About a week ago, I wrote a post called “This Was To Be the Day”.  In it I decided not to return to the gym then, after an absence of five weeks.  Still too tired.

Okay … today I am returning.  The week between feels like inertia.  That’s the word that comes, even though I can’t remember what it means.  It feels like “slowing” or “stuck”.  Let’s see what the dictionary says:

A tendency to do nothing or to remain unchanged

Yep, that’s been me. 

In a few minutes, I’ll be walking through the door of Basic-Fit.  I’ll be putting on t-shirt and shorts again.  I’ll take down a gym mat and spend half-an-hour stretching.  And then on to the elliptical machine.  It’s an old friend that I’ve lost sight of recently.  I miss the rhythm of the arms and legs … the flow.

Cool.  I have no expectations of the upcoming session, other than putting on my gym clothes.  Everything beyond that will be a bonus.  Such a different feeling from, say, ten years ago.  Then if I hadn’t been working out for a few weeks, I would have pushed myself towards instant fitness.  So silly.  Such a waste of energy.

Now I am older and marginally wiser.

Here I go!  I’ll continue the story after my return.

***

I did it  >   I put my gym clothes on.

And there’s more.  The stretching of my arms, legs, back and neck was a blessing.  For the last few days, my leg muscles were so tight that it was painful to walk.  I stretched yesterday at home and then just now.  The tightness is less and I wouldn’t call it “pain” anymore.  Yay!

So the lesson is clear … this 70’s body needs exercise.  Any thought of “I’m past that stage of life” is ridiculous.

On to the elliptical.  I made a goal: stride for half the time (15 minutes vs. 30) at half to two-thirds the intensity.  It wasn’t a commitment.  It was a hoped for.  And I knew I’d be happy if I fell short.  It was just so cool to be back!

Oh … the flow of the machine – my arms pushing and pulling, my legs rotating.

I looked at the numbers on the little screen.  They were well below the usual.  “So what?” I laughed.  Did I really expect to pick up where I left off?

At about 14 minutes I knew I was near the end.  “Fifteen it is!”  A tiny part of me wanted to push to 18 but I waved it off.  No thanks.

***

If you could see me now as I sip my cappuccino, you’d take in a soft and wide smile.  Like this:

Salut!