Walk On

Despite the usual two trips to the store, our journey to good health, great longevity and a dementia free future continues. Two trips? Surely you know the Wild Bill two trip rule? ` Anything bought in a store requires two trips to straighten out the situation.’ That one of our pedometers was defective should surprise no one outside of the Bush family which still marvels at discovering such up to date technology as scanners at the check out station.

I’ll begin with a story of failure. Last Sunday (1/15/06) was a terribly blustery day with wind gusts whipping at up to forty miles per hour. It was also the day that our gridiron heroes would be tested. Barbara and I are very fortunate for having lived in the home territories of two of the most successful franchises of the National Football League, the Washington Redskins and the New England Patriots. Even more fortuitous, the teams are in opposite conferences so we can root for them with almost no fear of a conflict of interest until the very end.

So Sunday was a day of great anticipation in this house as both of our favorites would be appearing in the post season playoffs on the same day. Naturally anticipation trumped realization and both teams are resting comfortably after being dispatched to their home TVs for the rest of the championship round.

The Redskins played courageously and well and most of the breaks went their way. Unfortunately for the local fanatics, the team was simply not good enough to defeat a very fine Seattle team. On the other hand, the Patriots appeared to us to be the superior outfit but lost to Denver at Mile High Stadium in a complete meltdown in the fourth quarter. The pre game hype was designed to show that playing at altitude would not hinder the New England contingent. Even the vaunted Boston medical community shared almost believable expertise saying that the thin air would not be a factor.

Back to the scrub line you overeducated morons! The altitude caused the slaughter. The play through three quarters was fairly even, but the lack of oxygen showed up in the final stanza and the wheels fell off the Patriot’s chariot.

In the army shortly after the Korean War, I was stationed at near sea level and was sent to Colorado for extremely physically demanding training. For several days while in very fine condition and near my prime, I found the training to be extraordinarily taxing and performed nowhere near my best. There is no way that a visiting team can perform anywhere near its best in Denver. That home field provides the greatest advantage in the nation.

That said, you can see why we were couch potatoes for the day. The goal of ten thousand steps was failed by more than half, and, of course, our consumption of junk food and alcohol must be excused as factors beyond the control of mortals.

Now for the facts for the rest of you; taking ten thousand steps a day, five days a week is very difficult. We are both very active in our ordinary daily routines, and, without a concerted daily walk, we fall short by two or three thousand steps. Pity the poor devils trapped in car pools that extrude them directly into cubicles where they face computer screens all day.

We are very fortunate in being physically able to walk long distances and put in about three miles a day over and above just living. This gets us well over the health professionals recommended total. But office dwellers, those housed with small children, and most elderly folks are in a terrible fix when it comes to attaining the requisite strides each day.

But it’s not to worry; we all end up in the same eternal resting field, and postponing it is not necessarily the best way to get there. I’m reminded of the old Milton Berle quip, “They say jogging adds years to your life. I began today and feel ten years older already.” Uncle Miltie lasted until he was ninety-three without his 10K steps; to top that he was sharp till the end.

Blog on!

Wild Bill