My Everything Hurts

It's steeper than it looks!

About a week ago, I went for a walk. It was the first decent walk I'd done for a while - I don't generally walk everyday like I should, although I have done in the past. Regular exercise just doesn't seem to be at the top of my list of priorities anymore.

I walked because my son's friend had spent the day at our house and it was time to take him home. It's not far from our own house, so walking the distance should be a regular thing, but I often do the drop off and pick up when I'm driving out or coming home from somewhere else. It might sound lazy, but it's also efficient. Besides, the road we live on is a steep one to walk. The other boy's mother and I both prefer the drive-by style.

Anyway, this particular day, I chose to get off my backside and walk. Heading down the hill, I was feeling so great, I decided to jog for a bit.

(This is a big deal in itself; my kids will tell anyone who'll listen that 'Mum doesn't run!') 

I felt fabulous - wind in my hair, my body moving like a well-oiled machine. Well, probably not, but it felt like it! Our road goes quite steeply downhill, over a bridge, into a dip, then uphill again to where my son's friend lives. I jogged most of the way down to the dip, then walked the rest. They met me partway up the other side, so my son and I turned to go home. It was a beautiful walk with my boy ... we meandered along, stopping to look at wildlife and check out the little creek on the way. 

When we got home, I was more puffed than I would expect to be. Okay, I'm not a huge fan of exercise, but I can do a fair walk without straining myself. I went for a climb up a small mountain a couple of weeks ago with the kids, no trouble at all. So, it took me a while to figure out what had worn me out. Until later that night, when my shins and calves started giving me heaps of pain. Aha, it was the jogging downhill! It's easy to forget just how much of an impact that can have on your body - I had jarred everything and the after effects were NOT pleasant.

It's too easy to think you're doing enough at work to keep fit, especially with a physical job like mine. It's the same with housework, actually. How often do you hear people say, 'Oh, I do enough with my housekeeping to keep me active.'? Yeah, I'm sorry, but that is nowhere near the same as a regular workout - and you know it when you actually have to do a decent walk (or jog!).

So, I've accepted that I'm really not as fit as I used to be and it's time I did something about it. No, I'm not going to become one of those gym junkies who posts selfies in my leotard on Facebook every week (no one needs to see that!). But, for the past week, I have been stretching every morning and trying to do a daily walk. Even if it's only a short one. 

I might be a while before I jog back down that hill though.