Personal Yearly Milestone
Category: Kitchen Sink...
Posted Saturday, November 15, 2003 at 03:07 PM [GMT-6]

It's a beautiful fall afternoon in west Texas...almost 70 degrees, only the slightest of breezes, high thin clouds that remind you that winter is lurking around the corner but can't yet work up the courage to make his move. We've not yet had our first freeze -- although today is the average date for that event -- so the pecan trees that limit the view from my back patio are still in full foliage.

I'm blogging from a chaise lounge on the patio, watching a congregation of sparrows play hide-and-seek in the big Mexican broom growing up against the back fence. All-in-all, it's a fine time to be alive.

I noticed in my exercise log (which is really just an Excel spreadsheet) that I've achieved something of a milestone this month: over 1,000 miles of year-to-date cycling on the tandem, another 1,000+ miles on the single bike, and over 500 miles of running. Those are numbers with a satisfying synchronicity.

I'm sure some of you view these numbers as pitifully underachieving, while others believe them to represent some unattainable goal requiring an obsession bordering on insanity. In fact, the truth lies somewhere in between.

It's taken two decades, but I've finally found an exercise regime that works for me. I don't necessarily advocate it for someone else, because everyone has different needs, goals and capabilities. My goal is to find a good compromise between doing what's necessary to stay fit, without become a slave to the schedule. In my case, daily discipline is required, for I've found that if I neglect a workout for two or three days in a row, the setback is more severe than you might think.

On the other hand, rest and recuperation is essential, especially as we (I) age. Again, in my case, that doesn't necessarily mean taking off days at time, but it does mean stopping at the right time during each workout. So, I run 4 miles, even though I'm tempted to go 5. I cycle 20 miles, even though 25 is within reach. I take off one day a week, even though my "numbers" would look better if I didn't.

Also, I don't measure these things by mileage, even if I do keep track of it. My goal is to devote a certain amount of time each day to exercise. In my case (notice how I keep using that disclaimer?), it's an average of 35 minutes per day, day in and day out, year-round, of aerobic activity. This year, I'm closer to 40 minutes, but that's hardly worth mentioning.

The discipline is what's important, and what's difficult. That, and convincing myself that this seemingly selfish use of time is really necessary. It is, just as the thirty minutes each morning that I spend in Bible reading and prayer are essential. One gives my body a boost, the other energizes my spirit; both make me better able to do what I'm supposed to do the rest of the day.

Why am I telling you this? I guess I'd just like to encourage you to find a routine of activity (you don't even have to call it exercise) that gets you up and moving around, that challenges your body and distracts your mind for a few minutes each day. Keep track of your progress, whether it's via an Excel spreadsheet or some shorthand notation on a desk calendar (that's how I started). See if it doesn't make a difference in your ability to enjoy a beautiful fall day.