I have never exactly been much of a gym rat – truth be told I have had an aversion to gyms for as long as I can remember. With the prospect of Kilimanjaro looming just a few short months ago, I decided the time had come to get serious about my fitness level and my general state of physical well being.
And so the last few months have been a journey of increasing discipline, focus and commitment. I now work out at a local gym (Snap Fitness) twice a week with a trainer, use the gym at least 3 additional times each week, and am hiking with some of my Kilimanjaro buddies each Sunday, covering anywhere between 10 and 14 mms. And boy, have I noticed a difference. I did not have much weight to lose, but nonetheless shed about 8 lbs, and slowly but surely I began to feel myself get firmer, with greater endurance, tolerance for exercise and an increasing sense of enjoyment I actually look forward to my gym sessions – who would have thunk???
To top things off, I have ahd some basic fitness assessments taken to get a baseline – and for what it is worth I have a VO2Max of 47. Not sure if that really means much, or has much bearing on my likelihood of getting up and down Kili, but according to many published data series that puts me in the superior category. I’ll take it, thanks very much!
There is another side to this fitness pursuit. I have always been a believer in balance and moderation, and have shied away from being obsessive about things in life (well, my work colleagues may dispute that, but it’s generally true when it comes to lifestyle). My wife Erica keeps pointing out to me that I’m rapidly sliding into the zone of obsession with this exercise gig! She may be right, but I am singularly focused on getting into optimal shape for my Kili climb, and hence the level of effort being expended to date. And heck, I feel good – so for now I’ll continue as I have been doing.
Musings and Adventures of Graham Sher 