Gym Rat

Have you ever been so repelled by the smell of the person next to you at the gym that you got off the machine you were using in order to get away from said source of repulsion? I did that the other day. This guy got on the elliptical and, literally within 30 seconds, was emitting putrid waves of B.O. in all directions. I unabashedly stopped striding, stepped off my elliptical, picked up my bag and walked away, even though I was only about 3 minutes into my own workout.

Despite the sometimes smelly company, however, I remembered today that there is something I do like about the gym. Even though the only real reason I go is to prevent running burnout and to avoid cold and rainy weather, I do enjoy being in the weight room from time to time. I like feeling muscles in my arms and back (which sadly I hardly ever really use) work. I like feeling strong, and I like being in there to represent the feminine population, even though we're always drastically outnumbered.

I’m not going to give up running any time soon (or rowing evidently - I just agreed to fill in for a U of C rower who has to miss practice on Thursday morning, which starts, by the way, promptly at 5:15) but I hope I continue to be motivated to show my face in the gym from time to time. It’'s a stinky, testosterone-filled world, but it’'s a world in which I’'ve grown to feel comfortable.