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AS A KID, I WAS usually one of the last chosen for pickup games, be it softball, basketball or football. My athletic prowess was limited to being the fastest kid in my neighborhood, but it seems I lived in a slow neighborhood. I had moderate success on a local swim team, but again found that success didn’t translate to surrounding communities.
Into my teen years, I was plagued by allergies and asthma. It wasn’t until the late 1970s, when I was in my early 20s and still in college, that I took ownership of my health and started running. At the time, running was virtually free. Everyone had a pair of tennis or basketball shoes. It didn’t take long before I entered local 5K and 10K races. For $5 or so, I could run in a race and get a race T-shirt, along with all the snacks you could scarf down afterwards.
I was never racing to win, but I was always racing against myself, trying to improve. Soon it required new and better running shoes, lightweight shorts and singlets, and more training time. To track my progress, I kept a running log, painstakingly scribbled into a notebook.
I discovered that the more I ran, the more often I had to replace my running shoes. I ran a lot of races, eventually completing a marathon in a respectable time. This continued into the 1980s, but things changed when my first wife and I started a family and bought a house requiring a lot of work.
In the early 1990s, I went on my first adult backpacking trip to the Tetons. It was amazing—but I needed gear for the trip. A backpack, sleeping bag and pad, tent, clothing and cooking gear were all required. During that time, I also participated in several sprint triathlons, typically involving a half-mile swim, 13-mile bike ride and three-and-a-half-mile run. I borrowed someone’s road bike for the first one, but the next year I had my own bike, though it was a junky hybrid, not a proper road bicycle.
As we moved into the early 2000s, life got even busier. I had a new and exciting job, my wife was traveling a lot for her job, and the boys were turning into teenagers. My best opportunities for alone time were running and biking, but were limited by family commitments. We lived in an area with easily accessible greenways that led to trails in a nearby state park. My mountain bike time increased, as my right knee was now objecting to running so often.
Also, in the 2000s, I became an adult leader of a Boy Scout troop. We generally camped one weekend per month during the school year and spent a week at summer camp. I was an adult leader for 12 years, including a Scoutmaster for three of those years.
In 2005, I took some of the troop on a high adventure backpacking trip to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. In 2006, we backpacked in the White River area of Colorado and, in 2008, we backpacked the Wind River Range in Wyoming. One or both of my sons usually attended these outings. This period also coincided with the departure of my wife. That’s when I started rock climbing. As you might imagine, all these activities required training, plus an investment in gear, travel and preparation. Fortunately, I had a very understanding employer.
A bike wreck pretty much ended my running activities in 2007. I had already developed osteoarthritis in my right knee, plus most of the cartilage was also gone. I continued biking, hiking, backpacking and climbing. Have I mentioned whitewater rafting? Some of my Scout leader friends and I began annual trips to West Virginia for guided tours on the Gauley River during Class V water season. This was not a passive activity. Paddling for 26-plus miles, often in fast and violent rapids, is a lot of work.
At the request of my girlfriend, now wife, I gave up the rock climbing around 2009, but I replaced that with a YMCA membership for workouts on cold or wet days, when I didn’t ride outdoors. I turned 70 last year and went on my last super-aggressive whitewater rafting trip.
I’m considering the purchase of a second bike. We live six miles from the local state park, and I often bike to and inside the park on the designated trails. But I wish I had a gravel bike that’s nimbler and lighter. Bikes got expensive during the pandemic, and I don’t think the prices have come down. I’ve not yet pulled the trigger, but I think I’ve found what I want.
So, where’s the payoff? I have no idea how much I’ve spent over the years on bikes, bike maintenance and repairs, shoes, hiking boots, gear, travel, gym memberships and trips, not to mention the occasional doctor and physical therapy bill. But the amount of satisfaction I’ve gained in return is immense. My weight has been stable for well over 20 years. I still do all the yardwork, gardening and occasional home projects.
My smartwatch has a “fitness age” feature that says my activity level is more representative of someone age 61 and gives pointers for lowering that to 59½. I’m not sure I’m that compulsive, but we’ll see. At this juncture, I’ve given up running, climbing and aggressive whitewater rafting. Still, there are days when I probably overdo it.
I’m aware that, as time goes by, I’ll need to take other things off my activity list. Those will be day-by-day calls, based on how I feel, input from my wife and family, physical condition, and other currently unknown circumstances. But today, as soon as the greenways and trails dry out, I’m headed out for a ride.
Jeff Bond moved to Raleigh in 1971 to attend North Carolina State University and never left. He retired in 2020 after 43 years in various engineering roles. Jeff’s the proud father of two sons and, in 2013, expanded his family with a new wife and two stepdaughters. Today, he’s “Grandpa” three times over. In retirement, Jeff works on home projects, volunteers, reads, gardens, and rides his bike or goes to the gym almost every day. His previous articles were Unsettling Experience and They Pitched We Swung.
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Since my team position was always “left out”, I needed to do something else that required no physical talent. So I discovered “ham radio” which led me to study engineering.
I now fight everyday to stay physically healthy. Plagued with a work related back injury early in my career, staying active was a lifelong challenge.
When you have your health, you have 90% of what you need.
Richard – thanks for reading and commenting. My Dad was a ham radio enthusiast. I think it disappointed him that I never showed interest in it – but he was very proud when I graduated with my engineering degrees. Good luck!
Evan – thanks for the reading and commenting. I’ll look at that YouTube channel. I hope you stay out of the wheelchair!
Jeff
It pays to exercise – at any age. One must be realistic about goals, and only you can decide whether what you are doing is too little, too much, or just right. But the main things to do are to start, and then to persist. I think of it as Newton’s law of fitness – a human body that is at rest tends to remain at rest, but a human body in motion tends to remain in motion (whether or not Newton conditions it as being in a vacuum). So change that inertia into motion and then keep it going. Don’t give up!
Martin – thanks for your comment! Your reference to Newton’s laws of motion takes me back to my sophomore year, studying statics and mechanics of motion. Thanks for the reminder!
“I have no idea how much I’ve spent over the years on (exercise equipment)”.
No matter how much you spent it was well worth it. If you didn’t spend this money as you did a lot of it may very well have been spent on health care copayments and deductibles. Which is better?
BTW, in case you are wondering if all your running lead to the arthritis in your knee research years ago showed no correlation.
David – thanks for the comments. Since my left knee is fine, I know the right knee replacement wasn’t entirely due to running. But I’ve had some other small injuries that probably all added to and caused accumulated damage that got me to that point. Thanks for reading!
Jeff: What a wonderful story and congratulations and thank you for all the work you have done to raise the next generation of Boy Scouts.
I am 73, and I ran in the early 1980’s though @1994. I started with 2.75 miles around a lake close to my apartment, and eventually ran 5Ks and 10ks most weekends. I ran The Peach Tree Classic in 1981, two Gasparilla Road Races (15K) in 1982 & 1983, a 20K Race in 1984 and a Bud Light Half Marathon in 1984. My motivation at the time was weight loss. I lost 65 lbs in my first six months of running in 1980 and kept it off for a decade or more.
Last August, as I tipped the scales at 296.8, I started The Carnivore Diet. Once I got under 250 lbs, I began going to the Gym. This past Monday morning I weighed in at 239.0. My goal is to reach 155 by June, 2025, 4 months before I turn 75. (All that takes is 1.5 pounds a week.)
We all have things we love to do and hearing all the outdoor adventures you have enjoyed in your lifetime leaves me amazed. As to the money spent to enjoy your life, so be it. My weakness has always been guns. Rugers, Glocks, Henry’s and Springfield Armory. When my bride of 50 years asks me, “How many guns do you need?” The answer is always, “at least one more!”
Our 50th Wedding Anniversary is June 23rd…and I know what I am getting from my wife…The newly Announced 50th Year Anniversary Springfield Armory M1A Rifle. (For those Viet Nam Vets out there, that is the civilian version of the M-14.) It is a thing of beauty. I just need to let her know what she’s getting me. Ha!
Thanks again for a wonderful article Jeff.
Kevin – thanks for relaying your story. We all have our passions and/or motivations for what we do, e.g., I don’t even own a BB gun, but I own more than my share of knives. Congrats on the upcoming 50th wedding anniversary, that’s at great achievement!
Jeff, Thank you for your article. I am 75. I was also not much of an athlete. And still am not!! I grew up in a farming community and worked on farms until college. My parents sent a pull-up bar to college with me that fit in a doorway. I found that the exercise always made me feel better mentally and physically so I have exercised since then. I got tired of going to a gym so I bought exercise equipment for the basement and dropped the gym membership. While working I would run outside in the very early mornings and then my wife and I would run together on the weekends. We would run together on vacations to explore new places. Our three kids were active in sports and still exercise now that they have their own families. I have at least seven jump ropes!??? My wife passed away about two years ago and exercise is helping me adjust to her loss. I have no idea how much I have spent on exercise equipment and there are some things I find I could have done without. However, I don’t regret any of the expense! Activity is so good in so many ways. Keep up the good work!
Mr. Schneider – I’m so happy that the in-home exercise equipment worked for you. I tried that a long time ago and it just collected dust. Being active with my kids helped our relationship when they were young, but they are not that physically active as adults – – – yet. I expect that to change as they get older.
Jeff, coincidentally , I worked on a cow/calf ranch near Eagle Nest NM for a summer, 1971. The land they rented from the government abutted Philmont land and we rode fence there. It was high country and beautiful.
Mr. Schneider – Our days at Philmont created enduring memories for me. But my recollections of the surrounding areas are limited to a gift shop and a pizza place in Cimarron, just outside of Philmont.
You’re as young as you decide to be. Good for you! Inspirational.
Thanks for reading and responding!
Jeff, I got tired just reading about your physical activities!
I’m with you on the importance of staying fit, but at age 72, an hour fast walking the treadmill while enjoying a Netflix, along with 3x a week with some Walmart dumbells, is plenty for me!
Andrew – Thanks for reading and commenting. There are days that a power walk in the neighborhood or an afternoon behind the lawnmower are enough for me. I really like the weight machines at the YMCA that are targeted to specific muscle groups.
Me and you Andy.
I am doing 30 minutes a day on weights and 30-45 minutes on the treadmill, singing along with my music, watching a Netflix Movie, or listening to an Audible Book.
While I was on vacation last month FL, I rode a bike. I think the last time I had been on one was when my son was 6-7, or 33 years ago. You really don’t forget how to ride a bike. Ha!
Keep up the good work.
Thanks Jeff, I enjoyed hearing about your life adventures. I am 66 and started eliminating activities that my knee couldn’t handle so that I could continue and add others. The latest are biking 6 miles a day and bocci ball. An aging Dr once told me her secret to living well is to keep moving. I hope to keep finding new interests as I age to keep me moving and motivated.
McBeeee – many thanks for your comment. There are lots of low-impact activities. Obviously, I agree with the keep moving advice. My wife and I just returned from a trip to Yosemite, and we did a lot of hiking. It was our first time there. The hiking was great and the views were stunning!