How walking up stairs became a challenge

So week two of the exercise challenge. I started the week off with very good intentions-I played 40 minutes of Squash and walked, rather than drove into town to get groceries. It might not sound like much to those who do exercise in one form or another everyday. For me, it was an accomplishment and I felt good about myself.

My good intentions took a dive for the rest of the week but this was due to circumstances beyond my control-I got sick. So Tuesday and Wednesday were lost. Thursday was our weekly exercise class in the HKE department and this week we did strength training. We were made to do sit-up and push-ups that had a twist to them meaning that we ended up doing 40 instead of 10 push-ups. We also did lunges and it is for this reason that walking up a flight of stairs has now become next to impossible. It takes me twice the time to climb the same amount of stairs and all the way the legs in my muscles feel as if they are on fire. Again, the true extent of my 'unconditionedness' has been shown up.

Someone asked me how long I think it will be until I stop feeling pain after these weekly exercise sessions. All I could say was 'hopefully soon." I was also suppose to go to gym on Friday but the thought of forcing my aching body onto a tread-mill made me feel a little nauseous. In fact, I think my legs may have refused to move and I would have created quite a scene if I had fallen backwards off the treadmill and landed in a crumpled heap on the floor. Perhaps its better that I didn't go-at least this way I don't have to avoid going to gym out of embarrasment.


But on the up side I have found a five week running programme the I want to try. The programme can be found on the Shape Magazine website: http://www.shapemag.co.za/learn-to-run-5km-2/. Hopefully I can start the programme tonight. Five weeks is not a long time to go from not being able to run 500 meters to running 5kms.

The thing about this 20 week challenge (and this is really what it is for me) is that exercise is now constantly on my mind. I now feel guilty when I haven't done any form of exercise in a day (even if it's just walking onto campus and home again). Lets hope that my guilt starts to overtake my laziness very soon-otherwise I am not going to get anywhere with this.

Another 18 weeks to go.