Typical

I got myself off to the gym at lunchtime today for a run (on the dreaded Treadmill of Terminal Boredom but a run nonetheless). This is the second time this week I have been to the gym for a run. Which is twice more than I have been to the gym in the whole of the last 2 months. And would you like to know what has finally motivated me to get off my backside? I cancelled my gym membership. It was costing me about £48 per month and I was barely going, so each trip was costing £12 or something, and frankly I could not justify the expense if I was not using it at least 2 or 3 times a week.

So I cancelled it, and my membership ends on 30 November. I have therefore been motivated to go to the gym at long last by the fact that soon I won't be able to go to the gym any more. This is so ridiculously perverse that I want to grab myself by the scruff of the neck and shake myself.

I have decided to try getting an Edinburgh Council Leisure Card, which for the cost of one month's gym membership, will give me discounted entry to any of the many Edinburgh Council leisure centres. There is a swim centre/small gym about 10 minutes from my office, a pool and bigger gym 3 minutes by car or about 10 minutes on foot from my house and the place where I take First Born for karate on a Sunday also has a local authority gym in it. So in theory, with so much choice, I should be able to go to a place that suits me when it suits me.

I am now taking bets on how often I actually go to any of these places once I have bought the card. And on whether I decide in 4 weeks' time that I truly love my Virgin Active gym with its shiny lockers and comfy bar after all and re-join. I'm fickle like that.