Grasshopper New Media Presents...

One of the things I have noticed about people who work out is we tend to operate at extremes. Some people join a gym and then aren’t able to make it or, in my case previously, could make it but much prefer to sit on the couch with their precious free time. Other people are always at the gym garbed in very trendy, tight workout clothes. You know the kind…the super-fit ones. When I first overcame my affection for my couch and started working out consistently, I realized that I was in a small, third category: someone who is always at the gym garbed in free t-shirts acquired ten years ago and old maternity sweatpants. You know the kind…those who not only would rather walk across broken glass than wear anything tight but who are secretly hoping to be invisible while finishing their workouts. Alright maybe this isn’t a category; it’s only me.

Over time, I have started acquiring more typical triathlon gear. Earlier this week, my triathlon training buddy and I rode around the neighborhood on our bikes. I was wearing a biking jersey and biking shorts. It was my longest and hilliest bike ride to date. In fact at one point, I booked it right up the hill and then seriously felt like I was going to vomit. No, I wasn’t trying to break any world record. The fact of the matter is that I have clipless pedals (ie my shoes clip into the pedals the way ski boots lock into ski bindings) and I knew that if I didn’t start going faster up the hill, I was going to tip right over, bike and all. I decided to hedge my bet on not seeing my oatmeal again.

Later that day I needed to take my bike into the shop for an unrelated tune up. The bike shop owner asked where I had been biking and I bragged about the hill I had conquered, even admitting to feeling pretty green. A confused look crossed his face. He inquired about the exact location of the hill. Another confused look crossed his face. Finally he acknowledged that the course we took was indeed hilly but was quick to point out that compared to a lot of courses, that hill wasn’t very steep. Yeah, well, compared to riding up the side of Mt. Everest, those hills aren’t probably steep either. Back to feeling like I’m in the ratty old t-shirts and old maternity sweatpants.

by Alex Elliot

Photo graciously provided by b.e.n., through a Creative Commons license, some rights reserved