Why Die?

Contoversial yet inspiring, haven't put this book down yet

"Why Die" is the name of a book i am currently reading about a controversial Australian athletics coach called Percy Cerruty whose controversial methods and outspoken opinions made him an enigma to the atletics community. Now Percy wasn't the fittest man in the world. In fact he was given two years to live when he was 44 years old. Coupled with a complete mental breakdown he radically changed his life by leaping head first into a strict and obsessive recovery that when completed two yeas later he became a media sensation by perfoming various distance running races and beating younger competitors.

Now reading this you may think "what's this got to do with you?" well i have been reading his book today and was totally fascinated by his life story. Even though my weight has fluctuated more than the price of oil over the past couple years i'm fired up to really get stuck into some training. I ventured down to the local gym whereby the stereotype of tank tops and gym freaks is on display. Considering the only was i could get there was on my old mountain bike that i thought i would never ride again, i felt that i really didn't feel 27 but 14 years old.

The trainer, Vito is a really enthusiastic guy and even if he is small in stature, his energy level would give some dodgy Russian nuclear power plants a run for its money. We went through each of the exercises and the proper way to do the reps. Whilst he was explaining the proper technique for a fly rep i looked around the gym and saw a cross section of gym culture in 360 degree beauty. The girl who flaunts her curves for the boys, the boys in singlets with arms that are too small for their ego, the middle aged Addidas tracksuit wearing dad who is straining himself to fight against the sands of time and the mums cycling away talking to each other in a way that their fitness seems to be an after affect from constant talking about their kids latest accomplishments.

I used to go to this gym before i left but i wasn't excited to go there. I felt shit and my motivation was more to just get out of the house and look like i gave a shit about my body for an hour before i went back home and drank two cans of Coke with dinner. I was working beautifully in Tin Shui Wai. In fact this time last year i was about 8 kilos lighter and was feeling full of energy. Since April my energy levels have started to slow but now it's time to kick myself in the ass and not go back to the ways i did before i left Australia.

I know i won't but fitness isn't exactly my strong suit nor is sticking to routine, so this time around i'm taking the "baby steps" approach to fitness. I'm not going to go to the gym looking for a quick fix but wanting to lay the long over due foundations for a healthy life because at the current rate of my health level i shouldn't feel as lazy as i am.

I purchased this book three years ago because i liked the title. Now i'm reading it because i' don't want to.