You left the candles burning: Why I Love Working Out with My Roommate

It's the littlest things that seem to drive me bonkers. Yes, bonkers.

My roommate is a great lady, but bless her heart - this morning I woke up and wanted to kill her - She passed out on the couch after her shift at work, and left like, a billion (see also: 6 or 7) candles burning.

I screamed, "SUZIE! SUZIE WAKE UP."

She groggily came to...

"YOU LEFT THE CANDLES BURNING."
"I know... *snore*"

She had also left the tv on.

But let's face it - I'm sure that the fact that I leave cups EVERYWHERE or my aversion to doing the dishes or the fact that I hide my body sprays in a new place everyday so she can't use them probably drives her up the wall, too.

I never said I was a perfect roommate. :)

Fast forward to after work... My night class was cancelled due to my professor being ill. I'm not celebrating the fact that he's sick - I'm just celebrating a night off! wooo!

I drove home, Suz eventually came home, too.

I began with "Do you remember when I woke you up this morning?"
"Oh, yeah.. something about candles?"

"Yeah. I was pissed." I smiled/giggled when I said this, because let's face it - when I'm not on the track, I'm not the fiercest, most confrontational girl that ever walked the earth. I get embarrassed, I blush - I'm actually rather shy.

"Oh.. well... *smile* I just left them burning so that when you got up, you'd have to blow them out... and so I could sleep on the couch."

Then, I laughed for realz. She has a bed. And a giant bedroom. I'm sure I called her a mother fucker or something....

It's the little things that piss a girl off, and the little things that make her laugh about the crazy shit she's anal about.

And granted, yes - leaving candles burning when you're sleeping is pretty crazy town.. but she had only been asleep for about an hour when I woke up, and nothing burned down.. So. All's well that ends well.

After our conversation, we headed to the work out room. (Or Clubhouse, as Suzie calls it.)

I had planned on a long workout all day long.

Work as long, I didn't have a soda or a snack to get me through.. I knew I wouldn't be able to eat dinner before class - and thus, would not be able to eat before 8:30pm.

I was just a grumpy girl all day long.. So I looked forward to my workout.

I had planned a hard, sweaty, exhausting work out.

I even planned on wearing sweatpants and a long sleeve tshirt to maximize my sweatiness. (Which I did, by the way. It's not often that I had sweat actually dripping - that was quite the success for the day :D)

Suzie had other plans.

"30 minutes, right?"

I stared at her.

"No dude. I had a bad day, I want to sweat it out."

She glared at me...

It seems the trainer has become the trainee. ;)

So backwards, but makes me feel great about my new found love for working out.

Let's talk about all the good things that have happened since Monday - My own personal benefits from working out every day..

1. I sleep like a baby..

...you know, I've never understood that phrase, honestly. All the babies in my life seem to wake up a lot and scream and such. Maybe it's referring to the fact that babies haven't a care in the world so they sleep soundly. REGARDLESS. I sleep like a rock. Fo realz.

2. Adrenaline is a powerful drug. I am a much happier camper with a work out under my belt.

3. My desire to eat good things has resurfaced. I know I need the fuel to get through the day and get through at very least, a 30 minute session on the treadmill. All I want to do is eat fruits and veggies and chicken and drink 40 gallons of water. (Not really. That would kill me.)

4. I'm more excited about life, and more prone to get up and go and do and run and play. Life is SO much more fun when you have energy.

5. I really do enjoy the bonding time with Suzie. Tonight she remarked, "We do everything together." I said, "Well? At least we have fun."

Suzie is a really great work out partner - I know she's in better shape than me, and it pushes me to work harder. After 20 minutes on the treadmill, at a 3.0-3.5 pace at an 8.0 incline, my ass was starting to burn. I mentioned such and she looked at me like I was crazy. "Really? Your ass is burning?" YES. Yes it was.

I also appreciate when I'm grunting and swearing and sweating while I finish my last sets on the weight machine, she glances over and says "Dude. That's only 45 pounds." I glare.. "WE ALL WORK OUT DIFFERENTLY, SUZIE." She, of course, laughs at me and gets a drink of water.

It's quite a dynamic, roommates who work out together.

I can tell a distinct difference in our friendship/roommate relationship, even in 3 days of working out together.

We can spot each other's weaknesses. Suzie is a whiner if our work out goes too long.

I'm a quitter if I'm afraid or I think I can't do something.

Which, I think, speaks volumes about our approach to the flat track.

I am, by nature, fairly quiet, shy, and bashful. Despite those things, I am determined and a fighter.

Suzie is not at all the former- She is loud and outgoing and sure of herself in everything she does or says. She has no shame. She goes and does and doesn't give a shit.

When I step onto the track, I am a bit more timid than Suzie is.

When Suzie steps onto the track, she's been known to say "I want to do a flip/artistic jump/something crazy!"

....and I wonder why her name is Psycho Suzie. :)

THE POINT IS.

It is SOO much easier to get on the healthy lifestyle bandwagon when you have a buddy to do it with.

It is easier to come out of my "But I'm afraid" shell when Suzie is pushing me, daring me..

It's easier to go and go and go when she says "How about we work out until MY ass starts to burn?"

It is easier to be close friends when you know you sweat together every single day.

It is easier to excuse tiny faults when you know you'll sweat it out later.

Today, I'm grateful for Suzie, for her friendship and the motivation she gives me.