No Ipod? It's not so bad.

For the past year or so, I've gone the gym, plugged in my Ipod, and zoned for my workout. Having my Ipod stollen this week, I was reminded how entertaining the gym really can be.

Here are just a few of the things I observed/learned/heard yesterday:

• Two people worked out together for about 30 minutes, and then tried to decide whether they should trade shirts. Why would they want to do that?
• When I entered the gym there was a man working out like a normal person. Twenty minutes later he became part of the witness protection program. He put on his sweatshirt, hat, and sunglasses...and resumed lifting weights.
• I met the quinticential Johns Hopkins Jogger. He was jogging on the treadill with his hair perfectly parted on the side, reading glasses on. He was trying to read about 20 pages that had been photo copied from a scholarly journal. None of these pages where stapeled together, and he was directly in front of a fan-about half of his journal had been blown onto the floor. This did not discouarge him. When he finished with the journal, he moved onto the newpaper, trying to unfold it as he ran. Pure entertainment.
• Finally, as I worked out on the rowing machine, I read an article that was posted by the machine about "The Five Best Workouts at the Gym." Little did I know that the rowing machine is an excellent workout, although not popular with many gym-goers. Some may assume this is because it's difficult to figure out, or because it works the arms more than the legs. Not so. According to the author of the article it is because of the level the rowing machine sits at. Apparently being so low to the ground impeads exercisers ability to see not only the television, but also the hot guy on the treadmill a few machines down. Who knew this was stopping so many people from rowing.