An Amazing Machine

The body is truly amazing, when you think about it.  All of the systems work together in perfect harmony to allow you to walk, run, think, carry, problem solve, and generally go about your daily business.  It doesn't take much for one little thing to throw the whole shebang out of whack.  Which is precisely the reason people should take care of the gift they've been given. 

Maybe you hate to exercise, but chances are there is something in your life that keeps you active.  Many people get outside and work in their yards or take their dogs for walks.  Maybe you ride your bike occasionally or go dancing.  Maybe you take kids to the kid park or dogs to the dog park.  While we might not think about these things as physical fitness, any activity you are doing that involves movement of your body keeps joints limber and muscles working.  The important part is that you are doing something you enjoy.

Keeping your body in working order is especially important as we get older. Whenever I'm at a race and I see the 70-plus crowd out there running marathons, half marathons, or even walking a 5k, I just want to go up and high-five them for just being out there.  During the Seattle Rock n' Roll marathon, my friend Jill and I spent a good portion of the race behind a man who had to be pushing 80, wearing a "100 Marathons" t-shirt.  Yes, he was struggling, and his "wog" was as fast or faster than our actual jogging. His body and legs definitely looked like he had run 100 marathons. But despite being about 100 years young, he was able to keep a consistent pace throughout the 26.2 miles.  According to the video, he came in a little behind me at the finish line, so he may very well now be wearing a "101 Marathons" t-shirt. Actually, he's probably run at least ten more since that time last year. 

For me, exercise is about more than weight loss.  It's about personal growth, mental health, and love of nature. It's about getting out there and moving.  Maybe for me it's about more than that, since I was a choir and music kid instead of a sports kid.  Drill team was the only physical thing I ever did, and I think of how much better off I would have been in that endeavor if I'd stopped eating Dolly Madison Apple Pies and gotten off the couch once in a while. I'm fascinated by the fact that I can set a physical goal and reach it.  But I'm also a little saddened by the fact that I missed out on years of physical activity.  My feeble attempts at basketball in jr. high were nothing more than a social outlet, but I probably could have set my mind to practicing and ended up playing in high school.  Even today I would love to play volleyball in a recreational league, but if my volleyball skills playing in P.E. against the fourth graders at my school are any indication, I don't know who would have the patience for me.

The great thing about this life, though, is that you get a new start every day if you want one.  Just because you've never done something before doesn't mean that you can't.  What it means is that if you set your mind to it and you show some dedication and commitment, you can make it happen.  Believing it is the majority of the battle.  No, it's not going to be easy.  But that's what makes the challenge meaningful.  Each day, you make a choice to complete that day's task, and little by little you will see amazing results.  I've found that a calendar helps, and planning workouts ahead of time means I am more likely to stick to the goal.  For anyone interested in running, there are tons of training schedules out there.  I'm particularly fond of Hal Higdon's novice and intermediate schedules, because they happen to work for me. 

If you're not a fan of something that rigid, maybe you just set small physical challenges for yourself each day.  When I started running, I couldn't run a 1/4 mile without stopping.  So I went to the local school track and ran the straights, walked the curves for a mile.  Eventually I worked my way up to running every other lap.  Once I got to the point where I could run the whole mile,  I upped it to adding a half at a time.  Yes, it took me forever to get to the point where I could run 3 miles without stopping.  But completing my first 5k was a major accomplishment, and one I won't ever forget. 

It's Spring, and the weather's finally beginning to cooperate after this long, cold, dreary winter.  Get outside and enjoy it with some kind of movement today.  Your amazing machine will thank you.