Fit to Print team updates 8/8/02

SHAPE UP CAPE

FIT TO PRINT POINT TOTALS

Sam Blackwell 129

Andrea Buchanan 67

Spencer Cramer 103

Heidi Hall 62

Jamie Hall 72

Gabe Hartwig 75

Laura Johnston 72

Heather Kronmueller 80

Bob Miller 52

Joe Sullivan 74

Total 786OUR CHALLENGERS

St. Andrews 823

Bookin' Team 436

SAM BLACKWELL

Everyone at the gym seems to have a method of lessening the boredom of spending half an hour on a cardiovascular workout machine. Some read magazines, trying to focus on tiny print while their legs pump. Others watch the excitement on "The Price is Right." Some listen to the gym sound system.

For me, making the 30 minutes as enjoyable as possible requires both wind and sound.

First I turn on every fan in sight full blast. My gym has floor fans and some reciprocating fans mounted on poles, so you usually can get something cooling and tornadic going.

Next I tune in the alternative rock channel. The louder, faster and more bombastic the singing and guitar and drum playing are, the better.

Then I close my eyes and imagine I'm the windblown star of the song's video running from the fate of spending the rest of my life on a treadmill.

SPENCER CRAMER

Sometimes I think I'm shortchanging myself on the points for Shape Up Cape. Yes, jogging is worth more points than walking, and it's not hard to understand why.

But when I'm on the treadmill, I'm out there, I'm on the edge, I'm pushing the envelope of what my shin muscles can take. Through the past couple of months I've worked up to walking at 4.3, 4.4 mph. Some people start jogging when the treadmill hits 4 mph! I'm walking and I could beat them to the finish line. So I have to wonder who is doing more for their cardiovascular fitness.

Where oh where is justice in this world?

Translation: I tried jogging and didn't like it.

Soreness update: It keeps moving up. I guess by the end of Shape Up Cape I'll have one doozy of a headache.

GABE HARTWIG

Summer is almost over, and I'm only slightly closer to my goal of ridding myself of massive quantities of unwanted gut.

I know this because my pants seem to be fitting a little looser. Just a little, though.

In the coming weeks, however, I expect to make noticeable strides in this effort. I am moving into an apartment that is close to work, which -- in theory -- will enable me to prepare more healthy foods on my own, instead of eating out all the time. I eat out far too much.

Also, my new apartment has a pool, which I plan to get some use out of. Being unencumbered by gut should prove to make my visits to the pool more bearable for all involved.

We'll see how it goes. I am certainly hoping for the best.

LAURA JOHNSTON

I know I've complained about the heat, but the humidity really put a damper on my outdoor exercise in late July -- and now it's August.

Truth be told, I've had to cut into my daily exercise time to water my flowers. I spend about as much time holding the hose as I did walking each morning. And my garden looks great; I just wish I did.

I've nearly given up walking, except for an occasional trip around campus and always after dark. I've sought solace in air-conditioned comfort instead.

I've tried overcoming my fear of aerobics. (Besides, you earn more points for that activity, and I've really been slacking off lately.) I'm not coordinated enough to do aerobics, but I'm working on it. Thank goodness for the privacy of my home, though, because I'd never want anyone to see me jumping about my living room trying to keep up with the slender, tanned and fit instructors on the FX Health channel.