Review: Jogging Our Memories?
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 01 7, 2013
When I was little, I remember peering out our front living-room window and witnessing an unusual spectacle: two men wearing t-shirts, shorts with piping, and funny-looking sneakers loping along, not quite at a full run, but not casually walking either.I asked my father what those two men were doing.He replied, "They're jogging.""Juggling?""No. Jogging. They're running at a steady pace, keeping in shape. Lots of people are doing it these days. Would you like to join me? I'm about ready to go jog myself."I joined him, partly out of curiosity, but mostly because I wanted to spend time with him.After about thirty minutes of pounding the pavement in my thin Converses, my arches sore and my legs aching, I begged off and proceeded to limp home.I realized that not only did I despise running, I hated exercise, period.I wasn't having any of it.Just leave me my Bugs Bunny cartoons and a few books and I was a relatively happy camper.I blame Jim Fixx.For those of you who aren't familiar with the name, Fixx was THE jogging guru of the 1970s. His book, "The Complete Book of Running," was mandatory reading for every aspiring Steve Prefontaine (a long-distance runner who was killed in a 1975 automobile accident).Fixx never set out to motivate the masses per se. Prior to his fitness conversion, he was a sedentary sort who was prone to severe weight gain and lived with lifelong coronary illness.Then one day he realized that he needed to change his poor eating and exercise habits if he didn't want to keel over and die at a young age.So he proceeded to start running.As time progressed, he gradually became leaner and lighter and lost quite a bit of weight. Inspired by his personal success, he wrote his eponymous tome in 1977 that catapulted him to the top of the non-fiction best-seller book list. With the zealousness of a true believer, he appeared on talk shows and on the radio, dispensing helpful advice and offering constant encouragement to those seeking to lose weight, eat right and feel better in the process.He was a true Renaissance man in the world of fitness.Then one July day in 1984, while on a routine run in his neighborhood, he abruptly collapsed and died of a massive heart attack. He was only 52 years old.He keeled over and died at a young age.So what does the previous anecdote reveal?That, from the perspective of yours truly, Fixx was savvy enough to take advantage of the fitness craze that had started sweeping the nation. He discovered he loved jogging and genuinely wanted to help educate what was, up to that point, a largely indifferent American public about the benefits of running to get in shape.And that there are also other ways to get in shape without banging one's feet on the ground in a constant rhythm, day in and day out, over a long period of time. Such repetitive motion is murder on the knees and arches. And ankles. And tendons. And on and on and on...Look, I get the exercise bit. It's a necessary component of a healthy lifestyle and is indicative of an individual's quality of life. (So, too, is sitting in front of a computer typing away for several hours and developing symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.)But let's face it: not everyone enjoys it or even wants to do it. There are viable alternatives to staying in shape without grinding one's cartilage into nothing and suffering shin splints. Personally, I enjoy brisk walking, swimming, and cycling. All of these provide a good cardiovascular workout and are far less taxing on one's joints.Plus, if you derive fun and pleasure from engaging in such calisthenics, the motivation is that much stronger, no?Stephen Williams, while no Jack Lalanne or Denise Austin, has provided his coterie of readers with "Jogging: For a Healthier You." Williams lays out, in an easy-to-read format, the importance of maintaining good physical fitness. He stresses that setting attainable fitness goals provides the necessary impetus for losing excess weight and feeling better about ourselves."Jogging" mentions the relative ease of participating in the world of running, and stresses that all one needs is a good pair of running shoes and comfortable clothing that is appropriate for exercise. The cost is minimal and the long-term benefits are plenty---better heart rate and a stronger heart; increased stamina; release of endorphins that provide that natural "high" and cause us to feel good; and a positive outlook on life.As with anything we want to achieve in life, there is no true substitute for persistence, hard work, goal-setting, and building a solid support system for long-term success. This is true regardless of what we choose to do. If we don't have an interest in something, there's no point in pursuing it.Intrinsic self-motivation is one of those intangibles that cannot necessarily be measured---yet is vital for providing the individual with the impetus to press forward despite the inevitable setbacks that periodically occur.The book doesn't necessarily reveal anything new or incisive; rather, it repeats what many long-time fitness experts already have been practicing based upon their individual goals and needs. However, for the aspiring runner, Williams does provide some timely advice that can be corroborated via speaking with a health and/or fitness professional."Jogging" reads quickly and is useful in a pinch for those who seek a quick rundown on the benefits of keeping in shape.