Treadmill Judgements
I kicked off the big 3-0 with a bang this morning, well, that is, if you consider a great workout a "bang."
I was so not ready to get out of bed when my alarm began to go off at 5:15 a.m. If it had been any other day, I probably would have gone right back to sleep, ignoring my body's calls for physical exertion. But, this was a special morning. My first morning in my thirties. No way was I going to become one of those people - blaming my ever-expanding waistline on my ever-slowing thirtysomething metabolism. Nope. Not me. My first day in my thirties was going to include an awesome workout - one that would rival even the best twentysomething sweat session.
And it did...
Until I was completely distracted by the guy running next to me.
They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. The same thing can be said for people. The guy who occupied the treadmill next to mine looked like your average Denverite - nothing out of the ordinary, a seemingly nice guy. In fact, I hardly even noticed he was there until, out of the corner of my eye, I saw his TV. (At this gym, each piece of cardio equipment has its own television.) Now, for the sake of argument, I'm going to avoid getting too political here, so I won't mention the channel that he was watching, but let's just say it was a channel that I despise.
Despise.
I couldn't hate it more. Sometimes I'll turn the TV to that channel, just to see what the enemy is up to, and I end up getting so fired up that I want to throw the TV out the window. Seriously.
I'm trying to run. Now, all I can think is: This guy is watching that crap? What is wrong with him?? He's really watching it, too. He's engrossed in it, absorbing every word the "hosts" are saying, smiling when the hosts have apparently made some funny joke, not even changing the channel during the commercials. Wow, he doesn't want to miss a minute of this stuff. He actually believes what they're saying? Oh man, now he's going to go spread their BS to his family, his coworkers, everyone... And I thought he looked like a nice guy...
If I had encountered the guy running next to me, say, in the weight room instead, I would have never known what a complete moron he is. I would probably have returned his smile, or replied to his "good morning," but now that I know he watches this channel, this particular show, I'll never be able to look at him as some nice, stranger, runner guy. Nope. Now, he's that guy. The guy who is on the wrong side of the political spectrum. The guy who obviously isn't the brightest bulb...
I totally judged him, not by his cover, but by his TV channel.
On a brighter note: Despite my lack of focus, I cranked out an hour of cardio and a great ab workout. Thanks to the annoying guy next to me, and my thoughts focused on his choice in television shows, time just flew by. I guess that other channel was good for something, this morning at least.
I was so not ready to get out of bed when my alarm began to go off at 5:15 a.m. If it had been any other day, I probably would have gone right back to sleep, ignoring my body's calls for physical exertion. But, this was a special morning. My first morning in my thirties. No way was I going to become one of those people - blaming my ever-expanding waistline on my ever-slowing thirtysomething metabolism. Nope. Not me. My first day in my thirties was going to include an awesome workout - one that would rival even the best twentysomething sweat session.
And it did...
Until I was completely distracted by the guy running next to me.
They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. The same thing can be said for people. The guy who occupied the treadmill next to mine looked like your average Denverite - nothing out of the ordinary, a seemingly nice guy. In fact, I hardly even noticed he was there until, out of the corner of my eye, I saw his TV. (At this gym, each piece of cardio equipment has its own television.) Now, for the sake of argument, I'm going to avoid getting too political here, so I won't mention the channel that he was watching, but let's just say it was a channel that I despise.
Despise.
I couldn't hate it more. Sometimes I'll turn the TV to that channel, just to see what the enemy is up to, and I end up getting so fired up that I want to throw the TV out the window. Seriously.
I'm trying to run. Now, all I can think is: This guy is watching that crap? What is wrong with him?? He's really watching it, too. He's engrossed in it, absorbing every word the "hosts" are saying, smiling when the hosts have apparently made some funny joke, not even changing the channel during the commercials. Wow, he doesn't want to miss a minute of this stuff. He actually believes what they're saying? Oh man, now he's going to go spread their BS to his family, his coworkers, everyone... And I thought he looked like a nice guy...
If I had encountered the guy running next to me, say, in the weight room instead, I would have never known what a complete moron he is. I would probably have returned his smile, or replied to his "good morning," but now that I know he watches this channel, this particular show, I'll never be able to look at him as some nice, stranger, runner guy. Nope. Now, he's that guy. The guy who is on the wrong side of the political spectrum. The guy who obviously isn't the brightest bulb...
I totally judged him, not by his cover, but by his TV channel.
On a brighter note: Despite my lack of focus, I cranked out an hour of cardio and a great ab workout. Thanks to the annoying guy next to me, and my thoughts focused on his choice in television shows, time just flew by. I guess that other channel was good for something, this morning at least.
So glad you had a kick ass workout!! What a way to start your thirties!!!
ReplyDeleteOn another note, not knowing which side of politics you gravitate to I'm still surprised with the absolute anger (and judgment and intolerance) you have at another individual you don't know based upon his show choice (political views.) I mean I have some really good friends who have the same political goals as I do but have vastly different views on how to get there (thus putting us into different political groups) and so I'm kind of surprised by this... but hey, if it helped you put in a mean workout right on!!
I just feel like so many of those cable "news" channels are completely divisive, not to mention full of inaccuracies. They frustrate me sooooo much. I have friends on the opposite political side, and I love them...as long as we don't talk politics. :)
ReplyDeleteOnce again, not knowing which "side" you're on (yeah, that's not divisive at all ;-) I agree... in that many of those cable "news" channels (for both "sides") tend to be incredibly divisive and inaccurate. Well, perhaps not inaccurate... they just never tell the whole truth.
ReplyDeleteAnyways, I wasn't trying to start something or debate the whole issue I was just kind of surprised by your... passion... but that's just what it was and I appreciate that. And, you got that killer workout in!!