I went hiking with T today. We showed up at Griffith Park to do a 7 mile hike. I was scared. I work out 3 times a week and have a BMI of 18.6 but I haven't hiked forever. I figured the other hikers would all be in killer shape with hot bods. Our leader was fat, I'm not trying to be mean, but he was honestly very over-weight. There were many chubby hikers and a few people that were plus 60+. The moment I saw these folks, I thought to myself, "boo-yah this is going to be a cake walk." I am a f*cking fool. We immediately went on a dirt path going straight up hill and I thought I was going to die. I felt as if someone was stabbing me in the chest and lungs. I thought my legs were going to fall off. At one point I fantasized about having a helmet so I could roll downhill back to my car. I didn't think there was anyway that I would be able to finish. T and I at one point considered turning around (T is also in killer shape). We climbed around 1400 feet. I can't even believe I was able to finish. I have never sweated so much.
Lesson learned: Some chubby/over-weight or elderly hiker can whoop my ass and beat me in a race any day. I plan on hiking every week, I am in pathetic shape.
7 comments:
Hilarious! Reminds me of when I recently took a yoga class and the instructor was a white haired, pudgy guy who was a dead ringer for Santa Claus. I thought to myself what could he possibly know about yoga but he was Crescent Moon'ing with the best of them. Ok, that didn't sound right.
just called a friend up..'what've you been up to'..
her: 'oh, just got done with a 31 MILE HIKE'..
me: 'i feel like a lazy SOB'..'how long did it take'..
her: 'oh 9 hours..this was the short version, the longer hike was for 62 miles'
me: wtf.
kudos for getting your arse outside and shaking the booty.
fat people are sometimes more athletic than the waifs.. do not let a roll of lard fool you.. lard jiggles..might look gross, but it does jiggle.
I can relate. I decided to enter a long distance swim - the kind that attracts the wingnuts of the world. So I get over there and most everyone has like a layer of blubber. They all look like they have a wet suit under the skin. And some are round like barrels. Not a dis. They have muscular folds. You got to see them to know what I'm talking about.
Well... boyzundgirlz, here's a lesson in natural adaptation for you. Swimmers' "Fat" is good fat. Keeps the body warm. So while this brotha did the distance, he was dead last and was crouched over like a worm rubbed in salt at the end. He finished even after the 70 year old and the guy doing backstroke.
That said - I did finish first in the age group I was in, cuz I was the only one in it :-) Moral: This is a sport for keepers, and youth is at a disadvantage. Now that I'm pushing forty mebbe I should pick it up again.
But yea, Bengali Chick - I'm with you. Looks can be deceiving. Part of it has to do with the pop representation of the ideal physique - because they tend to overrepresent the ripped look and the V shaped torsos (among men). Fitness and aesthetics dont necessarily go together.
I went for a 3 mile run with my brother this morning. I run marathons, he doesn't.
Guess who ran out of breath first?
He is 6'4" though, so I had to run twice as fast.
Still, it's not fair!
I have soo much more respect for our fellow hikers, especially after waking up yesterday morning and feeling the after effects in almost every muscle.
Thanks for getting my lazy butt moving. Now I know that "pumping it up" at the gym isn't doing enough.
On a related note, an interesting episode on the supposed myths of obesity & BMI.
http://blogginglight.com/2007/03/23/penn-and-teller-bullshit-obesity-episode/
on a slightly related note -- in my younger and more egotistical and immature days, i went to an ice-cream drive through. i could see the order-taker (?) from where my car was and she took for-freaking-ever to take my order. i was on my cell phone and i said to my friend, "ugh, this fat bitch is taking so long to get to me."
after i ordered and finally pulled up to get my ice cream, the girl handed me the cone and right before i drove off said, "excuse me." my stomach flipped -- could she have heard me??? no. instead she said, "i'm not a lesbian or anything, but i just think you're one of the prettiest people i have ever seen." i wondered if she HAD heard me and this was her (very smart) way of getting back at me, but i'm pretty sure she was being sincere. i felt terrible, cried a little bit in my car on the way back home, and i am pretty sure that that is the last time i've ever said or even thought something so catty about an overweight person. that was 7 years ago.
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