Whose Gym is it Really?

There are gyms in my town. Quite a few. Some are circuit training, some are full on rec. centers with tennis courts, climbing walls, swimming pools, etc., some are mostly weight machines. At any rate, any one who desires fitness and strength has a plethora to choose from. What I love about the gym I patronize is that it offers so much that I really enjoy...depending on the time of day.

If I get up and go to the gym ridiculously early in the morning, I join the Corporate Crowd. The ones who come to the gym, get in a good sweat, shower and place the blazer on their body to go to the office. These people appear to be the ones who go to bed at the same time each night. Who are organized and confident. I love my non-corporate life, but these people do make me think it would be nice to be among them as I watch them at the gym.

If I go early in the morning, I join the Mom-tourage. Those who are coming to get their gym on before getting the kiddies off to school. These women, I must admit, I fit in well with. They are there without make-up. They don't have the newest matchy-matchy outfit to exercise in. They have "I love the '90's" music in their i-pods. They are there to get rid of the post-partum spare tire. Power to the Mom-tourage.

If I hit the gym in the morning, there is a mis-mash of people. A few old, a few young, shift workers, those interested in whichever class is being offered at the time. This is a good non-judgmental crew. Keeping their cardio up, and doing their own thing. This group is also good to go with since they worrying about them and not about you--unless you are in trouble, then they are willing to help.

If I'm getting my tread on during the mid-morning to afternoon, I am a lone woman in the gym. Actually, the six of us there hardly make a peep and we hardly know that the other five exist. I love the social experience and undisclosed competition between treadmills so I rarely join the few and proud afternooners, but the attendees who prefer to have privacy and space are good to go.

Now comes the rest of the day...once it's after school, the gym goers have a little bit different kind of goal. This is the crowd that intimidates me. The companion seekers. Granted, if you enjoy fitness and having an "A" body, you probably want your mate to have the same. So, if you are looking (hunting), the gym would be a natural place to find (lay out your scent for) someone with the same interests (great body) as you. I'm sure if I didn't have my awesome spouse, I'd go to the gym at this time of day to find someone with my same interests (washboard abs) wearing my cutesy outfit, with my make-up all perfect, the newest cross-trainers in a shade that matches, and my hair perfectly coiffed. My situation, as it now stands, does not take me to the gym at that time of day.

However, late at night, is another crowd I can relate to. They are the I-just-got-my-kids-in-bed or I-can't-fall-asleep or I'm-avoiding-doing-something-else-so-I'm-here bunch. On many occasions, I have hit the gym late at night for the afore mentioned reasons. It doesn't matter what you look like, you are just there to burn off steam or energy or boredom. None of these reasons is a bad one.

As I work on my workout and observe each of these types of exercisers, I feel an array of feelings. Just being at the gym is good. It is nearly half the battle; the other half is to focus enough to feel the burn instead of feeling the overwhelming fact that you aren't like them or maybe you are. It really doesn't matter when your clothes fit better, though, does it.