Lazy Sunday CXCIII: Walks

I watched my older brother finish the Myrtle Beach Marathon eight days ago, the second time he’d completed the race (he first ran it in 2016, and did the half-marathon for a number of years since then).  While waiting for him to cross the finish line, I witnessed runners of all backgrounds and experience levels finish the half- and full-marathons.

What I noticed was that the runners were not just the super athletic, ridiculously (even scarily) lean types like my brother, but included quite a few husky folks as well.  A tiny, fluffy, elderly Jewish lady finished the half-marathon.  Another runner was a man so fat, his back fat formed what looked like a second butt above his actual butt.

These examples shamed me into action.  If a woman with the dimensions of a bowling ball and a man with an upper butt could run thirteen-miles and change, why couldn’t I?

I don’t have any ambitions to run any marathon—full, half, quarter, etc.—but I have been rising early every morning since returning from the trip and jog-walking about a mile.  Each day I’m able to push my jogging/running distance a bit further, and reduce the amount of time I am walking.

Who knows if I’ll stick with this latest round of self-improvement in the long-run (just ask my dentist about my flossing habits), but I’d like to see it through and keep improving.  It is a good feeling coming back to coffee and breakfast covered in a healthy sheen of sweat.

So it is that I thought I’d look back at some past posts on walking this Lazy Sunday:

  • Walkin’” (and “TBT: Walkin’“) – I made the mistake of starting a long walking regimen right before school started back—and back in the days before I woke up before 5 AM.
  • Walkin’ II: Early Morning Strolls” – My neighbor and I spent the mornings three times a week walking and doing some light calisthenics.  It became difficult for both of us to maintain.  Ironically, I find it easier to do it without someone else.  I’m at that point in my life where, rather than the other person being a source of accountability, doing stuff with other people—even stuff I want to do—sometimes feels like a social obligation (in other words, a form of work) that I have to fulfill.
  • Revisiting Walking Across South Carolina” – The ultimate dream.  It’s dangerous, impractical, and would probably be incredibly dull for long stretches, but I love the idea of traipsing across my State, walking stick in hand, and engaging in a Tolkien-esque journey of physical, mental, and spiritual growth.  Note:  I love the idea; the execution is a different matter.

Happy Sunday!

—TPP

Other Lazy Sunday Installments:

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