relentlessly average
relentlessly average

Adventures in Wellington

A year ago last week I visited Wellington, NZ for a few days.  During my exploratory ramblings about the city I discovered there was such a thing as a Les Mills gym.  Awesome.  Especially love the paintwork on the outside of the building.

Les Mills Extreme
Les Mills Extreme

 

Up until a week earlier I had been training for a half marathon so out running on 3 or 4 days, plus a couple of group exercise classes and some gym work, each week.  Then I flew LGW > AKL and landed in full on holiday (eating) mode without easy access to a gym. EEK.

This might explain, although I’m not really sure why, after having wandered about the city for a day I did find myself back at the gym, this time in the building, at reception, asking whether they had a pay per class option.  They did.

When I’d been planning the visit t Wellington I had stumbled across this article about watching the sunrise.  I quite enjoy going running early in the morning as it helps me wake up for the day,  and thought that might be a nice way to do the sightseeing thing, get a few photos and a bit of exercise at the same time.  Somehow this idea for the trip which I had really looked forward to totally slipped my mindBut as I was buzzing through the city centre at 6am on my way to get to an early Body Pump class I suddenly remembered and stopped to get a couple of pictures on my phone, having not thought to bring my camera with me.

September sunrise in Wellington, NZ
September sunrise in Wellington, NZ

 

Having arrived,  I found my way around the gym to the studio, hung at the side as a GRIT class  was in progress and wondered when all these people were going to be out of the way so I could get my bench and bar set up.  As I started watching what was going I noticed another lady who looked like she’d got there late just join straight in.  It was a busy class and I was feeling inconspicuous enough to think ‘what the hell’ and start jumping and running about as well.  Why this hasn’t taken off here I have no idea, it’s tough but awesome.  So was Body Pump.   I wish I could remember all the tracks but I think the instructor did a mix of different releases and the only one that stuck in my head was this one… which I don’t think I’ve done before or since.

 

Afterwards I had breakfast in the cafe, also awesome, having to choose only one thing to eat was almost tougher than the workout. UK gym cafes seriously need to raise their game.

ReFuel
hello, breakfast

 

Sitting there, refuelled and working my way through a large coffee was one of the most relaxed moments of my life.  The whole experience was so everyday but surreal for me.  One of those moments, not life-changing but penny dropping… “Ohhh, so *this* is who I am”.   Cue sunshine on the way back to the hotel.

 

And now, a year later, I’m on shift covering for the regular gym staff at the place where I work as a Personal Trainer having qualified last month, getting a bit emotional as I remember and write it all down.  Lately I’ve noticed an unfamiliar feeling of actually being *in* my life, living it, rather than watching it happen knowing that something is out of sync but not quite sure what’s supposed to be going on.   With the new people, places and things I’m learning at the moment I am still totally winging it all but at least it feels more like gliding on the breeze in the sunshine than battling a headwind in the rain.

this is my 6am-at-work face (tired)

 

I would really love to go back to that gym one day.

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