Charteris Sports Centre

Monday morning. This is the best I have felt on a Monday morning in a long time, because

a) I didn't write myself off on Friday or Saturday
b) I am starting a new job and have something to do
c) I went for a run this morning
d) We found a new gym near our house, which is cheaper and better than Fitness First (not that that is hard).

Did I mention that we had joined a Fitness First around the corner from our place? It is the worst excuse for a gym I have ever seen - full of treadmills and airwalkers and reclined bikes - all designed for people who don't want to work hard and just be seen in their designer gym clothes. I won't even describe how bad the weights section was - actually I will. There was barely room to swing a barbell let alone two people to swing barbells. There wasn't even a squat rack. A smith machine (barbell on runners) that the guys used for bench pressing (gives an allusion of lifting more weight so you look strong), and assorted pin loaded machines designed to do nothing other than strain tendons and ligaments. After each gym session I felt completely unexhausted and frustrated with the mentality of a gym that would be more aptly named 'Image First'.

So we walked down to the Charteris Sports Centre yesterday - recently dicovered and closer to our house. It has a perfect selection of weights (less equipment, but the right equipment - nothing uneccesary). It also has a basketball court! Had a session yesterday and got a pump like I haven't had for weeks and am raring to go again this evening.

Just wanted to express the joy of finding a cheap down to earth honest to goodness gym - and when I saw the seated calf raise it was the icing on the cake - dreaming of the searing pain I could inflict on my soleus.