Fitness Challenge: Day 43

Another day, another Y. The Vanderbilt YMCA, on the east side of midtown, has 2 huge pools, a large cardio room and classes throughout the day.

The spin class is strictly self-serve. You go into a caged off area of a room and drag out your own bike, calculating how close you want to be someone else's flying sweat. New York City spin classes attract a lot of men who are often the sweat slingers.

After dragging out a non-working bike and then getting another, I settle into the class, which offers an intense cardio burn.

The instructor keeps hopping off his bike and offering tissues to class members. I wish he would run around with a hose; my water bottle is empty after 45 minutes, but we still have 15 minutes to go.

I am parched and spent at the end of class. A great feeling.

Fitness Challenge: Day 33

The shiny, new Chintatown YMCA shares a building with a Whole Foods. This is a serious upgrade from how the Bowery used to look.

The fitness floor overlooks the pool, so parents whose children are taking swim lessons can spy on their kids while they exercise.

I face a serious but funny challenge - forgot my shorts, so I have to exercise in skinny jeans. Running on the treadmill if fine, if warm, but lunges and squats are out of the question.

There is a subset of NYC fitness buff that exercises in short shorts and construction boots. I think I might look like I share the obsession with how I look when I work out; my concern is how I look the rest of the time.

OK, the skinny jeans look good. But I feel weird. And sweaty.