Back to the Gym

I've been absent from the gym for several weeks, wedding, trip to Florida, trip to Texas, infection in leg, sick from medicine to cure infection in leg, bla bla bla...at any rate, today I went back. My good gal pal who is doing the buddy system with me said she was going back so I decided I needed to make friends with the place again too. We walked up together (that is always my favorite part, being with my friend!) and back and while there; we went our separate ways to do our own things. I was feeling pretty good about my treadmill progress so I figured I should be able to crank out 15 minutes on the track with no trouble. I walked the first half to get the feel of it, plugged in my earphones and started chugging away. I made it around 2.5 times before this guy (old guy...about my age!) walks past me. WALKS past me and leaves me in his dust. Not to worry I told myself, I could walk too if I wanted but I wanted to jog and that is what I am doing. Only one foot on the ground at a time, that is my definition of jog! Then another person zooms past me followed by another. Finally after going around the track one more time, I slowed to a walk. That is pretty sad, my walk wasnt really that much slower than my jog. I went on to the circuit of weight machines and then one more lap around the track, walking. I felt a little deflated. Although, I did make it for 10 minutes of my 15 minutes so I guess it wasn't all that bad for my first public outing as a "jogger". I know that if I keep going I will eventually be able to zoom around the track like those other gym goers and I dream of that day. I know it will happen, until then, I will just be the albatross that clomps around the gym, steadfast and true just like that little engine who climbed the hill. "I think I can, I think I can, I T H I N K I C A N....