I will be the first to confess that there isn’t any thing
sexy or necessarily invigorating about walking.
Yet, the results are in that walking is the best form of long-term
exercise! I will probably be one of the first to get the Apple Watch and will
use it for my jogging and walking to keep track of my levels of exertion and
how many calories I’ve burnt. It is so easy in today’s competitive world to
think that unless I’ve spent big bucks on fancy high tech gear or the best
running shoes that I’m out of it.
This last week I’ve had the blessings from my in-laws to
enjoy a week at the beach enjoying the sound of the surf and the smell of the
ocean. What is fascinating is how many people walk along the boardwalk. The
group reflects all ages, socio-economics and racial backgrounds. Everyone
dresses from being stylish to being in rags. The common element is that
everyone knows that walking for 30 minutes to an hour will make your day go
further and better!
It has been fun walking along the lower boardwalk that is
actually on the beach but is a concrete walkway that has a three-foot ocean
wall to protect it from the tide and too much sand. Each morning we have seen
the same people walking in groups of two or three or taking their dogs along to
get exercise. What is incredible is seeing this one gentleman who is on the
large size greet us with this incredible smile and friendly hello. It’s fascinating
how walking brings out the best in everyone! The boardwalk in this area isn’t
dominated by the young and beautiful but the old whose looks vary.
Yes, I have many friends who are able to afford a personal
trainer and clearly benefit for a season from this oversight. Yet, I also see
another group of friends that are determined to stay in shape and the secret is
rather simple, just get up early and DO IT! As I age I see that my physical
features are a byproduct of my genetics and life patterns. I have been blessed
to have inherited my mom’s high metabolism and my dad’s commitment to exercise.
We argue often about whether we need to be doing more but the reality is that
we walk or jog usually twice a day. It’s a treat because we take our herd of
dogs out on the canal out in the open.
I have persevered through running eight marathons where I
have learned the secret of pacing yourself. It doesn’t matter how fast you
start from the gate it is all about how you finish. Can I save up enough to
make it through miles 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26? It doesn’t matter if I’ve run a
5-minute mile at mile 1 or 2 but whether I can do an 8-minute mile as I finish
my 26.2. The challenge today is that speed seems to be the fascination whether
it be in cycling, Nascar or running. I confess that I have various devices that
will tell me how fast, far and how many calories I’ve burned. These devices
remind me daily to get up and do something.
Walking is no longer an old people’s sport but now practiced
by all ages. It is incredible how much better you feel after you have walked a
couple of miles and gotten your heart rate up and actually sweated. My
inspiration is watching my almost 90-year-old father in-law up early moving it
along the boardwalk.
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