Spandex is Not A Right, It's a Privilege

So, this morning, started off a bit rocky anyhow. Usually I'm up at about five thirty-ish (well that's when my alarm goes off anyhow) Then, I spent five minutes saying "five more minutes, five more minutes contemplating whether or not I can afford to skip the morning swim because I'm so warm and comfy in my bed, five minutes yelling at myself telling myself of course I can't afford to skip the morning workout- do I not realize there are ONLY 14 weeks left until the Triathlon. Then I usually lay in bed for about a minute or so more, and I'm up and out by 6:00.

One of my idiot dogs, who is getting older but seems to think he can still eat common household items and digest them with no problem (Think- Marley and Me and you have my dog) got into a bag of peas that I threw in the garbage because they were freezer burned, and ate them- all. This was a very large frozen pea bag might I add. So, the ahole was up all night panting and whining needing to be let out every half hour or so, to expel said peas. Needless to say, I did not get a lot of sleep. Usually, the dog wakes my husband up, and I can continue to sleep in a blissful unaware state until said husband tells me about the evenings goings on the next morning. However, over the past few weeks I seem to be a lighter and lighter sleeper. Who knows.

So, the alarm went off- I turned it off and said five more minutes, which turned into twenty. So, late start- plus traffic (for what reason I have no clue) plus empty gas- I got into the pool very late this morning.

You know how yesterday I said that the pool is relatively empty in the morning so it is a very fast swim- yeah today, the pool was packed. Apparently word got out how empty it is in the morning and everyone flocked to the pool. Grr.

All of these things already put in me a quasi-bad mood when in the ladies locker room is a gigundo poster from Vitamin Water that reads "Spandex is not a right, it's a privilege"

I took a look at it, immediately thinking "Oh, really?" and it reminded me of a post I made a few months back regarding seeing myself, in spandex (well, cotton stretchy pants but same idea) and how spandex is not my friend, regardless of what Slow Fat Triathlete said. Well Guess what, I changed my mind.

BS posters like this made me change my mind. Who is Vitamin Water to say who deserves to wear spandex? I know, its only an ad campaign but this stupid poster points to the same bs that society has been putting in womens head for decades. Sadly, fat seems to be the only acceptable discrimination left. I understand now, why SFT put an entire chapter in her book regarding spandex, because with posters like that- heavier people do feel ashamed to have something skin tight exposing all of their pudge and jiggles. But you know what, it makes running or biking a whole lot easier than if you were doing it in regular shorts or pants.

So, everyone, pudgy or super skinny should embrace their spandex pants while working out- who cares what you look like. You're working out right? Youre doing something to change yourself right? Clearly any hater that you may be afraid will comment has no brick to stand on since you are actually out there trying to make a change, right?

Heck- I do a walk of shame every day from the lockeroom to the pool in nothing but a bathing suit, with all my pudge, rumples and divits out there for the world to see. I used to, when I first started swimming again, about three years ago- walk out to the pool area with a towel wrapped around me- but I soon realized I would still have to get out of the pool and walk over to the towel area- so what did it matter if I hid behind a towel coming in- when going out I wouldn't be able to hide. I told myself, at least I'm doing something to change the way I look so who cares if the little hamsters on their treadmills and ellipticals that are looking into the pool area can see me- I'm here for the same reason they are.

You should adopt this attitude too. If you are comfortable rocking the spandex- do it. Who gives a crap what Vitamin Water or the world thinks about it. Screw them and their "privileges"


~Millie