Personal Training in Portland

In Portland I stepped outside my comfort bubble and did something I've never done before-hired a personal trainer when on vacation.

That photo is definitely a stock image. But you get the drift…
Just replace that smiling girl with one who is cringing at the thought of one more repetition, wearing a few more clothes on top and you get the idea. My personal trainer and I in Portland.

I've never done personal training in a different city before. Since last summer I've been doing personal training in Kodiak at A Balanced Approach  with Marian and have LOVED it. She challenges me, encourages me and helps me discover what I am able to do.


On my trip to Portland, i thought it could be a good thing to try out a personal training with a new trainer. And to keep my on my training program for Tour of Anchorage. Especially with all the yummy Portland food.

I googled "Portland Personal Trainer" and up came "The Art of Personal Training" studio. It looked friendly, well maintained. And fairly close to my hotel.

Do I do it, I asked myself? Do I send the e-mail to make an appointment? I knew that I would then be committed. Committed would be good. So I sent the e-mail, letting the owner know I was looking for 2 personal training sessions during my Portland stay.

And it was done. And then just a month to feel a little nervous when I thought about what I had committed to.


The 2 sessions were fabulous. On the first day my trainer, Peter, showed me an amazing assortment of exercises which would focus on cross country skiing muscles. Since this is the year of "Nearly-No Snow-in-Kodiak" its been all about cross training. I've signed up for the Tour of Anchorage ski race and am most definitely doing it in one month.

At one point, during a 3 minute run on the treadmill, on a steep incline, I thought I was going to get sick. Or die. Or both in that order. But with only 20 seconds left and Peter cheering me on, saying, "Imagine this is your final hill of the race Zoya!"…how could I stop? Really. Disappoint Peter with only 20 seconds to go? Not going to happen.

So I powered through and nearly collapsed on the floor after.

Then he did this cool personal training stretching thing which was new to me where he stretched my hips, hammies, quads, calfs….perfect end to the session. I felt like silly putty-not able to really move after the treadmill episode.

The next day, I was still able to walk and not in too much pain, thank heavens. I had a different trainer, RJ who worked more on upper body strengthening and cardio.

And I silently thanked my workout gods to not have any treadmill runs with incline in on that second  day. :)

I'm so doing that again when I travel!


Zoya