RACE TIME 6:45
This year the Mercedes-Benz Corporate Run will celebrate the 27th
year! I confess I have not participated in the last few years, but I have professed to begin to walk the way of improved wellness in 2012; and I have devised an exaggerated wellness plan just for this occasion. Ablations are over and a 187 km hike in Portugal is waiting for me in July. So, as Mercedes-Benz and Footworks introduce, once again, being the leaders in “first step toward fitness,” I am accepting the challenge to step back into my size six blue jeans.
D-day arrived some time in January at our house. Not a 'diet day', but a 'deadline day' instead. It was all about re-conditioning my 14 year old son's lifestyle and shaping him into a lean fat burning machine. The deadline arrived and we about-faced to a new life of passion for health and physical fitness. ( I say 'we' because I am his wing man.Ok...wing Mom) The map was charted and we committed to Dr. G's WeightLoss and Wellness plan.
I happily report today that my son has successfully and magnificently taken off forty plus pounds under animated and cautious supervision while practicing a sensible eating routine. My fast shrinking Mando, has now met his established goal and is now shape-shifting to a new phase whereby he will be toning up by way of daily repetitious and non-weight bearing exercises.
Get the cymbals out because it's time to clash the tambourine! About six o'clock yesterday a newly constituted challenge emerged: the push up challenge. Challenges and more challenges are always lurking around the bend, but this one exploded as a result of a quippy and vaporous conversation between J.C., my son and I -- a cloudy concept morphed into a $100 push-up defiance. And, if you can relate to 14 year old boys, $100 is motivational mad money.
Thirty push-ups, correctly executed, in thirty days.
(30 push-ups that meet with J.C's approval)
Since, I am that guy offering the $100, I am willing to add flexibility to the time frame and work pass the thirty days.
Note and declaration (with emphasis): I am going to own this challenge as well!
Why?
First, because I have never been able to push up or down or side to side for that matter. In my defense, there is a likely clause in my birth certificate that declares me as an anomaly and triceps, deltoids, serratus anteriors or coracobrachialis' were not included as part of my birth kit. Also in defense of my anatomically weak arms, these guys have never been asked to report to active duty.
And, lastly, although these push and pull muscles have never been employed by me, it doesn't mean they can't show up to work one day. I remain optimistic and therefore submit, the words 'I can't' is not in this palaverous-multifarious-vocabularious! The reality is the 'I can't' of today can be the 'I can' of tomorrow.
Ahhh..., but wait! There is more! Here comes the boom, boom, pow! I am going to throw another element into this gluten-free batter. I too have my very own challenge ahead: the hike for 'The Way' this summer. It has become eminent that I need to join this fitness trail fast. July is creeping up and I have not even begun to get ready to trek up and down some high ground.
A word of caution to self: Self, the prospect of having to send up a flair in order to have someone pluck me up off a mountain side that can only be found by a way marker in the shape of a shell is highly probable should I leave the hike to chance. Hence: push-up challenge 2: One hundred push ups in six weeks. I will be reading up on some online strategy for this bump and grind. Ouch!
According to
Wikipedia, a push-up (USA English), or a press-up (UK English), is "a common strength training exercise performed in a prone position, lying horizontal and face down, raising and lowering the body using the arms."
Push ups are a basic exercise used in civilian athletic training or physical education and, especially, in military physical training and will develop the pectoral muscles and triceps, with ancillary benefits to the deltoids, serratus anterior, coracobrachialis and the midsection as a whole.
The multifarious plan:
Dr. G, get ready!!!
I'm-a-comin...gonna get me some ole fashioned life altering coaching and nutrition advice.
Congratulations to my son the future pusher!
...and a message to my virtual and real time buddies:
you have my schedule...
Buen Camino pushing up and pushing down!
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