You bet. One of the most important parts of my life now. Being retired and having the time to dedicate to keeping fit and flexible, I do some sort of training every single day of the week. I call it dedication, though Mrs B reckons it merely obsession………
During lockdown, we weren’t allowed to exercise outside the perimeter of our house, so I downloaded an app which gave me various workouts to follow without the need of a gym. I still use it to this day. During those bleak times, I also invented a cardiovascular drill called stair running. It involved me doing a circuit of the kitchen, followed by a rush up the stairs, a circuit of my bedroom, then a rush down the stairs, round the kitchen, repeated ad nauseum. To make it competitive, I timed myself to see how many times I could complete a circuit within a time frame.
I did stop for around 30 days a couple of years ago, following an unpleasant abdominal operation. But as soon as I was physically able, I started going for very short walks, gradually getting longer and building up my strength until I could manage to run and cycle again. I’m sure my recovery was boosted by this routine
Just this morning, I played lawn bowls for two hours in temperatures approaching 36C. This afternoon, when it will be even hotter, I shall walk my two dogs up the mountain. Onto this evening, (when it will have cooled down to 30C), I am taking part in a seven-kilometre charity walk, followed by a beach party. Which is great exercise for the arm when raising your glass several times. Early tomorrow morning, I am meeting some folks for a 5km run around a local park.
I love it. But why do I put myself through so much strain, effort and sometimes trauma? Two reasons. At over 70 years old, I don’t know how long my knees, ankles and other body parts will keep working, so I’m making the best of it, and at my age you have to keep flexible otherwise you simply seize up. Also, it makes me feel so good. Whatever my stress levels, or mood, exercise gives me a superb feel-good factor. Similar to an Arsenal victory or someone pouring me a glass of wine. A great emotion.
Exercise – me?
I’ve never been much of an athlete. I didn’t play sports in school and I don’t watch sports as an adult. Yes, I understand that makes me an outcast and I almost certainly eat small children. But what’s the point? You’re still gonna die. You might as well have some pizza while you’re waiting for the ambulance.
Roger is the exact opposite, he’s all fit and runs and bikes and eats broccoli. Guess what? Still gonna die. I saw some broccoli one time… It looks like little trees, on a mission. Screw broccoli.
I weigh the same now as I did twenty years ago. It’s just all the weight fell off my shoulders and landed on my stomach. So, a couple of years ago I decided to do something about it. Roger rides his bike once a week and I wanted to ride along. Actually, riding bikes is a nice morning and I highly recommend it.
I talk smack on Roger all the time but the truth is he was great. He started me out on simple, shorts rides and we worked up. By six months or so we were doing these 26Km rides up and over a beautiful plateau. Fields of wheat, blue skies, and olive trees. We always talked and took a leisurely pace. Sitting here thinking about it, I miss our rides.
Then came the cancer scare. Roger had to go in for surgery and couldn’t ride for some time. I went several times alone and that slowly petered out. Then he moved away and I never rode again. The helmet is on the handlebars… spider webs. Truth is I was never really riding to get fit. It was the pleasant, cool mornings and conversation.
So no, exercise is something I never really got into. I think genetics and not really abusing drugs or bad food has a bigger impact. Do you ever wonder how much influence the mind has over health? Males in my family all live into their early eighties and I see no reason to think I’ll be any different. I do stuff around the house pretty much every day but I don’t have a formal exercise regime.
Exercise: me?
Today, Friday, July 26, I did my 10km at Meschersky Park, a lovely and well-cared-for forest location southwest of Moscow. Here is a weird picture of me today; it is actually a selfie on the run.
I have systematically jogged or run since April 2014, when I started my first marathon run plan. I implemented it in September at the Moscow Marathon. Back in April, it was mission impossible. Then, every running session was a step forward for me and a revelation. Running my first 7km, 10km, 15km, 21km, and beyond was ‘no job is too big.’
It helped me widen my mental and physical horizons.
What else? Since 2001, I practice karate. I can tell you, just like running. This means I do it regularly. From September through June, I attend my dojo once a week, on Thursdays.
Karate helped me feel strong enough to tackle any problem that could have frightened me. Again, it was about widening my horizons.
What else? I do my push-ups two to four times a week. My standard is thirty push-ups. Like my former karate teacher once said, if you can do thirty push-ups, you’re in good shape.
In summer, I enjoy swimming, though I could be a better swimmer. I also now practice SUP, a board you can paddle.
During winter, I occasionally ride my snowboard. It’s mostly around Moscow, with pretty short routes—still, seconds of excitement matter.
What do I get from it?
As I understand bits and pieces of physiology, it is about adrenaline and endorphins. You have probably heard about the ‘runner’s high’ phenomenon. It is all about getting pleasure from physical exercises of any kind. It is an ancient thing that has been helping us to hunt, survive, and live for hundreds of thousands of years.
Getting back to the contemporary times, I enjoy feeling fit. It is a good feeling. I may lack some other qualities and features, but I am strong enough compared to most men of my age or younger. It is both physical and psychological. These things are woven together.
Exercising can lift your mood and attitude. Maybe faster and more efficient than other things, like career development. However, these things are also interconnected.
These things and activities have made – and are still making – my life more colourful.