Tag: fitness

WALKAHOLIC

“When I’m hiking the trails around town and someone my same age goes whizzing by, I’m not impressed.”

Senior couple walking down a grocery store aisle for household goods and cleaning

The average person walks between 3,000 and 4,000 steps per day, which is roughly 1.5 to 2 miles daily. Over the course of a year, this adds up to approximately 550 to 730 miles walked by an individual. Actual mileage may vary based on lifestyle, occupation, and physical activity habits.

My total mileage walked in 72 years, based on this formula, would be 52,560 miles, but I believe I’m way above average, so the number should be more than double that. Subtracting the first five years of my life, I’d say I’ve easily walked over 100,000 miles in total, which may seem high, yet Toyota cars and trucks, when properly maintained, can reach well over 300,000 miles.

I’ve taken care of things by not running, which impacts knees, hips, thighs, ankles, and feet. Studies have shown that runners are much more likely to require hip and knee replacements in later life due to the repetitive stress these activities place on the joints.

Over time, the increased wear and tear can lead to joint degeneration, making surgical intervention more common among frequent runners. Several of my friends who were former runners have undergone this.

While running is often celebrated for its cardiovascular benefits, walking offers many of the same health advantages with less impact on the joints. Regular walking can improve heart health, help maintain a healthy weight, boost mood, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.

For individuals looking to stay active without the increased risk of joint injury, walking provides an effective and sustainable alternative to running. It’s not as impressive to tell someone you walk for exercise as it is to run, yet when you reach 70, it doesn’t really matter what people think.

We keep an exercise bike and a treadmill in the house, and I use both sparingly, although in Alaska during winter, they both received a good workout. My old Schwinn Airyne had over 10,000 miles when it was retired. This new one is still under 1,000.

Rotary Park provides the best place to walk in Lake Havasu City during the summer months, though only in the morning hours before it gets too hot. Walmart is our next go-to place because it’s huge and air-conditioned. Joleen and I jokingly call it Walkmart. We’ve seen others walking there for exercise.

Three or four complete circuits around the store is sufficient, making for a good country mile. That’s a statement you don’t hear much anymore. A “country mile” is an informal phrase used to describe a distance that feels much longer than a standard mile, especially when traveling through rural or undeveloped areas.

The term often refers to the perception that distances in the countryside, where landmarks and reference points are fewer, seem to stretch farther than the same measured distance in a city or town. So, when someone says something is a “country mile” away, they usually mean it’s a lot farther than you might expect.

As long as I’m able to simply walk at a normal pace, I’m happy. So many seniors lose that ability and suffer immensely, and in some cases, never leave the house. When I’m hiking the trails around town and someone my same age goes whizzing by, I’m not impressed.

Given time, they’ll eventually be on the sidelines from too much strenuous activity, and I’ll pass them. I say that from a mechanic’s perspective after seeing old vehicles pushed to the limit and then breaking down.

Call me a “walkaholic” if you like. The joy I get from still being able to walk far outweighs most everything else at this point in my life. I hope I can continue walking until the vultures start squawking!

Elderly woman crossing Walmart 5K finish line indoors with cheering crowd

GRIN AND BEAR IT

“I believe a 1962 Pontiac station wagon with bad ball joints feels about the same pain—as that of a 64 year old man with bad hips.”

The phrase “grin and bear it” means to endure an unpleasant situation with good humor, without complaint. It suggests facing something difficult or uncomfortable with patience and a positive attitude, even if it’s not enjoyable.

Old age to me is something difficult and uncomfortable, and I’ve learned to grin and bear it over time. Several years ago, before he retired, my wife had me ask Dr. Thomas Wrona why I was beginning to feel so tired with aches and pains seemingly everywhere.

With a smirk on his face, the good doctor looked at me and answered. “It’s called old age, Mike. Get used to it because things won’t get better!”

As a former mechanic, I knew this and had told her that, yet Joleen didn’t like my self-prescribed analysis; she wanted a professional one. My experience working on many older vehicles during my career is the basis for my grassroots comparison.

I believe a 1962 Pontiac station wagon with bad ball joints feels about the same pain—as that of a 64 year old man with bad hips. I say this because I know someone who has undergone hip replacement surgery, and they were in great agony beforehand. Unfortunately, cars cannot express their torment as humans do, so we can only assume they feel the same.

Right now, my ankles, both elbows, and shins hurt. Thankfully, Dr. Ace Taminophen is on call 24 hours a day. Most folks know him as Dr. Ty, or Dr. Tylenol. A couple of his 500-milligram gel tablets seem to work best. I take them at bedtime so I can sleep.

Older people often feel more pain as they age due to a combination of factors. As the body ages, joints and tissues can wear down, leading to conditions like arthritis and reduced flexibility. Additionally, the body’s ability to repair itself slows, making it harder to recover from injuries or strain. These physical changes, along with reduced muscle mass and bone density, contribute to increased aches and pains.

Furthermore, inflammation tends to increase with age, making everyday movements feel more uncomfortable. Chronic health conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease, may also play a role in amplifying pain and discomfort. All of these factors together explain why many older adults like myself experience more frequent or intense pain as the years go by.

I recall reading about someone years ago looking for a fountain of youth. If there is such a place, I’d definitely take a long drive to investigate. It didn’t take me long to find information on this.

The legend of the fountain of youth is often linked to the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León. In the early 1500s, Ponce de León sailed to what is now Florida, with stories claiming he was seeking a magical spring that would restore youth and vitality to anyone who drank its waters. While there is little historical evidence that Ponce de León actually sought the fountain, the tale persists as a symbol of humanity’s desire to reverse aging and find eternal youth.

This myth has become a cultural touchstone, representing the hope and pursuit of ways to ease or escape the discomforts of growing old—much like the aches and pains I experience as I age. The story reminds us that even centuries ago, people dreamed of solutions to the challenges of growing older.

Unfortunately, it turns out the fountain of youth is on the same level as the fake news we’re now seeing on TV. Getting back to Dr. Wrona and his advice to get used to the aches and pain, I’m getting there. I’ll take both extremities over that of being permanently laid up in a hospital bed or an assisted living facility.

Walking my usual path at Rotary Park this morning, finally getting back to the truck, I was achy and sore. While resting and rehydrating, a familiar thought popped into my head. “Grin and bear it, Mike, things don’t get any better than this!”

At that point, I could’ve cried, but chuckled instead. That’s what we seniors need to do if we’re going to make it through the day, along with having a case of Tylenol, of course.