Thursday, September 3, 2009

Day 50 Getting the Heart Rate Up

My good friend Patricia, who is amazingly fit, argues that a body should get their heart rate up at least once a day. *groan*

To that end, I am going dog-walking with her today. I won't tell you who's dogs we are walking, but I will say that the owners are wealthy, famous, controversial, and one of them is enjoying a rather restricted lifestyle at the moment.

I've never been athletic. I took swimming lessons as a child because I was made to, and hey, swimming is fun. I was never great at it though. I took gymnastic lessons for perhaps a year or two when I was in lower elementary school, but I suspect that it was because my cousins were doing it, and they loved it, so certainly i would love it as well. Um, no. I played soccer for 4 or 5 summers on a town league in grade school, but again, I suspect that it was because the girl I played piano duets with was also on the team.

I begged my parents for ballet lessons. They told me I was too fat, and that piano was a more practical way of entertaining people.

I don't like to sweat. I don't like how my face becomes red and stays that way for long periods of time. And frankly, I am not coordinated. I don't dance well, and mastering something as complex as the motorcycle took me ages and was not without it's bruises and crashes.

But dogs, well, I like dogs. And walking isn't so bad, is it? I'm thinking of volunteering to be a dog walker for the humane society. Although, it will be a struggle not to bring home my furry charges. I have such a weakness for dogs and cats.

So here we go. Dog walking with Patricia today, something else tomorrow, and if all else fails, I'll start taking the stairs in my condo. 14 flights. Oh Lord.

5 comments:

Q said...

I really like how you started this as an experiment that was very similar to Vanessa's, but now you've changed it slightly and made it your own.

Good luck with the dog-"walking"(I'm assuming you aren't actually going to be walking.

You can totally do it, just don't burn yourself out right off the get go!

Robj98168 said...

14 flights of stairs??? 8o

Of course if the elevators go out then you are totally prepared

Irma said...

Welllllll, if you took the stairs, that would be an environmental change, right? You get two for one. (But ugh, fourteen flights!)

Sandy said...

I love animals too, and am using my affection for them as a stepping stone to cardio health. Those goaties give me a workout, but I always leave happy! In the past 9 months milking the Flint Hill herd, I've grown so much stronger and more emotionally balanced. I call it "Barn Therapy". It does a body good. Go for it...those doggies arewaiting for you.

The Hipster Homegirl said...

I'm an animal person too, so that sounds like a great idea, but I have another suggestion. I highly recommend roller derby. Greatest rush in the world. It's so much fun it doesn't even seem like exercise. And I know there are leagues in Canada...my league is playing Montreal Roller Derby in October. Check it out on youtube or in person. You might find yourself addicted. I played soccer for 9 years and I have never been happier or in better shape!