Just Watching You

A few weeks ago I was on the stationary bike at the gym when a woman walked by and smiled at me. Since I was about 29 minutes into my 30 minute ride the sweat was pouring off my face, my breathing was, you could say, labored, and since my glasses kept slipping down my nose, they were no longer on my face. I smiled back, sharing the "wow, you're working hard" moment. By the time I had hit the showers and was making my way back into the dressing area of the locker room she had finished her workout. "You really out did yourself on the bike today!" she told me. "Thanks," I said with a smile. And that was that. Or, so I thought.

A week later I was, once again, on the stationary bike, pressing through a killer hill. She walked by and smiled at me again. My own little fan club seems to be developing.

Friday is one of my cross training days, so no bike. I was doing a couple of quite unpleasant exercises (which promise results such as killer abs and buns of steel). She came over and was working out on the mat next to me. "I think you're the hardest working person at the gym," she declared.

"Oh?" I half laughed. I'm certain that there are quite a number of harder working people, but it was nice of her to say.

"Yeah," she said, "I get tired just watching you!"

Well, to be frank, you don't get any benefits of going to the gym if you don't work out. The people who do the minimum amount of effort just to say they went to the gym aren't exactly reaping many benefits. If I'm going to spend the time—and money!—I'm going to get the most for my efforts. Thankyouverymuch.