Exercise and Music have been my good addictions since childhood…
As social chairman of the Sigma Chi Fraternity in college I hired Ike and Tina Turner regularly. This is their song…
Today my burned leg and my rheumatoid arthritis were bitching loader than usual. Rest seemed to be a good idea but music and exercise won the day again…Here is my exercise and music history…
When my leg pain got bad or when I was just mentally down, music and exercise have been my primary coping mechanisms since childhood. If the pain was physical, I like to take ownership of the pain. Vigorous exercise did that for me. The pain from my workouts was mine. I owned it. In studying human physiology, anatomy, biochemistry and etc. the chemistry of that relief is simple. Strenuous aerobic exercise releases endorphins and other natural chemicals creating euphoria plus natural analgesics. As a child how it worked didn’t matter. It just worked! Dad had built me an exercise bike about the age of five which I rode regularly in our garage both in Jacksonville and Winter Park. In addition sitting still was not in my make up.
Later in college my routine became daily treks to the gym’s indoor heated pool. To the point that the swimming coach watched me swim a mile daily. He asked me to swim for Emory. I did but only at my convenience. Not much of a team player! Aerobic workouts were becoming a healthy addition.
Dental School was so demanding that fitting in daily exercise was not always possible. We did play flag football, racketball, and golf regularly. Remember that a round of golf is on average a six mile walk. My Air Force years were similar but also included snow skiing, back packing, fly fishing and almost daily something physical. I continued to own my pain.
During my USAF years I had ongoing problems with my knee of my burned leg. It kept me from being deployed to Vietnam for which I am grateful. A famous French snow skier of that time, Jean-Claude Killy, had knee problems too and resorted to bicycle riding to rehab his knee. So when I was discharged from the USAF I bought a bike. Ever since I pretty much ride my bike every day. I kept a record. Rarely did I not ride: sick or not I rode. I still do!
I am addicted to bicycling!
Music has been just as much a passion. Awaiting surgeries the night before as a boy usually alone in a room, music was an escape from the fear. I remember even listening to opera early on in those hospital rooms as opera was common on the 1950’s radios. Eventually I got a transistor radio that I secretly listened to at home by putting it under my pillow. Music does the same biochemical thing to our system that exercise does. Good positive chemicals are released.
So bicycling while listening to music has been a habit for decades now…
I have come to believe that it was by GOD’S GRACE that I became addicted to exercise and music…For that I am Eternally Grateful…
For the story of my ‘Burned Leg’ see:
Thank you, David… Linda and I like to ride too, but cold weather takes its toll on that activity.
Yes, weather can make riding difficult or impossible. Years ago I bought a Schwinn Airdyne so now I mostly ride indoors…
I hope y’all are well. I miss the Leesburg/St.James crew but family is up here…