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Old 02-04-03, 12:34 PM  
Lenore Levine
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Inspiring Women

A few months back, I discussed the "How I Stay Fit" column in my local newspaper, the San Jose Mercury News. I was concerned because the examples they showed were unrealistic; that is, they mostly depicted people who followed extremely rigorous programs, not ones that were doable for large numbers of people.

Today, they showed a very realistic and inspiring example. Their column was about a 75-year-old woman who has lung disease, and has also had several heart surgeries. This woman isn't fat, but she doesn't have the body of a "fitness model" either (she's about the shape of the klutzy Viva background exercisers). She doesn't exercise two or three hours a day; from what she says, it seems to be more like one hour a day.

This woman says that exercise makes her "feel like she's fifty again." Her goal? "To stay alive."

Also, the latest issue of The New Yorker has an article on long-distance swimmer Lynne Cox. This is another woman who doesn't look like a "fitness model"; judging from the pictures I've seen of her, she has a Queen Latifah-size body. (The article implied that sort of body was useful for swimming in very cold water.) Ms. Cox had just finished swimming a mile in Antarctica, in 32 degrees (Fahrenheit) water. This was an incredible effort, even for her. She wrote beautifully about the discipline it took to get to the point where she could do this, and the rewards of meeting her goal.

Now, athletic achievements usually don't impress me. They're certainly not general role models. But hers impress me more than most.

Oh, Lynne Cox isn't young, either. She's 45 years old.
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Old 02-04-03, 05:14 PM  
Jane P.
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I took an Antarctic plunge!

Yes, I've read about Lynne Cox before. She swam from the North Island to the South Island of New Zealand, and she is the only person who has gone from Alaska to Russia across the Bering Strait. She nearly froze on that one. She does carry more body fat than most athletes. It acts as an insulator in such cold conditions, but I'm sure she also protects her body with grease or a wet suit.

Actually I took a plunge in the Antarctic Ocean myself, though I didn't swim anywhere. One of the rites of passage is the polar plunge which is done naked through a hole in the ice. I was afraid a seal would swim up wanting to breathe when I was in the hole, but it didn't happen. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. It was a tremendous experience.
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Old 02-13-03, 02:04 PM  
Jane P.
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The Incerdible Lynne Cox

I am resurrecting this thread because I saw the 60 minutes II piece on Lynne Cox last night.Yowsa! What an incredible woman! Apparently she is the only person in the world who can withstand such incredibly cold temperatures. She is studied by physiologists because she is so unique. She does not protect her body in any way. She wears only a swim suit. She also broke the women's and the men's record for swimming the English channel.

They showed her going into this incredibly cold Antarctic water. She would get so cold she would almost pass out, but then something in her body kicks in and she gets a second wind. She swam a mile in 30 minutes in the coldest water on earth.

Her team talks to her the whole way in order to make sure her mind is active. When she emerges from the water, they immediately wrap her and four or five people surround her to warm her with their body heat. It was just amazing to watch.

She is not thin, she is 5'6' and weighs about 190 lbs. but she needs this body fat in order to do this. She sure proves that fat doesn't mean unfit. She must have an amazing circulatory system.
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Old 02-13-03, 02:51 PM  
Ghira
 
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I remember reading about her when she was getting ready to cross the Bering Strait. Really an amazing athlete.
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Old 02-13-03, 03:54 PM  
Loretta S.
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Re: The Incerdible Lynne Cox

Quote:
Originally posted by Jane P.
They showed her going into this incredibly cold Antarctic water. She would get so cold she would almost pass out, but then something in her body kicks in and she gets a second wind.
I wonder if that is the mammalian diving response, seals and other cold water mammals experience this. All humans also have it to some extent, but maybe she is blessed with extra ability in that area. Very interesting!!
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Old 02-13-03, 04:14 PM  
roz
 
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Lynne Cox's training regimen is probably more rigorous than the "unrealistic" ones featured in your paper.
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Old 02-14-03, 11:34 AM  
Lenore Levine
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Training Regimes

Quote:
Originally posted by roz
Lynne Cox's training regimen is probably more rigorous than the "unrealistic" ones featured in your paper.
Yes, and it is inspiring. However, it wouldn't be realistic for most people, either.

I was making two points: One was that you don't have to have a "perfect" body to be fit. Look not only at Ms. Cox, but at many women's weightlifters, judo competitors and softball players.

The other was that you don't have to engage in a very intense program to get the benefits of fitness. You will get benefits from participating in a moderate program, year-in, year-out. I think there are a lot of people who have given up on exercise -- they think it requires a time investment they don't really have, or athletic skills that they don't really want to perfect. For those people, it's inspiring to show individuals engaged in moderate activity, year-in, year-out.

There's room for many different kinds of fitness examples.

By the way, two other women who inspire me are archer Geena Davis and equestrian Princess Anne. The reason I admire those two is that they, like Lynne Cox, are obviously doing what they do for the love of the sport, not for fame and money.

What all these women -- Lynne Cox, the older woman following a moderate regime, Anne and Geena -- have in common is that they're having fun doing what they do. Physical activity may require discipline, but it can usually be joyful discipline. It's just that what's joyful differs from person to person.
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Old 02-19-03, 07:22 AM  
hch
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Lenore, thank you for sharing these examples. I agree with your points on "perfect" bodies, the exercise needed for fitness, the variety of inspiration, and joyful discipline, among others.

Lynne Cox has an online-only interview on the New Yorker site--interesting reading.
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Old 02-19-03, 10:00 AM  
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My awe is for Jane who jumped in the freezing cold water, nude!!! and would do it again in a heartbeat!

U GO GIRLFRIEND

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I got bills to pay,
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I know I can't slow down,
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Though you know, I wish I could.
No there ain't no rest for the wicked,
Until we close our eyes for good".
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