martini lounge by the treadmills, would you? (Don't answer that.)

Finally, I guess I have outgrown the Community Centers and YMCAs of the universe and I really need a place to work out and not a place to socialize. But, do I want to put in the money? Like dating, something needs to go on my list of requirements in order to find the kind of place that I really want/need to fit my lifestyle.

So, what now? Do we break up? Do I adjust my life to fit his? Or do I just walk away?