The Lockdown Exercise

I have always wanted to be fit and so have always been engaged in one form of workout or the other. But without much results. My weight has spiralled to more than twenty kgs above what it used to be about seven years ago. The recent lockdown has added to my woes. I could no longer go to the gym where I used to work out. 

But, unwilling to accept defeat so easily, I decided to go for morning walks. So, one fine morning, I started out for a pleasant walk. How delightful it was! I used to go for morning walks about 10 years back but gave up because of the dirty roads and novice drivers who practice in the morning.

On my first 'comeback' walk, I started at 4 a.m. and set out with full spirits. I walked upto the nearby market which was a distance of about 3 km. Then, I had this sudden urge to surprise my parents early in the morning. So, I proceeded further to my parents' house which was an additional 3 kms. Unfortunately, their lane was being repaired and so was not in a condition to be ventured upon without a vehicle. So, after walking 6 km I had to turn back.

So far, I had been so motivated and did not feel any tiredness. But, as soon as I turned back on my homeward journey, my feet became suddenly very heavy. The distance in front of me seemed like an impossible task. I considered various options. Should I call out my father to drop me back home? However,  the absurdity of it held me back. I trudged back putting one foot in front of the other, literally! 

Now, the fresh air which I had appreciated just a while ago seemed to be suffocating me as I was beginning to take short gasping breaths due to exhaustion. My lower limbs were beginning to protest. It was aching everywhere from the spine downwards.

Fellow joggers whom I had passed by before eyed me curiously when we passed each other again. My gait was not normal anymore. I had to put more pressure on one foot as the other could no longer endure the ordeal. There never is any proper footpath on this particular stretch of the road. So, I had to stick to the extreme edge of the road to avoid the increasing traffic which was by that time quite busy as the morning had advanced. One footstep was always on lower ground and the other on a higher level as the road sloped down towards the edge. So, my whole homeward journey was a tedious task of limping precariously on eneven ground, at an unnaturally slow pace!

I looked out for any sort of public conveyance but everything had been banned because of the lockdown. I walked so slowly that I felt that everyone was looking at me with various questions in their minds. I saw some vegetable vendors on the way and even bought some vegetables too which only added to my already unmanageable burden.

However, I did not want to be defeated so easily and resolved that I should reach home without calling for help. Now my pace was half a footstep at a time. I literally dragged myself and finally reached home. My thoat was parched. I was drenched in sweat. Every muscle in my body was stretched beyond their limits of endurance. I pulled myself up on my porch and looked on the wall clock there. It was 6 a.m. I had been walking for 2 hours non stop and had covered a distance of 12 kms.

Instead of feeling refreshed, I almost lay prostrated the whole day. So much for a refreshing morning exercise! 

My lesson for the day...you can't just pick up where you left off 10 years back! And, my resolution for the rest of my life...never venture on any more madcap ideas!!