Dear Diary…

So a lot of people ask me about my social life as a working, training, coaching, single mother.  My job consumes a lot of my daylight (and late night) hours, my training routine is pretty rigid, and I obviously am with my daughters a lot so that leaves about three seconds a day to have a real life.  During racing season that intensifies.  On the weekends I don’t have my girls I usually am racing and coaching and so I go to bed early so I can get up early. TRANSLATION: I don’t find myself out socially very often these days choosing training over going out and while I realize how lame that makes me it’s what I do and it makes me pretty happy all things considered.  People often shake their head and roll their eyes when I talk about it, so I have a new answer I even took for a test drive tonight. 

My friend called me tonight from L.A. and asked me how I was and of course I launched into all my training and events (which to most people is ridiculously boring) and to her credit she listened patiently and then waited a beat before asking, “So do you have any non-working out things going on?  Like, maybe a social life?”  I stammered for several moments awkwardly dancing around the question trying to figure out exactly how to answer her and I finally just said, “Yes, I DO.  I am in a pretty serious relationship actually…his name is Gym.” 

Ah… my Gym.  I get chills thinking about it.  My Gym really is perfect for me.  And while I’m being honest and not to brag or anything, but it’s a pretty committed relationship and we both know it.  He doesn’t have weird quirks or commitment issues – he’s always there for me waiting with open arms, (er doors) and he let’s me call the shots, which I kinda like.  He’s patient and let’s be honest… on the physical front – he really makes me sweat.  We see each other almost every day, sometimes for several hours at a time or even more than once and even if show up to see him in a bad mood I always leave feeling refreshed even if I am exhausted.  I’ve even driven through snowstorms and freezing cold temperatures just to get to him and it’s always worth it.  We spend weekends and most holidays together.  My parents have even met him.  (They think he’s great too.)  I get to wear whatever I want – even sweats – and he doesn’t care.  And I don’t ever do my hair or put on make-up to see him. (Secretly, I think he kind of prefers me that way).  He’s met a lot of my friends, in fact we all hang out together and he’s really good to them too. 

If I am being totally honest, It’s not perfect.  There are sometimes I don’t want to see him or when I get to him I’m just not all that excited about it but I never regret it and when I leave he always makes me smile.   It never gets boring either, we make sure of that. No two days together are ever the same.  If I drive by his place and I’m too busy to stop it makes me sad and sometimes I dream of him at night.  I can’t imagine my life without him.  He makes me so happy.  So, diary, I think… no…I know… I’m in love…with my Gym…

Carrie