The Ghost in the Machine

Nope, I am not going to start talking Descartes and philosophy - but I swear there was a ghost in the elliptical today.  They got these fancy ellipticals at the beginning of the school year with inclines up to "20" whatever it measures - it's just so high you're practically kneeing yourself in the face.  So there I was, 30 minutes or so into my hour on the machine when I try to lower the incline (I have a tricky hamstring from my failed attempt at track in high school and the trainers at school told me to keep the elliptical kind of flat).  With a wild whirring noise, I see the numbers going the wrong way and the incline went all the way to the wall. 

There are other machines in there, but I was darned if I was going to quit and start over on another machine - I kept going with that killer incline and finished my hour.  I felt so brave after that, I actually went into the weight room.  I find the weight room intimidating.  My co-worker showed me all the machines one day during lunch, but I haven't been brave enough to go in and try them out.  It's the thought of what all those football and soccer teens will think of the old lady in their midst.  They are such nice kids, though.  All they did was say, "Hi,"  and attend to their own workout.  Phew.  Of course, it is kind off season, so it wasn't packed, but I felt okay.  I can do this. 

It takes the place of digging gardens and mucking animal pens on days I work off the property, and I find that I really like working out.  It's news to me;  I wish I could tell the 15 year old me to not be such a wimp and just get out there and do it - you'll like it.  Pulling my hamstring kind of ruined stuff, but it was something I could have gotten over if I hadn't wimped out.  I would rather ride 8 horses a day, like I did in my early 20s (I was so skinny then), but I find that even the machines at the aerobics room give me a kick.  I don't find it boring, because I am always planning for the farm, or going over lesson plans, or praying.  I have always had an overactive imagination.