The Mother Of All Pet Peeves

We all have that one pet peeve that just drives us completely nuts!  No matter what that pet peeve is, we cringe whenever it happens and get thoroughly annoyed.  I have quite a few different pet peeves but there is one in particular that sends me up a wall.  It never fails that this will happen to me almost every month.  I've come to expect that it will happen.  I honestly don't think there is any way to avoid it from occurring.  Well, there is one way but I refuse to give up going to the gym in order to avoid it from presenting itself. 

I could plainly tell you this pet peeve but I don't think you'd fully enjoy or appreciate it unless I provide a full & detailed encounter.  So, here it is:

I will go to the gym to get a workout in.  I lace up my running shoes and drag myself over to the treadmills to get started on my cardio.  I use the word drag because I absolutely hate running on a treadmill.  Being in WI limits the amount of time I can go outside during the winter and get in a quality run.  Therefore, I settle for running on a belt instead.  Back to my story...I am running on a treadmill.  There is a row of 6 treadmills and I will always choose one that does not have anyone on either side of me if I can.  As I am getting further into my run, someone will decide to get on the treadmill right next to me.  This would be OK if all the other ones are occupied BUT, they are not.  I am slightly annoyed by this but it is tolerable.  The next part that happens is where I lose it. 

This particular individual that decides to run next to me when all other treadmills are open will look over at my treadmill stats.  Then they will start their treadmill and set their MPH at .1 or .2 higher than mine.  I can see their reflection in the window in front of us and they have a bit of a smirk on their face.  I have to chuckle to myself because this person has no idea what they just did!  I can tell when someone does this intentionally and since I have a mean streak of competitiveness coursing through my veins, I think to myself: CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!  I usually wait about 30 seconds before I increase my MPH by .1 just to bait this person and see if he/she is truly going to be that 1-up person in the gym.  Usually my prediction is right and about 15-30 seconds later I hear beep, beep.  Now it is on! 

Little does this individual know that I have been running competitively since I was 6 years old in road races or that I ran cross-country &  track throughout middle school & high school.  They don't even know that I was a collegiate track athlete; although, the UWRF Track & Field shirt I'm wearing should go without saying.  Lastly, they have no clue that I have a National Championship ring in my jewelry box.  I could wear it to the gym to convey the message, but that would just be vein.  I'm kidding by the way...I would never wear my NCAA ring to the gym. 

Regardless of all these things, 1-up guy next to me has started something he will pay greatly for tomorrow with sore muscles.  Next thing I know, this person has increased their MPH by only .1 or .2 again.  I beep back at them from my treadmill to let them know I am not impressed by their display of douchiness (if that is even a word?!?!).  The beeping of treadmills continues and serves as an inadvertent curse word sensor between us.  Before you know it we are cruising away at 8 MPH or more and I can tell this person hates me.  It isn't long that they hit the stop button and get off their treadmill from hell. 

I have never had the same person do this to me twice at the gym.  One time usually does the trick.  Maybe this action on my behalf is immature but it is fairly gratifying when I can provide a lesson to people...do not get on the treadmill right next to me and 1-up my MPH if you can't hang.

Happy Sunday!

xo

bj