Giant Snakes and Ladders

For half a century, “I need to get fit; I wanna get fit; I’m getting fit!” has been a refrain, an infinity loop spooling through my brain. Typically, as soon as the thought “I’m on a fitness charge” sneaks into my mind, the wheels legs and or feet fall off and I’m back to square one twelve. It’s just one life sized game of Snakes and Ladders in the realm of exercise and fitness.

This year, in Oz, Winter cheated and got a jump start! Thumbing its nose at the calendar and designated start of season, blustery, bleak weather blew in. Today, for the first time ever, I wimped out and wore a fleecy, coat the entire 5km of parkrun. Despite the thermometer insisting on an 11 degree C start, the chill factor and grey horizon snap froze my fingers frigid and stiff. Feet rapidly grew ever colder, the further they pounded around the course. “A Hazy Shade of Winter” was the perfect theme song to wing me on my way. My persistence paid off with a decent time for my 120th parkrun… another one closer to continuing all through winter… when it officially arrives.

Back in my heyday, I’d be seized by an insane spurt of enthusiasm on the first frosty morning of the year… each and every year. Was it because I’m a Winter Baby, who thrives in such weather? Barefoot, clad in shorts and T-shirt, I’d bound off at 6:00am… off to the High School oval to jog four to eight tedious laps, mind in neutral… counting laps on my fingers (such big numbers to keep track of).

During holidays, my zany friend Nevann would join me. Less keen, she’d collect me in her ancient Valiant and drive us one km up the hill and back… beeping her horn three times as she dropped me off... her car had three horns on her steering wheel and she needed to use them all, every time. How my long suffering neighbours must have loved us!

Other times, my energetic little brothers would join me. Bossy big sister would insist they run with me and wait until I gave the signal to sprint to the finish, typically around the last 200m mark. I had a reputation to uphold. A reputation which got harder and harder to retain, as they celebrated each successive birthday. Down the track of years and sprints, they kindly helped me improve my times.

Those days flew by and I got passed… left in the dust and weeds by my brothers who shot up to tower 8 inches above me. Their legs are now long enough to rival any giraffe. They went on to compete in Triathlons and Iron Man races across the globe, while their big sister is simply content to complete her puny 5 km parkruns at a sedate pace. Those were the days… my glory days… when my claim to fame was being able to run faster than my baby bros!

One memorable day, my elder brother agreed to join me for a run around our block. Irritatingly Cunningly, he somehow managed to gain a two step lead on me. Annoyingly, no matter the pace I ran, his lead remained unchanged… despite my ever increasing speed and surprise sprint finish. So much for going for a run together! It was a no repeat event.

A couple of decades along, Lake Eacham beckoned me for morning jogs after depositing my children on the school bus. The 3km crater lake circuit recharged my emotional battery. Occasional close encounters with tree snakes lounging across the trail added an unplanned, adrenaline rush.

In more recent years, my gorgeous black Labrador, Hudson provided wonderful company on vigorous jaunts… randomly flipping between jogging and walking, depending on the terrain, critters and people. He’d helpfully dart across in front of me, at times standing on my shoes, occasionally tripping me. He definitely added to the experience… and time.

One year, my children and I were doing Couch to 5km to get fit quick… a delightful concept. We found it far less delightful in practice. The run ‘5 minute’ intervals inconveniently seemed to fall on the uphill… with our dog walking faster than my jog, while the ‘walk 5 minutes’ interval frustratingly occurred on the downhill… which begged to be run.

The past few years, I enjoyed jogging several 10km races, only to disappointingly discover they fell just shy of the distance. I’ve yet to run 10km.

However, Winter is here to stay for a few months and I’m pleased to be off to a great start.

Today, I’m firmly in the ‘Getting increasingly fit’ phase of my “I need to get fit; I wanna get fit; I’m getting fit,” cycle.

I feel like I’ve rolled a few sixes and climbed a few ladders in my Fitness Game of Snakes and Ladders. I’m winning! (For now…)

*