Meditation on Exercise

Today was a holiday for me (Indigenous Peoples Day aka Columbus Day). I had not intended to spend the day thinking about moving more but that's how it turned out. I don't even remember what got it started. It had nothing to do with the fact that there was no change in my weight at Saturday's weigh in, so my total loss is still 26 pounds.

Three-day weekends are bad for me. I need the rest, yes. I enjoy not having to go to work, yes. But I too often feel dissatisfied afterward because I didn't do anything but rest. I'm feeling enough better these days (fibromyalgia, vertigo, chronic fatigue, depression -- remember?) that it's time for me to start making some progress in ways other than Weight Watchers.

True, I've started t'ai chi again and I love it just as much as I did the very first time I encountered it. I even remember to practice almost every day. I'm trying very hard to make it a daily presence in my life. But it's not enough.

Today I got off on a quest to learn whether a Trikke is right for me. It looks like fun and the people who own them tend to sound cult-like in their devotion to them. It's hard not to be inspired to want to get more exercise after watching some of the videos and reading some of the posts from the, um, elder (check out the 50-somethings thread) adherents.

The question I haven't yet been able to answer for myself is whether it is a realistic way for me to commute to work. My commute is about two miles by car, which isn't very far. Unfortunately, the last portion of it is up a very steep hill -- at least by car. There are ways around the hill that add distance and time to the commute.

I know that I need at least an hour of exercise every day. I also know that I'm not capable of that right now. I don't know if I'll ever be capable of it again but I'm starting to talk to myself about how I want to be.

I've long wanted to find a way to get to work without burning fossil fuels; my last job was about a half-mile from home and I walked most days. It's been over ten years since I had that job (and the business has moved since) and I still want to find some way to commute without burning fossil fuels. I live in Maine, which can make commuting by any form a challenge in the winter.

There's an appealing efficiency to combining my commute with needed exercise. Is a Trikke the way to do it? Or should I just start walking more and eventually walk all the way to work (and back)? Walking has great appeal because it's possible regardless of the weather -- I do live in Maine.

I don't have any answers yet, but I am heartened by the fact that I'm even considering the possibility of walking to work. This may be a fool's errand, but I fully intend to find out what's possible for me.