Exercise and Other Activities

Today I thought I'd write a little about my exercise routine. I've been interested in keeping fit ever since I gave birth to my first son in 1978, when I decided to become a runner. I'd never even run a block, but I was young(ish), thin(ish) - well, ok, not thin after giving birth, but certainly not obese, so I figured this wouldn't be a huge task - this running thing.

Big, big, wake-up call! I managed to run to the next door neighbor's driveway before gasping for air.  In all fairness - we had large yards and a bit of space between, but still, it was not very far. I didn't give up and walked rather than ran, the remainder of my time that first morning - maybe 20 minutes or so. Over the next several weeks and months, I advanced to a couple of miles. I continued as a runner well into my early 50's, even entering several 12K races. When my knees gave out, I realized I had to quit running entirely.

I played tennis - for recreation, never seriously enough to actually keep score, kayaked from time to time with my younger son, hit the gym sporadically, and hiked the hills of Marin all to keep active and healthy.

Now I'm still hiking the hills of Marin, as well as walking the many gorgeous walking paths from Tiburon to Corte Madera, when I'm in CA. When I'm in AZ, I hike the desert mountain trails near my home and take classes at the local gym.

I've also expanded my repertoire to pickleball! A dear friend and I took lessons last fall. What a hoot! It's not as easy as I expected. It's a workout - even though the majority of players are over 55, they are physically agile and energetic. I'm looking forward to actually playing with others - and not just taking lessons.

One of my friends is a true yoga enthusiast, another Pilates and Barre - I've tried all three and plan on going to classes for these in the future. We've got to keep the bones and muscles limber as we age.

What about you?  What do you love to do to stay fit?