I Get By with A Little Help From My Friends

Sarah is my bag partner.  Actually, she’s more than that.  She’s my work out partner.  Sarah and I have been workout partners for two sessions; this week marks our third 10 week “do or die trying” partnership.

Five mornings a week Sarah is either next to me in the front row or at the bag ready to push me, prod me, challenge me, and cheer me on.  She’s also there to laugh with me…and occasionally at me J  She is one of the ten reasons (Creed being the other 9 J) that I keep coming back each day, each week, each session.  I can’t let Sarah down.  I need to show up.  I am her support person.  She is mine.  More importantly, if I don’t come to class…well, let’s just say she’d be more than happy to rip me a new one!

Sarah thanks me almost daily for pushing her through each and every workout.  I have pointed out to her that given a choice between doing 2 minutes of burpees myself OR cheering her on as SHE does 2 minutes of burpees, that I will pick the “cheer Sarah on” option every single time.  I’ve tried to explain to her that being bossy, demanding, and rude comes naturally to me.  I have told her repeatedly that I have a natural tendency to yell, shriek and verbally abuse others, especially when I am unhappy, sore, frustrated or sweating.  But I don’t think she believes me, and as I’m currently “between boyfriends” it’s nice to be able to share these gifts with someone.

I don’t really recall exactly how Sarah and I became workout buds, but we have.  I feel honored that she wants to work out with me.  And what makes it especially special for me is, well frankly, Sarah could have ANYBODY as her work out partner.  I mean…she’s good.  And she’s young!  I know I am at least twice her age!  Old enough for sure to be her mother and in some cultures probably her grandmother.  I tell her all the time she should find a partner closer to her age and ability but she just laughs and says "no."  Sometimes I think she keeps me around for comic relief! 

Sarah is the one who laughs at my “air kicks” (that awkward moment when I go to throw a right roundhouse and somehow manage to completely miss the bag with my foot), smiles,  and then tells me to "try again."  She empathizes with my burpee frustration.  She makes sympathetic cooing sounds whenever Ryan yells at me or blows the whistle in my ear.  She laughs at my constant stream of commentary on what we are doing.  Sarah is the one I know I can exchange a “WTF? Look” with and not have to worry that she doesn’t agree with me.  Sarah seems unfazed by my grunts, groans, mutterings and occasional use of profanity during workouts.  Okay…I’m lying just a bit there…my FREQUENT use of profanity during workouts!

Sarah almost always gets a mat for me.  She helps me with my kickboxing.  She tells me all the time I can “do it” and to try “just one more.”   Tomorrow we will most likely do a “circuit fitness test.”  Sarah will complete hers in about oh…14 minutes.  And then she’ll follow me around as I work to finish mine in less than 30.  She’ll dash with me from station to station.  She’ll do burpees with me.  She’ll count my squats…she’ll chase my butt through the ladders, across the steps and over the hurdles.  She will see my success as her success.  And I will see my success…as a both a miracle and the result of Sarah’s relentless support!

And that’s the great thing about NLXF.  All of us either have a “Sarah” in our class or are the "Sarah" for someone in our class.  If you are new to NLXF, you will experience both of these great gifts soon.  Because if your experience is anything like mine has been and continues to be, you find that everyone is willing to support one another.  Everyone is willing to give just a bit more, especially if it means that it will help someone else do one more rep, pick themselves off the matt and try again, push themselves to go just a bit longer, a bit stronger, a bit harder.  I wish more places in my life had a Sarah.

Oh…and Sarah…I’m shooting for 28 minutes tomorrow J