But for What?

Recently during a workout, I looked over at the clock just to see where I was.  You know, sometimes you get that feeling as if you have been working for 40 minutes but in reality it has only been 8. 

As I glance over, I could tell that everyone was working.  I finished up whatever round I was on and sat to catch my breath.  As I walked over to give my time to the trainer, I noticed that some folks must have trouble reading the display on the clock.  One member listed a time that was about a full minute before the time I looked up and noticed everyone still working. It left me scratching my head and asking but for what?

This is why I hate looking at the whiteboard. 

I have talked with a friend of mine about this and asked him to call me out if he sees me doing some crap like this.  To go further, we have an agreement to even help correct each other’s form.  If he sees me not sinking the squat or locking out at the top on a press, say something. That is why we are there right?  I mean, surely the goal is not to have crappy form just to finish before everyone else, right?  RIGHT?

For me, I honestly don’t care what my time is compared to everyone else.  Nobody else in there has been on the same journey as me.  While we are all doing the same workout, we are all on our own paths. I am competing with the old me not the guy at the next rack.  Sure, I feed off of that energy.  If my friend is half a round ahead of me, my goal is to work so that he doesn’t get a full round ahead.  I need to improve.  I need to get faster.  I need to get stronger.  I don’t need to write a fake number on the whiteboard so that everyone will think I am the most awesome athlete ever. 

Sure, it bothers me at times that I am one of the last to finish. But I would rather be dead last than compromise my integrity for something written by a dry eraser marker.