Today was a "speed work" day in my marathon training schedule. On these days I like to head to the nearby Pine View High School track and put myself to the test. I usually try to avoid the P.E. classes, but every once in a while they are there when I arrive and I just have to run around them. I always think that some security guard is going to kick me out or think I have a bomb or something, but surprisingly, no one really seems to care that I am there. In fact, last week the PE. teacher kept telling the kids to get out of my way... I didn't mind running around their little social walking circles one bit, but I did think it was a bit odd that I could probably out run every single kid in that P.E. class. It was a pathetic scene all in all, P.E coach sitting on the bleachers with a few of the kids not interested in participating, several kids playing a very un-exciting game of kick ball, and probably 20 other kids walking around the track or just standing on it and talking about the latest gossip or worse...texting. No wonder why they are taking P.E. funding away from so many schools these days, they aren't getting their moneys worth anyway! Okay, maybe that is a stretch, but really these kids are probably at their prime age for physical development, strength, and agility, yet there they are spending their precious hour exercising the same way their grandparents do... seriously, what a waste! Some one needs to do some serious butt kicking here, and I am pretty sure this isn't the only High School where P.E. is nothing more than a social hour. And then we wonder why kids have all these problems with their health... maybe it's because it was never a priority in the first place. Kids will learn to value what adults teach them is important, thats why we don't let kids talk in Math class, or make Science class optional, because we believe it is important. So why don't we teach kids to value themselves just the same as their calculator? Shouldn't we teach them to value their bodies, their health, their livelihood, their physical possibilities?!
Okay so enough ranting and raving... my workout was great! I ran a mile warm-up, followed by 1x800m, 4x400m, 6x200m, and finally 8x 10 push-ups>100m sprint. Running on the track makes me feel kinda cool, and sometimes makes me wish I was Black too, and when the High Schoolers are there, it makes me feel really young and also grateful that someone taught me to take care of myself when I was young.
I seriously admire you for your amazing athletic/other physical abilities. I wish I would have made that a bigger priority in my "younger" life. These days, it's hard for me to find time to do that kind of stuff (I know you hate that excuse), but when I do, I try. I went on a run the other day and was hugely disappointed in myself. But thanks for inspiring me to keep trying!!
ReplyDelete-Jacquie
Jacquie I know that sometimes it is hard to find time to work out... I write it in my planner like I would anything else important and that seems to work, or I just try to move as much as possible during the day... I've even done squats in a bathroom stall! And... not the kind your thinking of... the exercise kind (: Just remember, you are always worth your time, and no matter what you do, if you don't feel fit and healthy everything isn't as enjoyable, and heck if you let it get so bad that you suffer from serious health problems like many people do when their negligence catches up to them, than you are to sick to do anything anyways. You will never regret taking time to take care of yourself... I promise you that!
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