exercise

This morning, I tried to find the path that another teacher in my school insisted was close and fairly flat. What he neglected to mention was that "close" is about a 10-15 minute walk straight uphill (not a gentle slope at all). I think it would be great on the weekends, but for a regular morning run, it just takes too long to get there. Not long after I found the trail (which is rolling but run-able for the most part) I had to turn around in order to get home in time to get ready for school, and the road down was too steep to run. It is frustrating, and I'm struggling to find a place to train for a 10k. I'll try going the other direction from m apartment tomorrow, which I think will be a more gentle grade (though it ends with a fairly long uphill haul). Even the treadmills at my gym are stuck at a higher incline than I would prefer, plus 1)it is a treadmill, and 2) really hot. The 10 minutes on a slight incline at the gym in Yeosu was the best run I've had in weeks, which, as it is a treadmill and I hate them, should tell you something.

I have a membership at a small, poorly equip ed gym near my house, but when my month runs out I will probably pay a little more to join the bigger one that is an equal distance, but which looks huge and includes a korean-style sauna (basically, public baths). I'll get a day pass soon to check it out. I'd like to find a treadmill without as much incline and regular sized barbells. While I'm not at the point where I'm lifting enough to max out the plates at my little gym, having to use the shorter 10k bars throws off my balance, and I'm hoping that in a larger gym I can be at least a little less of a freak show. While I still expect to be stronger than the women, I hope that at least there will be more men who are stronger than I am which I hope will decrease my freak factor.

It is interesting to note that in the States, it was the middle-aged gym regulars who were nice and supportive and the young guys who were threatened and sometimes rude. Here, it is the opposite.