Fit Enough

One of the things I dread most in life (other than finding a snake in my yard or a frog on my front door handle) is not physically being able to do things that bring me joy.  I want to walk for miles through city streets and mountain trails, swim in clear blue waters, ride a bike through the countryside, ski with my family, and paddle across a lake as long as I live.

I want to be able to explore, adventure with my kids, play with my potential grands, and live a life beyond the walls of my house.

A few days ago I tried wakeboarding for the first time.  I'm 45.  I have not had great luck with sports that involve me balancing on something, especially while being dragged by a boat.  But there we were in the middle of the lake on a perfectly sunny day, the water temperature was ideal, we found a quiet cove that lacked choppy waves or other boaters and I sat on the swim deck of the boat waiting to strap on the board. I was mad.  Matt said "you don't have to do this" and I shouted back "I"m going to do it".  He said something about it appearing that I didn't want to.  He was partially right.  I didn't want to get hurt or get a sinus enema, but I did want to do it. It took a few hours of trying to get up, getting up and falling hard, getting up and boarding but not having a clue how to control myself, to finally being towed in a perfectly calm manner behind that boat. I did it. And I am so pumped to do it again.  I am really proud of myself for sticking with it, even though I spent way more time floating in the water waiting for the boat to come back around and get me than I did boarding.  

The thing about the wakeboard, I didn't do it because I have this passion for water sports.  The truth is I am perfectly happy just riding in the boat.  I wanted to learn because I want to be able to do it.  I want to be able to join in the fun, not just sit back and watch because I am too afraid to try. 

I want to keep moving SO THAT I can keep moving.  I want to keep learning SO THAT I can keep learning.

I work out a few days a week, not because I am trying to get swole, and not because I am constantly trying to lose 5-10 lbs (although I would be happy with either or both of those results), but because I want to be fit enough that I can go for a run if I want to, hike with a friend when invited, learn to snowshoe in a blizzard or ski in icy conditions.  I want to snorkel in the Caribbean and paddle with dolphins in the ICW.

I was passed at the finish line of my first 1/2 marathon by an 80 year old couple who didn't look winded, a group of six 80+ year old hikers led me through a rocky saddle on a trail in Washington, a 96 year old woman is in the Silver Sneakers group fitness class at my gym.

I don't have to be fast, I don't have to be strong, I just have to be fit enough to keep on moving!