The Gym

Throughout my school career I made dodging PE into an art form. I have terrible hand/eye co-ordination and so all team sports were generally a no, disliked running due to the distinctly unattractive red-face I developed after approximately 4minutes, and swimming....well, what teenage girl enjoys stripping down in front of all her peers to a swimming costume at the best of times.

After many years of sick notes, period pain (often lasting up to 6 consecutive weeks) bad knees, ankles, hips and elbows I reached sixth form. And in sixth form you could miss PE, and in return do an afternoon of community service. Subsequently I obviously became extremely involved with my local community.

Throughout school, my friends and I would regularly mock those that took sport seriously. Some of this was probably down to envy, but a large part (at least for me) was the sheer disbelief that any of the sporting activities on offer could actually be enjoyable.

But recently this all changed. Having acquired in the last year my first grown-up job, and it being a job that works on shifts, I have discovered an inordinate amount of spare time in the day. Initially I spent this time shopping. But after a fortnight my bank balance was in such a sorry state that I needed to re-evaluate my time management.

And so I joined the gym. It is very near my house and very nice and big and clean and modern. Each piece of equipment has a TV and there are radio stations and music channels to listen to. And it is empty in the day, bar a few hardcore muscle men, that seem more interested in their biceps than in me.

At first I felt extremely self-conscious. But the other day I caught myself automatically walking to the gym, changing and getting on the treadmill (yes - I run now). It wasn't until 29minutes later, when I got off that I realised that the gym, after many years of avoidance, has become part of my routine. And more than that... I have actually come to....enjoy it.

Just a little bit.