PLAYout: scooter as exercise.

by

happy feet.

happy feet.

I know you may be tired of my saying this—Ren Man sure is—but it’s freakin cold here.

I anticipated “MizFit is cold” weather.

I know my FAVE temp is around 87 & sunny, I stalked the weather before we moved and saw it was consistently in the 50s.

Cool but doable.

And then I learned it’s 50s in the same way my beloved Pittsburgh is in the 50s:

30s in in the morning, damp, windy, maybe 50 for an ephemeral moment mid-afternoon.

The husband was kind enough to bestow upon me this parka (shockingly many other moms at the Tornado’s school own similar!):

needing to own this stole my smile

*needing* to own this stole my smile

  • I was grateful for the coat…but Im a misfit whose smile is snagged by the cold.
  • I was grumpy.
  • I clicked into HIBERNATION mode.
  • I began planning my move back to Austin for IMMEDIATELY after the Tornado’s high school graduation.
  • I swiftly remembered it’s not about me anymore. 

I owed it to the Tornado to be resourceful, find my smile, and STAT.

And so we did.

We scootered. 

It was an amazing reminder of the power of endorphins, laughter and little people.

 

The teacher:

 

The student eclipses the teacher. go old people!!!

 

Need more than a smile to motivate you to scooter?

  • Scootering builds self-confidence and self-esteem. (yes. Im talking about my self-esteem.) Look what an uncoordinated 43.5 year old was able to master without breaking a hip!
  • Scootering is a GREAT GLUTES workout.  I was sore for days & methinks my booty is already less inclined to meet the backs of my knees!
  • Scootering is FAB cardio…the kind you dont even realized youve done till it’s DONE!
  • Scootering is AMAZING coordination practice…for us big people who no longer git out and PLAY on a regular basis (hello hopscotch!).
  • Scootering finds yer smile. PERIOD. No one can be grumpy while attempting to balance, flail a leg, and not fall over.  Believe me. I tried.

 

Have you given KICK SCOOTERING a try?  Im so so so flipping FRUGAL and even I think It’s thirty dollars TREMENDOUSLY well spent.

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Comments

  2. I’m sorry your smile has been finicky. For what it’s worth, if I’d been through such an upheaval, my smile would be playing hide-and-seek, too.

    No scooter in this household, but this reminds me I need to use these roller blades I got at a yard sale for $1.00. Must find knee pads….

  5. Looks like lots of fun! You have a very good teacher! 🙂

    And, yes, 50s can be deceptive… I leave before 7 every morning, and it’s been VERY cold, even in the South Bay where it’s quite a bit warmer…

  11. I have to admit I’ve never tried. We live on a dirt road, but when my kids visit their cousins that’s their favorite thing to do.

  12. I wonder how many odd looks I would get if I go out and scooter today while the boys are at school – could add to the fun!!!
    Looks like y’all had a super great time!!!
    I’m with you – cold is not my friend!!! Way to make the most of it (as you do!).

  13. and I am woman enough to admit I STILL WANNA DECLINE each time she asks and I have to bundle up before we can go…but I bundle and it always makes me grin 😉

  15. Flashing back to my skateboard days in 1975. Already approaching the bodybuilding era of my life, I made sure switch feet every so often so my legs would develop evenly. Love that flashback!

  16. Ah, 55 & scootering – I love the sound of that – you had me at tight glutes says this old lady that tries everything to keep them up but age is catching up too fast for them! 😉 Need the balance too! 🙂

    So love the video AND I get so much that cold thing. I am a baby about cold weather! 😉

  17. I LOVE it! You are a fun mama. I’m always afraid of killing myself but it looks like so much fun when you do it that maybe I need to put fear aside and join my kids. (in the cold!)

  21. So great! We had Razor scooters growing up…well, one of them that my brother and I shared. 😉 We’d jump on it and take off to the neighbor’s house and like sharks all Razor around in the middle of the street. 😉 SO FUN! This for sure makes me smile.

    On another note, it’s funny how things change; I can’t believe the sunshine and lack of layers I see (and rarely experience when I’m home!) down in CA…Granted, it’s that “wet cold” – in Calgary it’s dry, so while it might be freezing, you can actually warm up. You’ve got that “wet cold” feeling…brrr. But it still looks pretty good to me. 😉 Nice parka!

  22. Haha! So glad you posted this :). It’s always awesome to step outside of the normal workout routine and try new things. This is fun and you got to spend some time with your little girl while getting some exercise in! Love it!

  23. Yes! Scootering rocks! All 3 of my kids have ’em and we often scooter/jog around the inlet for fun/exercise.

    Want a real booter burner? Try taking your scooter to the skateboard park! Super hard work pushing yourself up the last bit of a hill (and super scary for me going down the hills!)

    Thanks for sharing!

  24. I’ve always wanted a scooter. Never got one. I got a pogo stick. I loved my pogo stick. I’m smiling just thinking about it! If I find another one, I’m buying it!

    p.s. It feels like -30 here lol

  27. OMG I love the Tornado! My older son LOVES scootering. The younger one – not so coordinated yet. There are lots of scootering families here in Brooklyn. I’m sorry, I couldn’t help but laugh at your assessment of the lovely weather in the Bay Area. My husband always assumes that it will be warm when we visit. He packs shorts and T-shirts while I’m packing wool sweaters and fleece because I’m always freezing when I’m home!! I will say that the East Bay tends to be warmer/sunnier than SF 🙂

    • I will say that the East Bay tends to be warmer/sunnier than SF 🙂

      AMEN Sister. totally (ok not TOTALLY but…) why we resideth here.

  31. I think I’ve spotted the problem with you and the cold: you’ve forgotten the Law of Layers!

    It’s a tank top and a hoodie. Socks and shoes (i’ve broken down and ordered the inj… whatever toe socks to keep my feetsies warm the rest of the winter)… and tights and capris.

    Or simply wait the little more time until the hot flashes start coming… then thank god you’re not getting them in the 87 degrees.

  33. And you can always pick up a scooter or several at your local second hand store, even if you’re on vacation. Then just use for a while and donate it back when you’re all done! They also have helmets!

  34. Oh my goodness, I bought my Fiance and I razor scooters a few months ago. He thought I was crazy but everytime we ride around the neighborhood we giggle like school kids. Definitely $30 well spent. And you’re right, it has to be a good workout, my legs and glutes are always sore after.

  35. OH fun!!!! Be careful on those hills in your new neighborhood when you ride! 🙂 BTW, you look adorable in that jacket! hang in there, spring is just around the corner!!! The groundhog said so.

  39. I love the notion of any exercise that is FUN! Plus it is almost like ‘incidental exercise’ as you are kinda playing!

    And you can do it with the T, so even better!

    Deb

  40. 50s is perfect running weather-
    Have you tried mtn. biking? it’s great for butt and you never want to leave the trail to come home! (and talk about needing BALANCE!) Whoot!

  42. Is that easier than skate boarding, because I almost killed myself last time I thought that was a good idea? 🙂
    Gaye

  44. That Tornado is so stinkin cute, who could resist her when she asks you to join in a playout?! So glad you had a good scooter experience. My daughter has a Razor (as do most kids in our hood) and I was always jealous watching them have so much fun, that is till I found Xooter.com and got my very own “grown-up” scooter (and I’m 50)! As a matter of fact, since my Xooter (rhymes with scooter) was always being borrowed by the hubs and/or my daughter we now all have our own–which is quite the investment, but when they get used as much as ours do (they’re great for short commutes), I don’t mind. Yay for scootering and kudos to you for putting on layers and finding your smile! P.S. Did you see the kid in Tornado’s video wearing shorts?!

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