Gosh, we
thought we were over the hurdle of horrid winter. We had a couple of lovely days and began to
think spring is here and no longer do we need polypropylene clothing, thick
woolens, electric blankets, heaters, fire wood and tissues for the constantly
cold and runny noses.
Last week the
sun shone. The temperature was almost
warm. The sky was all blue. The birds
sang. The blossom buds were developing. The early cherry trees and magnolias
blossomed. And the little, cute, white
lambs gamboled while the daffodils stood proudly. Ah, hail Spring.
And then
the nasty bite of winter returned on the first official day of Spring. And seems to have remained ever since. Its jolly horrid. And already folk have gone from their deep
folds of winter depression, into hopes of spring and now reverted back to
winter moans, winter ailments and winter worries.
In my
specific sporting social circles have heard an endless stream of reasons why
individuals have found it difficult to be motivated to do anything this winter.
Be it to just get out and about. To visit Grannie. To go for a run. A walk.
A bike ride. A hike. A drive to a park. A winter picnic somewhere.
Seems
winter has been a stumbling block to any form of exercise too. Be it walking, jogging, biking, swimming,
gyming, hiking, morris dancing, leap frogging or broom stick riding.
And when I
have enquired with a few as to how their early winter resolutions of being determined,
fit and healthy over those dark and damp months have gone, have heard so many
varied and complex and deeply serious excuses as to why those resolutions
simply dissolved – into the morose depression of the cold and wet.
Yet,
somehow, through all the dastardly cold we experienced during July and August,
and all the rain – horizontal and vertical – I have had some delightful
experiences. Many of them solo. Have loathed getting up at 5.20 in the morning
to head out in the dark, pouring rain and finger numbing cold. Driven to the
pool in a murky glare of thunder storms and headlights. Have literally thrown self out of the car into
that torrential horizontal rain. And
even discovered on a couple of occasions that an alternative of walking and
running on a treadmill in a gym actually had some benefits. Don a pair of headphones so no one will talk
to you and enjoy watching boof-heads and Adonis’s strutting their stuff around
the barbells and weight machines, whilst admiring their distorted bodies in the
gym mirrors with complete, private amusement and enjoyment.
Yes, I
dread winter too, but it is a grand time to fathom your own ability of incentivising
yourself to maintain a level of mental high spirits and physical well
being.
So, we have
only a few more weeks of post-winter doldrums, with pre-summer Spring, therefore
get out there to the park or beach, sit on a park bench or beach front wall and
watch the world and nature pass by. Then
you can return home feeling invigorated by the cleaner oxygen in the lungs,
heart and brain. Once you have done it,
you feel not only spiritually better, but physically and mentally brighter for the
experience. No matter how wet or cold
you got.
I had a
delightful email last week. We have a
little but regular Saturday morning walking and running group that meet in
Cornwall Park at the late hour of 7.30 in the mornings. From here we run or walk the fields, pathways
and mountain before heading off for a hot chocolate or coffee.
Only this
one Saturday I was in Wellington, enjoying the seaside, waterfront air in my
lungs with a couple of other travel companions. It seems that back in Auckland some thought
that without one bossy, noisy, seargeant-majoress in attendance the flock
therefore had unspoken permission to keep snuggled under the duvet that
particular Saturday morning; aside from one staunch, wee soul.
Here
follows her Saturday morning run report:
No one No one told ME we weren't meeting at Cornwall this
morning. Just because you are out of town the whole system breaks down?
I dutifully showed up in the rain. No one except Veronica
even answered my texts. I'm sure they all had Very Good Excuses. I was working
on mine, too, to be truthful, as the rain was just heavy enough to be
unpleasant; not drenching, mind, but more than a mist.
But the idea of spending an hour in a stuffy smelly gym
was even less appealing; and if I did start to melt, the hips would go first
and that wasn't a bad thing.
So off I trotted. I stayed on the pathways as it was very
soggy and slippery to run on the grassy tracks. The first 10 minutes was not
pleasant so I said – “5km then you can quit.” About 10 minutes later though the rain
stopped, so I said, “definitely 40 minutes, then you can quit.”
The park is coming to life again now that spring is so
close; I came across some tiny wee lambs who all thought what I was doing looked
like fun and followed me along the fence.
I got to one of the back pastures and there was a Giant Cow
on the other side of the steps staring at me and lots of little calves nibbling
along the path ahead with their mothers alongside. Even though the path wasn't actually closed
to humans, I figured the weight ratio wasn't in my favour, so I turned back.
Then after about 40 minutes the sun came out! And the whole world sparkled; the flowers
smelled sweet and the birds were singing. It was just lovely.
As I passed the shepherd, his dog fell into step beside
me. I heard this voice say, "Blue."
Blue pretended not to hear and kept alongside, perfectly
behaved exactly in step, like he was supposed to be there.
"BLUE"
A little flicker of the ear and a momentary hesitation
but still keeping up.
"BLUE!!!"
Blue turned guiltily back to Mr Shepherd and I was on my
own again.
I finished my 9km in 1:10.
It was a great run and just goes to show that Virtue IS
rewarded.
was a great run and just goes to show that Virtue IS
rewarded.
Hope yo guys are having s good time in WLG - Katherine
And for
those who have read this far – this has been around for a while – Tony and I
never tired of watching various adaptions of this true Ironman. Copy and paste and watch over your lunchtime munchies.
You find it
hard to motivate yourself? Shame on you!
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