Racquetball and more

I haven't played since college.  For some reason yesterday, I thought of a former co-worker who started playing a few years ago.  I called her to ask about it, and she sweetly invited me to play tonight at her gym.  As I recall, it was a great workout, and it wasn't nearly as hard as tennis.  I suppose because you don't have to chase the ball all over creation.  Also, I think you don't need as much arm strength (the ball is really bouncy) and that the important thing is using geometry.  Like billiards, I suppose.

I'm sure I'll be abysmal, but my friend is extremely patient.  She used to review the tax returns I prepared, and that speaks volumes.

I'm on a quest to get out of the house and get in shape.  But I refuse to join a gym.  I hate those places.  And I'm not crazy about the vapid people in them.  Besides, the couple of times I joined one, I fizzled out after a couple weeks.

What I really need is to find a few exercise partners.  Unfortunately, I have a hard time coordinating schedules with my friends.  Location can be a problem, too, since I hate to drive very far to work out.  Walking and running by myself gets pretty boring, though, especially since I can't seem to find my MP3.  It's here somewhere.

I ran an ad on Craig's List a couple of weeks ago.  I just said I wanted to find people in my neighborhood to do a little walking and running, and maybe work up to a 5K.  I did a women's walk/run thing a couple years ago at Shelby Farms, and it was good, except there were way too many people.  And after the run, it took forever to get out of the park because the traffic was so bad. 

Back to my ad.  This morning, I got an email in response to my CL ad.  From someone who wants to walk with me.  Wanted to know if I was "M or F."  Which gave me a pretty good idea that he was M.  Which he is.  He said he's flexible in the mornings, so I suggested a time and a place.  He suggested an earlier time (ugh), and then, "btw," said he'd love to see a "pic."

I almost bailed, but then I thought better of it, and emailed back that I wasn't obese and that I could walk a 15 minute mile, so he'd just have to take his chances.  I also explained that I was just interested in walking, and that I thought this was feeling eerily like Match.com.  And that I was aware of Craig's List Killers, so he should know I was into martial arts and that I always packed heat.  I figured that would be the end of that, but he emailed back that he wasn't looking for a match, and that he was harmless.  We'll see. I'm meeting him in a public park, and I haven't given him any personal info.  Except that I'm "F." I think I'll take his picture on my cell phone and text it to a friend before we start out.  With his full knowledge.  Then he'll think twice if he has any sinister motives.  You can't be too careful.  Well, actually you can.  In which case, you'd just sit at home all the time.  And believe me, that's no fun.  Unfortunately, I know from experience lately.

Something doesn't add up, though.  Men don't usually like to walk.  And actually, he said he loves to walk.  Maybe he's obese...   Which is neither here nor there as long as he can keep up with me.

I suppose the worst case scenario is that he's an obese serial killer.  Best case is that I will have found a new exercise buddy.  I've done my risk/reward analysis, and I'm willing to give it a shot.  Stay tuned...