Sigh. January.
The hangover of the holidays.
The pumpkin, turkey and presents have passed, and you know you should have had one serving less of something along the way.
It is easy to stay motivated when those prior months are arriving.
A mile here, a mile there. That means you can have that pie and whip cream.
A last hike up the trail before spikes or snowshoes are involved. That means leftovers can be partaken of for breakfast, lunch and dinner — in the same day.
New shoes! The gift that gets you out the door for at least one last jaunt along the pavement before “Ho, Ho, Ho” becomes more jiggle than jolly.
But now what?
January.
The old trickster month.
Yes, it is getting lighter.
The author gets motivation from Santa and an elf while out on a run around town. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
And some days feel like winter is being washed away by torrents of atmospheric cleansing.
Then a cold snap. You pull out those woolens you just put away.
Then some snow and for a moment you think cross-training ski trips and snowshoe outings will be attacking that extra five to 10 pounds accumulated from pumpkin-potato-porridge-pie surprise.
Every bit of that caloric goodness is about to go away…
Except the rain comes again.
Sigh. January.
You know snow is coming. The wait is what gets you.
I have found biking.
Partaken in the right direction, biking can be a great motivator: put the wind at your back and pedal.
Unfortunately, I have discovered that a long pedal in one direction results in the requirement of a similar function in the other direction.
And I have found that usually the other direction seems to carry more wind and more rain.
The trick is the mile.
Just a mile.
A mile a day.
I can walk a mile a day at Costco.
I can do a fast mile in Costco when we seniors get loose in there!
You can do a mile a day.
Got a dog? They would love to do a mile with you. Just ask them.
Seriously. Have you ever not had an inquisitive look from mister dependable tongue and tail?
Got a friend? Well, get a dog. They are more reliable.
If you do have a reliable friend ask them to do a mile.
Sometimes if folks know you need some encouragement they will come through.
And if they don’t, well, ask to borrow their dog.
A mile sounds farther than it is.
Find a block still hanging on to Christmas lights and brighten your pace for a lap or two.
Find a street through town that has a hill and lean into that “up” and breathe deeply in the “down.”
Go to a sporting match and walk in front of other spectators, you know, pretend that is encouraging rapport coming from those like-minded folks.
Inclement weather? Grab an umbrella and do that bit from “Singing in the Rain.” Just do it with micro spikes, cold weather tights, layers of various materials and lighted vests and reflective stylings. Less Hollywood, more Bollywood.
Down the stairs, along the driveway, to the mailbox and back… 10 times? 20? Oh, it is Juneau…a lot of us can’t afford driveways.
But that is the good thing about a mile.
You don’t need a lot of space or a lot of time. You just need to be creative.
A morning stroll to work. A coffee-break walk through the parking lot. A lunch break through anything close to work. A walk home from the office.
The aforementioned walking the aisles of local merchants stores before purchases.
Walk to a friend’s house.
Sometimes I jog backwards…try the walk backwards — it distributes weight more evenly, and is always a good conversation starter.
The always wonderful jog and walk.
The stroll. The saunter.
A mile doesn’t have to be athletic…it can be sexy…the promenade.
Treadmill? Should have a mile before something terrible happens in Pine Valley again. “Pine Valley?” you ask…Google it.
It is easy to do a mile in an athletic place of various pain-inducing pieces of muscular promises. Easy.
Take 30 steps in any direction away from whatever exercise you want to start with. Go to a different exercise and repeat. In a half hour you should have a mile…and some peculiar looks from the less peculiar gym rats.
Put a calendar on the refrigerator and a big note that says, “Did you do your mile? Well, where is that X?” And have a black marker fixed there.
Try a mile via bike, or skateboard, or large body of water…Be a squirrel for 5,280 feet, go crazy.
Be Miles Moralez (Spiderman??? geez), be a superhero out there. Miles Davis… find that jazzy rhythm in the world around you. Myles Standish…um, more exploring, less colonizing, though.
You get it.
Come on folks. It is just a silly old mile…but it can do wonders for your peace of mind (and that piece of cake).
If you need more motivation, just take this little lyric for you when you go out…
“I know you’ve deceived me
Now here’s a surprise
I know that you have
‘Cause there’s magic in my eyes
I can see for miles and miles
And miles and mile and miles…”
(1967, The Who)
Maybe?
A mile every day.
For the month of January.
Sigh. January.
And then…chocolates in February!
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@juneauempire.com.
