My Funky Challenge

Frank, your way of getting around seems to be by leaps and bounds, which is a great and natural workout, I’m certain; however, you might enjoy the surprise I have, stemming from a recent experience I had at the gym. More on that in a minute, though.  First, let me just say a few things about the infrastructure we are dealing with here.

You stay in great shape, all toned up for a frog your age. On the other hand, my muscles happily stay just as they are, soft, floppy and dough-like. I can tell you, these muscles have never said a word to me about exercise all these years. They’re keeping their mouths shut in hopes that I won’t go try something drastic like putting them to work.

I say this, yet it’s obvious that all 650+ muscles were embarrassingly giddy when I simply started my treadmill routine at the gym last week. Although I didn’t lift weights, a great and wonderful thing happened all at once. In only a 20 minute trot, my body and I, (we’re buddies) our joints, muscles, the whole group, were transformed from a creaky, constricted mess into a floating, liberated, unrestrained, somewhat giggly and energetic ball o’ fire.

Sweating, rosy-cheeked, and all grinny, I thought to myself- if that’s all it took to feel so good, I wonder what more of this stuff could do.  I’m ready to investigate further. My body is being all fluttery-eyed and dramatic about it, sidling up enticingly and whispering in my ear: “You just won’t believe what’s going on inside you, Jane. It’s like a party in there! Everyone is hustle-bustling around, snapping their fingers and doing the Moon Walk in celebration!”

This new interest in having fun with exercise was started when I went to Georgia to meet Haddie’s parents. Haddie is a beautiful and intelligent package of a woman and is my son David’s girlfriend. I so admired her mother, Sherry’s energy, health and cute body. We have a lot in common, even resembling each other a little, especially the hair. But, she’s a championship tennis player and has led a very active life. Not only did I have a great weekend getting to know Sherry and Patrick, I left inspired.

Off to the gym I went, knowing that if I’d keep it up, it’d be a very good thing.

After spending a good five minutes of concentrated effort untangling my earbuds, I eventually “got the hook up, holla if you hear me.” I swiped on my iPhone over to Spotify to get started and upped the volume. I know this is second nature for all the exercise freaks out there but I was amazed at the difference in the level of pleasure by simply adding music to the experience.

I almost yelped aloud when I realized that “Uptown Funk” (by Mark Ronson, featuring Bruno Mars) has a tempo that is an EXACT MATCH with MY level 3.0 treadmill speed!  All you cool cats are rolling your eyes, saying “well, duh.”  ?  Dancing/trotting/sweating to the beat is sooooo much fun!  After “Uptown,” I clicked over to “Treasure” which was also up to speed (syncing it with a longer stride, just a hair).  While I was on Bruno’s album, I found one more that worked for 3.0 called “Grenade.”  (Yes, the lyrics might be a little raunchy in Bruno’s repertoire, but I choose to ignore that ?.   I just love the beat.  

Plus, I listened on the way home to Justin Timberlake’s “I Got That Feeling” and I think its tempo may be about right. Plus, the lyrics are more tame.  Listen and look here:

While trying to stifle the urge to begin dancing on the treadmill in front of a bunch of strangers, I suddenly thought about that cute (I mean really cute) guy we all watched on social media a few years ago, Carson Dean.

Remember him?  He did that treadmill dance routine to “Uptown Funk” that was simply “adorable,” (a word we southern women are apt to say about people, places and things we love or admire profusely).  His video had millions of views and now he’s been all around the world, demonstrating his routine.  It’s so free and is crazy-fun to watch.

More about Carson…  I’d never heard of him before his famous routine, but I see that he’s a great choreographer. Check out his video, a dance duet he performs with Kausha Campbell – “Lovely Night Dance” – a take off on the dance performed in the musical “LaLa Land.”

Now, let’s get to the main point of this letter. It’s a proclamation, a personal challenge. ? You and I both know (gulp) that public proclamations are a great way to challenge oneself, holding oneself accountable to the WORLD. ?

Pretty scary, I’d say. But here goes. I challenge myself here in front of you and my millions of readers, ? that in just six months — April, if not earlier — I will be doing my own version of Carson Dean’s  “Uptown Funk” treadmill dance/workout, AND, I’ll publish it right here for you to see!  Think I can do it?  I’m going to try.  If it proves to be more difficult than I thought (dancing sideways, backwards and upside down on a moving treadmill) I’ll make the necessary adjustments to make it work.

Would be such a fun thing to be able to do, don’t you think?  And if YOU want to do it, too, then join me (flips and cartwheels are not required) in the challenge.  Ready, Set, Go!

Love,

?

Jane