Here’s another entry in my continuing saga of my physical rehabilitation. I say that a bit tongue-in-cheek, since I’ve been working on the downhill side of my weight and fitness for the better part of thirty years—nothing here due to a recent injury or anything like that. Yes, I am having to contend with warring factions within my body, not the least of which is an auto-immune problem for which there is no cure, plus other issues that appear to be completely genetic in origin, but hey, we all have things to overcome.
My weight has been holding steady at about 210 for the past few days, but, for the first time in well over thirty years, I walked three and a half miles at one time! I think the last time I went that far may have been when I was in my early twenties, living in central Dallas. There was a track nearby, so I went there to run and jog.
I found I was disappointed with my speed, though, because when I was twelve I could outrun all but the fastest of the other boys. That was merely because, as it turns out, I had nearly 99% of my full height by the time I was eleven. I won’t go into the reason for that, but it’s apparently was due to the same thing that caused my arm span to be greater than my height, and it had nothing to do with an early puberty. Anyhow, I the fastest I could make a quarter mile was 1.5 minutes. That was a dead-out sprint, so I collapsed at the end and could not have kept up that pace.
After I moved, there was no track nearby, so I didn’t run anymore. I spent a short time studying in an “American” karate dojo, but the style was too different from the Okinawan style I was used to, so I was very awkward. I got my nose broken there by an obnoxious black belt who had a school in Denton and he was in Dallas visiting, so after my injury I quit going there. Gee, I wonder if it was because he was embarrassed that a “white belt” could kick him up against the wall? Go figure. I didn’t get my nose fixed for 30 years, and it has caused me untold problems. This episode didn’t end my efforts at exercise, by any means, but by the time I was in my early thirties my health really started to decline.
I am pumped right now, though, which explains this long post. I’ve only been increasing my activity level for several months now, and I’ve only been restricting my caloric intake for about a month, but my weight has dropped 11.75% and I feel sooooo much better already. I’ve been carrying the better part of 100 pounds of body fat, and it’s high time I cut it loose. I am hopeful that this will eventually cure my sleep apnea so I won’t have to wear a mask strapped to my face all night just to make sure I stay alive. Three and a half miles in just over an hour! Woo-hoo! Almost ready for the Boy Scouts! (wait–I may be too old. Oh, grits.)
