Chapter 1: Introduction
Ana's arms ached as she pumped out another rep. A tiny bead of sweat trailed down her temple and cheeks, stinging her eyes. Panting, she set the barbell gently onto the rest and shook the exhaustion out of her arms, glancing around the gym.
The gym was alive with activity. Treadmill runners plugged into personal earbuds and stared mindlessly ahead, each footfall matching the determined rhythm of the runner beside them. Some gym-goers stuck to stationary machines: cycling, rowing, climbing.