Lessons Learned in a Women's Locker Room

I was never one for gyms, classes, gyms, weight lifting, gyms, treadmills, gyms, stationary bikes and stair masters, and, well, gyms.  And then, on October 5, 2010, a doctor told me I had a stress fracture.  There would be no running; there would be no walking; there would be crutches if the pain got too bad; and then "maybe you could swim" came out of his mouth just to round out the horror of the overall message.  When I replied, "I'd rather die," he suggested joining a gym. 

That was about three years and four months ago.  Today, I'm a different woman and a different kind of athlete because of the time I've taken away from running, because of what I've learned at the gym about strength training and tenacity, and because of what I've learned from other women in the locker room. 

These are those lessons:

1. Everyone, even the most put together, beautiful, intelligent woman, has her own demons and sometimes crying happens just as loud, angry phone calls happen and throwing an empty water bottle across the room happens - you don't always have to show a perfect, pretty face; instead be true; be honest - it's way more endearing;
2. Keep a toothbrush, toothpaste and floss in your gym locker if only for those two days per year that you're heading straight to the Dentist after your workout and before work - your dental hygienist will thank you;
3. Dry shampoo can change your hair and your entire morning - own some;
4. Everyone forgets things at 5:00AM.  I've seen everything from bras to tampons change hands in those wee hours; it will happen to you - lend freely and be lent to; 
5. If you're on your phone, people will roll their eyes at you and otherwise try to intimidate you into ending the conversation - let them and hang up;
6. In a pinch, grab a hanger from the gym's coat closet and steam almost any fabric in the sauna while you shower - max is around 3-5 minutes;
7. Repeat a name when it is given to you over and over in your head and, if possible, associate it with something distinguishable about the person because, after 3+ years of seeing someone naked almost every day as you discuss her children and your job, it becomes awkward to ask it - trust me;
8. As in life, there will be varying degrees of self confidence expressed in levels of nudity:  own yours and don't get overwhelmed by others';
9. Bandaids, bandaids, bandaids!  Invariably, we cut ourselves shaving - don't be the bleeder running around looking for tissues or toilet paper;
10. This may offend conservationists BUT, if you're an early bird at the gym like me and it's approximately 11 degrees outside - that first shower of the day is going to be cold!  Realize this and work a warm-up of your chosen shower into your routine.  For instance, I'm a hop off the treadmill, grab a towel, pop on the shower and stretch in the rising steam sort of girl; and
11. Laugh when you hear something funny. Because you will.  And if you stand there stoically pretending you hear nothing or see nothing, women will start to treat you like you're nothing.  So join in.  Be part of the community and have a good belly laugh about another girl's horrible first date!

Understanding that we're faced with situations, almost daily, that we are uncomfortable with is an incredibly humbling thing.  Using that nervous energy and making a concerted effort to participate in the lives of others, even if they are strangers, and actively learning about ourselves in so doing, is probably the reason we're all here.  From the locker room to the office and out on the running trails, personal connections, ever so slight that they may seem, tone down the anonymity of a city and empty us of our insecurities.  So on I will go, stepping outside of my comfort zone and into the great wide open, with clear eyes and a full heart (can't lose!).