Monday, April 09, 2007

Work Hard . . . Play Harder

Exercise, for many years now, has been of great importance to me. Sure, sometimes my commitment is stronger some months than others, but it never completely wanes. Probably because I don't let it. I know how important it is to my health and my self-esteem, and how it carries over to all other aspects of my life, both personal and professional. And since I am not one for excuses, I know the buck stops here, and I take responsibility for my body.

There are few things better than the sense of accomplishment after a good workout at the gym. Except maybe for the rush your body feels just at the end, which lingers on afterwards, making you feel calm, satisfied, relaxed, proud, and so on.

I love the feeling of when I am really pushing my body hard, at what I think has got to be it's limit, breathing hard, sweaty as all get out, and certain I am gonna pass out from exhaustion at any moment . . . when suddenly, that little extra burst of endurance or strength kicks in, and I find myself going further than I thought possible. And the feeling after such a workout? Amazing. It's somewhere between a craving or intoxication, and it keeps me coming back for more.

Sure, not every workout achieves such maximum levels of fitness, and sometimes you either feel like going slow or you need to. But on Friday, having the day off from work, I was inspired to really kick it up a few notches. So I did.

Of course, the saying goes "No Pain, No Gain" . . . and I can't deny my body had a few aches on Saturday when I woke up. But I think that just goes to prove that the workout was in earnest.

I can be soft and make excuses when I am old. For now, I am more interested in being the best I can be.

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