The BEST Exercise Program

I don’t run. I don’t aspire to becoming a runner. The only running I plan to do is to run onto the football field to check an injury. Or being chased by a bear.


I saw my favorite running group on Wednesday morning this week. I’m not sure I know any of them but I admire their dedication and tenacity. It was about 4:40 and they were about to pass under the Maryville College pedestrian bridge. They were all brightly lit with (I’m assuming) new neon lights to make sure they are seen.


Why are they my favorites? Because they’re always out there. It was 20⁰ on Wednesday morning and they were still at it. I like that.


I know several groups of bicycle riders that are out there too. I admire their dedication to participating in a healthy, outdoor activity, even at the risk of riding on roads where not every vehicle appreciates their presence. Yeah, I’m one of them and I’ve had my share of episodes where cars or trucks decided to express their anger at me being on the same road. Middle finger salutes are frequent. Swerving to scare me happens too often. But that’s not really what I want to focus on today.


Do you want to know what the absolute BEST exercise program is? It’s the one that you will do. It’s that simple (and I’ve talked about it here before).


Take running for example. Those early morning runners may not run hard, fast, or long, but they’re in the arena. They are MOVING, and that’s the key. (And maybe they are running hard, fast, and long but I don’t slow down to check them out.)


I lift weights 2-3 times a week. Well, actually it is more of a CrossFIt or HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) program but I’m moving weights. I’m staying within the limits imposed by my age and physical ability but I’m moving constantly in the 30 minutes or so I dedicate to this activity.


Some (most) people lift a lot heavier weights than I do and that’s OK. It isn’t a competition for me. And I do admire that they are out there, working hard, in the arena.


I used to play tennis and maybe this new knee will let me get back into that but I admire those that are out there, staying active. Same for Pickleball. Probably not the game for me it’s awesome that a lot of older athletes have found that game and play almost every day.


My wife does yoga to supplement her walking program and it has been great for her. A lot of people have found their place in the yoga studio.


I don’t know what the per capita numbers are but it does seem like we have a lot of gyms around here. Their parking lots are often full which means a lot of people are doing something. Again, it doesn’t matter what you are doing, as long as you are doing something.


I want to put in a plug for an Accountability Partner. That’s somebody that you exercise with. And on days when maybe you don’t feel like exercising, your Accountability Partner might just be the reason that you get in your exercise anyway. You don’t want to disappoint or inconvenience them.


And let’s just face it…we’re all just a little bit competitive. So with someone to exercise with, you’re probably going to work a little harder.


But whatever you do, what matters most is that you are moving your body. Every day. Hike, swim, row…it matters not what you do. Just that you do it.

Grandchild #7

True story. Early this week, I sat down to write for this space. And I sat there. And sat there. Nothing came. I’ve been doing this thing for 35 years and it seemed I finally had writer’s block.


I finally wrote down “I have nothing” and walked away from the computer. A couple days later, I asked my wife for ideas. My biggest supporter, she is also my quickest (but gentlest) critic. If I’ve wrote about the same topic too many times, she will point that out.

It’s the second or third thing she reads when she sits down on Sunday morning to read The Daily Times. (I’m not sure what’s first.) Her suggestion—"duh, you have a new granddaughter.” The very next morning, I had two people ask me if I was going to write about that new granddaughter. So of course, that’s what I did.

This is grandchild number seven and is likely the last (barring a true miracle). She was premature, born at 34 weeks, weighing 3 pounds, 15 ounces. At the time of this writing, she is still in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.

A shameless plug for Children’s Hospital—those people are incredible. We had one previous grandchild born premature that spent time in the NICU there almost seven years ago. Back then it was a big ward, with all the babies in the same room.

At that time, we watched a building being built across the street, not knowing at the time what it was to be. As it turns out, it was the South Building for Children’s Hospital. It now houses the NICU.

Seven years ago, the staff was just as awesome, the care delivered just as stellar. But now they have the facility to match all that awesomeness. Every baby is housed in a private room with state-of-the-art equipment.

You have to experience it to appreciate what all that means. To have a wee baby, 2 or 3 pounds or so, small enough to almost fit in your palm fighting for their life but surrounded by the best of the best…it’s transformative.

It makes you realize how fragile and important life is. Just this week, we had funeral services for a 37 year old family member. Taken before his time, leaving two young children. If all this doesn’t serve as a life wake up call, you’re pretty oblivious.

This precious little granddaughter, who is doing great and may be home by today, will grow up surrounded by love and will likely never be hungry or wanting of any of life’s basics. The same can’t be said for too many others. In rooms in the NICU near hers are babies that are going through withdrawal, babies that might not make it. We can hear their constant cries in the hallway. It may be life’s saddest sound.

And just last week a child died in the PICU of Shaken Baby Syndrome. Think about all that. Adults that would shake a baby so hard that they died from it. A pregnant mom that couldn’t stay away from drugs and/or alcohol while carrying life’s most precious gift. Unbelievable.

As I held my newest this week, I promised her that I was going to be there for her. That I would guarantee her unconditional love and support for as long as I lived. That I would cuddle with her as long as I could and then hold her hand as long as she would let me.

Thank You for your Service

A family member had a baby about 3 AM on Christmas morning. Everybody is fine. It was a pretty awesome Christmas present. But it got me to thinking about the Obstetrician and the delivery staff at the hospital (yeah…I know…my brain works in mysterious ways).


That baby didn’t care that it was Christmas. It was ready to come out. And that baby didn’t care that folks at the hospital had families. I suppose the Doctor that delivered this baby long ago decided that it was part of their life, part of their duty, to be there when needed.


What a huge sacrifice! It really doesn’t matter what was going on in their own life, what their own family needs might be, they were there. It still amazes me.


And they’re not alone. Think about all those workers in the hospital. They probably would have preferred to be home, enjoying Christmas, being with their family. But they had a job to do. An essential, important job.


You maybe didn’t choose to be in the hospital during the holidays but you probably took it for granted that it would be fully staffed. I would ask that if you do find yourself in the hospital sometime, please be patient when you push that Nurse Call button. Maybe they’re short staffed that day. Maybe somebody called in sick without time to call in a replacement.


Think about those staffing the Emergency Room. I don’t know for sure but I bet that most of the ER’s were busy all day on Christmas Day. Those working there might miss their families that day but when the next ambulance pulls in, all thoughts go to the patient.


Think about those in law enforcement. I’m sure every young police officer would prefer to be there when their own kids wake up and run to the Christmas tree to see what they might find. Instead, they were out there on duty to protect and defend us. Maybe even putting their own life on the line so that we could be safe.


How about the fireman. If there is a burning building, they don’t stop to think that they would like to be somewhere else. They don’t stop to think about how nice it might be to be home sitting in front of a fire, eating too much, enjoying loved ones.


No, when a fire happens, they rush to the fire, putting themselves in harm’s way. My dad always told me that in the event of a crisis, to seek out those that are running TO the crisis, not those running away from it. I think he was talking more about life but it certainly works when talking about a catastrophe.


And it’s not just to save lives. It’s to save your property. They fight the fire to minimize the damage to your house, to minimize the impact on your life.


It got me to thinking about those that work in Emergency Care, the EMTs and Para-Medics. Probably one of the more underpaid jobs out there, those folks are always ready to save your life. And maybe on Christmas Day.


Then there are the utility workers. If your electricity goes out on Christmas day, you don’t really think about the fact that somebody will be on the job, waiting for the call to go and restore your electricity so that your house stays warm on a cold day.


Look to the soldier, maybe serving us on foreign soil. You know they would love to be home. But instead, they’re serving our country, doing their duty. You don’t have to agree with why they are there to appreciate their sacrifices and dedication to our country.


We take a lot for granted. We too often take for granted the sacrifices that so many people make to create a world that is safer, warmer, easier, better.


For all those that serve others, I thank you.