RELFEXIONS
WHEN IT COMES TO EXERCISE
SLOW DOWN!
BY ROBERT ROSS

Feelin' Groovy . . .
"Slow down you move too fast, you've got to make the morning last"*

Some of us are lucky. We were born slow and we'll always be that way. No arguments, that's just the way it is.

And what happens if you combine slowness with a love of fitness? You just might have the makings of a "slow athelete". We slow people look at exercise and fitness differently from those who were born to be fast. We rarely advertise who we are, and receive no trophies or accolades. We just love to exercise, and aren't too concerned about how fast or how slow we do it.

And just what distinguishes a slow athelete? Here are some signs:
-Slow atheletes try to avoid wearing a watch during exercise. After all, one of the beauties of any fitness activity is leaving the world of everyday meetings and time schedules behind.
-Slow atheletes judge their activity not by the amount of laps, their times or their speed, but rather on the experience itself. You might hear terms describing their workouts like: "fantastic, relaxing, sensual, peaceful, spiritual and wonderful." The less verbal in our community may be heard to sum it up with "cool!"
-When slow atheletes look at those pace clocks that are always located near the lap lanes at the pool, they have the urge to tell the life guard that they must be broken. After all, the second hand keeps sweeping around, but the clock never tells the correct time of day!
-Slow atheletes go about their day feeling a bit smug. Sure, they may be under pressure, meeting deadlines, confronting corporate presidents or politicians, but hey, they know at the end of the day, they're going, not to another meeting, but for a rejuvenating swim/run/bike/walk or game of racquetball.
-Slow atheletes will sometimes do things that appear to be unusual for serious exercies buffs. For example, slow swimmers might swim under water as though they were dolphins, or perhaps lay on their backs perfectly still, just feeling the buoyancy of the water. Slow joggers may pass a beautifully landscaped garden and stop for an extended period of time to enjoy its splendor.

And lastly, slow atheletes are a content group of people with no driving need to improve their time or technique. They exercise because they love what it does for them. They exercise for the sake of exercising.

So, if you find yourself in the middle of a workout one day and you have this urge to emulate a dolphin, lay on your back, or gaze at a country garden, you might be ready to join us. But be forewarned, you'll receive no ribbons, or hold any age group records. You'll just have the satisfaction of knowing that exercise brings a lasting enjoyment to your life that far exceeds any fleeting awards or recognition.