90 Second Jog

Just before Christmas I decided that I should begin a good exercise routine to lose the few extra pounds I had accumulated over the previous months. The loss of those extra pounds was crucial to my fitting into my wedding dress this past July.

With limited funds to invest, I decided to head out to the Sears Liquidation Center. I was happy to find that all exercise equipment at the time was on sale for an additional 25% off the lowest ticketed price. Woohoo! I love a bargain. When I did go to the gym, long long ago (and those visits were, I must admit, quite infrequent), my favourite piece of cardio equipment was the elliptical trainer. And there at Sears was a nice little elliptical just waiting to be purchased and it was quite a steal at the final sale price of only $149.00!

I was excited about my new buy and immediately started using it every day after work. I was so proud of myself. And then during Christmas I came down with an illness and I could not keep up. I was confined to lying on the couch and couldn't even begin to think of exercise. Seriously, that's not an excuse. Now here's the excuse: After a couple of weeks I was feeling like my usual self. But by then my routine was RUINED. It was so hard to get back into going on that wretched thing (remember how much I loved it at the beginning?) every day. So, I stopped. Usage completely discontinued. My elliptical machine simply sat in my apartment gathering dust....

Until, just these past couple of weeks since arriving back home from PEI, Jamie decided that he really needed to lose some weight. He began to use the elliptical trainer every day. I was so proud of him for "showing me up". But alas, $149 doesn't take you very far these days, does it? Tonight, the elliptical machine died. It was getting really squeaky over the last couple of days and today was the final run before it practically crumpled and split beneath Jamie's running shoes.

Jamie was so contrary (that means upset, for you non-newfies). He kept saying, "Stupid cheap piece of crap!" etc. etc.

Determined not to give up he exclaimed, "Well I am going for a jog!".

I looked up from my scrapbooking (sitting on my fat butt) and not to be completely outdone said, "Well I'm going to go with you"

"Sure you can keep up?"

"Probably not", I said, and went to get changed into my track pants, sports bra, tank top, reebok socks, running shoes (hhmm...which ones?), baseball hat, and then brushed my teeth, went pee, put on some chap stick, and stuffed a kleenex into my pocket. Phew...tired already!

So we head out and he says, "Okay, ya ready?" and we begin.

2 seconds in and he says, "I'm tired already". I am breathing too hard to speak a response.

30 seconds in and we are both sound like race horses snorting during the final lap on a scorching day in July.

60 seconds....he takes a drink of water, hands it to me. I take a tiny sip only because I'm afraid I may choke.

90 seconds....and I hear him say, "Ok I gotta stop"

THANK THE LORD! I refused to be the one to stop first. Cause then he would be able to say, "I told ya you couldn't keep up...." But I was so relieved because I was certain that my lungs were about to collapse.

We briskly walked the rest of the way. We barely spoke a word for the first few minutes, trying to catch our breath. Boy are we out of shape or what, hon?

Jamie has decided that he is going to continue his "jogs" every day. 90 seconds or not I think I am going to continue to go with him. I suppose if we add 90 seconds to our time every day then before ya know it, we'll go the whole way.

Keep your fingers crossed for us that we don't pass out in the process. I'll keep you posted.