Summer 1(May - June)

It is always a bit of drudgery waking up at 5:30 in the morning to be at the gym. It is even harder when you have to do this three or four times a week. I mean, it is summer. The season of the year when it is totally acceptable to relish in absolute laziness and exuberant frolic; pleasant days of beaches and bikinis; wild nights of party and booze; and of course lots and lots of clinging to the bed from endless sleep. But no, somehow I still find myself strictly adhering to the rigors of a strict schedule that puts me to sleep by 11pm each night.

The waking up is hard. This morning it was drizzling with thin showers of rain, and the atmosphere was foggy. I could barely make out the contours and ridges that formed the edges of the trees I would normally view down the stretch when I opened my room door. It would be perfect to stay back and return to bed. I really wanted to. But a part of my body willed me to go on. Soon the rain stopped. But the walk was cold, and long. It takes about 25 minutes from my house to the gym on campus when I walk. But good thing, I had music to my ears like I do on most days.

Yet, I find it quite amusing how things take on a totally different turn once I hit the gym. Inside is never foggy, and it never rains. There is loud music that vibrates with a thumping rhythm that brings you alive and sends melodic adrenalin in through your veins. I come alive, totally oblivious of the recent feelings of drudgery of waking from bed and that dreadful walk. I’m pushing and pulling the weights that give me a feeling like superman. My muscles contract and expand with each push and pull, my shirt is wet from warm sweat exuding from my skin. And there is a bit of pain that is soon forgotten with the release of endorphins that send me totally euphoric. I feel good!

The most exciting part of exercising is how much I’ve seen myself grow over these months. Even though I have not really been consistent due to the tight and rigorous schedule of school and work, I have grown to bench pressing 150lbs. A commendable 60lbs increase from the 90lbs I began with less than a year ago. Someday I hope to be able to bench 200lbs-- I have not set a time frame on this-- but until then, my goals for the gym would remain to make my body as physically stronger as can be, and more task enduring. And there is no doubt in my mind that cutting the trivial hours from my sleep and pleasures would be a reasonably small sacrifice I would be glad to make to attain this.