Long lost gym buddies

Over the years I've been blessed to have people I connect with at my gym. Typically, I enjoy solitary workouts where I can go at my own pace and not have to feel like I'm competing with a workout partner. But having active friends around is an important thing for me, as it provides a little extra motivation to get to the gym after work every day. Wouldn't want them thinking I'm a slacker, now would I?

Back in college I hit the gym at 3:30 every day of the summer. Toward the end of each session my buddy Jackie would come strolling in and we'd chat while we stretched (post workout for me, pre-workout for Jacks). He was a great gym buddy. We talked about workouts, plans for the weekend, all that fun stuff. He was my guardian too. When skeezy men would come talk to me, Jackie was right there to step in and handle it (lucky for me, he was an intimidating man). As the days grew shorter and the sun set earlier in the day, Jackie would often walk me to my car for safety in the dark parking lot. We were gym buddies for 3 years, until I graduated and moved far, far away.

Luckily I soon found a new buddy at my gym in San Antonio. Tony was one of the salesmen at the gym who turned out to be a great friend in the end. He hooked me up with a free training session after I was laid up from running due to a stress fracture. Our conversations on my way in and out of the gym were often brief, but enough to keep me coming back. He even stuck by me after the incident...let me explain.

While I was living in SA, my boyfriend at the time came to visit. I hooked him up with a gym pass so he could work out with me during his stay. Jealousy ensued when he met Tony. During one conversation, he decided it was necessary to step between us, give me a kiss, look Tony in the eye, and walk away. He should have peed on me, that would have been just as effective in marking his territory.

When it was time to move up to Dallas, Tony even came over to help us move my couches out of my 3rd floor apartment. He's surely been missed.

Since San Antonio, I've been without a gym buddy; until recently that is. This past winter I was getting in the habit of working out a couple times a week with my neighbor, Shawn. We would ride to the gym together, work out separately, then catch up post workout to head back to our apartment. I didn't realize the value in this routine until it ended. After my recent move, and heading to the gym alone after work, I have been missing my post-workout chats. Last night I ran into Shawn at the gym and had a nice chat after my run. It's sad that we don't see as much of each other as we once did, but comforting to know that my gym buddy is still there for the post-workout conversation and a little subliminal motivation.

Cheers!

-A