Today while at the gym I did a double take, no more like a triple take. I thought I was in the wrong place. Did I accidentally walk in to beauty pageant? A few women had more makeup on than Joan Rivers. I don’t know who missed the memo, but clearly someone was in the wrong place.

With that in mind, I asked my followers/friends on Twitter and Facebook what their biggest gym pet peeve was. I must have struck a nerve, I got a TON of replies. So I thought it would be fun to share them all in one place. What is yours? Share them!

1. People not asking if you are done with a piece of equipment before they take it or jump on it. ~ Michael R
2. Ladies who wear too much perfume. ~ Maddy H
3. People not wiping down machines. ESPECIALLY those you head touches!! DISGUSTING!! ~ Brandon W
4. People that take way too long using the equipment and don’t share. ~ Renee
5. People not wiping down the equipment after they’re done! tsk tsk… ~EC
6. Everyone’s all like “I’m so hot and buff and at the gym.” ~ Brian D
7. Meatheads. ~ Kevin G
8. Guys that make really LOUD noises, drop weights, etc. Slow, controlled, movements!!! ~ Brian H
9. Grunting, spitting, and swearing. Meatheads are so annoying! ~ Megan K
10. People who wear too much perfume or cologne. Yuck. ~ Erin K
11. When people to wipe off the machine after they’re finished…yuck!! ~ Adia A
12. People talking on the phone while on the TM or elliptical. ~ Ari G
13. Squeaky cardio machines. ~ Nathan H
14. People who try to have whole conversations with me while I’m working out. Catch me before/after but pls not during my dropset. ~ Aleksandra S
15. Women who go to the gym all done up with make up and guys screaming in the weight room. ~ Anthony M
16. People who try to talk to me. Or worse, flirt. Alejandra O
17. Folks not reracking the weighs they used. ~ Joy S
18. Sweaty people not wiping down machines. Hate it. ~ Jeff W
19. When people walk on the treadmill when its a beautiful day outside! ~ Brittney Z
20. People who don’t wipe down machines after use. GROSS. ~ Dacia C
21. Gym pet peeve: Men who grunt, loudly, to indicate how tough they are. Esp. love it when I’m lifting more weight than they are! ~ Amy R
22. 1) Weirdos staring at me while I/they work out! 2) Girls YAPPING NONSTOP while doing cardio! 3) Anyone blabbering away on cell phone! 4) Put a towel on for CRYING OUT LOUD! ~ Mike R
23. I hate it when someone thinks they need to have 3 machines set up to rotate between, not letting anyone else in. ~ Scott S
24. Not putting your equipment away or cleaning it off after they are done sweating on it. Gregg S
25. The guy who walks buck naked in locker room then wants to carry on long conversation. ~ Steve S
26. Skinny people looking at me funny ’cause I’m heavy… I’m at the gym, I’m working on it!! ~ Amanda B
27. Hovering at a machine, or if I’m on the elliptical the creepy old guy staring. O.O. ~ Kerrie H
28. I hate it when people just sit on the machines between sits. If you wanna chat, get off your butt and go chat. I want the machine!!!!!! ~ Glenn M
29. People who wonder off on other equipment and come back and say they are using the equipment you are on.. Also the hoverers. And the grunters and groaners. Don’t get me started….. ~ Jack E
30. Not wiping up the sweat, I don’t need to be in your sweat, or use my towel on your sweat. ~ Kevin K
31. Dudes (and it is mostly dudes) who smell. ~RG
32. People who do 10 mins of cario and drink a whole Gatorade. And people who flex in the mirror. ~ Shawn C
33. People who grunt! ~ Thomas T
34. Plumber’s crack in yoga class. *ugh* pull it up, buddy. ~ Sarah R
35. Guys who jump on the treadmill next to you and hit on you while you have your I-pod on AND a 2 carat wedding band on your hand. =0) ~ NR
36. People who watch TV while sitting on a machine you want too use and they have their a$$ parked there forever! ~ NR
37. Guys who stare. (well, maybe I kind of like that) hahahaha! Gina H
38. Person picking machine right next to me when they are all open. Personal space, people!!! ~ Kat A
39. LOUD GRUNTERS. ~ Desiree K
40. People w cell phones…esp those hogging the benches. ~ Lindsay L
41. People talking (YELLING) on their cellphones!! Ughhh. ~ Brian H
42. Naked fake boobies in the locker room. (I know you paid a lot for them, but get them out of my face please!!) ~ Stacey M
43. Girls who wear makeup & don’t work up a sweat. Go pick up guys somewhere else! ~ Sara Y
44. Women who “wear” perfume to the gym. ~ Debbie K
45. People who talk during an anaerobic workout in a spin class. Full conversations. ~ Kelly E

Which was your favorite? Some made me laugh! Add your’s below!

Photo by Mauspray

OMG!!! I really did it! I had NO doubt in my mind that I would finish the race, but when I actually came around the corner, saw the finish line and crossed it, I was in shock. Releaved. Happy. Excited. No longer a 100 miler virgin. (Yes, I thought about writing that line the last 10 miles:)).

It will take a few posts to fully do justice to the increadable feat of running 100 miles in 24:58. For now, I am going to answer some questions.

Q: How many pairs of shoes & socks did you use? ~ Jen

A: I changed socks only once.  I believe around mile 45. And regrettably I wore the same shoes the whole time. If I run this distance again I will change shoes. My feet REALLY took a beating. Ouchie!

Q: Were you surprised how much pain set in after? ~ Erica

A: I will admit, yes I was. I am usually able to bounce back pretty quickly, but 100 miles is NO JOKE. After the excitement of finishing then I felt (and saw) how much damage I really did to myself. The pain was intense for sure.

Q: Why were you not able to swallow? ~ Erica

A: Good question. I am not entirely sure why (maybe a doctor can help me out on this one). I think it had something to do with my auto immune condition. I have had this issue many times before. I was really hoping that it would stay away though! I was forced to drink & eat. Just was hard to do:)

Q: How did you keep your mind busy while running? ~ Amanda

A: Yes, what do you think about for 25 hours- STRAIGHT??!! My first thought was to make it to each aid station. My second thought was to remind myself not to die. Third, thought about how many life’s I would reach with what I was doing. Fourth, I thought of what I would do when I would finish. Fifth,  I just got in a zone (especially the last 50 miles) and kept one foot in front. Six, I thought about new business ideas. Surprise, surprise. Seven, I thought of all the people encouraging me. And I think a lot more:)

Q: What support did you have? ~ Sue

A: I will go more into depth on this later, but I must say I owe my finishing to my AWESOME friend Gregg. He was at every aid station. He took such great care of me. From ice cold towels for my head/neck to making me fluids (and forcing them down me) to asking me what I needed, to helping bandage my feet to cheering me on AND to also staying up for 25+ hours!!!  Gregg, let me thank you right now. You made my race a success.

Q: What was the hardest part of the run? ~ Jeff

A: It was the miles during the day. They sucked. It was 95 degrees in South Dakota and a VERY dry heat. I think miles 30-50 were the toughest.

Q: Did you know the recovery was going to be this tough before you started? ~ Fred

A: HELL NO!!! And I am glad I didn’t! I would have still ran it, but would have known what to expect after the fact:)

Q: How did you begin to trust yourself re: knowing when & what to eat while on long trek? ~ Amy

A: I had to trust Gregg and I also knew that if I didn’t eat or drink it would be very tough for me to finish. This is also where my training came in. I trained with food and fluids, it was time to trust that it would get me through. I also had to  have faith to change things up when the currant plan wasn’t working.

Do you have a question? Let me know! I will be happy to answer them!’

Photo by Bast