Lately I have been spending the warm Sundays over at the Martindale River Café. My wife and I arrive in downtown Martindale about noon. We place a food and beverage orders at the café and then head across the street to a large grass area where we listen to live music. This past week there were about 50 people at the music event. Within the 50 individuals were eight or nine kids from ages approaching one year to eight years. How fitness fits into listening to music and enjoying some food and beverage is observing the crowd that was in attendance last weekend.
The adults were sitting on the grass, on blankets, in lawn chairs, or at the few picnic tables that are available. The adults were eating and drinking the food that the café brought them and listening to the music. Most were visiting with the group that they came with and maybe greeting a friend they knew. The music gig is three hours long. Kids at this young age are not programed to sit still and listen to music for three hours. Take excess of energy, a large grass area, a few dogs, and a few other kids in this young age and their behavior was the exact opposite of the adults.
The exact opposite of sitting and listening to music is to be running. Whether it was playing tag, chasing each other, trying to keep up with dogs on a leash, chasing paper airplanes that their dad made, or just plain running for enjoyment, they were always moving. My wife and I watched to see if we could see any kid walking. The approaching one year old child was about the closest thing to walking, and she was trying to be like the other kids, and was high stepping around the area. Occasionally we thought we saw someone walking, just as they burst into another run. Even when they went back to ask their parents something they ran. Since the area is quite large and people are spaced apart there is adequate space to get rid of excess energy. It was not long before they discovered a large concrete platform against a building. Now you have running and climbing to occupy the time.
Most of the running consisted of short bursts of speed with brief pauses to catch their breath before taking off on another run. This activity lasted through two sets before they started to slow down. The last half hour found them sitting on the concrete platform eating chips or wheat thins. If they went back to their parents group they ran carrying the bag of food.
Watching these youngsters reminded me of a comic strip from years ago. The comic “Family Circus” showed three youngsters running down a path. One of them said, “When we get older, running won’t be fun. It’ll just be exercise.” Thinking about the comic strip statement and watching the kids run at the music gig, I wondered at what age does, “running for play” become exercise — or worse in that teen age group — “not cool.” If the youngster is into sports running still plays a role, but not for “fun” but as a requirement to play sports. As we get older it seems adults are programmed to behave as adults and walk, or ride, to any location. If an adult runs it is considered exercise.
With approximately 77% of the adult population considered overweight or obese even walking for exercise seems to be absent for most people. It might be the fact that as adults we do not have the energy that we had when we were young. The adage of “use it or lose it” fits the role of adult responsibility of jobs, school, family, and limited time. The key for the adult to exercise is putting running, or any exercise, at a high priority. It has to be a higher priority than the favorite TV program, or resting after a trying and stressful day at work. When a person starts moving it will not be long before that youthful energy when you were younger returns.
I am not suggesting heading over to the Martindale River Café on any Sunday and running around the area, but maybe a walk around the area might be OK. An option is to get a run in that morning and use the food and music as a rest and recovery.
