Recently, I have been working out longer than usual. During these times I have noticed an array of characters at the gym. Here are my favorites:
1) The guy who doesn't wipe off the equipment: I used to be friendly with him last summer, but won't even say hello to him now. I don't understand why he thinks he doesn't need to wipe down the treadmill, especially after he sweats all over it. I have actually made a few friends as a result of his poor hygiene habit. When he gets done running and someone new goes to get on his treadmill, I warn them that he doesn't clean it off. They are always thankful that I have passed this information along to them.
2) Golf shirt man: Always wears a golf shirt when he works out. I have noticed three different varieties, but my favorite is the light pink with tan stripes.
3) Little T: Picture a huge, older black man in bike shorts, a long pink t-shirt and a short white half shirt over top of that. He wears the same thing every day, but I have never noticed that he smells badly and wow, can he get busy on the inclined sit up board.
4) Stinky: He is a first year law student. I met him over the summer when he was apartment hunting, then I saw him at the gym and we made small talk. I began to notice a pattern that whenever he was on a treadmill the entire area smelled like sour feet (and that is being kind). One day my friend Lauren and I were down in the weight room. She said that she smelled something foul. We looked over and there he was, bench pressing his little heart out.
5) Heart Rate Boy: He rolls in every day between 11:00 and 11:30am. No matter how cold it is he is always wearing shorts, accompanied by a fleece pull over and beanie hat. He carries a Nike bag, not a gym bag, but more like a nylon sack with strings. He never puts his stuff in a locker. He always sets it next to the treadmill he is using. He has a small bottle of water which he places in the cup holder. His routine goes like this...crank the treadmill up to 11.3 and pound your feet while sprinting, then, half way through, hold on to the top of the treadmill...do this for approximately two and a half minutes and then hit stop...stand on the treadmill while holding the heart rate sensors...release your hands and lean against the side of the treadmill...put your hand over your heart to feel it beating...take a sip of water from your little bottle....put your hand over your heart again...repeat this four or five times.
Makes me wonder what people are thinking about me.
