Sweathog

Relax! I'm not going to say anything about Arnold Horshack or Vinnie Barbarino.

This is about ME. And possibly a bit about climate, workout intensity, and genetics.

You see, I sweat a lot. Not in street clothes; not at work, or in social situations, or even out walking around. I'm cool as a cucumber then. But when I go to the gym, well, you can bet it's going to get damp.

What's up with that? I look around at the other weightlifters and the folks on the cardio machines, and they all seem to be working as hard as I am. But I'm the only one who's drenched.

Lots of people overheat more than I do in the swimming pool. I can crank hard in water temperatures that leave others gasping on the deck. But in the gym, I seem to be the hottest. I wear the wicking t-shirts, hi-tech headbands, and shorts that are supposed to maximize coolness...but the sweat still runs like a river.

Keeping my hair so short may contribute to how much liquid the headband has to manage. Folks with ponytails seem to have a built-in mechanism for channeling the moisture away from their faces, but my minimalist hairdo results in a dripping face just about as soon as I begin to exercise.

But I like my hair short. Sigh -- I guess I'll just have to drip.

Oh well. I suppose a healthy perspiration system is a wonderful benefit when I'm out on the road. I always stay hydrated, and my thermal system seems to function reasonably well. I don't think my gym-based sweatiness is an indicator of any problem or concern. But I'm curious as to why no one else seems as moist as me. If you have any ideas, let me know.

And here's another question: What's up with the immutable law of physics known as the "locker room space paradox"? The LRSP is the variant of Finagle's Law that says that if there is ONE other guy in the entire locker room when you come out of the shower, he will be using the locker right next to yours...no matter how many unused lockers there are everywhere else in the room. From conversations I've had, I know that it's never intentional -- the dude chooses the space he deems most likely to be unoccupied...but as soon as the selection is made, the next-door neighbor emerges from the shower.

Oh well. Being forced to share a bench (or move to another spot) is a small price to pay for the priviledge of having a membership to a well-equiped gym. And having strong muscles and a healthy heart is well worth the discomfort of having soaking wet shirts and headbands after the workout.

Anyway, I hope everyone is enjoying the Olympics. I know it's been fun to incorporate the previous nights' swimming events into our practices as a timed challenge in the morning. We aren't swimming quite as fast as the folks in London, but we are working hard and relishing the effort. I'll have more to say about Olympic swimming over the next few posts. In the meantime, remember to kick hard off each and every wall, and have a great day!