Freeing Herself From Lead Foot Disease

By Susan Clark


A little background here…I haven’t worked out on a regular basis for about 10 years and as another year ended, I once again became upset with myself that I’d let exercise slip out of my life on any kind of regular basis. I’m 58 years old and when I read an article in the newspaper the other day about a 75-year-old woman who just up and decided to become an athlete I took notice. This woman is now running marathons—she recreated who she was and of course, I could too. I’m a writer, public relations specialist, events coordinator, mother, wife, music lover, spiritual hunter, arts enthusiast—why couldn’t I be an athlete too? Maybe a runner? More background before you think I was always a slacker: I took ballet when I was a teenager, practiced yoga and did the Jane Fonda workout in my twenties, joined and worked out in a gym in my thirties, walked regularly on a treadmill in my forties and then, somewhere about mid-forties, I quit it all.

Until today. I have one New Year’s resolution—to become (uh, stumbling a bit over the word athlete) but something very close to that. Help me on that word! I’m going to become a physically active woman on an everyday (dare I say that?) basis. I told Lissa (actually I think she told me over a glass of wine at a Christmas party) that I’d share my thoughts every few days on a blog so I’ll try to keep that promise. Now, I’m cutting calories too in a wish to lose 10 pounds but I’m not here to write about food. Here to write about becoming an athlete? (still stuttering over that word but…)

January 3, 2011. Day One—got out of bed and stretched and thought about the day. Had a bowl of raisin bran, some skim milk, and some of that Fage yogurt. Back to work at the radio station and catching up after two weeks off. Had a couple of walnuts around 10 and soup for lunch. I promised myself a 10-minute walk on campus mid-day which I just got back from. Windy, but the sun felt good, energizing and I walked past about 10 geese hanging out on a pond looking very content. Walking outdoors stimulates thoughts, spiritual, emotional, and lights up your senses. When I get home, I will stretch and get on my treadmill starting out at 15 minutes. I’m following a plan where you add one minute every day. I will spend the next three weeks walking until I work up some strength and get a bum knee checked out to make sure I’m ok for running. I also plan on adding some yoga. It’s a good feeling and I look forward to feeling my body strengthen. I’m sure each day will be a new adventure and that’s what I’m counting on…until next time…