:: Space Center :: Testimonials Summary

We did it. We joined the YMCA. There is no turning back.
The lure of an indoor area to swim, workout, and rock climb was a bit too powerful. A place to watch the kids while we accomplish all of this was the kicker. It was the pull of this attraction that led me to overdo it the first day I started.
We brought the family into the Allard Center in Goffstown, and split up to our destinations. I worked out, hopping on a stationary bike and several free-weight machines before going to the rock-climbing wall, then swimming 10 laps in the pool, and finally a good 15 minute soak in the steam shower.
It was about 3 hours later when it hit me...I overdid it. I started feeling very tired, my stomach hurt and I just had that overall malaise of not-feeling-good.
Then I remembered; this is what it feels like to exercise. Still, the next day, I felt pretty good. At the very least, my wife and I were continuing on our goal of getting in shape in the new year. Don't call it a resolution, because those have a habit of failing. Call it a promise to each other.
In my day-after glow, I brought my son to a birthday party at Space Center in Hooksett. This is when I hit The Wall.
In all of my excitement, of exercising and feeling good about myself, I was safe and stretched out before and after my workout. All was good. But in the rush to swoop into the laser-tag area, and arm ourselves against a band of four teenagers, who used the names of South Park characters as their own, I forgot somehow to stretch. Big mistake.
It was all well and good for 45 minutes inside the frozen, 5,000 square foot palace of laser tag heaven. We blasted and shot our way through four games, trying in vain to lead a group of 6 and 7-year-olds against those teenagers. In the end, I have to admit that the teenagers won...handily. The score of the Patriots playoff game was closer.
Still, it was fun. More fun that I felt a 31 year old should have playing with kids. It was a little intense, in fact. There were genuine moments of fear and victory, the rush of adrenaline and the agony of defeat. I guess that is why I shouldn't have been surprised on Monday morning when I woke up and felt like I had played on the loosing end in that Pats game.
Every muscle in my body ached, especially my legs. Apparently, it wasn't just the teenagers that kicked my butt, it was the course itself. The act of crouching to avoid imaginary enemy fire had produced a pounding feeling in my thighs. What was this strange sensation? I could actually feel the definition of my legs, without touching them.
Casually, and very coyly, I bowed out of a planned trip back to the Y the next day. It was simply too much. If there is anything I learned in this process, I guess it is that I need to know when to say when.
The next day, my muscles were a little less sore, and my mind was back in it. Time to get back exercising, because you never know when you'll have to play laser tag with 6 year olds again.