Selfie, week 5: Step 1: Just show up.

This weeks selfie is a) not attractive, b) not posed, c) not me at my finest. However, it’s real. 5:30am. Rohnert Park Planet Fitness. It’d been so long since I had been here last that the app I use to punch in offered to give me a tutorial — true story. But this morning was about the title of this post:
Step 1: Just show up.
I showed up. All I did was run on the elliptical for 30 minutes. The resistance was below what I had thought was my minimum, and it was still difficult; it’s been a while. But I was there.
Ten minutes into my half hour, a gentleman came in and got on a bike in the row ahead of me. He had a good hundred pounds on me. He was showing up. It’s a place to start. One foot in front of the other…
Of the resolutions I publicly made here on the blog earlier, getting in a 10,000 step day a week has not been happening. I’ve got a million excuses — good ones, too! But another one of those resolutions is to achieve a few bucket list items, and I see “backpack solo” and see where I am today on the 30th of January, 2018 and I’m feeling really far away from that seemingly simple goal… But it starts by doing the work ti get into shape. This morning I did that.
The big guy left before my time was up. Skinnier, more fit people were starting to take up station around me and my enthusiasm flagged as I tired. And then my iPhone seemingly recognized my predicament and came to the rescue with a three-punch combination. It started with Pixie Lott’s “All About Tonight“. My “Work The F**K Out” playlist consists of 653 songs, so on shuffle when the iPhone gets on a roll, sometimes the next song succeeds in keeping the energy, and sometimes it’s a jarring transition. Not this time. With my heart rate monitor telling me that despite the low resistance I’m still up there, the iPhone took it up another level…
Katy Perry’s “Firework“. I’m not ashamed. Hell, you’ve seen the picture at the top — I have no shame! As Katy implored me to ignite the light, let it shine, and own the night like the Fourth of July, I was feeling no pain. Eyes closed, RPM surging, I was killing it! By the last “Boom, boom, boom,” I was spent and had three minutes left. The iPhone reached deep and pulled out another Kate — Kate Pierson from the B-52’s — and let loose the enthusiastic and syncopated “Throw Down the Roses.” And with that, I coasted across the finish line.
Thank you so much, ladies. I needed that!
Today I showed up.
Someone helpfully pointed out Step 2: Keep it going.
I’m on board. Let’s do this!

—

Here are the same three songs in alternate locations: