clawingmywayout

Creating New Humans Without Killing Anyone
2020-10-08 12:54:22 (UTC)

Old Normal -v- New Normal

This entry is about trying to live a normal life during a global pandemic. Little by little I have tried to do this (live) since March 2020 without dying or causing anyone else to die. One thing I have found especially hard, is continuing my gym routine which has been a big part of my life for more than 20 years. The gyms closed with everything else and that was accepted but when they opened - the fun began.

Gym no. 1. This was my old gym, faithful safe space where I cross trained and cardio'd, swam and hung out on the cafe for hours a day. Reopening meant I could have EITHER an hour in the gym OR half an hour in the pool. Everything else was off the table but I still had to pay almost £80.00 a month for that. So I de-gymed and switched to a local university gym.

Gym no. 2. Admittedly taking a chance on a university campus gym as a non-student, inevitably they would priorotise their students and staff (OH no we don't! oh YES you did!). Much closer to home and 25% of the price of no 1 gym, I accepted loss of amenity for the reduced fee. There is no pool but a really good gym. I can only go for an hour a day and ONLY one time per day (??). They took my money when they were not in fact open - apologised, gave me a refund. Next visit, they told me my membership had been cancelled - wasted 10 minutes of my precious 60 sorting that out. Next they debited my account twice - apologised and offered me a free month which I graciously accepted. Charged me anyway!! muchus apologies, promised to refund and definitely no more debits - email telling me I would be debited again PLUS another joining fee - thanks for the warning this time. I cancelled the direct debit and told them why, sort it out and I will agree a new debit. All good there, now I am locked out of the booking system and that my friends, was straw finale. Next!

Gym no. 3. Decided to risk a local authority gym I didn't like the last time I visited but I am a lot less fussy now! there is a pool, and the fee is again about 25% that of gym 1 PLUS a pool. I can only go in the gym for 50 minutes, the last 10 they use to clean BUT I can book back to back sessions if I leave for 10 minutes and come back. Which I did, no hassle. That was ok but two gym sessions prove too long and the wait for swimming was annoying and the water is freezing plus, I got trapped in a covid testing run in the car park so all in all, it was a lot of day for 1.5 hours in the gym.

I long for normal normal but, I am determined to be positive and not complain. I feel as though gym no. 3 is doomed...




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