Shape Up Cape updates 9/5/02

The Fit to Print team earned 647 points for the past week. Our competitors:

St. Andrew Lutheran: 850

Cape Girardeau Public Library: 347

Point totals:

Sam Blackwell 98

Andrea Buchanan 48

Spencer Cramer 78

Heidi Hall 55

Jamie Hall 57

Gabe Hartwig 43

Laura Johnston 70

Heather Kronmueller 68

Bob Miller 56

Joe Sullivan 74

Total 647

Average 64.7SAM BLACKWELL

The Shape Up Cape points Nazis allow 10 points for jogging 20 minutes but only 3 for 20 minutes of yoga. They obviously don't read Yoga Journal.

The magazine sent three people whose only exercise is yoga to a University of California lab where their fitness was tested. It was no surprise that their flexibility was "pretty much off the scale." They tested near normal for the strength, endurance and balance of their muscles, although the scores were low on tests for arm curls and hamstring curls. Yoga tends to extend more than flex muscles. The revelation in this unscientific survey was that the yogis' lung capacity and cardiorespiratory fitness -- measured by the ability to use oxygen -- put them in the category of actively athletic people. The magazine compared them to people who play tennis or basketball or soccer for an hour three times a week. SPENCER CRAMER

I was all hyped up for Shape Up Cape ending with Labor Day, and then I looked at the original story the Southeast Missourian ran and was reminded that, no, it keeps going on after Labor Day. Until the end of the month, in fact.

It's not so much that I'm tired of exercising. I'm not. I'm tired of keeping track of points. It's like exercising was a hobby, and now that I have to account for it, the hobby has become work.

That, and some part of my competitive side saying, "You lazy so-and-so. You should have 90 points a week."

"I've got other things to do."

"That sounds like an excuse to me. You know what excuses are like? Excuses are like --"

"Hey hey hey! This is a family newspaper."

"Enough out of you! Drop and give me 20 sun salutations."

"Sir, yes, sir!"GABE HARTWIG

Just when I thought I had used up all my excuses for poor Shape Up Cape performance, a new one has surfaced: school.

My classes are taking a serious toll on my exercise routine. If you don't believe me, just take a look at my points from last week.

I came nowhere near the 70-points-per-person goal set by our team.

Time after work that I used to spend walking around campus is now spent catching up on homework and attempting to get to sleep at a reasonable hour.

But I'm pleased to report that this week has gotten off to a great start. Who knows -- the way it's looking right now, I just might exceed 100 points this week.

That should be enough to redeem myself in the eyes of my disapproving teammates.LAURA JOHNSTON

I've had a lapse in my exercise efforts during the last few weeks of Shape Up Cape. This time it's not the heat but my schedule that continues to hamper my efforts.

I've been busier than usual lately, and with little time for myself, exercise has been pushed aside. I continue to accumulate points though it's not as many as I'd like to.

I'd still like to get 100 points before this program is complete; I know that 140 is too much for me. I'm still meeting my 70-point minimum, and that's getting harder.

Yet I should be proud of my efforts to walk 45 minutes on my treadmill but instead I'm worried that I didn't get enough points for the day. I think exercising will be easier for me once I don't have to keep score.

Next week you'll hear from our other team members.