Morning Shorts

Mike is meeting a former colleague after work, so he got up extra early, before 5 a.m., allowing us both to work out before he left for the office. I had expected a painful, bitter chill when I headed to the gym for 6:30 spin, but experienced a refreshing, crisp, clear morning air that perked me right up. I've always felt there was something especially gratifying about working out before the sun comes up, which has been Mike's ritual since Michael Alexander was born. I go the gym when he gets home from work. On weekdays, it's my only time away from my beautiful son, so I'm dressed and ready to go when Mike comes home. I have to rush to sign up for a 6:45 spin class, bang out my ab work and then come home to finish making dinner. (Mike loves to make dinner, too, but it's easier for me to do it most weekdays. He was a saint when I was sick last week, making me homemade organic chicken soup loaded with veggies.) Going to the gym in the morning allows you to luxuriate. This morning was pure bliss. Larry led us through a solid 55 minutes of heavy climbs and sprints through resistance. Often morning classes aren't as challenging as evening ones, but this is a definite exception. When Mike and I first started taking Larry's classes; we aimed for two workouts a day before and during my pregnancy, but the early morning routine gave us a pass if something came up after work. I didn't like Larry at first. He's very intense, frenetic and strange. Now that I understand, and relate to, his passionate approach, I consider him one of the best. He's hilarious and totally dedicated. He talks through class, which he starts a good 7 minutes ahead of schedule, even as he pushes as hard as the participants. He works downtown, at the court, district, I think, and gets up in the middle of the night to make it to Union Square from faraway New Jersey. "15 more seconds of intensity. 15 more seconds of insanity," are among his mantras as he leads us through the "last 80 seconds" of a sprint through heavy resistance. What really made my day was when Larry recalled a class he took at another gym, somewhere in Jersey. "There was this bench outside the room, and people would get there 20 minutes early and drink coffee!" he wailed. "They sat there drinking coffee when they could be working out! It made me crazy." Aaah! That's my Larry! That is exactly the kind of slothful behavior that pisses me off, and Larry's (over)sharing was what me realize why today was a super great morning. Nobody comes to spin class, or the gym for that matter, when it opens at 5 a.m., or even for a 6:30 spin class, unless they are hardcore. In the evenings, there are kickass classes, but a majority of the attendees (as many aren't there in spirit) give about 20% at best. When the instructor says "Give me about a 5-6 (in resistance). A flat row." On most bikes at the downtown Crunches, a 5 or 6 is generally 17 turns. After that, you're starting to climb. While I respect the naturally lean people who come to the gym at all, I loathe all the lazies and wish they'd stay away from my coveted classes and avoid insulting with beloved instructors with their lack of effort or enthusiasm. Aaah, thank you Larry, and, of course, thank you, Mike, for a lovely morning! I am tired, but as zen as I get. Babies crying. Must run. I love writing without paragraph breaks or self-editing. Thanks, Michael Alexander, for demanding my attention.