Mountains – Autumn in Denali (Photo credit: blmiers2)

I have a new appreciation for the Olympic athletes.  The years of sacrifice and lost childhood.  Dedication to their craft – a single, gut-wrenching focus.  Muscles, determination and low body fat.  No fatty foods, like chocolate.  No pizza.  I like pizza.

And so – feeling less than adequate compared to the chiseled young bodies – I am on a personal quest of health and fitness – at 50+.

There is a really steep stupid hill adjacent to our home.  I say stupid because it has a steep descent to the bottom (where Maple Valley Hwy is) that takes a good 10 minutes walking at a normal clip.  To turn around and walk straight up it is – well – STUPID!  But because we are determined and like those famous Olympians who I’m sure started with a steep hill somewhere in their early training - we press on – past the pain – past the sweat – past the chest pain (in my case) trying to breathe deep and just keep going.

We started doing this last year and in the beginning of the summer it was a torturous feat – and I had to stop many times and just catch my breath.  But by the end of the fall I was pretty good.  Then came the rainy and cold months and the STUPID hill was left on its own. (“Good riddance”, said I)  Until…it became apparent that we needed to take to the hill again because our 2 mile walks were just not cutting it.  This time we had a puppy to go with us.  She LOVES going for a walk – especially off-lease as she is on this path.  Daisy effortlessly RUNS up that stupid hill.  Stopping every now and then to scamper and sniff new and exciting things – then because we’re taking so long she runs down to circle round us a few times and then runs happily on ahead to wait for us again.  This has become our new dance – on the hill.  We huff and puff (OK – I huff and puff) and Greg and Daisy walk up with no problem.  Well – Greg walks – Daisy runs.

I am going to conquer that hill someday – it will not beat me.  I will walk up light and not out of breath – be free and more fit.  Not quite like an Olympian – but for my age an Olympian at heart

God Bless

Here is the song by Phillip Phillips that is the theme song this year for the women’s gymnastic team 2012.  Enjoy and feel inspired!