Lenten Journal, Day 33

I did it! I went to the gym this morning. How weird is that?

I went to the local Recreation Center, rode something called a “seated elliptical” or “recumbent crosstrainer” for 15 minutes (the Rec Center has the Nu-Step brand of these machines; I then walked the indoor walking track until I decided I didn’t want to overdo it and discourage myself with an injury. I needed and continue to need to do this for the on-going recovery of my prosthetic knee.

So I intend to do it tomorrow morning, too … and the next morning. In addition, I plan to be there tomorrow evening for an orientation session to learn about the other pieces of equipment that are available.

This is a real step up the Lenten discipline ladder for me! Actual physical fitness. Gad! I’ve rebelled against that sort of thing nearly all of my life. I hated “physical education” classes when they were required in elementary school, junior high, and high school. Absolutely hated them. I’ve never understood joggers or runners; running with nowhere to go except an arbitrary distance or a “finish line” has always struck me as pointlessness personified! I’ve never been an athlete; being overweight since early childhood and relatively uncoordinated discouraged that. (I was required to be on some sort of sports team for at least one academic year at the military academy where I went to high school. I opted for basketball; it was awful, absolutely awful! I was awful! Of course, I got injured early on and spent the year as manager of the team rather than player. I was much better suited to managing than playing.)

But here I am, making the commitment to do the physical fitness thing. God give me strength … or just patience … or just stick-to-itiveness. Please. Because I do know that, hate as much as I may, I need to do this.