Did You Win?
While driving home I start my ‘touching base’ phone calls to my parents. My dad, the mall walker, answers. “Did you win?”
“Dad?” I startle back. “No, yes, no…well yes Dad I did.”
Getting out of the car in the carport, neighbor Meg shouts over, “Hey Janet I saw you, did you win?”
Her answer got a wave and a somewhat fake smile.
Walking up the stairs to greet hubby working in his office, he greets me first, “Did you win?”
“What?” Another one? I silently moaned with aggravation. “Yes”, I pronounced matter of factly, “where were you?”
Next, another phone call was made to dear mother. She was the one. “How did you do?” were here words after answering the ring.
“Mom… I won!”
“Really honey?” was her quick response in a doubting and questionable tone of voice.
“Mom, my time was my 2nd best, ever, but everyone, everyone who finished, won.”
“You are so right” was her agreement.
It was the 37th Mobile AzaleaTrail Run I recently ran in the and while I ran my 2nd best time, it was my 2nd run competition, ever.
Whether you are a runner or not…Mom has the attitude. If you do run or either power walk, spin, row, swim…whatever you do, you are winning. But to win you’ve got to aerobic exercise.
What do you win? What is the prize that aerobic exercise gives?
Joe Bradley answers it best. We were introduced by a Boston Marathoner, Doug Davis, sharing hydration after the race.
“It is probably the ‘funnest’ thing I have ever done. (For all you jet setters, take note.) You might hate it at first but it gets in your blood. The more you run, the more you want to run. Plus you meet many great people. I have never met a negative runner or exercise activist.”
Joe took his first race at age 49 and he has never looked back. At age 64, he doesn’t look a day over 50. He is still running strong.
But it is a local Mobile dentist, in this photo who does not wish to be named, that is probably the best example of the prize given for aerobic exercise. He did not even participate in this year’s Azalea Trail Run. And he is a true exercise aficionado and devotee as evidenced here in this photo of his daily hand only plank performance.
The plank, linear support of self on elbows and tiptoes, is one of the best balancing and conditioning exercises as it tightens your core and uses practically every main muscle in your body. Those who exercise on a consistent basis naturally have a strong and lengthy plank. Those of us middle agers who seldom exercise can barely get on our knees to take the plank position.
Now, can you do this plank? Two minutes is the ideal hold time. My comfort level hold time for the basic plank is forty five seconds. While our dear dentist’s hold time is not known, to be able to secure, much less sustain, this position is remarkable. Unfortunately, the photo is not very revealing unless I mention our dear dentist performed this plank on his 70th birthday. Yes 70.
As you might guess, he has run before in many Azalea Trail Races but unfortunately had a conflict for this year’s race.
Were you there? Or more importantly, what did you do aerobically today? What is your plan for aerobic exercise tomorrow?
By the way, out of 104 participants in my age group, I came in 4th. Regardless of placement…I won. Are you winning?
