Nordic Walking

I've started "nordic walking". I love it. It's basically exercise walking with ski poles. The poles have rubber bottoms, instead of spikes, and it looks a lot like cross-country skiing, without the snow. I've got a knee injury, so I can't run/jog for a while, so nordic walking is a good substitute. The problem? Pride. You see, nordic walking is perceived as the domain of middle-aged housewives. And seniors, but that's ok - it's kind of cool to see seniors zipping around paths with their poles. But I'm not a senior. And I'm not (yet) middle-aged. Now, no one has ever made fun of me or made any comments. But I feel like a fool, because I feel like I should be running - even though I know that my knee injury would just get worse if I did...

Speaking of exercise, Germans are the only ethnic group that I've run into who religiously stretch after each exercise at the gym. Back in the states, people just hop off the treadmill, or get up from the weight machine, and go to the next one. But not Germans. They read the instructions on whatever apparatus they're using, perform perfect sets of the exercise, then actually follow the stretching instructions pasted on the side of the machine. Incredible. I've even been yelled at for NOT doing that. By another member, not just staff. They also go all out to make sure they have the proper kit for outdoor exercises. I'm the only one out their with grubby sweats and a baseball cap!