Wednesday

Does Running Late Count As Excercise?

I've never been what you would call "athletic". My older sister won various metals for High School wrestling and I'm pretty sure she played soccer for a while too.

My younger sisters were both on their High School Rugby team, which went on to win the City Championship the year they graduated, thanks in large part to the two of them (they are tiny girls - but tough). They are both still on a soccer team and play Ultimate Frisbee and Dodgeball a few times a week.

The closest to sports in High School I got, on the other hand, was taking Sports Medicine so I could flirt with the football players. Oh and I was a cheerleader (although we called it a Dance Squad).

Don't judge me.

My first foray into real sports was when I was 5 - I was put on a soccer team where I could consistently be found picking flowers on the sidelines while I was supposed to be defending the goal.

Or kicking the ball.

Or something.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a huge klutz or super lazy - I took dance for 16 years and was a pro-star bowler when I was 8 (ya, I'm awesome, I know). You can also laugh at my first foray into having a Personal Trainer here.

I have no brothers so my poor father, with 4 daughters, taught us all how to throw a mean spiral, made sure we know how hockey works and took us to all kinds of games. I just never got into the strict structure of actually playing a competitive team sport.

This summer I've decided I'm going to get my shit together and be more active. I played soccer with my sisters (and I actually wasn't bad if I do say so myself), I played tennis with some friends last weekend, I started boot camp this morning and I'm about to strap on my roller blades so I can practice not looking like an idiot.

As of right now my stopping consists of flailing my arms, stepping on the grass and hoping there is a pole/tree/fence that I can grab onto or just falling on my ass.

If anybody knows a fail-proof method for stopping - Please for the love of all that is good let me in on your secret

Hopefully my new found enthusiasm for "being active" and "eating less shitty food" can last all summer.

After all summer is only, like, 2 months long here.


10 comments:

Lindsay said...

You mean flailing your arms, stepping on grass, and hoping there is a pole/tree/fence in the way isn't how you're supposed to stop on roller blades?

Good luck with being more active! I love it myself. ;)

BeckEye said...

If running late counted as exercise, I would weigh -7 pounds by now.

Ben said...

I told my friend Nick that I was considering joining a for-fun soccer league.

He slapped me across the face. Hard.

Andhari said...

I'm such a lazy ass I hope my work out plan sticks. It's really hard to :( Good luck for you.

je_suis_hannah said...

sounds like you have done far more exercise in the past week than I have in the past year...thats scary!! I think I need to get my arse into gear

Matt said...

You were a cheerleader?

Awww...

weiderella said...

Oh wouldn't it be SO GREAT if running late would count as a workout? I would quit the gym right aways *sigh*... and it would sound so much better to say "oh sorry, i'm working out but will be there in 10 mins" ;-)

Muffy Willowbrook said...

I rollerblade the exact same way!

Sadly, I don't have any tips for you. Keep it up though!

Anonymous said...

I'm totally not very "active" and, aside from bowling, I've never been on a team sport. So I hear you loud and clear!!

Not sure how to stop on rollerblades - people still use those!? kidding! - but on roller skates, you use a T position. Try it? Try not to fall doing it though. I don't want to be blamed.

Unknown said...

Hey Jen,

The easiest way to slow down and stop with roller blades is to point your back foot sideways (perpendicular to your front skate which should be pointing in the direction you want to go) and drag it along the ground. You can control how fast you slow down by pushing harder on the ground or lighter. Might take a bit of practice but its much easier than using the brake built into the skates most of the time.

That might be the T position someone else mentioned.