At the gym on Kadena AFB

I'm sorry today's story doesn't have any pictures to help convey the situation....but it's too funny NOT to share!

I've been a bit "lax" in my gym attendance over the past few weeks - to be honest, that LAST thing I was really concerned with when stressing about moving 8,000 miles away for 4 months was getting on a treadmill.  However, common sense (and an increasing sense of my trainer, Heather's, disapproval not to mention the size of my butt) finally got me moving.   Now mind you, there is a gym facility on Camp Lester, about a block from where my office is located.  However, it's a fairly small facility - and, to be honest, when I stuck my head in there, all I noticed was it was hot, sweaty and smelled pretty nasty in there.  After conferring with my office mates, I was told the gym at Kadena AFB is "the" gym! 

After work ended, I came home, changed into gym clothes and off I went.......only to discover the gym was closed until 18:00 (that's 6:00 PM for your civilians, LOL!) because they had been doing some type of maintenance.  I joined the steadily growing crowd of people sitting in their cars in the parking lot - I wasn't brave enough to join the throng of military boys stacked up at the door!  Sure enough, 18:00 arrived and, just like Target on Black Friday, the crowd swept through the door.

I step inside the gym....and realize this is one SERIOUS gym.  I can see an enormous room to my right - filled with weights, various weight machines, lined completely with mirrors and now filled with muscular men - all focused on...well, whatever men focus on when they are in a gym.  I casually stroll past this room and proceed to turn down a hallway.  There are several rooms along the hall - each labeled as various group exercise rooms, etc.  I finally reach the end of the hall and find a room set up with cardio equipment - a couple of treadmills, a few stair climbers, etc.  I notice the front of the room has a kids play area but there isn't anyone else in the room so I hop on a treadmill, crank up the music and away I go.  (I did wonder about the oddity of the size of the cardio room in comparison to the weight room but what the heck!?!)  Soon after I start, a woman arrives with a kiddo who looks around 5 or 6.  She looks at me a bit oddly.....but she jumps on a treadmill while the child proceeds to bounce off things in the play area.  Next up, a man and woman hauling a baby - again, they look at me a bit strangely but go about their business........

I soon finish my treadmill workout and decide to stop at the desk and ask a few questions.......and the young man there tells me the "cardio room" is down a completely different corridor AND up a flight of stairs.  So now I'm wondering exactly where I was, so I ask "what's the cardio room down that hall?"

Yep, I was exercising in the room specifically set aside for families!  In fact, apparently you are supposed to "register" at the desk before using that room!

LOL,  I felt a bit like a fool but at least I'm a healthy fool!  Felt even more silly  when I found the "real" cardio room and discovered it has about 80 different  machines in it!

Unfortunately now there is no excuse for me to not work out.....sigh........