Social Workout

Snapshot

Alex Is Learning to Bend Her Body to Her Will

Alex!

Every day, we give you a snapshot of one fellow striver in fitness. We ask personal questions, he or she boldly answers. Today's snapshot: Alex, aka pumolati.

• What's your go-to workout? Running. I have never been a runner, not even when I was a kid. I decided it was time to try because after pregnancy, I have a new-found desire to bend my body to my will. Also, it involves the least amount of prep or gear, so I can squeeze a good workout into a short period of time.
• What's the best thing in your gym bag? I don’t use a gym bag right now, but I would be lost without my iPhone at the gym. I listen to music on Pandora while I workout, and then I check my email or look up recipes for dinner while I’m stretching. I try to keep my workout time my own, but sometimes you have to multi-task a little in order to keep the workout on the schedule. 
• What's your secret (fitness-related) sin? I don’t like to watch TV while I run, but occasionally the song that’s on is slower than I would like, or I’m just lagging a bit. When that happens, to keep my mind off of it, I’ll lean over a bit and read the closed-captioning on the TV of the person next to me. I guess they may not notice or care, but even if they do, I’m still going to do it in order to get through a tough spot in my run. 
• What's your number one workout spot? I workout at the Ratner Center at the University of Chicago. I would like to start running outside more because, well, outside is even closer than the gym.
• What's the healthiest thing you eat? Breakfast! I am not a morning person at all, but I try to treat my morning bowl of cereal like most people treat their first cup of coffee — absolutely essential! If I’m feeling a little brighter-eyed, I will scramble an egg because an early dose of protein really helps keep my afternoon doldrums away.
• What do you wear to the gym? This has been changing lately. I always wear some kind of stretchy pants. I used to wear T-shirts, but now I’m starting to wear tank tops or other tighter sport tops. I still feel a little self-conscious, but it is way more comfortable to run in something less baggy, so who cares. I also am coveting some running tights. 
• What would you do (fitness wise) if you had all the time/ability in the world? And money? I would get a personal trainer to help shape/motivate me. Just time/ability? Train for a triathalon. Or take yoga every day. Or learn kayaking. Or compete in Master’s swimming. Or take real Pilates classes. You get the idea. 
• What are you just never going to try? Any exercise class involving stripper moves. It’s not about being self-conscious or that I think it wouldn’t be a good workout because I’m sure it would be. It just doesn’t seem appealing as a workout, and instead seems like a weird self-help/appreciate your body/ grrl power/male fantasy/not-my-thing thing. 
• What superhero (real life or fictional) most inspires you? An odd choice for a workout site, I know, but lately it’s Julia Child. I am into cooking, so of course, I love her, but the part that I keep thinking about is that she didn’t even learn to cook until she was 36. Her whole incredible and long career happened after she was 36! I’m 34 now, and there is so much I want to do that I haven’t started yet, and when I think of Julia Child, I think it’s all still possible. Like becoming a runner at 34.