Late...

So my alarm goes off at 8:00, but I'm still tired so I reset it for fifteen minutes later and go back to bed. Then I wake up at 8:45 and realize I set my weekday alarm instead of my weekend alarm. I have a quick shower and get dressed and race to the gym. Thank goodness Pilates always starts late. I look like a mess and I haven't even started my workout.

As I wait, I'm watching the end of CX Works, the class I went to on Wednesday. I am NOT jealous of the people currently suffering through this class. It's a tough workout. And, in possibly the most bizarre workout tradition, people clap for themselves at the end of it. I pride myself on the fact that I have never clapped for myself after finishing a workout and I don't plan on starting any time soon.

I head in to the studio, select my spot, and do some pre-stretching. Taylor says hi to me, and I enthusiastically respond with my own salutations. But that pleasant exchange is shor lived because some lady sets up her mat insanely close to mine. Honestly woman, I have long arms and sometimes we have to fully extend them out sideways. Back off. It's not like the studio is particularly crowded, today. 

To counteract this negative, I finally am not the only man in class. Two other guys who were both in CX Works (how on earth do you do two classes in a row?) have been convinced by Kiki to stay for Pilates. This does little beyond making me feel less self conscious, but since that's the main thing I struggle with, I welcome their presence.

It's a fairly standard Pilates workout, but a large portion of it features moves where my legs are supposed go up over my head, which is not something I can do at this present moment in time. When these moments happen, I try my best to get my legs that high, but the best I can do is almost vertical, which is tragically pathetic. 

My ability to do this has disintegrated

This used to be something I could do as a kid, and it's mildly depressing that I've lost that ability. I also used to be able to fit into a laundry basket and slide down the stairs. Tragically that is no longer a skill I possess either. Oh well. Life goes on. On the plus side, I have noticed that I can do significantly more reps of certain exercises and that I'm even able to successfully do things I wasn't able to do before. All after only five total times at Pilates.

I know I need to focus on these victories otherwise it will be easier to be discouraged and stop going. And I have to say, another big plus aside from the physical changes and overall physical wellness, I'm happier than I have been in a long time. Consistently so. Just ask Fit Andrew.

To top it all off, at the end of the class, Kiki tells me I did a good job. And validation is all I long for in this world, so that feels great. I wave to Justin on my way out of the gym, but Skinny Matt is nowhere to be seen. Hopefully he can survive without a greeting from me. But I like to think all of the employees at the gym feel extra great when I greet them. That's why I keep going. To brighten other people's days.