Run Forest, run!

Oh, and don't forget stretching, pushups and pull-ups.

If you are blessed with the health to run, then you have the foundation to find fitness outside your doorstep. By putting running, stretching, pushups and pull-ups first in your fitness routine, an hour a day is all you'll need to build the muscles and endurance to enjoy just about any sport.

Best of all, cost of entry is low. A quality pair of running shoes ($80) gets you started and the shoes should last three to six months.

Unlike a gym membership fee, or timeshare purchase, you won't be "guilted" or "financially committed" into running just because you're paying for it. Unless you're under 18, your feet have stopped growing. Those running shoes are always ready and waiting-but here comes kicker-when you are ready to run.

So why take on a fitness routine of running, stretching, pushups and pull-ups, or the RuSPP workout? You're willing to work out and you're healthy enough to do so. But money is tight, and so are your pants.

What else is stopping you? It could be your location and it could be time. RuSPP conquers both of these objections.

RuSPP offers advantages over quirky sports like Ultimate Frisbee or Dodgeball, which takes other players, lots of space and therefore limits availability. Hiking is great but unless you live near a hiking trail, proximity to the workout is always going to be a disadvantage. Bikes are fine, but you can't afford one, remember, and again you have to ride somewhere.

The running stint of RuSPP requires only enough space to run a mile without fear of cars, dogs or wandering pedestrians. Most people can achieve this, and if you cannot, if you're in a dense, crime-ridden city or swampy jungle with nary a clear path, then you'll just have to run in place, which can be done. One fellow in prison ran laps around his bunk.

For the stretching, pull-up and pushup portions, you need only room to extend your arms and legs about. A room 100 square feet or the size of a small bedroom-or jail cell for the fellow above-is good enough.

Time wise, an hour or less a day is good enough, both to start and to maintain your fitness regimen. Can you find an hour in your day? Of course, time is not your issue, it's the money. And because all that needs to be ready are your running shoes, any hour is the right hour.

Now the workout. Start with simple stretching, hands over your head to the sky for a 1-minute, then to the ground with your knees straight for another minute. Don't bounce. Rotate your hips, swing your arms in small circles, rotate your neck clock wise and counter clock wise. Do everything smoothly-no herky, jerky moves.

Next, do 10 pushups if you can. Start on your knees if you must. If you can do more pushups, then do another set of 10. Do it every day. You'll get stronger.

Now, tighten your laces and run a mile. Or run and walk. Do it every day, one mile. You'll get stronger.

Finally, find a place to do a pull-up. Most parks have jungle gyms for children. Do one pull-up. If you can do more than one, do another set of one. Then a set of two. Do it every day. You'll get stronger.

Now review what you accomplished. You exercised your legs, arms and torso. You exercised your heart. You probably broke a sweat. You covered some ground.

You also strengthened your body and performed many of the physical moves needed to enjoy other great sports and outdoors activities, and you did it when convenient for you. And for free.

Say it's too boring? RuSPP is fine with a friend or two. Or simply take your hour of RuSPP to dream.

Learn more about this author, Bruce Bothwell.
Click here to send author comments or questions.

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