Thursday, January 7, 2010

What's your excuse?

Yesterday I was a little salty about working out. I didn't want to run because it was 28 degrees here. Yes, I know that is 28 degrees warmer than some of you but one of the perks of living in the south is we don't do 28 degrees. And if any white flakes appear from the sky, you get vacation and call it a snow day.

Not only did running outdoors not interest me in the least, I didn't want to go the gym because of the mere minutes of exposure to the elements I would endure walking from parking lot to front door. Doing nothing is not part of my plan and unfortunately, I already know making excuses is not considered actual exercise. Poor little kitty. 

So in effort to stall the inevitable motivate myself, I read the news. And then I saw this:
 



Jose Fausto Gonzalez, also known as 'Pepe Fausto', is a Spanish cyclist.

He cycles everyday.
And he is EIGHTY.

Pepe Fausto doesn't get all poor little kitty about the cold. He doesn't make paltry excuses like being outside for 2 whole minutes is too much too bear. Sometimes you just need to get up and go. As I have said before, the ass won't lose itself.

You are outstanding Pepe Fausto. Or may I call you by your new pet name, El BadAss?

I can only hope that when I am his age, I can still rock it like a hurricane. Thanks for the inspiration, El BadAss, I needed it.



PS: Come visit Life 2 Us, a new website and the brainchild of Unknown Mami. I am one of their featured bloggers this month.

108 comments:

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

El Badass called me and told me to say "hi" to el pobre gato.......

... "hi!"

(No habla Espanol...........)

kilax said...

Thank you for sharing this story! I have witnessed some people in my family age gracefully, and some not so much... and it all has to do with their healthy and fitness. I want to be running when I am 80! Hope you rocked the workout :)

pam said...

The only thing I do everyday is drink coffee.

Lee said...

Yeah, but where does Pepe live? Does it get cold there?

Christina Lee said...

Ughh this makes me feels worse about all of my excuses--LOL!!!

The Peach Tart said...

I'm rocking it with Pepe so far every day this week. Inside of course.

Unknown said...

I decided to do 5 k three times a week...it has been below zero since Christmas...perhaps not the BEST time to start but i am doing it... BELOW ZERO.. : )

the walking man said...

See JennyM here is the deal. A guy made a snarky remark to me a couple of weeks ago just before he said he was going to FL for his vacation.

He will be back in the D soon and your weather will return to normal soon enough. Blame his karma.

And remember layers, layers, layers.

I wear a tank top, a thermal top, a T shirt. a leather vest, a hoodie, then my beloved gas station jacket for the walk to the car. I am nice and warm in our 28 degree weather. Balmy as a matter of fact.

Joshua said...

@Lee, HFQ - The average temperature in Spain for January is 52 degrees.

If it was 52 degrees in January where I lived, I'd ride the bike outside, too. However, I'd not venture outside in July when the average is 90, so it's still win-lose for me.

-Joshua

KristinFilut said...

I'd like to see Pepe's bad ass riding his bike in the snow we've got here! That would be great entertainment!

Glad you found Life 2 Us! It's a great place!

The Four Week Vegan said...

Okay, I needed that. It's 5:15 am here and I was thinking perhaps back to bed was the better choice over my morning 5 mile run. I'll be running thanks to El Bad Ass.

Anonymous said...

Damn, Gina. That is amazing!!

jules said...

I'm so with you. It's so stupid cold in Maryland right now I don't want to make the walk to my to the gym either. Plus, once you leave the gym, you are all toasty warm and it seems even colder plus it takes 10 minutes for you car to warm up and by that time I'm home, and it's really just a great big debacle actually. My ass can stay dimply for a few more weeks!

Eyeglasses & Endzones said...

El Pepe is Loco if you ask me!!! )

I love to work out but I mean by the time Im 80 Im hoping that I realize that Im gonna go soon so why bother???

If it motivated you that is all that matters right..I mean what could not be motivating looking at that man in a cycle suit!!! ;)

Anonymous said...

Blah blah, I did that thing where I forced myself to workout for a month until it became a habit. Now I become a cranky monkey if I don't do it....my friends make sure that I do. Trust me. ;)

The Savage said...

The maximum range for an excuse is zero meters....

Liz Mays said...

I heard about him and he's incredible! He makes no excuse seem credible anymore. Dang it.

lsnellings said...

The way I see it, that just gives me another 50 years to become a bad ass. Baby steps.

Anonymous said...

Mind over matter, for sure!!! Every morning when my alarm goes off, I desperately want to go back to sleep but I get up anyway and go to the gym!!

carolineAlexander said...

Yes, it is a new year and time to get back to being health. My husband bought me Wii Fit for Christmas, do you think he is trying to tell me something. I just wanted a pair of Uggs.

mandatorybloghere said...

lol yes definately motivating thanks

JennyMac said...

Thanks B.E.G...

....wait, who is Gina?

LOL.

Slamdunk said...

You and El BadAss trump me. I hung up my running shoes until the warm weather returns.

courtney said...

Maybe El BadAss would be interested in becoming my personal trainer.

Kelli said...

Wow, at least you try. Im pretty much in a constant state of refusing to get out of bed. If I could sleep through winter, I would.

Anonymous said...

a few years ago i was out jogging and passed another man jogging--he looked to be about a hundred and moved slower than you and I if we were standing still. I was almost home when i saw him and decided to run an extra half mile.

thanks, El BadAsses of America!

JenJen said...

So glad you wrote, "ass" instead of "arse" because
El BadArse doesn't sound as well, bad ass.
:)

Anonymous said...

El Badass gave me some El Motivation! I suck with sticking to any type of work out! :-(

Anonymous said...

Damn you inspiring people!!!!

Dan said...

Sadly my get up and go, got up and fecked off ages ago.

I can still run, especially if someone is chasing me, but I try to avoid it whenever possible.

Good luck with motivating yourself JM. Just know that all of your followers are right behind you, sitting on our comfy chairs, eating a cookie in your name.

Go get em girl!

Rita Templeton said...

This reminds me of my grandma. Sometimes I don't feel like, say, doing the laundry ... and then I think of her, and how even in her mid-eighties she was still up at the crack of dawn WORKING. Laundry, cooking, cleaning, farm chores, you name it - and she worked steadily, tirelessly until dusk.

Makes me feel incredibly lazy!

carissajaded said...

Thanks for this!! I definitely needed a little inspiration this morning as well. But I still don't think I am going to make it on a run or to the gym. Ice day in Dallas. Which means there might be a little ice on the roads, but really it's just too cold to go to work.

Have a great day!

Ed said...

He's my new hero.

It used to be Tiger Woods.

Before Tiger's awesome sex scandal, it was Nemo's dad cause he found him in Australia and shit.

mermaid gallery said...

O.K. but he lives in Spain! and you live in Atlanta. Try running at -20 on ice. Uphill...in a blizzard...with a wind chill...through cougar infested forest...with a VERY bad hangover. I am the excuse queen!

Vinomom said...

I wonder if El Bad Ass would be proud of me for walking my dog last night in 22 degree temperatures. Probably Not.

Christine Macdonald said...

THank you! THis is GREAT! I always get an extra 'oomph' in my step when a senior citizen RUNS by my WALKING ass. I have f*ucked up knees from years of stripping, so I am unable to run.... and trust me, nowadays, even power walking is no picnic. Your post is another inspiration. Thank you!

Summer said...

Alright...now, you've motivated ME! :) I'm starting up my yoga program once again on Monday and WILL NOT make excuses not to go! I always feel so much better if I go at least 4 times a week...and, my tooshie looks pretty darn great after a while too! :)

A Daft Scots Lass said...

You should check this dude out. He's incredible too. George the Cyclist.

he travels everywhere on his bike and has some incredible stories
http://georgethecyclist.blogspot.com/

Hot Cross Mum said...

I can but dream about 28 degrees as I shiver in the Siberian minus temperatures of snowy Ireland. Brrrrr. That man's shorts just make me feel even colder - good for him though, and you!

MommaKiss said...

Oh, that really does make you want to just get out there and do it. Jeez. 80? Every day? God Bless him!

Barbaloot said...

You know, I could've used this yesterday when I went to the grocery store instead of the gym! That's right-I'm blaming my lack of exercise on you now:)

Mom in High Heels said...

Aw crap. With people like that in the world how can I say I'm too tired/cold/achy/insert excuse here?

confused homemaker said...

I need to find my inner Bad-Ass. That guy does rock it.

And congrats on being FB over there!

Scrappy Girl said...

I wish I loved to exercise...not happened yet.

Kiki said...

my husband jumps on the "inspiring-people-bandwagon" and i don't. he quotes these people and adopts their workout routines or diets. it pisses me off to no end. he tries to get me "inspired." i just go to the gym to run on the treadmill. i'm not about to run in the 20 degree weather like him, or workout for 1 1/2 hours in the gym everyday. i would rather be watching tv, eating cookie dough, or reading blogs. take care and stay warm.

The imPerfect Housewife said...

You go, ElBadAss!!! I don't even like to go get the mail when it's cold so he's totally my idol now. You crack me up ~ ♥

Bossy Betty said...

I think about running every day. Does that count?

brokenteepee said...

I have to chuckle at the blog line up on the new site; all of these cute little avatars and one giant martini to help them through the day. heh heh
Congrats and good exercising.
We hit -14 here a month or so ago. The goats still needed tending to...

Anonymous said...

I live in the South. The low temps for the next few days will be hovering around 8 degrees. OMG!

Herding Cats said...

Ok....I'm going to go on a run today and do a Jillian Michael's workout. Then I'll probably die. But hey, if that guy can do it, I know I can! (Maybe?)

Kristina P. said...

I sort of hate him.

Unknown said...

That's inspiring and kind of pisses me off all at the same time. LOL, I was happy living in the land of excuses, that is until he showed up with his fancy age and all.

Confessions of a Mother, Lawyer & Crazy Woman said...

Hope you had a good workout. EIGHTY, huh? Impressive. No doubt. But does he bike in pearls, red lipstick and black bras? I doubt it. Match point: You.

Intense Guy said...

About all I do everyday is use the little boys room (and not to go fishing).

I'm always impressed by these sort of people - I walk 5 miles and think to myself, "You know, people actually RUN 26 miles in a marathon!" And a lot of marathons seem to be held when its downright nasty out! Like the Boston one on Patriot's Day in April.

Busy Bee Suz said...

El Bad Ass suits him to a T.
Lord...I need him to come over and motivate me in person!

Mrs Montoya said...

Pepe Rocks. If it makes you feel better, I get poor little kitty in the cold. I don't own any arctic wear and I am not braving the elements for anything below 51.6 Sunny Southern California is ruining me for everywhere else.

Jules AF said...

Man, that makes me feel bad about being sore from working out yesterday. I suck.

S Club Mama said...

but does Spain get down to negative temperatures? or even in the 20s? I don't know but if it's below 50, I'm not exercising outside. :)

A.T. Post said...

Ha! El BadAss. Luvs it. I'm going to see him in my head now whenever I think to myself, "Nah, I'm too hungover to work out. Gotta get some more protein in to my muscles beforehand."

Poindexter said...

That dude really is a bad ass - apt nickname! Well done.

Romeo Morningwood said...

Jose is an object for your pity and a poor role model for other citizens. I am of the strong belief that octogenarian endorphin junkies like El Nonutz should either either be treated for his addiction or imprisoned.

As Jose wobbles past in a futile attempt to dislodge the monkey on his back, his peer group at the cafe merrily smoke, sip liquers, and whistle at girls.
With folded arms resting comfortably on their panis,
(yes that's an a)
you can almost hear them humming circus music..
dee dee deedle dee-dee dee dee deedle.

Honestly! The government should treat dorph addicts like all of the others. He should be removed from the public eye so as not to discourage the responsible citizens wedged in their SUV at the drive-thru who are rebuilding the economy. Only then can the collective "we" feel better about ourselves
.
Let us never speak of this unpleasantness again.

Anonymous said...

There is so much food in the house, I can't go outside!

That happened to me on a cruise ship too once, I didn't run for a whole week because I always "just ate"

Secretia

Yankee Girl said...

Wow. Now I feel really bad!

Must get my ass moving!

MommyLisa said...

Okay - El BadAss probably had a wife who took care of the vomiting children so he could go the next day and cycle. ;)

I love it though. That pic of him rocks and when I am eighty I hope I rock it like a hurricane too.

Brian Miller said...

ok, so now i feel i must go exercise...guilt...smiles.

Michele R said...

But does he make 5 lunches each morning, dinner for five, food shop for 5, laundry for 5, clean house, and pull in a full time paycheck working outside the home that can support 5? No offense to Mr. Bad-Ass or any celebrities who get fit 8 hrs a day along with their trainers.
I am more impressed with others out there who manage to work out and have tons of other responsibilities.

Michele R said...

Sorry. I was having a premenopausal moment.
Carry on.

shortmama said...

Well that puts a damper in the ol pity party now doesnt it?!

Arielle said...

That guy is definitely a trooper. I'm going to try to be more like him.
(Although I've actually been doing very well on my own so far. Probably because it's not 28 degrees here.)

Jaime @ laviejaime said...

I belong to a gym and was soo good until July last year when my office moved. Now I don't go and it's a new excuse each week... this is good motivation!!!

Unknown said...

Inspirational! I needed some of that today.

Nonflammable said...

I so enjoy reading stories like this. What an inspiration.

We have quite a few older memebers at my gym that are testament to the benefits of excercise. One lady member's rheumatoid arthritis is in remission and she no longer takes any medications. She is close to 70.

Existential Waitress said...

Um, I've been avoiding working out for days now too. and I have a treadmill here at home. I am lazy. Pepe just inspired me too (or maybe he guilted me. Not sure).

Little Ms Blogger said...

My dad is 87 and fairly active - he was until his knee surgery at 84, but has slowed down a bit.

My sister is 61 and took up doing sprint triathlons at 59 and is running her 1st marathon with my nephew at age 62.

Sometimes people use age as an excuse.

Alicia said...

el bad ass! haa! maybe ha can have a talk with los thighs of mine and tell them to get moving!

Noe Noe Girl...A Queen of all Trades. said...

GAH! I am such a slacker!
<><

Simply Mel {Reverie} said...

Maybe he will be a part of this year's Tour de France! I would love to see him give Lance a ride for his money!

Unknown said...

Id, like your geriatric biker friend, have a similar nickname--but instead of el bad ass, it's el fat ass!

Tara said...

My excuse has been that I'm pregnant and so I CAN'T possibly work out or eat healthy because I'm TIRED and I have CRAVINGS for things other than brocolli.

Except I had a chat with myself and decided not to play it that way this time around and so I've put myself on a healthy eating plan and I'm working on the exercise part.

Watch your back, Pepe! Here I come!

Anonymous said...

If you would have written this post about a week ago and I saw Mr.El Bad Ass I proabably would have kept running in the cold here in Colorado and not went out to buy a wii to excercise in my nice cozy home, NOT!
I dont know how his body can handle it, I know mine couldnt.

secret agent woman said...

Yes- those of us in the South seem to be far more resentful of cold weather. I have been on that gazelle machine every single day since I bought it - 16 days and counting!

Ed & Jeanne said...

I still run in a dry fit Tshirt and shorts when it is 28....but I do wear gloves... My hero is still Jack LaLanne, he's 95 and still lifts weights for 2 hours a day plus swims for 1 hour a day...

Vodka Logic said...

I bet it doesn't get to 28* where ever El Badass lives... but regardless he is an inspiration.

mCat said...

ElBadass is my new inspiration

Matty said...

I envy him. I want to be like him when I grow up. However, I have this thing about cold weather. We don't get along.

Unknown said...

Okay...I am outdone by a man older than my grandparents. I didn't think I could feel worse about myself.
Malo. Muy malo...

J.J. in L.A. said...

My man keeps saying I have the perfect excuse - "I'm a poor, little, crippled girl." Even though I'm not poor, far from little, and I hate the word 'crippled' with every fiber of my being. ; )

Btw, I'm thinking of investing in a Wii for the Sports package it comes with. There's no way I'm going to expose this body to the general public in a gym. lol!

Mike said...

Yea, but can he eat a whole pizza and tell you what is going on on Days of our Lives? Some of us have different workout regimes! hahaha!

Jen said...

Nothing like an 80-year-old badass to motivate your bad ass to the gym, huh? I love it!

Emily said...

Perspective, JennyMac. Sure he cycles daily, but what then? He's 80. He's retired, no small kids running around...doesn't sound that bad to me! :)
Enjoy your vacation day tomorrow.

Unknown said...

He is so cute. I wonder if he's into older women? I have a grandmother that will be turning 95 soon. I'm sure she'd love to go biking with him.

Chief said...

I see people like this old biking dude and he is an inspiration that someday I might get off the couch and do something!

then I get tired

but Im still working on it!

Nyx said...

Wow...I feel like I need to go outside and run a few miles now....

Anonymous said...

I need to get back in the gym too. The holidays are over, time to see the inside of a gym again!

Tracie said...

I don't like to exercise when it's too cold or too hot. I don't want to go to the gym when it's too busy but I'm bored if I'm alone. Blah, blah, blah. I'm the Goldilocks of Fitness.

Coincidentally, I'm fat.

Pandorah's Box said...

Sigh. Well don't I feel like a lazy turd?

Jen said...

But WHY won't the ass lose itself, Jenny Mac? Why?

For me it's not so much the exercise, it's the 'not eating the giant bag of M&M's' or some-such thing. (sigh).

Anonymous said...

Stories like that make me feel so lazy.

Candin said...

Wow I am in the process of trying to loose some ass myself and being from Mississippi, I totally understand this 28 degree freezing snow day thought process. I am however totally motivated and will look to this skinny EIGHTY year old man every time I try to wimp out on exercising!!

Anonymous said...

Hmmm. Love El Badass. Now I gotta get my ass outta bed and start running again. Lol.. I saw down for five minutes today and zonked out for an hour. I have way too much shit to do for someone who is unemployed.

Laurie said...

"El Badass O"...is hot for his badass-ness, yep!

Is there a lesson here? hmmmm....

Vivienne @ the V Spot said...

He is definitely deserving of this new and improved moniker.

I was going to run on my treadmill this morning but managed to trip over a toy (go figure) and have hurt my knee and back. Going to play it safe and just think about exercise today. Thinking counts, right?

Chanda the Eco-Cheap Mom said...

Yeah, he's a badass and inspiration for sure! I'm most definitely not, as I too refuse to run outside when it is cold. No thanks! I haven't run since Thanksgiving day and have been looking at my wii since Christmas 2008. Yep, I'm not even close to being a badass!

Thanks for dropping by my blog today! I'll be following your blog and look forward to reading more.

ThatsBaloney said...

Reminds me of the one 5k I ran and an 80-something man ran past me saying, "COME ON!"

Carma Sez said...

unfortunately even El BadAss won't be able to inspire me to get out in the cold. I'm wimpy like that.

Allegro ma non troppo said...

El Bad Ass probably doesn't know the joys of watching tv while eating biscuits.

He probably misses out on lots of good stuff.

Something Happened Somewhere Turning said...

My wife works downtown and one day a group of her co-workers walked to the corner coffee shop for a break. They had just reached a part in the alley way across from one of the parking garage exits when a car came through the gate with its accelerate stuck and smashed into the group of people. Two of them had been crushed and both of them lost one leg. One of her friends went through months of treatment and physical therapy and soon started his spinning classes again. He was up and riding his bike shortly after that and it has always been such an inspirational story for me when I think about it. It was his will and strength and determination that he used to bounce back. And I suppose the extent of his injuries had a lot to do with his final recovery, but I have always been in awe and when I have a set back in my life with my illness I find myself thinking of this man. Unfortunately the other man didn't bounce back so well and he still has problems.

The Absence of Alternatives said...

Inspiring! And I love the nickname! :-)