"Dad...I expect to see a blog tomorrow!"

Sunday, September 4, 2017
“…and I’ve been looking for your blog now and again and I’m telling you that I want to look tomorrow and read about the workout you just told me about…”

 It was the end of a long conversation I was having with my son, Jack, from Fort Gordon, Augusta, Georgia.  As was the usual, our conversation had gotten around to physical fitness.  He was selected to be part of a special training group that helped soldiers he needed to pass their PT’s – physical training – that included a timed two-mile run, sixty seconds of push-ups and sixty seconds of sit-ups.  “I’m in pretty good shape, but I need to set an example so I want to get my 2-mile time under 12 minutes.  Can you help me do that?”

Easy, peasy…but he was sorely disappointed in me for not writing.  I don’t think he cared for my excuse about not having anything to write about – I’ve essentially given up working out so that I could work second jobs in the evenings – he just believes I should write.  I told him I would and so I shall.

I wrote last January that I had several important things on my agenda.  High blood pressure, atrial fibrillation surgery, getting my house ready to sell and downsizing, retiring, and getting back to regular exercise and to writing about it.  I’m on blood pressure medication, I had an ablation to correct the irregular heart rate (more on that later), I bought a new place in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and I’m working more than ever!

Most importantly though, I’ve begun to exercise with some regularity.  My weight has remained constant because I average around 20,000 steps a day through work and short hikes.  On a recent trip to the Adirondacks and a climb up Giant Mt., I discovered with certainty what I suspected…all those steps did little to prepare me for a climb and having my heart rate over 120 bpm for an extended period of time.  I struggled to the top over a climb of several hours, but it wasn’t fun.  My companion, a fellow employee from the farm, was excited about the Adirondacks and wanted to return in the fall and hike into the back country and climb more peaks.  He had mentioned to me several days ago that he’d been hiking for a couple of hours at a time with a 40-pound pack in preparation for that trip.  Shit.  I needed to step up my game.

I ended the day with over 20,000 steps, but was fatigued throughout.  I’m way out of shape and anxious to get it all back.  I need to find a place to do the Survival Workout as well since I don’t want to lose the tone and strength I’d worked so hard to regain.  Jack is due in town for two weeks starting Friday and he will inspire me further to get it going and to stick with it.  Thanks Jack.  I’m on the road to recovery.

Hike: Two hours and 30 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 100-120 bpm.
Calories Burned: 1500
Bonus: 20,500 steps for the day.