As I walked into the gym early Wednesday morning I saw a sign where I needed to check in that said “Pool Closed Until Further Notice”.  I immediately began to panic and then get angry because I joined this gym BECAUSE they had an indoor swimming pool and my body needs to swim 2-3 times a week for many reasons all of them relating to my health.  I was okay for today because on Wednesday I do weight training and a 5k on the elliptical.  But what next?  Where was I going to swim?  Would I have to pay the money to join another gym?  I would have to pay 2 gym memberships because my trainer was here at this gym.  How could they do this to ME?

These thoughts swirled in my head all day long, making me more uncomfortable by the minute, creating stress and “stealing” my focus.  And still I let them swirl around and build up even more stress until I was feeling overwhelmed by the situation.  Pretty silly, huh? 

Then a brilliant thought occurred to me.  They were building a new gym the same distance, just in a different direction than the one I was going to.  I needed to check it out, see when it would open and if they did indeed have an indoor pool.  It was the same gym chain as mine so I would be able to go between the 2 at my leisure.  Problem solved, or so I thought, especially after reading on line that the gym was expected to open in 2016. 

Not so fast.  I drove over and the building was barely a shell so I don’t believe a quick December opening is in the cards.  Their webmaster was just a bit too optimistic.

The evening was progressing and I still had no viable solution.  I suddenly had the brilliant thought that I would go to the gym in the morning and do 30 on the elliptical and that wouldn’t kill me, and, oh, by the way, I was leaving on vacation the following week so that would give my gym a couple of weeks to resolve their problem with the pool.

If I really thought it necessary I could go to the gym that had the other indoor pool and see if I could make some sort of financial arrangement with them as I sorted out the details.

Boy, this was getting complicated.

Thursday morning arrived, I put on my gym clothes, went and did 2.25 miles on the elliptical in 30 minutes and as I left I noticed the pool closed sign was gone, so I asked what happened.  I was told the entire story which boils down to the problem was resolved; there is no danger of toxicity (ceiling insulation had been falling into the pool I guess) and the pool was cleaned, the ceiling fixed and, oh, by the way, the pool heater would be fixed shortly as soon as the part arrived.  So I had a pool available, although it was a tad cold.

Now my trainer cancelled on me because she injured her knee so although I was scheduled for an hour of weight/strength training on Monday and a cold swim on Tuesday I now have to flex again.

My decision, Monday and Tuesday I will go to the gym, and do the elliptical for 30 and then swim for 30-45 minutes.  My fitness is a non-negotiable and no matter how difficult I try to make it there is ALWAYS an easy solution.  I am more important than creating obstacles to my healthy living.  I have learned it.  I live it.