The downside of getting fit

Sure, sure everyone thinks that getting fitter and back in shape is a good thing……well from my perspective – “not so much!”   As crazy at it sounds the upcoming expedition to Papua New Guinea (that’s my new name for it, rather than hike or trek – sounds so much more exotic don’t you think) in a host of areas is far outstripping the wonderful karma that I’ve building throughout my training and fundraising activities.   I’m sure some of you are thinking “WTF?”  

TW at the end of his Sunday hike - all 25km

Now it could be me, but indulge me and let me fill you in on the downside for just a minute.  

Firstly none of my pants fit me anymore – clearly I was getting a little chubby (thanks for not mentioning it) so in actual fact going down about 3” in waist size is a killer, cos not only does the waist not fit, but neither does the bum……just call me “baggy britches”.   So our friends at Harry Rosen, Banana Republic and assorted other stores have been happily taking my hard earned cash for more form fitting attire of recent weeks.   It’s funny how they always save that extra big and special smile for me as I traipse into the store yet again.

The second reason getting fit isn’t a good thing:  the amount of time I’ve been spending each week - on average about 8 hours per week of exercising, either hiking with my pack on my Sunday morning walks around Toronto, at the gym doing my weights routine or perhaps with Horace “the Mighty” Hunter (shredding me with those dastardly 2.5Ib torture devices he calls “hand weights”).   It’s a lot of time I could be putting to good use, let me see…..sleeping in till a sensible hour, even 6:30 am…..yes, that’s sleeping in folks.   Normally I’m up and either walking or working out around 5:30 at a minimum of five + days per week.   Let’s call this sleep deprivation shall we.

How about this one?   I mentioned to Horace that my left knee was sore at the joint during one of our infamous stretching episodes; quick as a flash he said that perhaps I need orthotics for my shoes.   As you can imagine I’m already way ahead of him and thinking of at least 10 reasons why I actually don’t need orthotics…….but there it is, the famous Horace smile.    “Fine” I’ll go and get it checked out I mutter almost imperceptibly.   The man has a steel trap for a memory as well – so two days later while on the mat stretching after yet another one of his killer workouts he asks innocently enough “so what did you find out about your knee?”  All I can do is grin sheepishly and try and weasel out of a response, all sorts of excuses, clearly he can see through this thinly veiled ruse…….”then don’t complain about it when we stretch if you’re not going to do anything about it”.   Wow, such a hard man!  

That morning in the car heading to work Jodie asks about the workout, and I fill her in on what Horace “the horrible” said to me.   She said go and make an appointment to see my Chiropractor she awesome, it’s downstairs in the concourse she says staring at me with that winning smiling.   Sure enough between Horace’s guilt and Jodie’s coaxing I decide to nip downstairs to grab my morning Starbucks and as I exit the escalator (lazy man that I am) there's the clinic just steps away….do I flee or do I man up and make an appointment (yes, you can see where this is going – it was a close thing I’ve got to tell you!) 

Next morning in my initial exam the doctor asks me about my activity level etc as part of my health history, I then go onto bore the living sh..t out of her about my upcoming expedition to New Guinea.  Instead of her rolling her eyes, her eyes light up as she tells me about her hiking in Newfoundland over the summer at Gros Morne National Park.  You see Dr Cynthia Chan is not just any Chiropractor she’s also an avid hiker!  

And yes she did recommend Orthotics…….bugger!    I must admit the knee feels better – thanks for asking, but my Achilles is now in serious spasm.  Just one more thing to adjust to – see I told you getting fit wasn’t good for you.

Damn that Horace J - he was right again!