Walking Before Dawn: A Public Service Announcement (Okay, I'm Bragging)
This is my second week of getting up at 5:15 a.m. to walk. My shins don't hurt anymore. Besides that, I've realized there are hidden benefits to walking before the sun even rises.
1) It's dark. No one can see exactly how scary I look. If you are embarrassed to be seen walking around town, I recommend walking in the dark.
2) By 7:00 a.m., you're finished. No bargaining with yourself all day, saying to yourself, Tonight, I will exercise. When the day ends, you can collapse without guilt.
3) You feel virtuous and can casually mention your pre-dawn walks and people will be impressed.
Those are just the benefits of walking at 5:30 a.m.--these are in addition to the well-known health benefits of walking. And if I can do it, so can you. I am not a morning person, but having a walking buddy gives me a reason to get out of bed. She is waiting for me. I have to get up and get moving. Even in the rain. Even when it's frosty out.
I just know for sure that I don't want to grow up and be my mother, who at age 62 has a handicapped parking tag on her car because she can't get around very well anymore. After all, my grandmother is turning 99 next week and I could very well have another fifty years to live.
So, in eight hours, I'll be heading for the hills--quite literally.
1) It's dark. No one can see exactly how scary I look. If you are embarrassed to be seen walking around town, I recommend walking in the dark.
2) By 7:00 a.m., you're finished. No bargaining with yourself all day, saying to yourself, Tonight, I will exercise. When the day ends, you can collapse without guilt.
3) You feel virtuous and can casually mention your pre-dawn walks and people will be impressed.
Those are just the benefits of walking at 5:30 a.m.--these are in addition to the well-known health benefits of walking. And if I can do it, so can you. I am not a morning person, but having a walking buddy gives me a reason to get out of bed. She is waiting for me. I have to get up and get moving. Even in the rain. Even when it's frosty out.
I just know for sure that I don't want to grow up and be my mother, who at age 62 has a handicapped parking tag on her car because she can't get around very well anymore. After all, my grandmother is turning 99 next week and I could very well have another fifty years to live.
So, in eight hours, I'll be heading for the hills--quite literally.
posted by Melodee at Tuesday, March 01, 2005
5 Comments:
This non-morning person is truly impressed ... as I sit here sleepless but not in Seattle.
That's super, Mel. Way to go!
But how the heck do you get up so early and still stay awake all day?
Suzanne
That's my problem too. If I got up at 5am I would have to go to bed around 5pm!!!
I do like the idea of walking in the dark though. Morning face sans makeup can be a pretty scary thing to take out in public in the light of day.
Way to go Mel!
I exercise in the morning, too, but am accountable only to myself, which has made it easy to slack off and not get up some days. I do find that I feel worse on the days that I don't exercise, and end up thinking I should have just dragged myself out of bed and done it anyway.
I can't imagine moving before the sun is up. I just can't do it...
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