Posture Thursday

Going back to the name of this blog defines what I felt today. Cubicle. Felt glued to the chair and seemed to mold my existence right into the desk top and keyboard. By nature, everything about this type of job is not physically healthy! I know this, but so do millions of other americans that have to make a living. I am glad we are busy at work again - job stability is a happy place. But yet for hours on end we find ourselves not moving anything other than a slight twist of our wrists here and there and the constant bouncing of our fingertips as we scan page after page...our eyes glued to the illuminating screens. Its no wonder around 4p.m. we all gaze up dazed and confused, our entire sensory essence frozen and stiff.

Man, imagine this scene day after day and year after year in addition to natural aging physical constraints. Yeah. Exercise and eating is so super important. I remember the days of feeling unstoppable. I remember in my early 20's feeling just about as good as you can possibly feel. Waking up on a Saturday, going out to breakfast with friends filled with greasy omellettes, hashbrowns, or whatever filled our desire, topped with numerous cups of coffee. Within the hour we could go on a 4 hour hike on nothing more than a nalgene of water and a luna bar. Potentially, we could come back and go tubing in the creek, a bike ride to the park and stop at home for some dinner. After than, a night at the bars. Get about 6 hours of sleep and do it again. So much energy and no aching. I didn't have a car for several years - I remember waking up, riding my bike 2 miles to work, working a full day, then riding my bike 5 miles to the community college campus for my class and then by 9pm. throwing my head lamp on my head and riding home. I did it all the time, and it was no problem at all.

We are capable of so much more than we give credit for. To this day, I still find myself challenging myself a bit, just to see. I think that is why I have a hang up with these half marathons. I just want to test myself...can I still do it... and can I do it a few minutes faster this time... and what if I throw in a little bit different training this time...but it is all while living a very full and busy life - which is ok because we need that forced break in which we can exert that energy and push ourselves in a different way...otherwise I would still be at that desk hunched over, probably with neck spasms and back aches. I learned very quickly and intensely the value of ones spine and back at the ripe age of 18 years old. Falling through a roof and crushing my lumbar vertebrae was a rude awakening. I wore a brace for just under 3 months and that is a long time for an 18 year old who wants to do everything including prom and a backpacking trip (both of which I ended up doing, I am proud to say) but losing use on any level of your core body is rough. And I don't want to. This month, part of my goal was to step up the strength training just a bit. Granted I have only light hand weights but it is really how you use them that matters. I have been doing them 2-3 times per week for about 2 1/2 weeks and I can definitely tell a difference. It is true what they say, it dramatically effects your posture - I absolutely just feel better. I am really hoping to get the running in gear by the beginning of february but I am struggling with the idea of the time constraints it puts on you...but I want to do it.

Anyways, I really like the way it feels to improve strength training a little bit and it is a fact that it helps to protect you against injury as you get older - especially someone like me who is sitting at work for so many hours and could probably be an easy target for pulling a muscle while doing household chores if I didn't stay active on some level.

Well, tomorrow is friday, better get a good night's sleep to take on the day and hopefully end it with a pleasant run on the treadmill after bree goes to sleep.