One of the keys to getting lots of exercise is becoming involved in an activity that you enjoy. The other is to get into a sport that has a social element. There are many activities that you can get involved in such as a walking, biking, and dancing groups.
A Global Perspective on Social Fitness
The largest and most impressive group of people enjoying exercise I have ever seen is in Beijing, China. The Temple of Heaven is a big park similar to Central Park in New York. Everyday of the year, there are 50 to 60 thousand people who show up to enjoy exercise, fun, and friends. Seniors in China are usually retired by the time that they are sixty. It is their job to keep themselves healthy. I am always amazed when I go there to see how mobile, healthy, and flexible they are. I have seen sixty and seventy-year-old people doing what I have only observed kids doing in America.
My Personal Cycling Journey
When I started to lose weight, I got involved in riding my bike. It had been a year since I had enjoyed that sport. I bought two bikes at a sale, so if one had a flat I could keep riding. I got started and then joined a group of friends who also enjoyed cycling. Riding with them made it so much easier to get out and ride. As the miles began to accumulate and the weight began to come off, I was elated.
RAGBRAI: The Ride of a Lifetime
I wanted to find a ride that I could participate in. One day a friend told me about a ride across Iowa. She said that there were over 10,000 people, all riding from one end of Iowa to the other in seven days. Sounds like a party to me. She said it was a cross between the Tour de France, Mardi Gras, and a country fair. As soon as I could get off enough weight, I was on the ride.
The ride is called Ragbrai. It is the largest bike ride in the world. This year over 10,000 riders will start on the western border of Iowa at Sioux City and cycle across the state to Dubuque to the east. The total ride is 440 miles. Each leg will vary from a low of 47 miles to a high of 82.
I have been preparing for this since spring. I have gone over 600 miles on my bike, training for the ride. I have done this twice before. My first time I was 50 pounds heavier and able to ride 300 miles. The second time, after losing another 20 pounds, I made 330 miles. This time I wanted to see if I can ride every mile.
More Fitness Opportunities: Huntsman Senior Games
I encourage you to think about what you can do that will turn into an activity that you can do and then join a group. Another event that offers a variety of activities are the Huntsman Senior games in St. George in Oct. Over 10,000 people from 50 up gather to enjoy two week of over 30 different activities. It is always in early October. You can go and meet people from all over the world.
