Fitness 1609

We started going to a fitness center this week. Daytime is nice because it is surprisingly older people like us. I am impressed with how well most of them do. My goal is to get to their pace and exceed it slightly. In just 4 days I feel a world of difference already. My energy level increased and my mental outlook is much better. Since leaving the farm, my activity level dropped dramatically, but now it is bouncing back.

On the treadmill this morning my heart rate was running at 85, which is really not much more than resting for my age. Now on the Nordic machine (which is neat because it is human powered) as you proceed the little generator lights up the screen and you can see the display. That machine is like walking up hills. I got the old heart up to 100 quickly. For the first time since working difficult chores on the farm, I could feel the heart pumping, so I backed off to keep myself at 98 because I did not know how much the old ticker could take. I just researched and found for my age I can go up to 149 at maximum. I know I am a long way away from closing in on those levels; I will start heading up slowly now that I have a limit number. At my level of fitness I imagine my muscles will run out of steam long before I really tax my heart.

There was a very large man there and he was working one of the Nordic machines at what I thought would be full speed for him. He was there when I walked in and he hit that machine for 10-15 minutes longer before he took a rest. We walked around the track for 10 or so minutes and he was back on the Nordic at full speed again. He quit soon after and I offered him a word of encouragement. He said he has been at that for a year now. I was impressed and apparently he has done well to have that amount of stamina.

It is fun to be there and the place is just minutes away. I keep looking for Hans and Frans to come around the corner, point at me and say, “we are going to pump you up, girly mon.”