Hurt So Good

I am no longer pregnant.  My carpel tunnel has not bothered me since my last cortisone shot.  I'm not nursing.  I am two weeks past my 6-week post-opp date.  I found a structured, hour-long activity that does not require childcare.   It's not snowing and it's not 90 degrees. The price is reasonable.  I bought a sports bra.

Despite dreading it, I was officially out of reasons as to why I could not work out.  Not to mention my "fat" jeans have become my "skinny" jeans and my "skinny" jeans have been...banished...since bringing home Weston.  It was time to work out.  So on Saturday morning (after failing to find justonemore excuse), I did just that.

I prepared the diaper bag with extra outfits, snacks and bottles.  I loaded the beast of our Double Bob stroller into the trunk.  I lathered the kids up with sunscreen, got myself dressed in my everyday attire: yoga pants and this pullover workout gear, scrambled out of the house to make it to the park by 9:00am, spotted the circle with several other moms with kids in tow and hoped for the best.

On top of dreading the workout itself, I was also dreading the potential lameness factor.  I had heard of Stroller Strides before, but I had my doubts.

A) I wanted a good workout with an enthused instructor who could challenge me.  Stroller Strides seemed about as challenging as Curves to me.  Which I have actually tried.  And was the youngest person there by about 30 years.  Where my walk to and from the car may have been the better workout.

B) I was not seeking yet another place to chit chat about L&W.  Love them to pieces.  Don't love talking about potty training / sleep / lack there of / preschools, newborn milestones, etc. etc. while I am working out.

C) Logan can sit still in the stroller only about as far as I can run.  Which is a block.

D) And Weston stays pleasant in his car seat for a little less than that.

It wasn't until a friend suggested it to me that I finally decided to give it a whirl.  After all, I had nothing to lose.  My first class was free.  There was a park within sight as a post-workout bribe for Logan.  And I was able to park my car close enough to flee the scene mid-run if need be.

Well, joke's on me because this was the. best. worst? workout I have had in years.  Stroller Strides kicked my ass and I am still unable to walk up and down the stairs without groaning in addition to my limbs feeling like jello.

Logan did indeed insist on hopping out of the stroller about 5 minutes into the session and then proceeded to wet her pants, but she was in good company with the other kids who were running wild while us moms sweated it out.  I even got kudos for having her (almost) potty trained and even better, no one gave me "the look" for leaving her wet the rest of class as opposed to going to the car to change her.  And Weston?  He was the model of good behavior.  It was actually refreshing to hear other infants screaming in their carseat while mine slept soundly throughout the entire workout.

And of course, I did end up talking about kid stuff with the other women (and one dude, which might tell you something about the workouts) - because I mean, really, what else is there? - but it wasn't all bad.  The hour went by much faster than I remember from my days at the gym and let's face it, misery loves company.

I must be a glutton for punishment because despite my pain, I am looking forward to returning for more tomorrow morning.  Stroller Bar, a take on Pure Bar, is on the Tuesday agenda.  It's about time I got back on the "hurt so good" bandwagon.

Thanks Jenn for giving me that push to finally try it out; wish you were here to be my workout buddy!!