Monday, January 18, 2016

Crazy

"Crazy" is riding your recombitant bicycle to the grocery store when it's 2 degrees below zero and there is a breeze from the west. I just witnessed this behavior. The rider was a middle aged woman that appeared to be heavily insulated in sturdy winter wear. I can remember when I used to go outside and run every day; even on days like today. There are few things that make you feel more alive than working up a sweat in subzero temps. After that, even a cold shower seems warm. Cold showers are important. They get you just as clean as the warm ones and they also drive away the "urge". Yes, I thought you knew what I was talking about.

I need to get back into some form of exercise. I have fallen away from that church in the past 5 years and I need to get back to it. As I said, I used to run every day. I was usually out for an hour and on weekends I would run until I could not run anymore - 3 hours or longer. I would get quite the endorphin buzz. It would leave me feeling like I was floating on air for the rest of the day. Sometimes I would even come home from work and run again at night. I loved it. There is something sexy about running at night in July wearing only running shorts and a wife beater undershirt when the air temp is still 85 degrees and the humidity is 100%. It's like the atmosphere and the darkness are caressing you. There is pain and there is pleasure. The sweat flows like streams. You get soaked from head to toe and your natural aroma permeates the air. It's then that you become aware of how you are indeed "fearfully and wonderfully made". Running nude back in those days even crossed my mind. I was not such an eyesore then and I'm sure it would have felt wonderful, but I'm told reliably that one can be arrested for such activities and being known to the police is not my goal in life.

There is also a reason why the original long distance runner collapsed and died at Marathon on that fateful day when he delivered his message. 

Such activity does take a toll on the body and particularly the joints. I believe my knees have mostly healed by now, but my cervical vertebrae are kind of a mess. And since they have to hold up my head, I probably need to take better care of them.

So I'm thinking of some kinder, gentler means of exertion. Something low impact that will raise the heart rate and still make the perspiration flow. Walking is probably not going to cut it. I may start that way, but I will eventually have to ratchet up the burn. We will see what develops. I am told that wind sprints are better than long distance runs for the calorie burn. Maybe that will be the answer.

If you find my head snapped off my body like a dry twig, you will know my cervical damage is complete. Please try to get it to the crematorium with my body if you find them.

I love y'all. Thanks for stopping by.