Hi Pete,

On 2/23/2016 7:05 AM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per Don Y:
If I miss that window, I *drive* the mile to the local park
and walk their indoor track (no advantage to walking their
OUTDOOR track!). But, this is INCREDIBLY boring!

During warm weather I tend to bike - but not on roads.

There aren't many options here that don't involve roads -- without
"taking a drive". We can bike along the "wash network" but it
would be a leisurely stroll as you'd be biking amongst folks
walking (like on a sidewalk).

The city tends to be bike friendly. But, that doesn't mean the
*drivers* are! And, with most roadways 4 or 6 lanes, left turns
get to be a real hassle -- you either turn from the innermost lane
(and find yourself trapped against the median after the turn,
trying to "get right" across a couple of lanes of traffic), or
turn from a "middle lane" (rightmost left turn lane) and hope
you don't get clipped by through traffic while you wait to cross.

Most of the pro/semi-pro bicyclists who train here gain protection
by traveling in "packs" -- effectively occupying an entire traffic
lane! Hard to do that with one bike...

During cold weather the solution that has proven itself to me over a
number of years has been a PreCor Model 100 elliptical machine plus
music at the local Y.

I specify Make/Model because I find other elliptical machines to be
severely wanting by comparison.

Excellent! I will try to track one down! I've been considering
buying something so I'm not governed by weather, time of day, etc.
with my exercising (walking). But, know too many pieces of equipment
that get bought then become dust magnets.

In fact, before I discovered this thing I thought elliptical machines
were for wimps - that *real* men used the StairMaster...even had a
StairMaster knockoff in my garage.

But this elliptical machine gives me the most elevation in heart rate
with the least perceived exertion of anything I have ever done. It's
like swimming standing up.

Couldn't do it without music (or, maybe TV or a book)... but I have
music and the pleasure outweighs the pain long term.

For me, the advantage to a machine is that I could rest a book on
the handlebars -- not possible to read while walking otherwise
(the book bounces around too much).

The problem with exercise (and diet and other lifestyle choices)
is that the costs tend to be deferred -- until a point where
you can't recoup your losses. OTOH, the (apparent) "savings"
are immediate: "I can enjoy this unnutritional -- but tastey -- meal
RIGHT NOW!"

(sigh)

Time to load the car...