On reading while sweating through my leggings
I nearly laid my exercise habit to rest when I bruised my heel.
It was early May, and I had just finished a good mile-and-a-half run outside that I was really excited about. Normally I run inside at the gym, where the treadmill dictates my running speed so I don’t tire myself out (fully) in the first 0.02 miles.
After the excitement and adrenaline wore off, I noticed pain in my heel and that I had a slight limp. The pain persisted over the following week, limiting my ability to run. In fact, even now, nearly two months later, I sometimes still feel the pain.
My relationship with regular exercise is still fragile, and I knew a setback could cause a total break-up — falling off the wagon, as they say. It has been tough — I can barely remember my best workouts, which were definitely back in March and April — but I’m still on the wagon, rough as the ride may be.
Because of the pain in my heel, I sometimes substitute biking for running. Like when I run, I often listen to podcasts or music (SOUR by Olivia Rodrigo is quite the adrenaline catalyst), but the stationary bike allows another method of passing the time: reading. And reading while biking allows me to work toward both of my major 2021 goals at once.
Since 2017, when I started keeping a comprehensive list, I’ve had a goal to read 100 books each year. Through a combination of fast reading and being antisocial, I’ve reached that goal every year. Last year, whose list can be read here, was my biggest year yet: 150.
This year, I added an exercise goal: to work out 200 times in 2021. I was inspired by my sister Ashtyn, who is a disciplined exerciser and set a workout goal higher than mine for the year.
Today, we are halfway through 2021. This morning, I (let me be honest) dragged myself to the gym for a mediocre (for the second day in a row) workout. I spent thirty minutes on the stationary bike, reading The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros.
It was my 100th workout of the year. Once I finish it, The House on Mango Street will be my 73rd book read in 2021.
It’s unsurprising that I’m doing better on my reading goal than my exercising goal, but I’m proud of where I am with both. Of course, I have other goals that I haven’t met this year and very well may not — but today, unbelievably halfway through 2021, I am proud of my progress on these goals.
So tomorrow, I’ll be back at the gym on the stationary bike (’cause I can feel that heel pain again), turning my legs and pages as fast as I can.
