On Wagons: falling off and getting back on

on Feb 05 in Uncategorized by

According to the mighty wikipedia a bandwagon is quite literally a wagon that carries a band in a parade, circus, or other entertainment. The phrase “jump on the bandwagon” comes from the 1848 American presidential campaign when Dan Rice, a professional circus clown, used his bandwagon to promote Zachary Taylor’s bid for the Whitehouse. As Taylor’s campaign became more and more popular increasing numbers of politicians tried to get a seat on it in order to be associated with Taylor’s success. If the same principles hold true today then we can expect Mike Hukabee to be appearing in a new Chuck Norris film any day now.

I’m not above hopping on a bandwagon or two myself. Whether it be Blogging or Battlestar Galactica, Flickr or Firefly, it’s not often that I’m first to the party. I’m usually the one turning up late just as all the cool kids are moving onto the next big thing. But not this time. Oh no.

The spectacular CamiKaos recently started a new movement over on her blog: Fit Friends. The concept is pretty simple, all those who sign up pledge to exercise at least three times a week throughout the month of February. And you know what? I was the second person to add my name. The second. That must mean I’m the vice vice president or something.

What’s more I actually made the pledge before Cami even thought of it! On the ninth of January I quite clearly stated that I was going to:

…eat more healthily and get some significant exercise at least three times a week.
Fat Dan’s grand slam, 09/01/08

Of course I didn’t exactly follow through on that. In fact I’m sitting here munching my way through an entire packet of biscuits as I type (in my defense I haven’t eaten anything since my full English breakfast this morning). Alas, in the immortal words of Winnie-the-Pooh, I am a bear of very little willpower.

Still, since signing up for the Fit Friends I have actually followed through with my promise to exercise. Last week I walked a total of fifteen miles, nine of them on Sunday. I woke up on Monday morning and got out of bed only to find that my legs had decided that they would much rather stay horizontal. I eventually managed to coax them into action, but they complained bitterly about it throughout the rest of the day. Which all makes me a little nervous about walking seventeen miles on the first leg of our charity hike, only to get up the next morning and walk another seventeen.

Perhaps I could persuade the others to rig up some sort of Cleopatra-esque sedan chair to carry me in. Or then again, perhaps not.

It’s probably a good job that I have six months to get myself in shape.

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In July of this year I shall be walking 78 miles in 6 days in aid of the Joseph Salmon Trust, a charity founded by my close friends in memorial to their son Joseph who died aged 3. Please look here for further details and consider sponsoring me. Thank you.

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