I remember during my childhood there was this participACTION campaign about trying to get people off the couch and exercising more. I can hear the sounds of music associated with the commercials, and remember the “breaks” they had.

I’m now coming back from a broken rib followed by a bout of bronchitis. I had that feeling of being out of shape because I have not been active in a while. About a week ago, I pushed a little too hard by hiking 4.5 miles. For the next few days after that I could barely walk due to come horrible compression pain in my spine. Fortunately, a gentle yoga class seems to have resolved that issue.

The weather here hasn’t been conducive to much outdoor exercise. The hills are all wet and muddy, so even when it isn’t raining most of my usual hiking spots of too damp for a tromp in the wood. Instead, I’ve started back at the gym. I’m not going a lot. Often it is just 30 minutes on the stationary bike – with enough intensity that I’m dripping with sweat for last 15-20 minutes of my workout. I leave the gym feeling amazing. Cardio exercise has always given me an adrenaline rush. It is something that I really missed after breaking my rib.

Now, I’m slowly easing back into it. Every day I ask myself, what have I done for my body today? Today it was 30 minutes on the bike at the gym followed by 5 minutes on the crazy stair climbing machine (imagine, a machine that has a conveyor belt of stairs that never stop).

I think about the participACTION commercials – and one of their taglines at one point was “just do it” … and so, when I’m not feeling up for much, I remind myself to “just do it” … Hopefully I’ll be ready for biking again soon (still waiting on my sternum to heal from the broken rib). I hope to be ready for more strenuous exercise when the weather improves and hills allow for regular hiking and mountain biking.

Feature image is a photo I took on my hike last week. Notice that Mount Hamilton has snow on it!