The Purpose of this Blog

I started this blog to make my gym/cardio experiences more interesting and motivating. Each day that I visit the gym, I select an interesting person for "observation." I ultimately write an entry describing the dress and actions of the interesting person. I observe while using the treadmill (20-25 minutes), decide on the name and back story while on the elliptical. The writing happens while using the recumbent bike.

Monday, April 13, 2015

Patricia and Madeline #2

Patty and Maddy entered the gym in their virtually identical workout wear of plain white shirts, black Lycra shorts and white tennis shoes. The only deviation from each other was Patty's purple gym bag and Maddy's bright blue one. Although the sisters were not twins, recently it became even more difficult for people to tell them apart. 

Just last week, before going to Maddy's daughter's (Angela) house for dinner, Patty had decided to get a new summer/Easter haircut as it would be quite warm soon. Her young hair stylist had suggested a "new and fresher" look. In all her years, Patty had never given much thought to her hair making a difference in her age - she believed "You are only as old as you feel." The stylist seemed so excited, however, that Patty let her go ahead and "freshen" her look. Truth be told, Patty did kind of worry though when the stylist brought out the black electric hair clippers that she has seen barbers use. Her stylist reassured her and went about making Patty younger with each slip. 

For four days Patty could not have been happier with her new style. Her grey hair was shaved on the sides, with her natural curls arranged wildly on top of her head. She had gotten lots of compliments and well - she was feeling younger and more special whenever she went out. Unfortunately, it was four days into her new hairdo when Maddy decided she liked it too. Anyone with a younger sibling knows how this works- as the older you are not allowed to have anything to yourself - if the younger one wants it - they get it. 

Maddy had gone to Patty's stylist and a mere 45 minutes later, they were more "twin-ish" than they had been in years. This blatant act of sibling terrorism had bothered Patty for all of about 30 minutes when Maddy surprised her with her new look. To be honest, they had much bigger fish to fry when it comes to important things in life.

Although it seemed longer, only a week ago Angela (Maddy's daughter), had asked them to come over for a late Easter dinner - she had "important news" to share. Although they had tried in the three days before the dinner to guess Angela's news, nothing they had considered even came close to the bombshell Angela dropped that evening.

Patty and Maddy's family had always been devout Catholics. Their parents would take the girls to mass at least once a week, preferably twice. Maddy had carried on the tradition with her children, feeling expose to the church and its teaching were important for moral development. Patty was named as godmother to each of Maddy's children so she could also help in steering them in the right direction. Additionally, both sisters had tried to instill the same work ethic and sound judgement in her children that their parents had instilled in them. Patty and Maddy felt they had succeed - and then the dinner.

Angela's important news had been the topic of conversation for Patty and Maddy since that dinner.   Breakfast, lunch, dinner and the daily workouts had been consumed with questions and pondering. (Patty had even given up her upright bike to use the recumbent ones Maddy preferred.) Was Angela being reckless? Wasn't she too old to be even thinking about this? Wouldn't she need some money? Everyone needs some kind of income. Was this just a phase? What if she couldn't make it work - who would help her? Giving up everything for a dream and a man (and if it had always been a dream- why are they just not hearing of it)? Is it crazy to be moving across country to Colorado Springs in just two weeks?

No matter how much they debated the decision - they knew that Angela's mind was set. In just two weeks, Angela would be leaving to start her postulancy at the Carmelite Monastery of the Sacred Hearts.   

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Barbara

Barbara had met John when she was 28. He had been the baseball coach/instructor at the community college where she taught English. Their first meeting had not been love at first sight, in fact, she had gone to politely tell him to get his facts straight. She had gone to speak with him about what he had been telling the students in his sports course about the need for literature in their lives (he had said it had little value, she felt it completed the person). The meeting had gone as you might expect - not well. 

Now when they look at back at that first confrontational meeting they just laugh - it is one of those love in adversity stories.

That meeting was almost 30 years ago. It took almost three years of on and off courtship before they married. Now, they could not be happier with their life that included three children and most recently, one grandchild - little Marie.

As they did most mornings, Barbara and John went to the gym for their workout.  Neither dressed to impress, John in what he used to wear while coaching baseball and Barbara in black pants, t-shirt with her greying blonde pulled back in a barrette. The two had recently switched up their workout routine after reading about a new technique online. It was called the EXciTe method developed by Anthony Ramirez (http://dayatthegym.blogspot.com/2015/03/antonio.html?m=1) and they found it fun and beneficial. It involved doing 5 reps of virtually every machine in the gym. Of course the developer had also included push-ups in between every other machine. Barbara and John did not elect to include that in their workouts - too much up and down Barbara though. Instead, they chose to play a variation of "follow-the-leader" through the machines. John would start with one machine, do five reps and go to another. Barbara would immediately start her five reps and run the machine where he was working. Her goal was always to finish her five reps and get to the machine where he was working before he could finish. He would often try and thwart her by selecting machines across the room. She would not be deterred, even if it meant leaving her machine at almost a full run to get to his before he finished. She had gotten quite proficient at quick reps!

After completing their 25 machines for the day (ranging from arms to shoulders to back and legs) they would meet up in free weights for their final push of five different quick lifts. 

Although Barbara was able to complete the follow-the-leader without having to concentrate, the lifting was difficult. Something had been weighing on her mind for a few days. She would need to tell John what she and their daughter had discussed over the weekend. Maybe this evening over dinner the time will be right. Until then... Only one more lift to go!

Monday, April 6, 2015

Patricia and Madeline

Patricia and Madeline (or Patty and Maddy as they had been called since grade school) were often confused for twins. They were sisters, but they were born just 9 months apart and because of their birthdays it worked out that they started school together. Patty was older by 9 months and never let Maddy forget it whenever an argument arose. Luckily arguments became less and less as almost seventy years passed and their hair had greyed.

Each girl had gone their seperate ways after high school. Patty staying at home while Maddy married her high school sweetheart. Maddy and her husband started their family right away, having two children before she was 21. Patty on the other hand studied and became a nurse for a local clinic. 

All that had been many years in the past. Patty had retired over ten years ago from the clinic. She moved in with Maddy after her husband passed away in 2002. Now their lives centered around Maddy's four grandchildren, their volunteer work (Patty still volunteered at local clinics) and their trips to the gym.

When Maddy's son had suggested the sisters start visiting the gym - they both had scoffed, stating "they were too old for such foolishness!" Her son, however, would not deterred and brought them to work out with him over a year ago. Now Patty and Maddy enjoyed their almost daily trips to the gym. They each had bought a set of colorful weight gloves to protect their hands on the rough machines. They discovered if they did not understand a machine, often the most bulkiest of men were willing to help them figure them out. They developed quite a following now, waving and smiling at the tattoed weight lifters as they walked through the gym. 

They had agreed when they first started coming to the gym on their own that they would enjoy their workouts. They would always share a machine so they could talk (ok, gossip) while working out. After the machines, they would take the elevator upstairs to do a little cardio. This is where Patty and Maddy would split. Patty preferred the upright bike, while Maddy preferred the recumbent bike. Another 20 minutes and they would be done for today. 

They were both looking forward to going to dinner this evening - a late Easter dinner at Maddy's daughter's house. Her daughter had called on Saturday and said she had important news. The sisters had been debating about what it might be since receiving the call. Her daughter had never married and was "too old" for children so they debated about what the news could be.  Either way, they were looking forward to seeing her and spending time with family.