It's Fun to Play at the YMCA

Today, I took my first step toward triathlon training. We marched into the YMCA, the very one where I learned to swim 33 years ago, and started our trial period. To my great delight, your dad's job pays poorly enough that we qualify for membership assistance!

There I was, in my running pants and tank top staring at a weight room for the first time in way, way too long feeling just a little winded by the thought of a structured exercise routine. But what really had me breathing heavy was walking up to the "play room" and dropping you off. For the first time ever I handed you to complete strangers and walked away...for exactly 48 minutes.

You were screaming when I left and I half expected a page to ring out begging me to come retrieve you just about the time I figured out how to work the fancified stair-master. But no, when it was time to come pick you up, you were rocking peacefully in the arms of the very nice play room supervisor. I couldn't believe how good it felt to hold you again, and you didn't seem to mind the sweat and stink.

The brilliant thing about a YMCA membership, even on income assistance, is that they provide 8 hours of free daycare a week. I'm glad you seemed to settle in pretty easily, if I'm going to get ready for a triathlon, we're going to need every minute of that play room time.

PS: The picture on this post is unrelated to your day at the "Y" but it is evidence that you're getting ready for yoga.