Fit to Print Volume 24 Issue 4 December 2015

M e m b e r Pe r s p e c t i v e By Andrea Kay Demoralizing Moments Four Gym Moments That Test Your Resolve are certain we would have gone back to the car to get them. Does anyone ever go back to get them? 2. The moment we realize our gym bestie has other gym besties. What follows is a lighthearted look at four completely demoralizing moments you'll only understand as a gym girl. We love the gym for many reasons, and one of those reasons is all the wonderful people we meet and become friends with. Gym friendships are forged over shared goals, sweat, laughs, milestones reached, as well as countless other awesome things. And when we ﬁnd someone at the gym we click with, it makes going to the gym so much more enjoyable. Then there's that A s (possibly maybe a little bit neurotic) gym girls, there are things we're going to understand and empathize with that other people just can't. We have this place we love that we come to every day (or wish every day), and although it brings us so many happy times, there are those moments that can be less than amazing and even a few more than are downright demoralizing. Four stand out as particularly horrible, and in no particular order, here they are: 1. The moment we realize we left our headphones in the car. Yes, we came to the gym to work out, and part of that workout no doubt involves cardio, but when we walk into the gym, put our gear in a cubby, and realize we forgot our headphones in the car… you would think the world right then and there was ending. Walk all the way back? To the car??? We'll stand there for a longer amount of time thinking about this tragedy than it would have taken to walk back to the car and get the headphones. Complete denial, followed by acceptance, capping off the ﬁasco in anger. You've got to be kidding me! The only thing worse than leaving them in the car is leaving them at home. It is only then that we 14 Life at the gym isn't always easy, obviously. Just look at all we endure. time we're spinning away on the gym bike, and we see our gym bestie coming our way. 'Oh look, my very best gym bestie,' and trailing right behind them is someone else. 'Wait, someone else? Who is that? And why are they laughing?' It's at that moment we realize their gym world does not satellite around us. The fact that we too have many other gym besties in no way takes any of the sting out of this revelation. Who is this interloper? Maybe we make some long and sordid back story as to why they're laughing and palling around together, and maybe we don't. 3. The moment we realize our favorite treadmill is taken. This demoralizing moment doesn't just go for treadmills. You can sub in spin bike, yoga ﬂoor space, or space in the main room of a class. The moment we realize our space has been compromised is almost unbearable. It's as if someone is playing a prank. We go to the gym at the same time, on the same days, week after week, and we're always in the same spot. That spot. But now there's someone else in that spot, and the thought of being in any other spot is inconceivable. This is the treadmill. This is the spot in class that has the best lighting and mirror reﬂection, and there's absolutely nothing to ruin a perfectly good Namaste than having someone else's yoga mat on your yoga spot. 4. The moment we realize the sweaty beast on the machine we've been waiting for isn't going to wipe their sweat off. This moment is utterly mood shattering. We get a little grossed out wiping our own sweat off a machine, and now we have to get up and go all the way over to get stuff to wipe this animal's sweat? The only thing that can make this situation worse is losing the machine to someone else while we're going to get the stuff to clean off the beast sweat, starting the process over again. Life at the gym isn't always easy, obviously. Just look at all we endure. I think we all would agree, even though we have to overcome pretty astronomical obstacles such as forgotten headphones and sweaty gym benches, it's more than worth it. Andrea Kay is a longtime FI member, Tri-Athlete, 50k runner and a frequent contributor to these pages. Holidays 2015 FIT to Print

Fit to Print Volume 24 Issue 4 December 2015 | Page 14