Gym Class

The phrase "gym class" brings back moments of junior high and high school insecurities, as in my mind you are forced to participate in activities, that yes, might help you be in shape, but no, are not remotely enjoyable to everyone.

Running is one of those activities for me that I absolutely hated in gym class. (Sorry this post might be a downer as I realize how many negative emotions I really have toward gym, well really just running.) I hated it because it seemed at the time like everyone else loved it. There are two situations in particular that I think can explain my continued dislike of the sport.

7th grade. I move to a new school and try out for volleyball and basketball. I make off season basketball, but then day one all we do is run. That is when I quickly realized that although tall, I am not meant to be a basketball player. I went home to my mom, cried like a dramatic junior high kid, quit before anything really started and thus my WNBA future was demolished.

11th grade. In 9th and 10th grade I realized that my ballet would count as PE credit, so I got away with not having to take dreaded gym. Then in 11th grade, I moved again. I couldn't sneak by this time, so it was back to the track. The class itself wasn't bad except for on Mondays and Wednesdays which were running days. I hated those days. I think I hated them so much because I felt so slow and finished after everyone (sad, self pity happening now.) Well this one day we had to run 6 laps (1 1/2 miles), and I was determined not to be last, so I pushed myself more. Unfortunately, this was also the day that almost everyone else in my class realized the teacher wasn't paying attention, lied about how many laps they did, and finished early because they didn't really do as much as they were supposed to. I was SOOOO mad. I realized that there was no way they could have been done because for once, no one had lapped me. In my furry, I ran even faster, taking a minute and a half off of my previous 1 1/2 time. I understand that is a big deal in running world, but at the time I was so upset that for once I was on the same level of physical activity as the other people, but it still didn't look like it because of other people's lies.

So as I write those stories, I'm realizing that maybe they play a huge part of why I still don't like to run today. I've tried off and on for a long time, but I just can't ever embrace it. So thanks "Gym Class" for helping me realize that. I think I'll stick to ballet.