Running in China

Greetings from China! I really needed to stretch my legs and get some exercise with all the long plane rides and bus rides, so I went for a run a couple of days ago. I kept getting funny looks, that's when it occured to me that what I was doing was fairly unusual in this part of the country. I guess most people here only run, if they are running away from something or running to catch something, not just to run for running sake. Exercise is really a luxury reserved for the well-to do people who sit all day in cubicles. Why exercise when you are already doing hard labor all day?

Anyways, I ran to an "exercise" park, where they have built-in work out machines. (What a great idea! why don't we have these in our parks in America?) I am especially fond of the Gazelle (as seen below and on TV in the informercials*)

















I am always amazed at how many of the old people work out here in China. (and how fit they are) Here is a picture of one on the "Wax on, Wax off" machine as made popular by the Karate Kid movie.






































So I was doing some pull up on the monkey bars, being out of shape I was only able to do sets of three. As I was resting between my sets, this old guy, in his late 60s, came by and did three pull-ups! (Just to be clear, he only did the wimpier-bicep curling type) It was a moment of pure amazement and embarrasement all at the same time.
















This gave me ample motivation on my run home, where I passed three men on bikes, one mule cart, and two trikes. (before images of grown men on tiny little trikes (ala MXC) begin flooding into your head, these are manly man full-size pickup trikes)















*I am embarrassed to admit that yes, I know that it's called the Gazelle and it's developed and sold by Tony Little. Actually this park made me wonder What would it be like to have a "As seen on TV" park. Think how cool that would be!