Active morning...

This morning, Suellen and I got up and went to a step aerobics class at a local gym. (Not the one to which I have a membership....my gym doesn't offer many fitness classes.) Neither of us had been to a step class in a long time... for me, it has been since my knee problems started... and since surgery I haven't done anything that would involve that much impact. I was a bit nervous, but told myself that if I got too tired, I would stay in the class and just walk in place, I would just keep moving. I was happy that we got there early enough to claim a spot in the back row... fewer people to stare at my jiggly behind... and as the class began I remembered why I like step aerobics so much... the music is fast and upbeat...the rhythm of the movements...and the togetherness of the class... not long after I remembered why I liked the class I remembered why my body often had some aches and pains following the step class... I started feeling the burn pretty early on in the class. I was able to keep up with the instructors moves, making few mistakes when she showed us a new one, but caught on to most of them... however... about 30 minutes in I decided that if I wanted to be able to walk tomorrow that I needed to take it down a notch... and not use the step... so I did step aerobics without a step....maybe I should call it non step step aerobics? So, for the last 20 minutes of the class I did all my footwork on the floor and didn't do all the jumpy twirly things I will do in the future... In my head I had forgotten how many lateral movements and turning motions are involved in step aerobics... and I was very timid because my knee has not done those movements in a long, long time. The lateral and turning motions made me very nervous... wondering if my knee would support me during all of that... I have been doing some weight training to strengthen my muscles, but haven't done quick movements... so I was cautious... smartly so I think... and I made it through.. and it was fun... granted I was all sweaty and gross... and I did not look as elegant or as polished as the others in the class, but I did it. And for today, that's all that mattered...I will keep going to classes like that and after a while my endurance will be better, my confidence in my knee will increase, and I will be throwing in some extra moves here and there... I was there once... I will be there again.

After the class I came home and the sun was beginning to shine through the clouds a bit. I told Suellen that if I hadn't just done a step class I would test out my bike... so I came home, had breakfast and then wanted to go for a bike ride... so I did... I took it for its first spin of the season! I didn't go too far... just a loop around my neighborhood, but figure it was about 2 miles and did involve some hills. I was nervous at one point because I was riding in traffic... and noticed I was riding in some gravel that was left on the road from all the winter sanding... and was nervous about wiping out, but... told myself that if I fear falling I am more likely to fall... so I just went with the flow... had to... and was fine. There is a huge difference in the strength in my quad muscles compared to a year ago. I remember last year riding my bike, even on flat surfaces, was hard because of my left quad... which was weaker than my right because of the surgery... and here it is... almost 2 years (in July) since surgery and it is still something that is a huge part of my psyche. I have to say that a new ergonomically designed seat made the bike riding experience more enjoyable than my other seat... cheers for ergonomics!

So today I learned that while I am not in great shape... I will be... and I CAN do step aerobics... at my own level, but I can do it... and I will be able to do a lot of bike riding this year! (I may even get a little basket for my bike so that I could go to the store and pick up a few groceries, or go to a farmers market and be able to bring stuff home...) I also learned that I want to do more of the elliptical at the gym and less biking because the elliptical will help me build endurance to be able to do better at step aerobics and other classes I want to take (like ZUMBA!) and I also want to start doing some lateral exercises at the gym to build up those muscles as well as my confidence.

It's exciting to be active...