Took Dan Wilt Jogging

There comes a time when you realize you are getting fat. It might have been when my dear wife calls home and tells you according to this chart at work I'm obese. Or maybe it comes when you realize all the guys sitting around the gaming table are fatter than you - but not by that much. It could be when I go home for vacation and remember that my dad has adult onset diabetes. Maybe it is when you get sick of always making excuses when the folks you love point out your growing girth. Anyway, the realization has hit and I've finally decided to do something about it.

So a while ago I started jogging. It is about the only physical activity I ever really enjoyed. Well I do enjoy playing other running sports (soccer and one-on-one basketball) but last time I tried soccer I nearly had a coronary. One of the things I am longing for is the day I can shoot some hoops with my girls - the way I'm headed I'd last one game and have to be hospitalized. Maybe I'm exaggerating but the first real go at running and I didn't warm up, made it a quarter of my block and thought my heart was going to come out my mouth. The next time I ran into a wiser friend and Mari shared with me how you should gradually build up your running versus walking ratio. I've a lot to learn - especially since I am an all or nothing type of guy. Please ask me in a year if I am still running, I mean that I need the encouragement.

Anyway, I did run a few times on vacation. Not near as often as I would have liked. The bugs got bad at dusk and that was pretty much the only time I could do it. So here we are back and I have just been wanting to get back at it. I'm not running far, trying to build up the muscles and endurance. I haven't done any regular physical exercise since I don't know when - so likely before I was married, a long while before I was married. Tonight, it was dark but I said I to myself, "self, you need to do it!" So off I went.

Oh yeah Dan came with me. Not phsycally - but on my minidisc player. He got me going at just the right pace and even inspired me to worship as I jogged around my block. I almost made it halfway before I stopped to walk my heartrate down. Thanks Dan.

You know when I was younger I had it easy. I had one of those blessings that turns curse. An overactive metabolism. I could eat anything and remained a skinny beanpole. It was wonderful. But just like my folks 30 hit and so did the need for a new wardrobe. Maybe it was God's way of telling me to take responsibility for my life. If so it is still taking me a long time to get that lesson. I'm not far from 40 and God is still working on me. It is high time I joined Him in His efforts.