It’s spring and I’m excited about getting outside and getting back into shape!
The weather is beautiful, it feels great to be outside and I have no reason not to jog and exercise more often.
Well, work is a pretty good excuse. It’s been busy lately and I have been tired after some long days. I’m too tired to exercise.
Even so, I feel like I owe it to myself to get outside and jog regularly and maybe throw in some sit-ups, push-ups and other painful-ups. I vastly prefer the down part of the ups.
Over the winter months, I put on some weight, lost some muscle and fell out of shape. It’s time to reclaim my fitness and pull this body back together!
At the same time, though, I like to spend time with the family, and exercising certainly does take away from those important moments that I likely will never get back. Maybe I’m just being selfish if I say I’m going to go jog. Don’t I owe it to my family members to stay home? And what if someone stops by to visit but I am thinking only of myself and am out exercising? I would never forgive myself if I missed the opportunity to have a good talk with a friend.
I jogged three times this week already, and it felt terrible every time. It was uncomfortable and depressing. Last summer and last fall, I was cruising through my jogs and I felt great. I was passing rabbits, accelerating up hills and jumping various objects on my runs.
One day when I was running last fall, I found a great place to jump on an uneven sidewalk and I felt like I was flying! Landing wasn’t as much fun and just made me feel like I was aging quickly, but the jumping part felt super.
But during the winter, even during a mild winter like we just had, it was just too cold. I hate running when it’s super cold outside and I can feel it in my chest. Running can be hard enough when it’s comfortable outside, but it seems impossible if it’s cold.
Plus, if it’s extra cold and I’m running, I feel like I’m just asking for a heart attack. I spend most of the run focusing on if my arm feels numb, if I am going to slip on any ice and how long it will take anyone to find me if I fall down and hurt myself.
Basically, it’s a good excuse not to jog or exercise when it’s cold outside.
I think people will find me if I stay inside and instead fall down in my living room. And if they don’t, that’s just a good reason to stay on the sofa and watch television anyway.
Plus, I rediscovered doughnuts over the winter. They are much more fun than jogging. Oh, and ice cream. I had not realized how much I love ice cream. And chocolate pie. And more doughnuts.
Basically, I exercised a little over the winter and instead focused most of my energy on eating. It was awesome, but now I feel heavy and slow.
Now, it’s time to pay the piper (whatever that means), and it’s time for me to get working at this again. It is time to jog or get some exercise in nearly every day and I know that I can do it
The only problem is, I don’t really want to do it. I’d rather just buy all new clothes, enjoy pain-free knees and either watch television or read a book.
Is that so wrong? Aren’t people always saying we need to read more books? Maybe I would be doing society a favor.
But no, I know that I need to run and exercise more often. My stomach knows it, my scale knows it and the neighbor that I jog with knows it, too.
It’s’ time to get out there and get running! It’s time to start eating better, start running and stop procrastinating.
But what if it rains? What if it gets cold again? What if I get a better idea for a column than this idea?
No, I need to get to it. Let’s be honest, too, I am most likely not coming up with any great column ideas today. I am back on my way to fitness. I am on my way to a better Nick Claussen! I can exercise regularly, I can eat better and I can do it!
Sigh.
Only nine more months until winter and then I can stop all of this again for a while.
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