No Excuses

 

There's nothing like interviewing the 1938 Ohio state high school pole vault champion to put things in perspective. At age 92, he's given up using a slender little stick to propel himself skyward and over a bar hanging precariously in the air. But he still goes to the YMCA or Genesis Health Club every day.

Yes, every day!

And then there's the woman I talked to who completed a triathlon at age 79. That's 3 miles of walking/running, a half-mile swim and an 11-mile bike ride. 

It makes me tired just thinking about it.

There are days when I don't want to walk my 4 miles or exercise for an hour.  I just might be known to roll my eyes when the workout warriors on Leslie Sansone's Fat Burning exercise video smile through the entire 5 miles. Seriously, Nicki needs to turn the smile down a notch. I'm all for being pleasant, but nobody is that happy about sidesteps or kickbacks.

Then there's Audra who wears a midriff-baring workout top to show off her perfectly toned abs and arms. I would just like to tell Leslie and Audra that I know Audra didn't get those muscles by simply using the "walk away weighted balls," the "walk belt" or the "punch up your walk weighted gloves." (Still, I like Leslie and her simple steps that even this dance-challenged, 50-something exerciser can do. And you can't beat her positive attitude.)

 

Next time I'm tempted to grumble about my walk or my exercise DVDs, I think I'll remember Les, the pole vault champ, and Lloyda, the 79-year-old triathlete.

Good health should be its own silver lining. But a beautiful morning sky doesn't hurt either.