Rural Life in the UP of Michigan Some stories about life on 160 rural acres in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

I was listening to NPR news a month and a half ago or so when a story caught my attention. Scott Simon was interviewing South African Gary Player, the first non-American to win the Master’s golf tournament. Mr Player was telling Scott about the budget he had in his days of golfing. He often had to ride the Greyhound bus between tournaments, for example. Scott asked him how he kept in condition under those circumstances. He answered:

“I’ve always been very fit and exercised profusely, even at 75. I do every day that I’m not traveling, I still do 1,000 sit-ups and I’m a vegetarian. I work very hard on my body. My body is a holy temple and I keep lean and mean and I’ve got tons of energy.”

ONE THOUSAND sit-ups each day! At age 75! The story aired April 9th, and it has been with me ever since. I began doing daily sit-ups about 15 years ago when my boss at that time, Jim Cross, told me he did 200 per day. Jim was in great shape. I was in the habit of swimming during my lunch hour during my work week, but felt I could add something. So I started out slowly, and gradually increased to 100 sit-ups several mornings per week. I felt pretty good about maintaining this routine until April 9th.

With that kick in the pants, I started increasing again. I did 125 sit-ups the next morning, and kept it up at that number for a week or so. Then 150. On my birthday, May 3, I increased to 175. On our recent trip, I brought along my sit-up floor mat and cylindrical pillow, and managed to do the 175 every day we weren’t travelling.

This morning, I kicked it up once again to 200. When Jim Cross tossed that number at me all those years ago, it seemed too big for me. Today I made it, and plan to maintain or even increase it. Will I make 1,000?