Fit For Life

I need to stay fit to live the life I want to live.  I plan to keep active till the day I die, so I need to keep fit as long as I am breathing.  Also, in order to keep up with my lifestyle, I need to keep my body strong.  

Studies have shown that muscles are vital for health and longevity because they act as a core metabolic organ that regulates blood sugar, protects against chronic disease, and preserves physical independence as you age.  The mind shift of viewing strength as a core biological necessity rather than just an aesthetic choice is important.

Staying fit not only includes keeping muscular by exercising; but also focusing on flexibility, balance and endurance.  Letting your body rest and recover, eating healthy, and getting plenty of sleep are important too.  My June 19th blog - Stayin' Alive had this same theme.  I need to keep reminding myself of the importance of exercise and be more intentional about sticking with it. 

I saw this posted on an equestrian site and it really hit home for me.  

"Why I care so much about staying strong as I get older.
It's not because I want to look young.
It's because I have shit I still want to DO.
I want to ride.
I want to climb on and off a horse without thinking twice.
I want to spend hours outside.
I want to hike.
I want to work around the ranch.
I want to be the woman who says “hell yes, let's go” instead of “I'm probably too old for that.”
And horses have a funny way of making you realize just how much your body matters.
Strength matters.
Balance matters.
Mobility matters.
Endurance matters.
And taking care of yourself now matters if you want to keep doing the things you love later.
I'm not chasing a younger body.
I'm building a body that can keep up with my life."

Saturday 9/26 - It was a beautiful fall day, sunny and reaching 74° by midafternoon.  Before lunch I sprayed my body with Lemon Eucalyptus Repel and sprayed my pants and socks with Deep Woods off.  








I headed out to the front yard with the two dogs, and Shadow joined us too.  Maggie sunned, Shadow rested and Cookie chewed on acorns while I tackled the weeds in the front bed.  


I worked for 90 minutes and never got a chigger or tick bite.  I weeded the rock area by the road and drive and completed this spot (in red bracket) in the flower bed.  The weeds are THICK.  I have so much more to do.

After lunch I met Patty at the ranch and we enjoyed a nice ride on Rico and Zorro.





It was a perfect day for riding.

I worked with Rico on separating him from his buddy Zorro (video).








Rico did okay but needs more work which will build his confidence. 

Zorro was very patient, had no separation issues, and was a very good boy for Patty (video).

We tried the child's saddle on Zorro that Patty had borrowed from Lisa (one of our new 40SC friends).  It looks to be the right size for Zorro and Ava and it's the perfect color.

I had put Rico in the barnyard to graze and he went over to be near his buddy Rosco.











I did chores for Joanne who is out of town.  Feeding the boarded boys, I discovered Cash's wardrobe malfunction.  

Mucking up top, I stripped the large shed, digging down to get most of the 'piss pit' cleaned out.  Then Joe came with the three buckets of lime he had removed from the 'skid mark' in the back pasture.  I filled in the 'piss pit' with the lime, which was like wet clay from getting rained on in the field.


Then we covered both sheds with new wood shavings.





It's all ready for horses to come in and mess it up. 😛






Home pet chores were later than usual, and so was my dinner.

I feel like I am getting more energized, but I did go to bed early to read.  Part of fitness is rest and good sleep.

Sunday 9/27 - I went straight from church to the ranch to meet Karen to go for a ride.  We tried splitting up like Patty and I did yesterday, but Rico was more anxious and Zorro was not standing very still for Karen.
These two photos are from this (video) when I turned Rico back out into the front pasture.  I thought he was going to race up to be with Amiga, but he didn't.  

Rico kept looking for Zorro, who Karen and I were 'doctoring' because he had hurt his foot/ankle about ten minutes before we had gotten back from our ride.  He had been stomping his foot and swishing his tale and may have bruise his foot or tweaked his ankle.  





I did not get home until 2:30 and had a big, very late lunch.  I did some work here at my computer and then decided to take Cookie on a hike (video).  We did the Green Loop of the Hiking Marathon, marked strenuous, 4.2 miles.  I jogged parts of it for interval training so was surprised our pace was only a 23 minute mile.  Although we stopped several times for photos and puppy potty breaks.

The rock formations were cool.  This one, stand alone 'pile' seemed out of place to me.  Strange I thought. 






There were several bridges.  This one a cool looking, engineering feat. 






With just under a mile to go, I tripped and fell to my hands and knees while jogging.  Thankfully no harm done, except I dropped the flex-i-leash that flew into Cookie and scared her.  However, I really struggled, especially with the last half mile.  I was exhausted and kept tripping (but not falling because I was moving slower and more carefully) over roots and rocks. 

We had been gone from 4-6, but even though I was worn out, I had to feed fur babies and do all my evening chores.  My fatigued leg muscles were in need of stretching, which I did once back from our 'after dinner' walk, shortly before bed.

Monday 9/28 - I could barely walk when I first got out of bed at 5am.  Not only did I have my usual stiffness and pain in my hips and knees, but my thigh muscles were very tight and sore.

The garage door guys arrived just before 8:30am to install our new door.  In this photo the panels for the new door are up on saw horses and the top panel (with windows) of our old door had just been removed.  

Here the old panels have been loaded onto the top of the truck and the new panels are in the process of going up.

Joe had left for the ranch to meet with Patty and the guy from the extension office to evaluate our ranch operation and give us suggestions for improvement (we are considering adding a well for the upper paddock or adding additional fencing) and what grant we might want to write for assistance.  

I took the dogs for a walk in preparation to leave for the ranch and took this photo as the door guys were finishing up.  







I returned with the dogs by way of the back deck because both garage doors were blocked.  Shadow was lounging and immediately came over to greet us.  

 


I think Shadow prefers Maggie to Cookie because the old dog is not as wild and unpredictable.  








When I got to the ranch, we loaded up the gator with chain saw, weed wacker and big loppers; and went out to work on clearing trails that have gotten 'chocked up' by fallen trees and underbrush.

After cutting down the tops of a tree we have been ducking under, Joe waited in the gator while Patty and I did some clearing of under brush.  She weed-whacked and I lopped off larger stuff.  


On the back woods trail near Mike's field, a large tree had fallen onto the smaller tree you see above Joe and I in this photo.  The tree fell early last spring and is also hung up on a larger tree. 
 


There has been some 'settling' and the smaller tree has bent down enough that we have to duck to get under it.  



After accessing the situation, we cut just the top of the smaller tree blocking the trail and left the trunk up to a Y of the two branches, which is helping support the larger tree.  But the bulk of the tree is being held much higher up by a larger tree, as seen in this after shot from the other direction on the trail.  No more ducking required, but we will monitor this for our safety.  


Joe and Patty headed back and I walked and cleared more trail.  I hoped the light exercise would help my sore leg muscles.

Once back at the ranch, I sat in the house eating peanut butter on crackers (the only food we have out there) and started a jigsaw puzzle.  See the three Pasos in my view out the window?




Jan arrived at 3pm and we saddled up Cash and Rico.  

We did different things to work on Rico's separation anxiety.  I would have him stand while Jan rode off out of sight and then return, and she would have Cash stand while I rode off and then back.  We also did 'leap frog' at a walk and trot.  One person stops while the other rides by, then the back person starts up until they pass the front person who has stopped.  




Early in the ride Rico was a challenge, but he got better and better.  I feel encouraged by the progress we are making.

The steps to the well box we us as a mounting block have rotted and finally broke.  That didn't stop Wanda from getting up there to sun and nap.  







I didn't get home until 5:30 to do the usual evening house and pet keeping chores.  After a shower and dinner, I then took the dogs for a walk to again stretch out my still very sore muscles.  I bumped into neighbor Steve who said he walks every night after dinner to help with his blood sugar level.  Awh yes, I remember that's another reason I had been walking after meals.
 

Tuesday 9/29 - Wow, my muscles were still quite sore when I got up.  I read that it can take up to 72 hours for muscles to recover from an unusually intense workout.
I was a little late getting to the ranch for morning chores.  Then I took Amiga for a nice slow, relaxing ride.  The 'boys' (especially Rico) had been hollering for her much of the time she was gone.  Walking her back to the paddock, I put the lead rope over her neck to leave her and go shut the corral gate.  She just stood waiting for me.  She could care less about Rico and Zorro yelling for her.  

From the ranch I went to town to do my big, twice a month shopping trip.  Arriving home at 2:15, I had to walk the dogs because Joe was off golfing.  By the time everything was put away, it was rather late and I was too tired to go to the gym.  I read and then napped on the porch.  

I woke at 4pm when Joe got home.  I was too tired to fix dinner, but starving, so we went out to eat.  We went to Skillets, an Italian restaurant at the Village Mall.  The daily special was delicious, but quite rich, so I took half of it home.  


We were home by 5:30, pet dinner time and evening house chores.



I took Cookie for a two mile walk, going past the new Druid clubhouse, which isn't open yet.  

The above photo is from the patio outside the clubhouse, looking at the 9th green. 
This second photo was taken from the tall (controversial) wall, looking down at the berm and fast growing evergreen that are intended to eventually kind of 'hide' the wall.

My stomach and leg muscles were feeling quite a bit better by the time Cookie and I got back home.  I had even kind of gotten a second wind.

Wednesday 9/30 - Bonnie and I had planned to ride together, so we met at the barn just before 9am.  Unfortunately, Rosco had a loose (somewhat twisted) shoe so couldn't be ridden.  Well, Rico was calm and well mannered, so I decided to try riding him out alone.  







I am so glad I took Rico out alone because he did great.  This (video) was taken soon after we hit the trail and he actually settled in even more and was great for our three mile ride.  I even took him up to a gait a few times and he was tuned in and listening to me, so slowed right back down when asked.  

Rico never spooked or did anything stupid.  I am so relieved and happy to see this great progress.
This photo is showing the bottom branch removed from the higher tree that is across the trail.  We can ride under it without ducking now.

I had a light lunch and rested an hour while reading then went to the gym and got in a good arm and core workout.  My legs were so much better from over-doing it Sunday.  







Driving past Druid Hills Clubhouse, I noticed they are putting in a second row of evergreen.  

Joe, Cookie and I then went to town to hike the 1.7 mile Maryetta Trail for the Hiking Marathon.  We ended up only doing half the marathon this year because we had both been under the weather for over a week.  We had been very low energy and then ran out of time.

My evening ended watching the 90 minute, second episode of season 51 of Survivor, with Joe.

Thursday 10/1 - We did enter this new month with temperatures in the low 80s for a few days.  I guess it is our 'Indian Summer.'  

I was at the ranch by 8:15, with Patty and Bonnie, wrangling horses for the farrier.  Rico nibbled on Patty's shirt while she was standing there, just before this photo.  







Bonnie let me take a photo of her very cool, new tattoo.  The horse needs no explanation.  The yellow rose of Texas is for where Bonnie lived her earlier life, riding the rodeo circuit.  The feather is a universal symbol for freedom, spiritual connection, and the ability to rise above life's challenges; very much Bonnie.  And at the bottom, the treble clef is in memory of her late husband Rick, who was a musician.  

Mid afternoon I went to the library for a Committee for Member Awareness meeting.  I felt it was a good start to openness between the new board and FFG members.  We are all so glad the former, corrupt president is gone.  Then I scooted off to do chores at the ranch.  

Cookie is learning to be nice to cats, but sometimes she gets so wound up, she plays a little too rough.  She also always likes a good game of chase.  





Cookie is slowly learning to not pick on Maggie, too much. But like with the cats (only worse) she gets a little too rough, biting and tugging on ears, feet and tail.

I was feeling rather drained by dinner time.  I think it was the heat and maybe some dehydration.  

Friday 10/2 - Bonnie and I had a lovely morning ride.  The day was warming up and it was a tad on the humid side, but there was a nice breeze that felt great.  Being in the shade of the woods was also quite nice.

Before heading home for lunch, I drained, scrubbed and filled the Pasos water tank.  Zorro and Rico are seen here getting a drink before I tackled the job.

I decided to rest and read before the gym and then... well... I never made it to the gym.  I knew or was hoping I would get in some exercise walking and dancing this evening at Oktoberfest.  But that didn't happen either.  



I parked at Motel 8 where I met Bonnie and rode with her down town.  It was pouring rain at the time, which put a damper on Oktoberfest.  By the time we parked, it was just drizzling a little bit so we got out and walked around.  There was no dancing in the street.  Dave gave us a tour of the veteran's museum.  The middle uniform in this photo shows what Dan wore.  We got an ice cream and then ran into Micki, Jake, Johnny, and Brenda.  We all ended up at The Pit Stop for dinner, which included lively conversation and laughter.

I came across this message on the senior equestrian Facebook page and thought it a great recap for this blog title:
"As we age, a few key things naturally shift:
-Muscle mass declines faster
-Balance and stability require more intentional training
-Recovery takes longer
-Stiffness shows up more easily

But our body responds incredibly well when we give it the right kind of training.
-rebuild and maintain lean muscle
-support your joints + reduce stiffness
-improve balance and core control
-feel more stable and confident in the saddle"

This meme has a great Jack LaLanne quote I love.  He was 96 years old when he died, January 23, 2011.  He was in remarkably exceptional physical shape for his age.  In late December 2010, he wrote on his blog that the new year was an opportunity for "more goals, new adventures and a healthier year! The stronger we become the more longevity we gain. Your waistline is your lifeline so let's keep it up!"  His last blog entry, three days before he died, had these words: "Hope you all are keeping your New Year's Resolutions to taking care of the most important person on this earth, YOU!!!!"