Xercise365

In case you are wondering, I am still doing my X-365 plan (recent pursuits included hiking in Colorado and snowboarding at Loveland Ski Area and Steamboat - which was heavenly!). I had been faithful exercising everyday from July 1, 2007 until Decemer 29th. Then came the dreaded traffic gridlock on our way to Florida. It took about 14 hours to get there and I just forgot to exercise when I arrived. SO….I started again on January 1st and have been exercising every day since then. My main blog under went a transformation recently at the design of my blog-sultant. I have plans for this one as well.  Stay tuned and get outside…there’s lots to do and air to breath.

Tonight, I enjoyed the most awesome Christmas program I have ever seen in a church. It stretched my mind, my spirit, and my ears. It was simply amazing and an event in which John Rutter would be proud (if you don’t know John, get to know him this holiday season)  The good news is for anyone in East, TN is that it will be on WBIR on Christmas Even and twice on Christmas Day (though I am sure it won’t be as goo as it was live). I sat three rows back with my older three while my wife sat in the back with the baby and the three year old. It had so much variety and with a full orchestra, steel drums, and a wonderful homily. That could have been my X for the night but I had to do something to get my ticker going even more than the music so I walked home to a beautiful star-filled sky. I have determined that as much as I would like to run a marathon running or do another triathlon, just exercising for enjoyment everyday is what fuels me. What fuels you?

BTW, I am contemplating some big changes for this blog in the new year (though I am really not sure if anyone is reading - will you let me know). What I am thinking is have the blog be focused on others who integrate exercise into their lives, how they do it, why the do it, and the benefits is had for them. Of course, I’ll still be X-ing along but after al, it’s not about me!

This morning, I took a walk with my son. Actually, he was on a scooter and I was walking. I LOVED watching him fly down a hill and imagined the grin on his face while he felt the wind in his face. I had wanted to take my gravity board (a very long skateboard) with us but alas I have over done it on the bike recently and my side is a bit sore from my gall bladder surgery.

My friend Laurie posed a question on her X-blog about exercise and keeping at it. Here’s what I put on her blog:

My plan to exercise every day is still going (though I can’t say strong). I got off track a bit after having emergency gall bladder surgery but have still managed to do some type of intentional exercise every day. Though recently, I have returned to the bike, I have also done quite a bit of walking. I walked recently with my pastor at 5:30 am (on the coldest mornng of the year), I walked a lot in Memphis while on a business trip last week, and frequent the college woods near where I live. About a month ago, I was walking in Charleston, SC after spending the night on a WWII aircraft carrier with my son. I found a trail through some woods near the ship. Two older men (probably in their 80’s were “running” through on the trail. A snail could have out run them but by golly they were out there exercising. They greeted me cheerfully each time I passed them. They just seemed to be in great shape with awesome attitudes to boot. It’s why I exercise. I feel better and it affects my attitude. So even if I have to walk, I’ll continue right up to my exercise everyday target date of July 1st (and probably beyond) as it affects everything else I do.

I never thought walking would be an exercise for me. I have been at it every day for one month and I have not only liked it, I’ve loved it. It has caused me to think and be more observant than when I fly by on my mountain bike which was my preferred form of exercise until my surgery to have my gall bladder removed.

Today, as I often do, I walked through the Maryville College woods. I noticed trees I had been by dozens of times perhaps more than a hundred. I really studied them. I looked at a tall pine backdropped by the blue sky. I saw a knotty maple with whithering leaves. I saw a tree with a scar. A scar caused by a fatal impact of a careless young man with his life ahead of him. A tree that wishes it had never been in the way of a speeding automobile. A tree surrounded by flowers and words written by people equally as young forever changed by a loss. I read the notes left by friends and looked at the flowers wishing they had never been bought. I walked alone and said a prayer for the grieving friends and family of a young man who only days before had walked tall in his life.

That’s been my x-plan lately. I am just a walking fool (kind of have to walk, doctors orders after recent gall bladder removal surgery). Monday I walked. Don’t remember where but I walked. Tuesday I walked around Maryville College. Wednesday, I walked up a mountain behind the Claremont Resort and Spa where I stayed during a business trip to speak at a conference. As I walked up the mountain, I watched an amazing sunset over the city of San Francisco.  Ditto Thursday - another walk up the mountain but this time with more clouds. Friday am, I had an early walk down the shopping district of Berkley before flying home. Saturday I hiked part of Bote Mountain trail with some friends. It was absolutely beautiful. This morning, I walked to church with my kids (read my other blog about it to as part of a campaign I’d like to start called Silence on Sunday’s). All this blogging and I am going to need some new fingers. All this walking, I am going to need some new shoes!

Though I will still be exercising, it will be light since I am recovering from my surgery. I will be putting a lot of mental energy into the project I started to connect the globe for good - check out the World’s Biggest Blog Party and exercise your mind while doing good.

My exercise plan is going to change this week (and probably next) as I had my gall bladder removed yesterday. I did 25 situps and 15 pushups right before I put on the “gown”. Last weeks exercise included roller blading and lots of biking. This week will be lite. 

It’s been another hectic week and so my “addiction” to exercise, even if for a few minute like tonight, is just what the doctor ordered.

Sunday - Water skiing

Monday - Bike ride downtown

Tuesday - Biking in the Maryville College Woods

Wednesday  - Same sport different day

Thursday - Pilates! It’s an awesome form of exercise and my abs are still killing me!

Friday - I LOVE those college woods - so assesible it’s a shame not to ride every day 

Saturday - We took a family picnic to the I.C. King park and I rode some great single track trails.

We attempted skiing today but it wasn’t too be. Both our boat and our friends the Leslies boat just didn’t want to got out on one of the most beautiful days of the fall.

I must confess, it is getting more difficult to do the X-plan. First there are the shorter days, Then there were some health issues. I’ve been having x-rays, sonograms, etc to determine what’s going on with the my gall bladder.  Plus, I have been keeping a pretty hectic schedule (often in the office at 6 am or before). However the X-time is keeping me sane. Here’s the week in review:

- Sunday - family hike in the woods. It was great and having a little one on my back helped get my heart pumping).

- Monday - Skiing! My favorite form of exercise lately. We had the lake almost to ourselves and the water was like glass. I told my friend’s the Leslies that I am about my happiest when slicing through the water. We watched the sun set on the lake and it was glorious. I wrote on my other blog this summer about how we were playing catch up and trying to milk the ski season for all we could.

- Tuesday - Biking  through the trails at the Maryville College woods. I am very fortunate to have such quick and easy access. I can be in the woods in less than two minutes from my house on some fun single track and some wide open trails.

- Wednesday - Skiing. Twice in one week! I was in heaven.

- Thursday was crunches and floor exercise day. Not much but better than nothing.

- Friday and Saturday - Biking.  Nuff said.

Today we were at the lake again…ahhhhh Life is Good!