Exercise; Love it, Hate it. Sport; Love it, Hate it.
My Baby Just Loves to Dance.
pop quiz: the lyric above is from what song and artist? clue: never as big as Turner, but this east end girl done good when she took a princely surname.
Exercise is good for us; so they say. Who ‘us’ is and who ‘they’ are is not really clear; nor is the definition of ‘good’ in this context!
I keep myself in pretty good shape. I love to ski, so being in reasonable shape means I can ski all day, (nearly) every day and not ache all over. But note: When I said “I keep myself in pretty good shape”, I did not say “I like to keep myself in pretty good shape”!
Gym classes with names like ‘Total Body Workout’ and ‘Abs Blast’ result in me dripping all over the floor and feeling sick. Immediately after a gym class I wonder to myself why I put myself through such torture. Then 20 minutes or so later, after a shower, I do feel good, if not a little bit self righteous.
Biking versus Spinning
I enjoy going out biking, going 10 to 30 miles along country lanes at a steady pace. Trying to push myself on the uphill sections so I sweat a bit and am a little out of breath and then coasting down the other side with the wind in my hair.
I do not enjoy spinning classes. Struggling to ride a bike when stood up on the pedals. Spinning rooms are often small, dark and hot and the music is pumping and loud; not my definition of fun.
So, my conclusion is that exercise is a necessary evil to allow me to enjoy sport. I don’t reckon anyone enjoys doing exercise, but many may enjoy the after effects. I reckon most people enjoy some form of sport; but for some this might mean on the TV from the comfort of a sofa.
Marathon Running
I recently came across an interview with Joel Cohen on Outside which mirrors my own feelings on exercise. Joel is a writer for ‘The Simpsons’ and has published a book entitled ‘How to Lose a Marathon: A Starter’s Guide to Finishing in 26.2 Chapters’. Joel is a reluctant runner who got carried along on a marathon wave and shares his experiences as a warning to all of us!
pop trivia: 1970s English pop singer, Tina Charles, had a worldwide hit with ‘I love to love’ in 1976.
