Most exhilarating outdoor workout-EVER !! Climbing 90 ‘ hill on east side of Lake Nokomis, Minneapolis, Mn. Scaling 120’ at 45 * angles or zig zagging at 10’,25,’50’. Through thick 2 ‘ grass, wet at times, as well as brush and loose dirt, top to bottom of steep slope. Included going up and down 52 steps-then another set of 49 using 2 metal ski poles and wearing rubber baseball shoe cleats. Started 10/17 after 4 trial days that included metal spikes as well as 2 tries at local park a block away.WHEW !! About 30 minutes after a 6 minute drive but “ of course “ after my 5 mile daily walk. !!
Move over “ Hanoi “ Jane Fonda from someone who will compete with you on a WORKOUT video. But OUTSIDE ? Ah !! If money was NO OBJECT how could this be done ? Whew !! What a way to exercise ? Have I ever seen this hidden area before and steps despite living in the same home since May of 1976 ? Difficult as a result that walking path is some 50’/100’ from road and trees block the view. Discovered this winter as I began to snow shoe on hill on North end of Lake Nokomis then occasional treks on this side without fear of wrecking my “ heavy duty “ $ 149 L.L. Bean snow shoes and FANTASTIC $ 89 boots !!!
How many people live within a short distance of a hill by a park or wooded area ? Why would anyone ever consider doing this type of physical activity ? What are some of the features and benefits ? Biggest factor !! Because I am still able. In addition if one alters the work out it becomes less mundane. My legs are now like steel beams. As an aid in upper torso conditioning I take metal ski poles going up what appears to be a cliff as it helps with traction. This is different from seeing footage of skiers using poles on going downhill. Change direction such as going sideways, at various angles or taking different routes. On 10/21, 3 blocks to south, I started at other end. With the cleats as well as boots you dig heels in for better footing Plus go straight up and down. Will this help as in snow shoeing this past winter when I went through the woods down over 100’ hanging on to trees or climbing sledding surface across from our church a mile away ? Or on toboggan went down from the Hiawatha Golf Course Building some 3 blocks from church wearing boots but too difficult to pull toboggan up in deep snow. Then went down on knees wearing snow shoes and guided toboggan back up the slope.UGG!!!!
How do you prepare for a routine like this even when temps are in the 30’s/40’ ? Will it be more difficult in the teens and twenties ? As from best advice ever physical therapist last September. Listen to your body and know strengths and weaknesses. Wear appropriate clothing and BE AWARE of surroundings even in an urban area . Do you have a jacket to block out the wind ? Plus take work gloves as to avoid blisters on ski poles. In winter for snow shoeing wear lighter weight mittens with inexpensive work gloves inside. Include taking another pair of boots or cleats incase of stress on feet and leave in the car. But MOST of ALL, take time to enjoy the MAJESTIC VIEW or just appreciate being in the elements.
At around 7:30 A.M. on Saturday 10/22, I made another search for the ELUSIVE 54 year old baseball spikes, given to me at age 12 that I HAVE BEEN on a MISSION TO FIND THIS last week. The $ 5.00 closeout one’s purchased in 1993 were not broken in made of a synthetic and due to my slight curvature of the spine created havoc on side of R ankle. A special thanks to a former customer as it gave my wife and I an incentive to clean and look for items. Was stuck under some boxes in the basement by washing machine. I tried to find laces-wound up with old electrical cord that I had split. With my 30 lb weight loss they fit as my foot size since age 12 has only gone up 1 increment. Ah !!! memories when I first received from my dad. I ran the mile to grade school . Put on the spikes and raced all round the grounds like a hang glider searching for air currents. Even put them on and walked though the house to upstairs perch to e-mail former customer. Had once called my self the “ Flying Frenchman” when played softball with the Golden Valley Jaycees in early 1970’s !! Could they then be used to scale the Lake Nokomis Rockies as I turn my feet in all directions but with a shoe too small as the R ball of foot hurt. Would have to make more trials before scaling after 5 mile walk. A different feel than walking on carpet.
On jaunt met an 83 year old who does not take RX from Germany that I have met in past. Delightful conversations. She is aware that I awake in pain, have trouble breathing and sometimes can not move but motivated by the walk. Then told her about the adventure found this spring.. Can attitude and exercise play a role in “ over all good health “ ? Even hard to imagine all the traumatic severe eye pain that I had from 2003-2008 as a result of being hit from behind in 2/2002. Now an occasional few eye drops from time to time. Can one block out pain by concentrating on a strenuous activity ?
I was determined to use those spikes on the urban like alps but brought the rubber cleats just in case by leaving in the car. They fit like a ballet slipper and are of same mold that my beloved Brooklyn wore in the 40’s and 50’s. The right ball of foot that felt tight on the carpet was different on the hl. Instead of walking up and down the 2 sets of stairs went STRAIGHT up parallel to steps and down. Will use on occasion and stay with the rubber cleats knowing that when the ground gets harder the spikes will work plus feet will get used to them. Some irony perhaps ? Had dreams that when I put on the spikes that I would be playing for a professional baseball team or in a World Series as a youth. Or all the games attending Ebbets Field and the Polo Grounds before my Brooklyn Dodgers and rival N.Y. Giants moved West in 1958. Not so. Was so concerned about footing going up and down the terrain as to not fall.
Can one even take a break from exercise ? That Friday after 5 miler and climbing on a RARE week day afternoon took adorable/angelic mate on NEVER tire of Lake Nokomis 3 mile jaunt. Then Sat after 5 miler, maneuvering up the bluff, took mate and oldest grandson around Lake Nokomis. Sunday October 23 was a DAY OF REST from the hill. Then after Sunday outing ,took youngest daughter with mate around lake Nokomis-AGAIN !!! . Advantage of the leukemia. EVERY MOMENT is a blessing. Especially when it is a day outdoors regardless of the weather.
What if one is unable to go outside or afraid of slipping ? I hear this constantly from the elderly. Solution is to take a hiking stick and walk slowly. There are grippers that you can put over footwear IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GO OUTSIDE !!! Can recall several years ago when I slipped on ice at the golf course in snow shoes. X rays showed no breaks in 2008. My mate then called me a pain in the hip. What about using yard or on stairs inside ? Find heavy duty elastic that was given to me to use after back went out on 9/27/2010. After 6 sessions 80 % better like that went back went out in 5/1979. Take a plastic bag ,tie in a knot and attach the band to door frame or higher to get arm strength. Design your own steps. Or use your stairs at home and railing BUT BE CAREFUL NOT TO SLIP !!! A special thanks as a reminder to my mother’s Dr. cousin who lost her son on 100th floor of 1 st tower on 911 and Rev. medical Dr. who passed on at age 79. A divorced son was living at home years ago and fell down the stairs. Rather serious as he spent time at Holden Village in Washington with cousin and family recovering. BE AWARE even doing the exercises ANYWHERE. PROBABLY this incident has saved my life from injury. But then again, who listens to one’s own advice? After 5 mile walk on 10/25, prior to leaving for my obsessed mission of sweat equity , I needed to go out to the garage in back. Left my ski poles on the porch steps. Did not see them and tripped on to the cement sidewalk. A miracle as to only some deep cuts, no ripped pants and a bruised ego. Yet still managed to do the committed work out. WHEW !!!
Do you have time to get in EXERCISE ? Why is it seem that we spend what appears billions of hours on time management for working yet how many hours do we use looking at how we spend on our own recreational time ? Our local www.startriubune.com that I have been a subscriber since 1970 now features NUMEROUS stories on achieving good health . This not only includes exercise but diet and nutrition as well. Am sure one writer in 29 year vet of the paper ,Mike Kaszuba who is currently reporting on our Minnesota Viking stadium has yet to get a wink of sleep since 10/2. The State of Minnesota is being held hostage by the Minnesota Vikings and NFL into using sales tax dollars to fund a NEW stadium on vacant land but only on the site that the Vikings want that has no infrastructure. I hope he gets nominated for a Pulitzer as a result of his OBJECTIVE investigations and insights.
No matter where you live, find a place to keep moving muscles FOR FREE !! At age 65, if one has Medica Part B, you get FREE membership to the Y for you and spouse or for women CURVES. If not outside, do it at home. Why not ? As later in life, might the life you save, may be your own ? Perhaps a footnote. Had it not been as written thousands of times, for outdoor exercise my wife and I NEVER would have survived our 8/23/1995 Alaskan car crash. We hit a wet spot on the remote dirt Denali Hwy.-rolled down a 40’ embankment 3 times as trees came through windshield. Was in a tunnel surrounded by the sounds of angels. As I approached my white robed maker-my last words-at least got in my 50 th state visit. Both pinned upside down flatter than a pan cake. We survived with my wife later a broken wrist and me ripping out many ligaments and muscles. A few days later after we had found a ride to a clinic, me being flown 400 miles via medavac strapped to stretcher since X rays were inconclusive. My wife came back with car being towed. We managed to hike some 2 miles up a mountain trail to overlook 7 glaciers. We NEVER WOULD have survived if we had not been outdoor active or from experience of hiking in extremes from 30 below to 110 above all over the U.S. where in September we picked up our 39 th National Park of the 58.
Might exercise like this eventually save your life ? Might it help with stamina on trips like we take racing through airports like O.J. Simpson, devouring cities by walking 8-10 miles a day, enjoying the splendor of enduring achieved mountain vistas such Pulpit Rock outside of Stavanger, Norway , 4.2 miles up through rock and back , having energy to conquer steep steeple steps in Ulm, Frankfurt, Cologne or trails to overlooks such as Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, Glacier in Montana or Clingmans Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. Not to mention Vienna, Budapest, Salzburg, Prague and Paris. Who knows ? But at least give it a try. Why not ? What do you have to lose besides weight ? What might you gain such as an euphoric experience ? Something to be driven to do EVERYDAY if possible?
Give blood-it’s the gift of life-the life you save may be your own ? Former whole blood donor 5/1970-9/1997, double unit of platelets every 2 weeks 12/1997-6/2008(42 gallons/336 pints)( delayed slightly from 7 eye surgeries 2/2003-3/2004 ), thanks to testing-found that I had chronic lymphocyte leukemia or CLL on 7/7/ 2008 condition caught early-no chemo needed yet-have all energy back.). From 7/7/2010 began walking 5 miles vs. 3 a day added 40 plus minutes to snow shoe trek-now climbing steep steps as well as 80 ‘ hill on E side of Lake Nokomis hill-dropped from 208 to 178 will it stay off ? ( in summer had be in touch with body and watch excessive heat, air quality and humidity alerts-missed only one day as a result of possible heat exhaustion from 2 days before in walking 8 miles in over 100 heat ). Prior to COMMITTED daily swim( brr !!! W-T-F then Sunday 10/9 which would be last of year) would do hill at least 5-10 times in bare feet).
Driven in all 50 states/49 twice since marriage of angelic/adorable mate on 4/26/ 1969 ( 3 Alaska 1995/1999-drove 8811 miles in 20 days in May of 2004) (2 via Norway)(6 via Germany since 1999-total of 13 countries). 4/4-4/19/2011 flew into Paris for 3 nights then out of Frankfurt. Finally got a rental that could go 132 M.P.H. as well as re-climbing as in 12/2004, 530’ tallest steeple in Europe of 768 steeps 30 ‘ wide plus 9/14-9/25, 4044 mile trek back to only 9 th visit to S.E. Utah and adding # 39 of hiked in 58 of National Parks in S.E. Colorado. Wife has taken 8 tours since 1999-Israel/Egypt/Greece/Italy/Croatia, Danube River. Even both daughter’s to Italy-youngest on 2 others-now youngest and wife depart 11/2-11/14 to Israel and Petra in Jordan..During spring break wife will take oldest divorced daughter who turns 40 on 10/29( we are not oldest enough to have a 40 year old daughter) and 14 and 15 year old grandson’s to either California or Florida.
