How Blogger Could Have Killed Me (an over dramatic tale and yes, another gym story)

One of my New Years goals was to get back in the gym and get back to the level I was at a few years ago. I've been doing pretty good and Finally got up the guts to try a lift I haven't done in about two years.


Let me set the scene:


I'm ready to do my lift. I have my mp3 player on so it's blaring in my ear "I've never had to knock on wood... " It takes me a minute to wrap my old knees. I'm ready "Have you ever had the odds stacked up so high... " I step into the rack and climb up under the bar, it rest across my shoulders. " has it ever come down to do or die... " I straighten up and step back. The weight feels like it is going to push me through the floor. I start to lower into a sitting position, nothing exists except the pull of gravity and the thought of pushing up. I do it, then again.


When I straighten up the second time all my senses flood back to me. I catch a glimpse of my partner in the mirror, he's not watching me. I can feel the pain in my legs and I realize my mp3 player isn't playing anymore. Maybe I pulled the wire loose, or hit a button, I don't care. I decide to push it and go for a third rep, I bend my knees to go down, my mp3 player makes a noise. A song is starting. I'm as far down as I want to go but I've lost my concentration. For some reason I'm trying to figure out what song is coming on. I can't place the music. I'm in trouble, the weight is not going up. I can't feel my partner behind me, no help is coming. Falling is becoming a real option. I push with all I have left, slowly I change direction and start to beak gravity's grip. I straighten up and rack the weight.


I bend over to catch my breath, hands on my knees. I'm seeing stars and I feel like my nose may start bleeding. My partners are congratulating me on a good set. For a split second I hate them. I hear the music again. I look at my mp3 player on my arm to see what song is playing. Yep, Journey "Sweet and Simple" from my 'smiling' blog post. I lean against the rack and slide to the floor, and start laughing. My gym partners think I'm crazy, again. I'm loving life, the unexpected, the thrill of it all. Of course I'm still not loving Journey, no not at all.