By INGRID McCLEARY
Cherry blossoms are blooming again, and Sunnyvale is "in the pink." Buds are sprouting faster than the gray hairs on my head, and that alone is worth celebrating.
Spring infuses the air with a sense of celebration. We breathe it in and it fills us with anticipation--there are sunny days ahead! By the time April rolls around, we're already taking this delicious weather for granted, but those first bright days in March are greeted like long-lost friends.
We emerge from our homes like bears from caves and shed our winter coats. But these winter coats also hid the winter fat we've stored. Experts say our metabolism slows by half a percent every year once we hit 30. I believe it because that's when I first noticed my winter fat accompanying me throughout the rest of the year. So I began exercising.
Now, I don't exercise to look good, though that's a strong incentive. I exercise to feel good, to remain fit. There are simply too many activities I enjoy that I'm not willing to give up. Hiking, camping, swimming--these all require a certain level of fitness. When I reached the peak of Mt. Hoffman in Yosemite National Park three years ago (starting at 8,000 feet and climbing 3,000 feet in 2 miles), I witnessed a panoramic view that will sustain me for the rest of my life. And I did this with two bad knees and after six operations.
I didn't stop bowling when my shoulder collapsed a year later. I went through physical therapy, cortisone shots and an operation. I put bowling on hold while I healed, but now I'm enjoying it again (though I can't use my shoulder as an excuse for poor scores anymore).
My friend has a quirky back. Instead of allowing it to derail her, she joined a weight-training class that strengthened her back muscles, and the quirks all but disappeared. When she quit the class two years later, the ailments returned faster than an envelope without postage.
Aches and injuries cause many of us to cease the activities we'd enjoyed when many times all it takes is exercise to bring us back to health. There are so many benefits to be had from exercising, not the least of which is the release of stress and the "feel good" endorphins produced during exertion.
Sunnyvale offers a myriad of classes for all ages and physical levels. I'd used the Sunnyvale Guide for my children's activities for years, but 10 years ago I opened it for myself and found Gymnastics for Adults. Soon thereafter, I got pregnant again and tumbling was no longer a wise option, so I switched to Water Exercise.
After I healed from my caesarean delivery, I joined an aerobics class. Tiring of that, I switched and found my niche in Personalized Fitness with Weights. I work at my own pace with a routine designed with my body quirks in mind. I've remained there for seven years because whenever I get bored with my routine, my trainer, Jan, creates a new one. My program evolves with me, ensuring my continued interest and effort.
Grab a guide at the Community Center, the library, City Hall, the Senior Center and at golf courses. Jump on the mailing list by calling the Recreation Hotline (730-7410) or the Community Center (730-7350 for youths/adults or 730-7360 for senior/disabled adults), or cruise the World Wide Web at http://www.sunnyrec.com. You'll remain on the list for two years from the date of your last class. The adult/youth guide is distributed every two months, the senior/disabled edition, quarterly. Most classes run six to eight weeks, which gives you the freedom to explore and choose segments that fit within your time schedule.
Come on and get "in the pink." I did and now, when spring rolls around, I shed my winter coat without hesitation (well, almost none; my body is, and always will be, a work-in-progress).
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, March 19, 1997.
©1997 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.