The Value of Co-Exercising

Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity. 

~ John F. Kennedy

Last week, you (my blog readers) got your first glimpse into the fitness-induced coma that has become my life. I explained to you that my life has not always been this way. Although I played a multitude of sports growing up, the Squeeze-Its and orange slices at the end of the game were by far my favorite part. And you can bet I'd never come home from a game sweaty or dirty; I quit softball as soon as we were expected to slide and get mud on our shorts. Being active was just not something I valued.


However, in high school I started doing Yoga at my church twice a week. Then, my freshman year of college, I started elliptical-ing almost regularly. But it wasn't until my WeightWatchers revelation in 2007 that I really made exercise a priority.

An interesting tidbit about my past is that I started WW exactly 3 weeks before my first date with B. I like this fact for a few reasons: one, I like that B was attracted to be before my "thin" days, and two, I view WW as a new chapter of my life--one filled with confidence and health--and I love that B has been a part of it since the beginning.

When B started visiting over weekends in Kirksville, we started going to the campus rec center together. I think back to those times and laugh a little inside, simply because we really had no idea what we were doing. I remember specifically B saying to me, "Okay, I'm going to go run a mile," and then taking off around the track at break-neck speed, toes turned out wide, nearly horizontal to the floor. Needless to say, 100 yards later, he was gasping for breath. "See?" he complained, "I just don't see how people run that far."

Slowly, we learned better. I started taking classes at the Student Rec Center, and B took some boot camp classes at our gym at home. We started swapping fitness advice and exercise ideas. 

In June 2009, I completed my first half-marathon, with B there to cheer me on. (In case you're interested, here's the training plan I used.)

 

In June 2010, he completed his first half-marathon, where I met him at the finish line (I ran the 10K).

We have yet to run a half-marathon together, but that's coming up in our first year of married life.

All of this rambling leads me to my points (Finally! you're thinking). B and I have an awesome thing going here. We're one another's motivators, supporters, and accountability partners. When we agree to meet at the gym before work at 5am, you can bet we don't stand each other up (right B???). And when one of us is tempted to be a couch potato on a Saturday afternoon, the other gets their butt up for a run. I drag B to Yoga classes, and he sometimes convinces me to give CrossFit a try. On days when we haven't seen each other all day, we meet at the gym with a killer ab workout to try together. We've found the best running routes or free gyms at any vacation spot we've ever visited.

I'm so grateful to have fallen into a partnership in which health and fitness are a priority. As long as we have each other, I have no doubt that B and I will continue our healthful habits.