Thanks to my Dad’s example and encouragement practicing sports was one of the first things I was taught to do. Whenever Dad came home from work and did something with my brother and I it was often related to some sort of physical activity.
At about 12 years of age I asked my parents what sport was the very best to excel in and to be devoted to during my life. They discussed the matter among themselves and then without reservation both Mom and Dad stated together that “swimming was the most beautiful and the very best.”
Today over fifty years later my brother and I have both kept the advice that we were given. Both of us stay in shape by swimming laps on a regular basis.
But there were other sports that my Dad taught and practiced with us and they are all dear to me to this very day, if only just because they were the things my Dad enjoyed doing with us boys.
Biking, rowing and bird hunting were some of my Dad’s favorites and early on Dad use to jog, but not as he got older.
Another daily aerobic activity of Dad’s was running up flights of steps taking two at a time. Until he was about 50 plus years he refused to use any elevators when he entered a building and had to reach the floors above.
The Spanish Steps in Rome from Piazza di Spagna to Trinita’ dei Monti were some of his favorites places to test his conditioning. If you ever are in Rome, try to do all of them without stopping. I know I will, when I return, just to keep up with my Dad.
Like my Dad today I continue to enjoy biking, running and swimming and I keep a record of my times on set distances in each one of these sports so that I can determine how good a shape I am in by comparing how long it takes me to cover a set distance.