Early one morning last spring as I was walking Remy, I heard noises. 5:30 in the morning is not the usual hour to hear a commotion so I listened harder. I recognized clapping, music and voices. As I got closer to the parking lot where the noises were coming from, I saw a bunch of cars. I also noticed girls moving in synchronization while other women were off to the side.

My brain told me that this was a group of cheerleaders preparing for a competition. Don’t judge me. As a former cheerleader,I knew that competition season was upon us. I figured that they were going through their routine one more time before they left for the school where it was being held.

Realization hit a few seconds later.

This was not a cheerleading squad after all.

It was a group of women exercising.

In the early morning hours.

In the cold.

There was no way that the truth was on my radar in any way, shape or form.

I cannot fathom working out in the cold. There’s a reason for this: I have Reynaud’s. It a condition where your extremities don’t get a lot of circulation. That translates to my fingers and toes going numb in cold temps and me always being cold in general. I mean, I haven’t tried Bikram yoga yet but sweating profusely is more in my wheelhouse.

I walk my dog no matter what but in the winter months, the walks are shorter. I bundle up with my ear wrap, alpaca gloves and socks, as well as a scarf. I do what I can to make my misery as minimal as possible. So the idea that these women were CHOOSING to work out in the cold on stone-cold pavement is unfathomable to me.

The point of this story is that they are once again in my neighborhood. I heard their music as I stepped outside today. Temps will be warmer but at 5:30 in the morning, I am still using an ear wrap and gloves to maintain some semblance of warmth.

Good luck ladies. I don’t envy you. But I do admire your dedication.