The World According to Tim: Update - 29 Days of 29-Minutes (or more) of 29 Different Activities!
By Tim E. Renzelmann (June 29, 2021)
As I shared last month, I celebrated my 29-year cancer-versary (which was on May 11, 2021) by exercising 29-minutes or more per day for 29 days of the month with 29 different activities! The 29-minutes or more per day and 29-days out of the month was easy but finding 29 different activities was more challenging and more fun!
I have a variety of physical activities that I regularly engage in, including running, walking, hiking, paddling, disc golf, indoor rowing, kite flying and more. To come up with 29 different activities, however, I would have to put creative twists on some of these activities. For example, instead of thinking of “running” as one activity, I considered road running, track running and trail running as three different activities. And in addition to “traditional” disc golf, I added a “disc golf putting challenge” with a buddy that was much more strenuous than it sounds. Additionally, I incorporated some different activities (new ways to play) that are not part of my normal routine.
Rather serendipitously, I noticed Nike’s “Play New” commercial on several occasions throughout the month that concludes:
Here’s to going down way harder than you get back up.
Giving it your all even though you kind of suck.
But you know what doesn’t suck? Trying to do something you’ve never done before.
That doesn’t suck at all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUvEEVq4woU
Here are a few comments from my 29-minutes or more, 29-days of the month, and 29 different activities:
Jump Rope: I doubted I’d be able to jump rope continuously for 29-minutes or more, so I found a video featuring the Jump Rope Dudes that combined jumping rope with various body weight exercises (jumping jacks, squats, burpees, push-ups, etc.). I have since ordered a weighted jump rope and may consider this as a future ST&BF activity!
Step Counting: On the day of SCCCF’s “Flowers for the Fund” Spring Flower Sale, I knew I would be at the clinic from sunrise to sunset and on my feet more than usual, with no time for a workout. So I chose to wear a step-counter for the day and accumulated about 25,000 steps, consciously adding steps whenever possible.
Juggling: Yep! Juggling! Another evening I was feeling exhausted... so I thought juggling might be an easy activity. However, it was more strenuous than I had expected, especially considering all of the time I spent chasing the tennis balls I had dropped and constantly bending over to pick them up! One of the benefits of juggling is improved coordination which becomes more important as we age.
Skipping a Workout: On the day of one of our June visits to the Christopher Farm & Gardens I decided to “skip” my workout! In other words, I literally skipped for more than 29-minutes through the gardens (not continuously... but cumulatively). I did mention what I was doing to the survivors and co-survivors that attended (so they didn’t think I was losing my mind)... but I’m not sure what the CF&G staff thought as I skipped around the property!?! But we shouldn’t worry what other people think!
Kite Flying: With a few days left in the month, I (rather foolishly) took my new Prism Tantrum 220 two-line power kite out for the first time in 25-30 mph winds. It was a blast... and I don’t regret it... but it resulted in a calf injury that severely limited and hampered my activities over the final days. But, as they say, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way!” The last few days included a Surrey (4-wheel) bike ride with fellow survivor “Bob the Builder”, an “arms only” indoor rowing workout (that was much harder than I thought it would be), and I ended the month with a paddle down the Sheboygan River in my kayak!
Injury is always a risk of an active lifestyle, especially when you are trying something new and unfamiliar or when you want to push yourself. Care and caution are always encouraged, but measured risks are often necessary if we are to improve and succeed.
My plan is to celebrate my 30th and 31st cancer-versaries over the next two years in a similar manner... adding one minute, one day and one activity each year! Plus, I plan to incorporate a few of these new/different activities to my exercise and activity routine throughout the year! And I challenge you to “Play New” and share your experiences with us!