Gentlemen,

On my 65th birthday I started a five year goal of doing a million jumping jacks. That works out to 200,000 a year. In about 7 weeks the first year will conclude, but as of a few minutes ago I reached the first year requirement as I am now at 200,064.

I need to do about 560 a day. I now start my morning doing 512 continuous and another 128 while my morning kefir is in the blender. But there is more! When I make a smoothie during the day I do another 128 while the blender runs. So my days now typically have 896 or 1024 jumping jacks. To celebrate mom’s birthday I did an additional 1024 continuous in the afternoon. So I am ahead of schedule.

Considering it has become easy to do over a thousand a day, and that you are a bit younger than I, my guess is you could get to the same point quickly. At that rate it is only about 3 years to do a million. So here is the challenge for you masculine guys. Get to a million before I do!

A bit of a warning. If you start, just like with my aggressive long distance walking, it becomes an addiction. You might find it keeps you healthy and that could make you an outcast. If you can exorcise like I do you might not feel groggy throughout the day and that will make you a bit odd in this world. The medical community will be after you as a pariah since you don’t need them and it makes them look bad.

I am a year ahead of you, but you could easily catch up if you desire. My goal was to reach a million when I turn 70 or February 1, 2026. The challenge is set before you to beat me there. I think you can. Will you is the question.

Let’s not stop there. I have also started recording my aggressive walking. I limit my recording of it to when I do at least 4 miles and have a rate of at least 4MPH. When I measure it, my typical rate is 4.5 to 4.7MPH. I set two goals, a rough equivalent to walking across the US, which I put at 3,000 miles to be simple. Then a walk around the world, or about 24,000 miles.

I probably have long past the 3,000 miles as I calculated that I got about 2,000 miles on a single pair of boots. The heels were replaced about 20 times and I think I can call them worn out now. I comfortably do at least a thousand miles a year, so it is only three years to do the walk across the US distance. Around the world will take a number of years more. But since I am in rather good shape for my age, I might make it. Do you want to try with me?

Please also keep in the forefront of your heart and mind. It is not reaching the goal that is important, but the striving toward the goal. Make sure you have the right goal. Fight the good fight. Agonize the good agony.

1stTimothy 4:8 “for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”