Bravery...

Today is a Pilates day and I have convinced Cousin Joe (we're not really cousins, but we used to tell everyone in college that we were and everyone believed us) to come to Pilates with me. So I get home from work and put together my workout stuff really quickly and we leave for the gym, because he has to sign up for a visitor's pass. When we get to the gym, Carla is there as cheerful as ever and she helps Joe sign up for a visitor's pass.

While he's doing that, Justin takes advantage of my vulnerability and chastises me for skipping CX Works to go to Texas Roadhouse on Wednesday night. And his reprimand really holds some weight because he has been so kind and encouraging and helpful. I really feel like I've let him down. So I burst into tears and he laughs at me. What a jerk.

Joe's finally got his pass and we go downstairs to the locker room and change. Joe puts on a Planet Fitness shirt and I come to find out that he has just joined Planet Fitness and will not be joining the Beverly Athletic Club. I would never have invited him had I known. Now I'm going to be embarrassed to be seen with him. I decide to deal with it and I show him all that he is missing out on by being a Planet Fitness member.

We then head up to the studio. Apparently, there is no class before Pilates as the room is dark and empty so we head right in to claim some spots. A very kind woman (I find out later that her name is Nadine or 'Nadine the Liar' which I'll explain later) encourages us to sit up front. I tell her that the front is so intimidating but she says that if we're up front, Kiki will use us more and help correct our positions. I ask if Kiki is for sure going to be there today and she ensures me that Kiki will be.

And that is my problem. I trust people. In fact, I am too trusting. Because Kiki is not there, today. It's Beth. It could be worse because I actually do like Beth. She's really funny and she does a really good job explaining what I should be feeling while I do a particular exercise. But I make Nadine feel awful because she also told Joe he would get a free BAC shirt because Kiki hates it when people where Planet Fitness shirts. No luck, Cousin Joe.

We start the workout and practically the entire time, Joe is whispering snarky comments to me that make me laugh. 'I want a danish', 'I'm not going to do that', 'we are getting burritos after this'. Joe, zip it! I can't work my abs right when I'm practically peeing myself from laughter. And to make matters worse, one of the women in the class lets one rip and I'm torn between bursting out laughing and running over to her and hugging her to say thank you for being brave enough to not hold it in. I admire this woman.

At the end of class the rest of the room claps for themselves. And I still don't. I introduce Joe to Megan (my coworker) and we talk a little bit about the class. Some things are still hard for me. I don't have the flexibility to extend my leg to the ceiling without bending at the knee. Beth tells me it will come, as she passes by and heads into the actual Pilates studio. 

We do decide we want burritos, so we head to Chipotle for dinner to reward ourselves for our good workout. Well, Joe wasn't really great at Pilates so he probably was just eating to make himself feel better, but that's what happens when you join Planet Fitness.