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!