The Track

My last post was a month ago.  I know, I know.  I'm a pathetic blogger.

Anyway, as I mentioned in that post, The Mr. and I have been using the indoor track to get a little exercise.  Although the actual exercise part is not my favorite, I do enjoy watching the other people who are using the track.

In the privacy of my mind -- and subsequently shared with The Mr. -- I have assigned names to several of the regulars.  Shall we begin?

"Fred"  --  the friendly older gentlemen who is, by far, the fastest walker on the track.  I'm sure he's in his 70's, making him 20 years older than me, but he's my inspiration.  Some day I hope to be able to keep pace with him.

"Danielle"  --  the thirty-something woman who is in incredible shape!  As she runs around the track, she's calm and controlled, never seeming to break a sweat.  I imagine her to be a corporate CEO.

"Mark"  --  the forty-something guy who leisurely strolls around the track taking business calls on his phone.  Seriously??  At 6:30 in the morning??

"Freda and Nadine"  -- the two slightly older women who arrive separately, but once one of them has caught up to the other, they continue their laps together.  Their conversation (only heard in short spurts as we pass them) seems to center around what they'll be having for supper later that night.

"Grant"  --  the fifty-something man who walks quite slowly around the track.  He only has one arm, so I'm guessing that would affect his balance, thereby making it difficult to walk much faster.

And here are the not-so-regulars:

"Brenda"  --  the forty-something woman who is a really fast walker.  Although she's only been there a couple of times, she's hard to forget.  She forcefully pumps her arms in a really awkward manner (side to side instead of forward and back), and I'm afraid she's going to accidentally punch some unsuspecting runner in the stomach as they pass her.

"the cute girls"  --  you know the ones:  the attractive young girls who look adorable in their little spandex outfits and ponytails as they effortlessly jog around the track two or three times and then leave.

"the wolves"  --  the twenty something guys who stand in the corner of the track pretending to be stretching.  In reality they have no intention of using the track, they are only there to ogle said "cute girls" as they jog by.

"the homeys"  --  the two 18-year-old boys who breathlessly run around the track in black hoodies and toques, struggling to keep their pants from falling down.  I imagine they are training to improve their "get-away time".

I am so glad that there are so many different people who use the track.  It really does help pass the time for this people watcher.  I'm happy that there are people that are slower than me -- shout out to Mark, Freda, Nadine and Grant!  And I'm thankful to the fast ones who give me something to work towards -- yay for Fred and Danielle!

In actuality, I know for sure that I'll never be a runner like Danielle.  But becoming a fast walker like Fred is a very realistic goal for me.  I hope 20 years from now I'll be the oldest one at the track that everyone is trying to keep up with.

In the meantime, I plan to keep waddling (and wonder what names the others have assigned to The Mr. and me).

Dixie