Push it

P-push it real good

Got to the gym this morning and couldn't help but wonder if Sunday's feeling of euphoria post work out was much more to do with activity on my Twitter account and consequent surge in readership of my blog, than anything connected with being at the gym.  Page views numbers have returned to their normal levels on the past two nights, thus I arrived at the gym and suspected I'd leave without the same feeling of optimism that washed over me at the weekend.

Forced my way through my programme to the final two exercises, the prowler and the ropes.  In asking one of the gym men if he was finished with these pieces of equipment he commented that he thought I should be using the black (and heavier) rope than the grey one.  Err no, the grey one is more than heavy enough! But I was then too self conscious to go through the rigmarole of changing the weights on the prowler, and potentially having to ask for assistance (again,) so set off with forty kilograms on it instead of thirty! Wasn't easy, but I pushed myself, and I pushed it! All the way along the floor and back again - three times!

Chuffed to bits with my little self, I was doing my cool down exercises when I got a text from my friend to say that the biopsy results on the tumor she'd had removed a few weeks ago were back - and they were benign (thankfully she then went on to explain that this meant no chemo or radiation therapy and I didn't have to spend too long trying to remember if benign was the good one or not! For something that's most often used in the context of something so emotionally charged as cancer could we not have adopted a word that we were all familiar with?!). As the realisation that she is going to be OK began to sink in, I found relief washing over me and a few tears trickling down my cheeks.  I do hope the gym man didn't think it was out of pride with my prowler performance!

I have spent the rest of the day with a heightened awareness of how precious life is, how we shouldn't take it for granted and should instead strive to spend it in the best possible way that we can.  A case in point being last night which I spent watching Al perform at his first 'gig' as a guitar player, having started playing a couple of years ago.  The school band accompanying the school production of Wind in the Willows may not have been quite what he envisaged when he dreamed of being a guitarist, but he was clearly enjoying every minute of it.  It was a huge milestone, and testament to all the time he's spent practicing (with, it has to be said, not a much support from me as he deserved).  I hope that one day I'll get as much pleasure out of running a marathon and the hours of 'practice' will have been equally as worth it.

I think what I'm trying to say is life is too short - find something you love doing - and do it!

M - 454

Brighton Half - 11
Liverpool Half - 123

Glasgow Half - 235  
Total Distance covered   480.1 miles