I've traded in my outside shoes for a treadmill....
Now, before you judge, hear me out....
I'm a true Canadian girl... born in Alberta, suffered through years of Saskatchewan winters....
Heck... at -36 with 5 feet of snow my sister and I would stand outside to see if our farts gave off steam...
You don't get any more Canadian then that...
So to me... trading my outdoor runs for some indoor training is not a bad thing.. rather an opportunity to shake things up...
to train body parts I've neglected...
To bring back spin classes...
And weight training....
And some human interaction....
After months of training on the trails alone...
(When I wasn't with my core group of girls of course)....
I find the interactions at the gym somewhat amusing....
To give you the whole image I need to set the scene properly....
You see, I'm a push yourself as hard as you can....
See yourself sweat,
And don't stop until you are lying on the floor with nothing left to give type girl....
When I set up a circuit I do it right....
I kill myself to beat times and weights each time I re-visit an old circuit....
I figure if your not pushing yourself... who is?
I believe that the gym is a place you go to sweat...
To make terrible noises and smells....
To look like your been dragged through the depths of hell and back....
And today is a perfect example of such beauty....
I took the time to wear one of my cute running skirts... because after yesterday's spin class and today's
leg circuit... my sticks were looking amazing....
That was where the cuteness ended...
A ratty Tech T, a head band and a fresh face sans make-up (covered in salt from circuit training) graced the treadmill....
And I set forth to do some intense interval training....
with the intention of spending the night at home....
I opted to go hard.
I set my top speed .5 above my personal fastest interval speed... and then to really test myself I thought... why not add .5 more... 1 full level above my personal best....
Starting with my 2 minute warm up, a dude in a light blue polo shirt (with a collar) steps on the treadmill beside me.... Muscles straining against his tight shirt.... Perfect hat seated just so on his head....
Shiny new shoes.... not a hair out of place....
What do I care...
I'm here to train....
Not inform people that it's time they buy a bigger sized t-shirt....
The time hits the 1:55 mark and I hit my interval button... the treadmill takes off....
My legs are flying....
My arms are pumping....
Sweat is flying....
I'm certain I'm grunting.... or whimpering....depending on how you look at it...
Mr. Cool looks over at me, stops his treadmill and moves 4 over....
Inside I'm peeing with laughter....
But I don't have time to stop...
I'm flying and it takes concentration....
First set done....
I take a 90 second recovery...
Did you know in 90 seconds you can really let your eyes wander...
There is the perky blonde in the teensy tank top on the elliptical....
The girl with the bouncy brunette pony tail....
Not a lick of sweat on her brow...
The group of guys chilling by one of the weight contraptions...
Admiring the girl in the booty shorts as she delicately lifts her 5 lbs weight.....
Speed goes up.....
Bouncy hair girl looks my way....
Eye contact even....
And in revulsion looks away....
Pretty people come and go as I begin to feel the fatigue set in....
Perfect little outfits...
Perfect hair...
Not a single one of them letting off any odor that might be remotely close to how I smell....
My legs keep pumping...
The sweat keeps pouring...
And I realize...
I am the only person in this crazy place that actually showed up to work out...
It's like being in some horrible dating pool...
and I realize....
If that's the case and I'm to find my prince charming at the gym...
He better be looking for a salt covered, sweat producing, smelly fighting machine!
Because this girl is not about to change her ways....
The gym is a place to change your body...
To test your limits....
To dig deep and fight....
And that is exactly what I'm going to keep on doing!
