The newer buildings at work in Austin were recently completed while I was away on leave and one contained the new gym. It’s not just larger with more equipment (no more waiting for a stairmaster or treadmill) but the joint has better perks.
First is the water dispenser in the photo above. We’ve always been encouraged to bring our own bottles/containers. The counter on the fountain for refilling seems to add an incentive. I think it’s measurement is based upon the American standard of 12 ounces or maybe the international half liter.
Second is the sauna in the locker room. There’s been some kinks. New gear doesn’t always work perfectly plus I’ve been told people were accidentally breaking it by pouring water on the rocks. Whoops! Not needed, the rocks are heated by an electrical doohicky underneath.
Last is the greatest. They polled to see which of us were showing up on a regular basis and if you were pretty consistent like I was was, you got offered a nice deal. For 10 bucks I have my own “permanent” locker with laundry. Laundry? Yeah. I put my dirty workout clothes (aka the shirt and shorts) in a special porous bag with my locker number on it, drop it off in the laundry bin when I leave and boom, the next morning, my stuff is clean and waiting in my locker! What better incentive is there to get past 200 miles by Halloween…OK, Thanksgiving is more realistic.
Now I remembered one last bonus. A few of the treadmills tie into an application on my iPhone to help track my running progress. Sadly, they don’t manufacture the stairmasters Apple acquired.