[Evans, Marv]

Len,
As one of the older people on this board, I can look back on this with a little experience, I think. I was a sprinter, broad (long nowadays) jumper and hurdler in HS & played on the football and basketball teams. I always hated running and do to this day. I always looked at people who ran long distances as not being real athletes (no talent), but merely people who learned to put one foot ahead of another and keep doing it for a long time. I did do a lot of exercise though. While I worked at a job in the mountains (Sierras), I logged enough miles to go across the country and half way back (fighting fires, climbing, patroling, long trips with heave packs - about 3,900 miles) and it took its tole. Moses & Rick are right. Take care of your knees, hips, and everything else. I can tell you it's not fun when they are worn out when you get older. I still walk (4 to 6 miles) while exercising with hand weights, and I still take backpacking trips in the mountains. I would say walking (up hill if you have a place to) is the best. They say you can get 85% of the aerobic conditioning of a runner by brisque walking. Plus you still burn up essentially the same amount of calories walking as you do for the same distance running. Save those knees & everythinbg else for later on.