I admit I am lazy. So lazy that I need some goading to get me to exercise. When my friendly housekeeper, Dorothy, reminded me that I had not done my 20 minutes on the "dreadmill" I tried to make up some excuse like the agony of de feet or that it is "save electricity week" and I want to do my part! She would have none of that. She's so smart. She could see through me like plastic wrap. I use a wheeled cart now to move about the house on my aging legs. I don't like it but I know the exercise will help me discard my wheels. I use a mental trick to get me through the ordeal each morning. I time myself walking through town hunting for an ice cream store and ordering a triple-decker cone of vanilla.

Dorothy is a dreamer. She does not have any red slippers and the dreadmill is not exactly the yellow brick road but she has high hopes for me. If I try my best I can avoid going to the land of Oz too soon. Since only one of us can use the dreadmill at a time, Dorothy uses a recumbent bicycle right next to me. She has put enough miles on that bike to get as far as Spokane.

I was so impressed that she could keep up with me (she's just a kid) that I wanted to take her picture to show my friends that having an exercise partner is an important aspect of Olympic training. Dorothy is as shy as new butterfly and said I could only take a picture of her feet to prove that she and I walk together.

So here is proof that walking and riding together can be done. Her size 6 tennis shoes look smaller next to my 13-EEE's which you can imagine makes my workout much harder. I don't complain though. She'll be there when I have my tryout for the 2016 Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

I'll only be 96. I can already feel the thrill of victory.