Age is no excuse to give up!

I am very grateful for the FitArlington program. We are all quite fortunate to live in a county that gives us so many opportunities to stay active, both physically and mentally. I have taken advantage of classes at Madison, Langston and Lee Centers. Arlington has so many lovely parks and paths where we can get away from the noise and distractions to enjoy nature in our own neighborhoods. I just love the C&O canal where we can see the blue heron, the turtles sunning themselves on the logs and the ducks and geese with their little babies gliding along in the water. Arlington is such a great place to live. We can actually walk from one end of the county to another without really having to go into traffic, thanks to all the bike trails. The new bike lanes and the small ART buses that go through the neighborhoods help us feel safer when we do take to walking in the streets.

Many years ago I realized that a big part of enjoying life is feeling well and exercise has been so beneficial in keeping my spirit and energy up even though the years keep ticking by. The first marathon I ever ran was the Marine Corps Marathon 10 years ago. I was facing my 50th birthday and I set that goal to run a marathon as a distraction. I had to concentrate on training and running a race which left little time to worry about getting old. Sounds silly, but it worked and I went on to run 2 more marathons after that. Now, with the support of FitArlington and the Arlington Road Runners Club to help me get back to running, after several non-running years.

I don't think that one has to run to stay fit. I don't think we have to be fast or run marathons, but we do need to use our bodies if we want them to stay strong so that we can contribute, rather than be a burden to our families and so that we can enjoy all the great opportunities that are available in our lives. I encourage all my fellow "seniors" to get up and do something. Find something that you enjoy, enroll in recreation class, dance, do yoga, swim, go for an early morning walk, or walk to the grocery store and leave the car at home. Don't give up on your body and you will be surprised at the benefits to you and to others in your life.

This first entry was a bit of a pep talk, but in future entries I will admit to the pain and doubts that sometimes arise when I have to get out there and keep putting one foot in front of the other. I try to remember what my water aerobics teacher said to me at 6:00 a.m., " it never enters her mind not to show up." That frame of mind is my new goal.