Gym Inspirations

I think I've blogged in the past about how much I hate the gym. It doesn't matter how much I try to like it...I don't. So when I am at the gym, there is a constant inner monologue about how much time I will spend there. I try not to leave before 30 minutes, cause really then what was the point.

A typical day at the gym consists of the elliptical machine. I talk to myself to try and figure out how long I am going to stay on the machine. I start with 30 mintes. And by minute 11.5 I am ready to leave. However, by minute 28, I am thinking I can do 45. Then I almost give up at 30, but keep going until 45. Sometimes, I even make it to 60 minutes.

This weekend I was at the gym on LI and I was around minute 28 trying to decide whether I could tough it out to 45 when in comes my hs Journalism teacher. A really cool, all too macho 50+ year old guy with muscles that would make 24 year old gym fanatics jealous. Exactly how I remember him...and this wasn't the first time I've seen him in the gym at home. I do my best to avoid eye contact which is my MO at home when I see anyone from high school.

Needless to say, I not only made it to 45, but I did the full 60. This teacher interacted with my mom once after I left for freshman year of college. My mom saw him at open school night for my brother and answered honestly when he asked how I was doing by saying that I was still adjusting and it wasn't as easy for me to go away. He made some snide snotty remark about knowing I should have stayed home for college, etc. Well-- look at me know. 7+ years strong in the city and I love it. I've loved it since about the second semester of my freshman year.

So not only did I survive going away to college in NYC, but I survived 60 minutes of cardio as well. Everyone has something that gets them to push themselves harder at the gym. For whatever reason, he made me feel as though I had something to prove. Now only if my hs teacher worked out at my gym in the city, I would really be in great shape!