The Real Reason For Your iPod

As if it's not already hard enough to get your butt to the gym! It's freezing outside, you have a million things to do before you can even THINK about going, you worked all day, the house is a mess, who knows what the problem is today! Let's fast forward through all of that. You've made it to the gym! Congratulations, excellent work! Now all you have to do is get your workout in. Put on your shoes, fill your water bottle, put on your iPod and hit it! At least until someone tries to talk to you...

First off, I can't understand why anyone would try to talk to me when I have my iPod on. I am a very social person and I love that I get to see a lot of people at the gym, but when I am in the middle of a workout, I think that a wave or a head nod or a simple "Hello" is sufficient, and it usually is. There are those times though, when you give the head nod and smile and the person starts to walk over to you.

In my head, I am always thinking, "They must not be coming over here to talk to me. I'm working out with Ange. She's in fitness magazines, wins figure shows and is the definition of fitness and seriousness in here and we're alternating equipment. They can't mess with that.... Can they?" And the answer is YES! How can I avoid it now? I've already made eye contact. Now I have to take my headphones out and hope for the best.

As I am trying to rush through whatever the conversation is, I can feel the daggers flying from that 110 lb blonde waiting to get into the squat rack that I am SUPPOSED TO BE using! I'm not easily frightened, but I can sure tell you, you should never mess with the Blonde's workouts. It's like being locked in a cage with a hungry lion! You may get out alive, but it's not a risk most are willing to take.
As the conversation drones on, I can see her losing patience with me quickly, as though this interruption is somehow my fault. Now, as I am looking back, this is funny, but at the time I could have sworn that her head would start to spin and that Ange would start breathing fire.

I am sweating, out of breath, tired, and most likely hungry, which anyone who knows me understands that you should never bother me when I'm hungry! Nearing the ends of my workouts, what usually gets me through is the fact that I MUST eat immediately after I am done in order to get the full benefits of my workout. When a person interrupts the workout, they are also interrupting the meal after it, which in most cases, has been carefully timed and is being used as motivation in my mind.

When I can finally shake the individual, who at the time seems to me to be ruining my life, it's hard to get back into it AND I have to answer to my workout partner! Questions like, "Who IS that?" or comments like "Holy, chat a little longer! I thought we came here to workout!" always follow! I must say, I am just as guilty of doing this if Ange is the one talking, but at the time, I am already annoyed and these little nuggets of encouragement just really fuel the fire burning inside of me. It usually leads to a classic Ange and Ange back and forth squabble (which is enough to drive anyone batty, just ask the third wheel to this tricycle, our good friend Tammy) and when all of that is over, we can get the work done! Success!

To everyone reading this, please don't take any of this the wrong way. Chances are, I truly do like you and I would really love to talk to you, just not in the middle of a workout, or a meal, but that's a whole different rant for a different day!

If you are getting anything from reading this, please let it be that individuals at the gym use iPods to discourage others from talking to them MORE than they do to listen to music! Don't talk to someone with headphones on! It's an easy concept!

Let's please all get together and chat. I love to talk more than the average person... but please, do not let it be when I have a heavy weight in my hand, sweat dripping from every part of my body, and a fired up little muscle girl waiting to get on whatever piece of equipment I am using. I love you all dearly even though you're only getting the head nod or the wave, and I love you even more if you nod or wave back, and keep on pushing out those reps without skipping a beat! We can share a mental connection, knowing that we both have something to say to one another, but now is not the time!

If you have interrupted one of my workouts in the past, don't be offended. You are not alone! Now you just know better, so maybe next time, we too will share a head nod and a wave, and you can walk away proudly, knowing I truly do care for you, I just can't talk because I'm running low on oxygen and food!

Enjoy your day folks! Make it a great one because this day will only come around once! Make today extra special and go chat up someone wearing headphones!