Fitness...Don't Slack Off

This morning, while walking my trusty dog, I witnessed approximately 100 marines stretching and doing their morning exercises at the World Financial Center here in the Downtown Manhattan area.  It surely was something to see.  100 very fit men in the same place at the same time...a very uplifting sight for anyone's eyes.  Physical fitness at its best would be an understatement.  Later on, I witnessed the same group jogging at a nice slow and steady pace up Broad Street and past the New York Stock Exchange, singing a tune as they ran; smiling and waving back to all of us waving and cheering them on.  Boys, boys, boys and even some girls in the ranks - all jogging easy breezy.  It's only about a mile run they were doing and all told a 2 mile loop...peanuts for anyone who regularly exercises.  But, at the end of the group, there was another 20 or so individuals running in Naval t-shirts, huffing and puffing...struggling to keep up a 10 minute mile pace.  Every one of them was overweight and grossly out of shape.   Following these folks was yet another small gang, barely able to keep up with the naval crowd...ditto for their physical condition.  I had to chuckle because bringing up the rear with the police escort was an ambulance...clearly for the last two groups.  I later found out that the two groups running in the rear were reserves.  Good grief!  Maybe the reservists should visit boot camp a bit more often.  They should be in fit condition should they be called into active duty and being able to run can make the difference between living and dying.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Hopefully, none of us will ever have to run for our lives, but it sure is nice to know that you can if need be.  When you fall out of fitness, you fall out of step.  Your blood pressure and cholesterol rises, you can't seem to do the same sports you used to ('I'm too old' is the poor excuse I hear all the time from people) and you grow old faster.  There are men and women in their 70's doing full Ironman events, playing water polo, and running marathons.  They stay with their fitness program and so they're able to continue their activities.  No one wants to look as bad as the last two groups did today...quite frankly, it was an embarassment to the military.  But you don't have to train like a marine either.  Everything in moderation for good health and fitness.  So get with the program and get out there today.  Exercise for a good healthy life!
I'll see you all out there!