She’s waiting for you on a cold, dark morning at 5 AM. She saves your favorite bike for you in Spin. You know you can look at her and roll your eyes together during the last ten reps. She laughs with you when it hurts so bad you might cry. She listens to you: your rants, your highs, your lows, and your weekend plans. You listen to her: her rants, her highs, her lows, and her weekend plans.
She’s the reason you’re there. Every day. Three times a week. Saturday morning. The new class. The familiar instructor. The killer 45 minutes. The painstaking 20 mile long run. Together, you are the Athleta catalog. Separated, you’re just a couple of chicks working out.
She might be one person. “She” might be twenty different people.
How important is a workout partner to a mom? I can’t imagine my life without mine. I have several in my life, and I am thankful everyday for those ladies. They’re my motivation. They take the “work” out of working out.
I’m not going to lie – I love the social aspect of working out. I’ve met so many wonderful people because of exercise – the friendships I’ve made are my lifeline as a mom. I can’t fathom going through this journey without a little help and advice, and workout buddies seem to have plenty of both.
Plus is there any better motivation to exercise than knowing all of your buddies will be there? Half the time I show up to class just to laugh a little before and after, but if that’s what it takes to exercise, then so be it (plus, I love a little friendly competition :-)!).
And how is that no matter what, you and your workout buddy always have something to chat about? We never have a dull moment in conversation (when we can breathe, that is). There’s always a problem to solve, a work dilemma to overcome, a child-rearing issue to mull, a birthday gift to be thought of, a funny story to share. My husband used to ask what my running partner and I talked about for all those miles – I never could quite verbalize it, and he just stopped asking.
I’m not sure what makes friendship and exercise co-exist so beautifully – maybe it’s mixing equal parts sweat, suffering, and laughter makes it easier to start and keep a friendship.
Maybe it’s that when you find an equally insane soul you’ll run a thousand miles, do a 100 push ups, and cycle 500 miles just to keep each other healthy and strong – mentally and physically – so you’re around a little longer for each other.
Maybe it’s knowing when it’s all done, you can have this Thing – this camaraderie – that materializes with sweat, and both of you know it would be a waste to not capitalize on it.
Or maybe it’s because one day you realize that your friend is actually at her most beautiful – inside and out – when she’s at her sweatiest and most exhausted – and maybe you are, too.
Do you have a workout buddy or buddies? How have they made a difference in your life?
1 comment
keep meaning to comment on this one-definitely hits home with me, especially because one of my main “workout buddy” moved away yesterday. but i am so thankful i have many others that will keep me going!