Exercise Routine

Before we came down to Guadalajara, we had a whirlwind of final check-ups with various doctors. I dreaded my doctor asking the inevitable question, "So, how often do you exercise?" Actually, though, I don't think she asked me that question back in June. Instead she looked at the question and said, "You know, don't worry about this one right now. Once you get to Guadalajara and get settled, then you can figure out an exercise routine." I'd never heard such freeing words. Of course, an "exercise routine" has never been an established phrase for me. My sister Jessie loves to exercise; for her it is stress relief. My idea of stress relief is time to sit down with a good book; exercise has always been a necessary evil unless somehow it is part of my daily life.

So I was looking forward to living on an upper floor of an apartment building and what that would require in terms of stairs. But when we arrived here, we found that we'd been put in the first apartment on the first level. Also, we had use of a car, so we didn't need to walk many places. Kraig got the most exercise because he trotted across to the campus every day. I felt that my plan for exertion had been thwarted.

But one month after arriving, extenuating circumstances necessitated that we move to the third floor and my desire was fulfilled. Now I get to climb two flights of stairs each day, sometimes multiple times. On laundry days, it's down three flights of stairs to get to the laundry room in the basement. And on Wednesdays when I usually do my big shopping trip for the week, I can add even more trips up and down, with weights! (Big shopping days are the only days I regret our move to the third floor....)

For the past couple months we've had our Spanish class on Tuesdays and Fridays, so on those mornings I walk across to

the campus with Kraig. It's a fair distance, plus the classroom is on the third floor (seems to be our favorite floor), so there's more leg-work. After class, I have to leave by the visitor entrance rather than the one Kraig can get us through with his ID, the one that's directly across from out apartments. This means I have a longer walk back to the apartment than to class.

Now, in the past week I've added a new part to my exercise regime: daily walks across the entire camps and up two flights of stairs to get to the purchasing department to check on the status of our shipment. I sometimes have a kid or two in tow for this, so that's bonus points. I can't walk as fast, but my arms get a better workout as they're yanked here and there by kids' explorations. The nice thing about these walks is that the campus really is lovely, and often we're shaded by large trees. It almost makes up for the weariness and repetitiveness of the purpose.

So, all in all, I think I've set up a pretty good exercise routine. It would be nice to know if I've actually lost some weight or trimmed up a bit--I have no idea. I'll just pretend it's working. Not only that, we're running around at about 5,000 feet above sea level, so my lungs have gotten a better workout, too. Just wait, Michigan friends. When I come at Christmas, I will run around you in circles.

Yep, so all around I'm happy with my new exercise plan.

Do you think it counts?