Sparkle

Saturday, I had to work all day long, and I had to get there by 7:30, so since Gold's doesn't open until 6:00, there was no way I could make it in time, I would have to go to the gym after work.


I left home at 7:00 a.m. and got back at 6:50 p.m., I had taken three 10 minute breaks to eat my meals, it was a long day. David and Cooper returned from "Choose Chico" day before I got home, and as soon as I walked in the door I was changing ready to head to the gym- "Do you have to go? Can't you skip one day?!"


No- It was Quad day, I have to go, no choice about it.


I walked in apprehensive, it's a new gym for me, and I am comfortable in the morning, and am getting to know the crowd, but what about at night? What would it be like? I remember the crowd at Courtside was vastly different depending on the time of day. The morning folks were there every single day, they may not be the fittest, but they were the most dedicated. The late afternoon and early evening crowd was like a pick up scene, make-up, hair done, perfume, and not because they came from work, this was their work! I hated going in there in the afternoons, and that was one big reason I loved having my own treadmill.


It wasn't very crowed, I suppose since it is a younger crowd they were all getting ready to go out and have fun for the evening. I was glad I came, the squats were good and low, I was concentrating on keeping my knees forward, my back straight "no stripper squats!" says Roy. I was crouched down by the cage, writing in my log when I notice a woman standing next to me, I quickly looked up and said "I'm done", I thought she wanted the rack, but I was wrong, she wanted to talk to me.


I pulled out my earbuds and stood up, and noticed the woman  was a young, petite, very eager girl, couldn't have been more than 25 or so. She was holding a gallon water jug, it seemed almost as big as her!


She apologized for bothering me and asked me how I got my abs so tight. I was kind of floored, I don't consider my abs tight at all, I guess for a 51 year old they look good, but in the grand scheme of things, mine certainly don't stand out. I thanked her and told her that they don't always look like this, I have a competition in three weeks, and soon they will look back to normal.


She was almost jumping up and down she was so excited. She is in her first competition in 13 weeks, and has no idea what she is doing, she was happy to meet me. She then asked "If I ask you something, will you give me your honest to god truth answer?" and I said yes I would. She then pulled up her shirt and asked me if she would be ready in 13 weeks for a competition, would her abs look good enough? She explained she had just had a baby, and felt like she would never get rid of the loose skin.


I told her the truth- she looked great and she has absolutely nothing to worry about, her abs actually looked fine to me, and she has a whole 13 weeks to go- she won't have any problem as long as she is dieting correctly.


Again, she started to almost hop with excitement, the smile broad across her face. I asked her what she was eating and she told me the  whole diet. She has a trainer, so I told her I didn't want to give advise against what he was saying, but she wanted to hear it. 


I commented that she was drinking three shakes a day, that's too much really and explained why it is better to get your protein from whole food sources if possible. I also suggested that she cut out wheat toast (it's not a complex carb) and replace it with a real starch, sweet potatoes, brown rice, oatmeal.


When I told her my age she was floored, "you look like you are in your 20's!" ha ha I guess she was only looking at the abs....


We exchanged names and talked competitions. Her name is Sparkle.


Just then a big guy lumbers over and she introduces him as her boyfriend. She said "honey , oh my god she competes! Look at her, guess how old she is?!" I told her not to put him on the spot like that and told him not to bother guessing. We talked for a bit and parted ways.


Later I see him on the neck machine, although I have no desire for a thick neck, I want to try it just for kicks. I am in the center of the gym, doing walking lunges and she walks up to me all smiles and bouncing. She wants to talk again. Sparkle explains how her boyfriend has his own gym, on Castro street in Mountain View, I could see that, he is a big guy, reminds me of SC, only bigger.


Sparkle wants to know where my show is, she wants to come see me. I tell her and she puts it into her phone.


She looks at me and thanks me and says "I hope I meet you again. I want to see you in a couple weeks" I smile, knowing we probably won't see each other again, at least not soon. I stand there watching them leave, he is lumbering slowly as big, muscle guys do, she is bouncing along beside him, hopping up and down and I can hear her repeating over and over to him: "She says I will be ready! She says I will be fine! She says my abs look great now! She knows- look at her- she knows!" Sparkle was on a high, and I put here there.


It made me feel great, and also made a Saturday night in the gym a fun place to be.


As Monique told me the other day- "you can have a rockin body, but if your personality doesn't shine through, you won't win", and I believe she is right. Sparkle will do well in her show, not only is she cute as a button, but eager and has a lovable personality. 


I hope we meet again too.