This one will be short, since there's not a lot to update you on based on the past 27 days. I could officially wait until Monday to do this, and get the actual month completely finished, but I'm sitting here with nothing to do, so here you go.
First of all, if you read my last post you know that the most disappointing thing of my entire calendar year (and potentially my entire cycling career) was the fact that the weather and ALL conditions for the National 24-Hour Challenge were perfect. Of all the times I signed up, this was the best. Nothing can compare...
Anyway, let's not dwell on the past. This week I decided to try my luck on the trainer again, so Nathan hooked me up with my official trainer tire and got the bike set up for me, and as of today I have done three sessions of 25, 25, and 35 minutes. About seven miles each time. I can reach the bars with my right arm now, but I know it will not hold me up and I can tell that it is not strong enough for any kind of reaction time as far as brakes and shifting if I were on the road. My back hurts after that much time, but today (35 min) was better and easier than the first two days this week. The legs are willing, but the back is weak, to coin a familiar phrase :)
I sneezed yesterday, too... Have you ever been terrified to sneeze? I was. Do you remember the last time you sneezed? I do. Sort of. Basically I know I didn't sneeze at all from May 31 to June 26. Guaranteed. And it wasn't too bad, thank goodness! I definitely felt it, but the ribs held on.
Number stuff:
Weight as of January 1, 2013 226 lbs
Weight as of June 27, 2014 188 lbs
Net loss 38 lbs
There was a moment yesterday when the scale read 185, so that was cool. At this rate I might still make 50 pounds by my 50th birthday in 33 days. Probably not, but you never know. I have always found it interesting that my weight can fluctuate 2-3 pounds in a day, though.
I'm planning to try some light outdoor workouts next week and see how it goes, but not on the road bike. I'll adjust the seat on the Bad Boy and use the upright position and flat bars to my advantage and take a couple easy spins around the block. (Since the bars are flat, the above-mentioned brakes and shifters are all at the end of my arms/hands instead of around the curve of the bars.)
Like I said, this will be a short one. And it was. See you later.
Friday, June 27, 2014
Friday, June 20, 2014
I'm Not Sure Where This One Will Go
I actually started this post over a week ago but wasn't sure I wanted to publish it; I am leaving some of it in its pre-published form since those were the thoughts I was having at that time, you know? So I will provide updates where I think they're necessary and let you sort out the rest. Happy reading!
So the last ten days have provided me with ample time to think about many, many things. I have tried to NOT think about several of them, and some of them take me to places I'd rather not go. Want to come along? I'll take you through some of my thoughts of the last week or so...
Update: it's been 20 days as of today. Some of the following thoughts are still here or return occasionally:
At least I didn't die. Boom. Right out of the house with the big one. But I've had some difficulty stopping it. I grew up in a "worst-case-scenario" kind of house, and I've already explained in these pages how much of a pessimist I am, so this one, while unpleasant, isn't surprising. When I think of all the things that COULD have happened sometimes I just shudder and close my eyes and try to think of ANYTHING else.
Update: I still think of the worst case. But it is getting easier to put the thoughts of head injury, spinal cord injury, and death out of my head. A huge number of my fellow riders have said "that's just the way things are; you crashed. Move on." They're right.
I am so angry right now. Mostly at myself, obviously. And the fact that I screwed up "my year" on the bike. I have never felt so good on the bike, never so strong, never so fast. And I screwed it up in about 45 seconds. Careful readers will remember that over the last 18 months I have lost 35 pounds (up a couple since the crash...), I was over 1,000 miles on the bike by mid-May, and was totally and completely primed to crush my 24-Hour Challenge record this coming weekend. And now I can't ride outside until September (that much is clear; I plan on being on the stationary trainer ASAP, though).
Update: Still pissed... The 24-Hour Challenge passed the other day, and it was hands down the best day for it that I could remember. PERFECT weather and conditions. All my friends are riding and getting better and I am stuck at home. Stationary trainer this weekend!
I am also very sad and disappointed right now. The sad and disappointed kind of run around with the angry, so just read the above paragraph again and save us all some time. I remember when I was a kid (and even sometimes as an adult) being sick or otherwise away from school and looking at the clock and thinking about what everyone at school was doing at that moment. I am guessing that this coming weekend will be the worst part of that, and then maybe I will be able to move ahead. I am considering heading to the 24-Hour course this weekend and grabbing my shirt and water bottle, since they said they'd send them to me anyway, but I don't know if that will be better or worse.
Update: I didn't go to the course, but indeed marked the passage of time with my goals for the day. Sunday morning I wondered, at 7:45, if I would have made it to my goal of 275 miles. There are many times during the days when I wish I could be doing something that involves things I can't do (I did the dishes left-handed yesterday; I hate doing dishes, but needed to do something!). Ironically, many times during a regular summer I long to be lazy...
I think I am tired of anything theologically-related. Between my thoughts and others' comments, I'm not even sure what to think here. "Your guardian angel must have been there." Yep. Whew. "It wasn't your time, I guess." Pretty sure that one was a joke. I hope... See, the more I dwell on this whole line of thought the murkier it gets. Why was MY guardian angel working when, for instance, the one in charge of former Olympic swimmer Amy VanDyken was clearly not on the job? I know, I know, my upbringing and subsequent education tell me that the answer is "it's all part of God's plan." But I'm having a little trouble between the angel thing and the plan thing. A conversation with my sister and frequent family therapist Pam brought this up last week. She and I are at least partly in the same camp. Neither of us wants to do the "there but for the grace of God..." line, you know? Because does God really choose like that? And if so, why? And if not, why do we think He does? And where else can this particular topic go?? I better just move on...
Update: still bothered by this idea. Grateful that indeed I was spared a more tragic circumstance, but still wondering about "God's plan" and all of that stuff. Oddly enough, I am a believer in the whole "plan" idea most of the time; I frequently relate several stories that prove (to me, anyway) that I am where God wants me to be. He has shown me enough times in the past, even as recently as a few years ago, that where I am and what I do are where I belong. So why am I bothered by this? I think it's because this one could have been serious, I guess.
Here are some more pleasant things and/or things I've learned:
Update: I washed and folded several loads this past Monday/Tuesday. The folds aren't as neat as they usually are, and I actually had to have a few rest breaks, but I'm back at it.
Further update: Saw my family doc at the bike shop the other day. He had of course heard about the crash and received a copy of my X-rays, etc. We chatted for a bit and he was far more encouraging than the orthopedic surgeon! He's not as worried about me getting on the bike before September, so... (I promise to take it easy!!! The supe and I already have an easy one planned for July 1, just in case.)
Thanks for listening. I would appreciate any insights to any of the above thoughts, especially ones referring to the theology part :)
BE SAFE. WEAR YOUR HELMET. (Selling a helmet to a kid OR an adult seems to be so much easier when I am walking around in a sling with 5 broken ribs...)
So the last ten days have provided me with ample time to think about many, many things. I have tried to NOT think about several of them, and some of them take me to places I'd rather not go. Want to come along? I'll take you through some of my thoughts of the last week or so...
Update: it's been 20 days as of today. Some of the following thoughts are still here or return occasionally:
At least I didn't die. Boom. Right out of the house with the big one. But I've had some difficulty stopping it. I grew up in a "worst-case-scenario" kind of house, and I've already explained in these pages how much of a pessimist I am, so this one, while unpleasant, isn't surprising. When I think of all the things that COULD have happened sometimes I just shudder and close my eyes and try to think of ANYTHING else.
Update: I still think of the worst case. But it is getting easier to put the thoughts of head injury, spinal cord injury, and death out of my head. A huge number of my fellow riders have said "that's just the way things are; you crashed. Move on." They're right.
I am so angry right now. Mostly at myself, obviously. And the fact that I screwed up "my year" on the bike. I have never felt so good on the bike, never so strong, never so fast. And I screwed it up in about 45 seconds. Careful readers will remember that over the last 18 months I have lost 35 pounds (up a couple since the crash...), I was over 1,000 miles on the bike by mid-May, and was totally and completely primed to crush my 24-Hour Challenge record this coming weekend. And now I can't ride outside until September (that much is clear; I plan on being on the stationary trainer ASAP, though).
Update: Still pissed... The 24-Hour Challenge passed the other day, and it was hands down the best day for it that I could remember. PERFECT weather and conditions. All my friends are riding and getting better and I am stuck at home. Stationary trainer this weekend!
I am also very sad and disappointed right now. The sad and disappointed kind of run around with the angry, so just read the above paragraph again and save us all some time. I remember when I was a kid (and even sometimes as an adult) being sick or otherwise away from school and looking at the clock and thinking about what everyone at school was doing at that moment. I am guessing that this coming weekend will be the worst part of that, and then maybe I will be able to move ahead. I am considering heading to the 24-Hour course this weekend and grabbing my shirt and water bottle, since they said they'd send them to me anyway, but I don't know if that will be better or worse.
Update: I didn't go to the course, but indeed marked the passage of time with my goals for the day. Sunday morning I wondered, at 7:45, if I would have made it to my goal of 275 miles. There are many times during the days when I wish I could be doing something that involves things I can't do (I did the dishes left-handed yesterday; I hate doing dishes, but needed to do something!). Ironically, many times during a regular summer I long to be lazy...
I think I am tired of anything theologically-related. Between my thoughts and others' comments, I'm not even sure what to think here. "Your guardian angel must have been there." Yep. Whew. "It wasn't your time, I guess." Pretty sure that one was a joke. I hope... See, the more I dwell on this whole line of thought the murkier it gets. Why was MY guardian angel working when, for instance, the one in charge of former Olympic swimmer Amy VanDyken was clearly not on the job? I know, I know, my upbringing and subsequent education tell me that the answer is "it's all part of God's plan." But I'm having a little trouble between the angel thing and the plan thing. A conversation with my sister and frequent family therapist Pam brought this up last week. She and I are at least partly in the same camp. Neither of us wants to do the "there but for the grace of God..." line, you know? Because does God really choose like that? And if so, why? And if not, why do we think He does? And where else can this particular topic go?? I better just move on...
Update: still bothered by this idea. Grateful that indeed I was spared a more tragic circumstance, but still wondering about "God's plan" and all of that stuff. Oddly enough, I am a believer in the whole "plan" idea most of the time; I frequently relate several stories that prove (to me, anyway) that I am where God wants me to be. He has shown me enough times in the past, even as recently as a few years ago, that where I am and what I do are where I belong. So why am I bothered by this? I think it's because this one could have been serious, I guess.
Here are some more pleasant things and/or things I've learned:
- I am a total badass... This one has been the most surprising; I really figured I'd be in for A LOT more ribbing (pun intended), but apparently this is at least a little cool. So I have decided to just go with it and remind everyone to wear their helmets all the time and such.
- The collarbone is the most frequently-broken bone in cycling. It's apparently the weakest link in the chain as you hit the ground...
- SO MANY people are or have been willing to help out with stuff. Even the superintendent, a frequent riding partner, sent me a text offering to come up to Manistee that morning and pick me up. Lots of folks asking if I need rides or in general making sure I am doing OK. That's pretty cool. I received a nice homemade card and some homemade brownies from the drummers, lots of emails from parents of my students, and several text messages asking for updates.
- I can do LEFT-handed stuff, but the ONE-handed stuff is hard. I never realized how much, even though a particular task is using one hand, there's still a balance between the two or whatever. I have been struggling with a few single-handed things, but it's getting better. Getting dressed is still a challenge. Brushing my teeth? They really don't feel as clean when my left hand operates the brush! The deodorant stick that I have used for years is long enough that I can apply it to my left pit with my left hand; I will leave the rest of personal hygiene to your imaginations...
- Update: things are getting much easier all the way around, though the teeth are still a challenge. I am stretching my arm a bit and breathing deeply, etc. Still no real "use" of the arm, because it does shout at me occasionally, but I don't plan on taking six months to recover.
- Ribs are attached to SO MANY things. I haven't sneezed since May 31. I live in absolute fear of the moment that I do. Bending, sitting, standing, turning, coughing, yawning, blowing my nose, and all of that stuff is on a direct path through my ribcage!!
- Update: STILL haven't sneezed. I don't think I'll die any more, but still! And now that it's June 20, there is a little challenge in the back of my mind to see if I can make it the entire month without sneezing :)
- The biggest problem is actually the muscles in my back that protect the ribs or whatever. They get used to certain positions, and if I spend too much time out of position they tighten up to make sure my ribs stay in place (wow, what am I, a doctor now??). So the other night when I went to lie down on the hotel bed it was several minutes before I could fully relax and stretch out as my back eased into place. Working at the shop is also more difficult for the same reason, though there is nowhere to lie down...
- I got stuck in my bed last week. I thought I would try to lie down on it instead of the couch (which has a convenient left-hand footstool operation and is where I have been ensconced since that fateful Saturday), and it felt sooo good. Then I tried getting up. Can't roll to the right side - my shoulder will scream; I'm all the way to the right of a king-sized bed, so going left will take a few days and also require a complete rollover; and my legs hurt to lift/twist/move. Uh-oh... I finally managed to do a sort of painful crunch motion and use my lower body weight to sit up. Going to give it a little longer before I try that again.
- Update: The bed is getting closer to reality. Slept in my own for several hours the other day, and the last couple nights in a hotel in Chicago and survived pretty well. The hardest thing to remember is to not use my right arm to push or lift myself when I am standing up from anything - chair, couch, bed, etc.
Update: I washed and folded several loads this past Monday/Tuesday. The folds aren't as neat as they usually are, and I actually had to have a few rest breaks, but I'm back at it.
Further update: Saw my family doc at the bike shop the other day. He had of course heard about the crash and received a copy of my X-rays, etc. We chatted for a bit and he was far more encouraging than the orthopedic surgeon! He's not as worried about me getting on the bike before September, so... (I promise to take it easy!!! The supe and I already have an easy one planned for July 1, just in case.)
Thanks for listening. I would appreciate any insights to any of the above thoughts, especially ones referring to the theology part :)
BE SAFE. WEAR YOUR HELMET. (Selling a helmet to a kid OR an adult seems to be so much easier when I am walking around in a sling with 5 broken ribs...)
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Things I've Heard...
Ahh, May, when spring finally springs here in west Michigan, the tulips bloom, the bands march, and the school year winds down. This is usually another one of those months in which I can get plenty of rides done but due to this or that schedule issue I frequently DON'T... This year is shaping up to be another record, or close to one, anyway, as I have done almost 300 miles so far and have also managed to do a long ride each weekend. So far it's been a couple of 50-milers and one of 68; the plan for today is 90-100. I'm hoping it warms up a little! It's in the low 50s right now; 63 in my living room, since we left some windows open last night!
Anyway, I came up with the idea for this particular post about a week ago when I received another compliment on my calves. Yes, you read that correctly. And it was indeed "another" compliment. I was riding with some friends, and Tyson called out from behind me, "hey, Keith, have you been doing squats or something? Your calves are huge!" Some things you just don't get tired of hearing :) (The actual answer to the question lies somewhere between genetics and bicycling, but no, I don't do leg weights.)
And from there I started thinking about compliments, how we receive compliments, and sort of started making a mental list of the ones I've heard.
I remember one of my more "disastrous" trumpet performances from high school, after which an adult came up and told me I did a great job. I demurred, telling him I wasn't happy with how it had gone. My dad (who would be 92 years old today) kind of hit the roof on the way home. "When someone compliments you, there is only one answer: THANK YOU. That person isn't interested in what you thought about it; he was taking the time to give you a compliment and it is your job to accept it graciously and say thank you. Don't make him think he wasted his time coming over to see you." That one stuck with me over the last few decades, and I have tried to follow those strictly-given instructions!
So... THANK YOU for all the compliments as I continue my journey!! I really appreciate them, and the effort it took you to make them, and they really do make me happy. I hope you don't mind if I let you into my brain here for a while as I list a few, as well as some of the thoughts that go with them from inside that brain.
"You look great." Thank you! I can't tell. I see myself every day, and the changes are gradual. As of yesterday I am down about 35 pounds in 17 months. I can tell my clothes fit better, I can see that my face is thinner, etc., but I still don't think I look "great." "Better"? Sure. But as I look in the mirror sometimes all I can see is how far I have to go. (If I'm really honest here, sometimes that makes me wonder how bad I looked before! I try not to go there, though...)
"Hey, there, skinny." Ummm, no one's buying that... Weight loss, yes; "skinny" is probably still 30-40 pounds away. And I don't know how far this will end up going.
"You are looking strong on the bike this year. Not just strong, but like you have good emotions or whatever. You're doing great." This one is very specific and probably the one that meant the most. It came from Brad White, my boss at the shop, who happens to be a professional bicycle racer for the UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling team. Made it pretty easy to finish that particular ride with a little more spin in my pedals!
"You and I are going to have words, my friend." Ahh, yes. This one just happened last Tuesday after the weekly Tuesday Night Ride from VCC. It came from Tyson, the aforementioned calf complimenter. It came at the end of my first-ever ride with the infamous "Hot" group, the fastest of three groups that make up the TNR. (Three groups allow folks to choose their pace for the night, and make it easy to have a group stay together. I've never dared attempt "Hot.") It was the night of my first-ever 20-mile hour (we were flying...), an 18+ mph average over 33 miles (including the slow rides to and from the shop, etc.), and in general the ride of my life. I made it with that group 22 miles or so, then bailed at a turn I knew would take me back about five miles sooner. I have never been so proud of myself! So at the brewery afterward ("just water for me, thanks") I was expecting high fives, compliments, and general expressions of amazement at my abilities. Nope. "You and I are going to have words." And he was right. I bailed. I could have done it, and I was the only one who doubted. Tyson, Brad, and Alex were all pulling for me, and they were going to be there for me for the duration because that is what we do. Even as I pulled off the back of the group Alex looked at me wide-eyed. "You're turning?" "Yeah, I don't think I can do the rest." So I definitely appreciated the good-natured way they gave me hell about it when they got back. Self-doubt is the worst. Ask a few specific students of mine; they'll tell you how much I tell them to knock that crap off because I know they can do it...
"You're an inspiration." Yeah, no, I'm not. This one is the hardest to deal with. I am hardly inspiring. I am doing what I should have been doing decades ago but was too lazy/self-centered/young (maybe that last one defines the other two) to get it done. Now I am fighting weight, blood pressure issues, and pre-diabetes. I have trouble inspiring myself, so it's crazy to think I am inspiring anyone else. But hey, if it works for you to read my stuff and see what I do and somehow improve your own life in some way due to that, then you are welcome to all the "inspiration" you need!
So there you go. I would try harder to close this post better, but I need to go fuel up for the long ride that starts in an hour. Smoothie time!!!
Anyway, I came up with the idea for this particular post about a week ago when I received another compliment on my calves. Yes, you read that correctly. And it was indeed "another" compliment. I was riding with some friends, and Tyson called out from behind me, "hey, Keith, have you been doing squats or something? Your calves are huge!" Some things you just don't get tired of hearing :) (The actual answer to the question lies somewhere between genetics and bicycling, but no, I don't do leg weights.)
And from there I started thinking about compliments, how we receive compliments, and sort of started making a mental list of the ones I've heard.
I remember one of my more "disastrous" trumpet performances from high school, after which an adult came up and told me I did a great job. I demurred, telling him I wasn't happy with how it had gone. My dad (who would be 92 years old today) kind of hit the roof on the way home. "When someone compliments you, there is only one answer: THANK YOU. That person isn't interested in what you thought about it; he was taking the time to give you a compliment and it is your job to accept it graciously and say thank you. Don't make him think he wasted his time coming over to see you." That one stuck with me over the last few decades, and I have tried to follow those strictly-given instructions!
So... THANK YOU for all the compliments as I continue my journey!! I really appreciate them, and the effort it took you to make them, and they really do make me happy. I hope you don't mind if I let you into my brain here for a while as I list a few, as well as some of the thoughts that go with them from inside that brain.
"You look great." Thank you! I can't tell. I see myself every day, and the changes are gradual. As of yesterday I am down about 35 pounds in 17 months. I can tell my clothes fit better, I can see that my face is thinner, etc., but I still don't think I look "great." "Better"? Sure. But as I look in the mirror sometimes all I can see is how far I have to go. (If I'm really honest here, sometimes that makes me wonder how bad I looked before! I try not to go there, though...)
"Hey, there, skinny." Ummm, no one's buying that... Weight loss, yes; "skinny" is probably still 30-40 pounds away. And I don't know how far this will end up going.
"You are looking strong on the bike this year. Not just strong, but like you have good emotions or whatever. You're doing great." This one is very specific and probably the one that meant the most. It came from Brad White, my boss at the shop, who happens to be a professional bicycle racer for the UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling team. Made it pretty easy to finish that particular ride with a little more spin in my pedals!
"You and I are going to have words, my friend." Ahh, yes. This one just happened last Tuesday after the weekly Tuesday Night Ride from VCC. It came from Tyson, the aforementioned calf complimenter. It came at the end of my first-ever ride with the infamous "Hot" group, the fastest of three groups that make up the TNR. (Three groups allow folks to choose their pace for the night, and make it easy to have a group stay together. I've never dared attempt "Hot.") It was the night of my first-ever 20-mile hour (we were flying...), an 18+ mph average over 33 miles (including the slow rides to and from the shop, etc.), and in general the ride of my life. I made it with that group 22 miles or so, then bailed at a turn I knew would take me back about five miles sooner. I have never been so proud of myself! So at the brewery afterward ("just water for me, thanks") I was expecting high fives, compliments, and general expressions of amazement at my abilities. Nope. "You and I are going to have words." And he was right. I bailed. I could have done it, and I was the only one who doubted. Tyson, Brad, and Alex were all pulling for me, and they were going to be there for me for the duration because that is what we do. Even as I pulled off the back of the group Alex looked at me wide-eyed. "You're turning?" "Yeah, I don't think I can do the rest." So I definitely appreciated the good-natured way they gave me hell about it when they got back. Self-doubt is the worst. Ask a few specific students of mine; they'll tell you how much I tell them to knock that crap off because I know they can do it...
"You're an inspiration." Yeah, no, I'm not. This one is the hardest to deal with. I am hardly inspiring. I am doing what I should have been doing decades ago but was too lazy/self-centered/young (maybe that last one defines the other two) to get it done. Now I am fighting weight, blood pressure issues, and pre-diabetes. I have trouble inspiring myself, so it's crazy to think I am inspiring anyone else. But hey, if it works for you to read my stuff and see what I do and somehow improve your own life in some way due to that, then you are welcome to all the "inspiration" you need!
So there you go. I would try harder to close this post better, but I need to go fuel up for the long ride that starts in an hour. Smoothie time!!!
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Monthly Update - April 2014
Wow, it's May already. Hard to believe in a lot of ways, mostly because so far the high temp over the last few weeks has been about 45-50 instead of the usual ten or so degrees warmer. Also hard to believe because I pretty much misplaced, I don't know, 2008-2010 or so... How does time go by so fast?? (There's probably some kind of blog thought in that question, since I frequently have beaten myself up over the years thinking things like, "wow, if I had actually started {insert idea here} when I thought about it, I would have {insert result} by now." (It may surprise you to know that I think about that idea more regarding taking up the bluegrass banjo than weight loss or anything else...)
Anyway, here's the story of April 2014. NOT a great month as far as healthful food intake, with several instances of actual animal flesh passing my lips. Yeah, I had a pepperoni pizza or two, and took a friend to Bdubs before he went on a long trip (because that's his favorite place on Earth, and he wouldn't "allow" me to get a salad or veggie burger), and even closed out the month at the breakfast buffet at the Hyatt Regency Chicago (consuming a possibly obscene amount of bacon) while we visited UIC with Erin. Eggs have become a more regular staple of my diet as well, but that doesn't bother me as much for some reason; possibly because I only eat one or two, and with the meat products I can totally pig out.
So I managed to gain a few pounds on the one hand, but on the other? The bike mileage has been piling up better than ever; I managed 125 during spring break (in MICHIGAN!), and several more good rides the rest of the month. So here are some numbers:
Weight as of January 1, 2013 - 226 lbs
Weight as of May 3, 2014 - 195 lbs
Net loss - 31 lbs ("found" a couple that I lost previously...)
Bike mileage for April - 180 (beats last April's 29...)
Total mileage for 2014 to date - 755 (March was a REALLY bad month...)
So there you go. There have been some great rides over the past few weeks, capped off with a chilly 53-miler to Grand Haven and back yesterday, during which time I climbed Five Mile Hill (never dropping below 8 mph!). I was hoping for 1000 miles by May 1, but I'll take 750. As a matter of fact, I should go take a short trip now to spin the legs out - they're a little sore this morning!
See you later. Here's to a healthier lifestyle!
Anyway, here's the story of April 2014. NOT a great month as far as healthful food intake, with several instances of actual animal flesh passing my lips. Yeah, I had a pepperoni pizza or two, and took a friend to Bdubs before he went on a long trip (because that's his favorite place on Earth, and he wouldn't "allow" me to get a salad or veggie burger), and even closed out the month at the breakfast buffet at the Hyatt Regency Chicago (consuming a possibly obscene amount of bacon) while we visited UIC with Erin. Eggs have become a more regular staple of my diet as well, but that doesn't bother me as much for some reason; possibly because I only eat one or two, and with the meat products I can totally pig out.
So I managed to gain a few pounds on the one hand, but on the other? The bike mileage has been piling up better than ever; I managed 125 during spring break (in MICHIGAN!), and several more good rides the rest of the month. So here are some numbers:
Weight as of January 1, 2013 - 226 lbs
Weight as of May 3, 2014 - 195 lbs
Net loss - 31 lbs ("found" a couple that I lost previously...)
Bike mileage for April - 180 (beats last April's 29...)
Total mileage for 2014 to date - 755 (March was a REALLY bad month...)
So there you go. There have been some great rides over the past few weeks, capped off with a chilly 53-miler to Grand Haven and back yesterday, during which time I climbed Five Mile Hill (never dropping below 8 mph!). I was hoping for 1000 miles by May 1, but I'll take 750. As a matter of fact, I should go take a short trip now to spin the legs out - they're a little sore this morning!
See you later. Here's to a healthier lifestyle!
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Things are Looking Pretty Good So Far
I just uploaded my few rides for the week to my MapMyRide page, and April is looking pretty good - at least on the bike - so far. Some oddly busy weeks have conspired against me, and of course the Michigan weather doesn't always cooperate, but I should be able to get 200 miles in for the month. Which isn't necessarily a lot, until you figure:
April 2010 - 201 miles
April 2011 - 161 miles
April 2012 - 44 miles (yep - but wait...)
April 2013 - 29. Not 290. 29. Ah, I remember April of last year... It was such a bummer I wrote a post about it.
So far in 2014 I have 755 miles on the bike. By some standards that's not a lot, but I am on track for the 3,000 I had in 2010; maybe 3500.
Now about my food intake... Yeah, it's been a month of celebrating, traveling a little, and eating a lot. Spring break was spent by myself at home, but I went out for a few meals (and a few beers) with friends, ordered a non-vegan pizza (or two), and in general didn't really pay attention. So I gained a few pounds, which you will possibly read about in my official monthly update, but I enjoyed myself and got in some good miles.
I'm not going to beat myself up about it, but I did notice some old habits creeping back in. Lots of unnecessary snacking, too much food in general, and far too many animal products. And I can tell by the way my body feels. It's telling me it's not as happy as it was the last few months. (Frankly, I wish sometimes it would just shut up, but I guess I should listen.) A friend on a group ride during break asked how I felt about gluten, for instance. I told him that while I'm quite sure I don't have an allergy/sensitivity to it that I definitely feel better when I'm not consuming it. There has also been some cheese involved. And I'm not even a huge cheese fan. So that's easy to let go of, and I know that, again, I'll feel better without it.
So there you go. A short burst of blogging, to be sure, but I did do one earlier in the week, so I'm kind of overachieving here. See you on the road!
April 2010 - 201 miles
April 2011 - 161 miles
April 2012 - 44 miles (yep - but wait...)
April 2013 - 29. Not 290. 29. Ah, I remember April of last year... It was such a bummer I wrote a post about it.
So far in 2014 I have 755 miles on the bike. By some standards that's not a lot, but I am on track for the 3,000 I had in 2010; maybe 3500.
Now about my food intake... Yeah, it's been a month of celebrating, traveling a little, and eating a lot. Spring break was spent by myself at home, but I went out for a few meals (and a few beers) with friends, ordered a non-vegan pizza (or two), and in general didn't really pay attention. So I gained a few pounds, which you will possibly read about in my official monthly update, but I enjoyed myself and got in some good miles.
I'm not going to beat myself up about it, but I did notice some old habits creeping back in. Lots of unnecessary snacking, too much food in general, and far too many animal products. And I can tell by the way my body feels. It's telling me it's not as happy as it was the last few months. (Frankly, I wish sometimes it would just shut up, but I guess I should listen.) A friend on a group ride during break asked how I felt about gluten, for instance. I told him that while I'm quite sure I don't have an allergy/sensitivity to it that I definitely feel better when I'm not consuming it. There has also been some cheese involved. And I'm not even a huge cheese fan. So that's easy to let go of, and I know that, again, I'll feel better without it.
So there you go. A short burst of blogging, to be sure, but I did do one earlier in the week, so I'm kind of overachieving here. See you on the road!
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Score One for Pessimism (or How I Had the Ride of My Life)
So I have this philosophy sort of thing that kind of guides my life. It's really more of a thought process. Or maybe a type of motto. See, I'm a pessimist. The glass is always half empty. Truth be told, if the glass is completely full then it probably belongs to someone else... But the upside of all of this is that I am never disappointed.
It's true. If I figure that only the worst can happen, then I can only be pleasantly surprised. I refuse to be one of those happy, excited people who believes that all the good things will actually happen and then get all down and sad when things go wrong. Who does that??
And that brings us to today. Tuesday, April 22, 2014. A day which will go down in the annals (that's TWO n's...) of pessimism history.
The day dawned bright and clear. And cold. Freezing, actually. But, hey, at least it was windy. From the north. Great. First Tuesday Night Ride of the season happening at the shop. I love these rides. Great friends, good exercise, I get paid to ride my bike... But cold and below 50 degrees with a north wind? No thanks. This ride is going to suck. I'm tired of being cold.
I told no fewer than four people how bad this ride was going to be. "This ride is going to suck," I said, in no uncertain terms, beginning to sort of sense a theme here.
But it didn't. Rode to the shop (freezing), and hung out for a while waiting for the crowd. Which was sparse, as expected. Except it wasn't. When we walked outside to get started there were probably 20 riders waiting in the parking lot. Hey, there's Dan, and Brian, and Tim. And a few new folks. And Aaron, Alex, Brad, Jenny, and Sandy, and I were there for the shop.
So off we went. Still freezing. But I felt pretty good. We always start out heading south, which tonight was with the wind. "The turnaround is going to suck." (<-- guess who said that??)
But it didn't! No way! As we turned up Beeline for a slow, annoying climb up the hill, I was still feeling good. I hate that hill. But I started passing some folks (which is OK here; we all wait at the top when we finish, because everyone has to do their own pace), and though we were not racing or even really trying hard, I made it to the front of the pack. So I was accelerating up the hill*. On the way up, Ross, a former student from back in the day, said, "hey, Mr. Walker, where's the rest of you?" Felt pretty good to hear that.
*it should be noted here that I passed professional bike racer Brad White while climbing this hill. It matters not one ounce that Brad was idly chatting with the guy he was riding next to, or that he was not aware that anyone was going to pass him. I passed a pro rider. On a hill. UP hill...
When we made the turn to head back to town, my "open country" lap (I reset my computer when we get away from the stop-and-go corners, etc., in town) showed an average speed of 19.5. For 18 miles or so. Cool. A few minutes later Brad rode up next to me. If "passing" a pro rider wasn't the highlight of the ride, I can tell you that having one tell you how good and relaxed you look on the bike can certainly make your night. "You don't just look strong, you look relaxed. I can see that you have, like, good emotions or whatever on the bike." Wow. Pretty sure I never heard anything resembling that before.
And we zipped back into town and ended where we'd begun. And it was still cold. But hey, at least the north wind was still blowing like crazy. And I'd just finished one of the best rides ever. And I felt good. Hell, I felt GREAT. Can't believe anyone could think this ride could suck. What a great ride that was! Dude. Awesome.
And I'm already prepared for the next one: I'll certainly remember this night for a long time. I'll need to refer to it when I have a crappy one that should be better. (<--- See? I plan ahead for my disappointments...)
It's true. If I figure that only the worst can happen, then I can only be pleasantly surprised. I refuse to be one of those happy, excited people who believes that all the good things will actually happen and then get all down and sad when things go wrong. Who does that??
And that brings us to today. Tuesday, April 22, 2014. A day which will go down in the annals (that's TWO n's...) of pessimism history.
The day dawned bright and clear. And cold. Freezing, actually. But, hey, at least it was windy. From the north. Great. First Tuesday Night Ride of the season happening at the shop. I love these rides. Great friends, good exercise, I get paid to ride my bike... But cold and below 50 degrees with a north wind? No thanks. This ride is going to suck. I'm tired of being cold.
I told no fewer than four people how bad this ride was going to be. "This ride is going to suck," I said, in no uncertain terms, beginning to sort of sense a theme here.
But it didn't. Rode to the shop (freezing), and hung out for a while waiting for the crowd. Which was sparse, as expected. Except it wasn't. When we walked outside to get started there were probably 20 riders waiting in the parking lot. Hey, there's Dan, and Brian, and Tim. And a few new folks. And Aaron, Alex, Brad, Jenny, and Sandy, and I were there for the shop.
So off we went. Still freezing. But I felt pretty good. We always start out heading south, which tonight was with the wind. "The turnaround is going to suck." (<-- guess who said that??)
But it didn't! No way! As we turned up Beeline for a slow, annoying climb up the hill, I was still feeling good. I hate that hill. But I started passing some folks (which is OK here; we all wait at the top when we finish, because everyone has to do their own pace), and though we were not racing or even really trying hard, I made it to the front of the pack. So I was accelerating up the hill*. On the way up, Ross, a former student from back in the day, said, "hey, Mr. Walker, where's the rest of you?" Felt pretty good to hear that.
*it should be noted here that I passed professional bike racer Brad White while climbing this hill. It matters not one ounce that Brad was idly chatting with the guy he was riding next to, or that he was not aware that anyone was going to pass him. I passed a pro rider. On a hill. UP hill...
When we made the turn to head back to town, my "open country" lap (I reset my computer when we get away from the stop-and-go corners, etc., in town) showed an average speed of 19.5. For 18 miles or so. Cool. A few minutes later Brad rode up next to me. If "passing" a pro rider wasn't the highlight of the ride, I can tell you that having one tell you how good and relaxed you look on the bike can certainly make your night. "You don't just look strong, you look relaxed. I can see that you have, like, good emotions or whatever on the bike." Wow. Pretty sure I never heard anything resembling that before.
And we zipped back into town and ended where we'd begun. And it was still cold. But hey, at least the north wind was still blowing like crazy. And I'd just finished one of the best rides ever. And I felt good. Hell, I felt GREAT. Can't believe anyone could think this ride could suck. What a great ride that was! Dude. Awesome.
And I'm already prepared for the next one: I'll certainly remember this night for a long time. I'll need to refer to it when I have a crappy one that should be better. (<--- See? I plan ahead for my disappointments...)
Monday, April 7, 2014
Monthly Update
I was talking with a student the other day who's struggling in some classes to the point that he's ready to give up - he's so far behind that it's causing him to think he'll never get it all done. As I sometimes do, I managed to turn it around and make it all about me, and talked about setting achievable goals, like the thought process I went through last December/January. At the time I was thinking I needed/wanted to lose fifty pounds (50 pounds!!). Not possible. So I started small, with the first goal being to exercise five out of seven days.
Well, here I am 15 months later, and I can tell you that the idea is basically working! "Basically" because I have learned a few things along the way that have surprised me; more on that later.
First, the update:
Weight as of January 1, 2013: 226 pounds
Weight as of March 31, 2014: 194 pounds
Net loss: 32 pounds!
Miles ridden in March: 100 miles (March is always the lowest mileage month for me. Unless April is... Way too much going on in life for March to be too good.)
Total bike miles in 2014 - 575!! (new PR for this time of year!)
The good news: ALL of my clothes fit me. I am receiving regular compliments from people (one former student sent me a text after seeing me at a concert - "you're not allowed to lose that much weight again without telling me!"). I feel pretty good. (I still don't look good in a spandex bicycle jersey, but we've had that conversation...)
Here's the weird thing: I hate getting compliments and stuff about this. Why? Because I think I'm sort of afraid I'll ultimately fail. You've all seen "that guy:" the one who loses a ton of weight, supposedly turns his life around, then starts eating "regular" food again and gains it all back. Sometimes more. Then what does he say to all of those folks who told him how great he looked? What does he tell himSELF?? I can imagine that would do wonders for my fragile self-esteem...
Why should that worry me? Maybe because it's actually happened. I lost 25 pounds back in 1995; became a lifetime member of Weight Watchers (I should write about WW - I really appreciate the help I received from them). Got down to 178 pounds (do the math - 16 more pounds to go to get back there). And at various times in the ensuing years I have gained, lost, gained, lost, etc. If you don't think there's a little voice inside my head reminding me I will fail once again, then you have probably never met me. So, for a peek inside my head (a scary place), you can imagine, "hey, I've lost more weight than I did before," is quickly answered with, "yeah, and you gained twice as much as you lost, which is why you needed to lose again." BUT... So far I haven't quieted those voices with a pint of Ben and Jerry's!
I honestly don't think I look all that different. People say that's because I see myself every day, and the folks who don't can really tell a difference. Perhaps. I'll feel better when my waistbands no longer roll over when I sit down, I guess. On the upside, I actually need a belt for all my pants as a functional accessory, not a fashionable one :)
But back to the "regular food" idea for a minute. What if I don't go back?? Could that possibly work? Because here's the thing, gentle reader: there really might be something to this whole vegan idea. Seriously. You read the post about my cholesterol and other health stuff, right? (really? sigh... go read it right now...) Well, I've done enough vegan-style eating to realize a couple of things:
- If it's plant-based it's probably not bad for you
- I haven't counted calories in several months (except for fun to figure out how many calories might be in something)
- My body is responding in ways I didn't think possible
- I think I can continue on this path for the long term
- I think I have to continue on this path for the long term...
Here's something that I found out based on my own non-scentific research; turns out others are figuring it out as well. Apparently you can't just exercise away all of your weight. That has always been my thing - if I just rode my bike 20, 50,100 miles, I'll eat whatever the heck I want to, thank you very much. And I would lose weight every season. Until I wasn't riding as much in the fall/winter. We discussed this in class a few weeks ago. Seems it's really a thing; your body uses fuel in a certain way. It needs the right fuel to operate properly. So the wrong fuel, like that pizza or pint of B&J's after a ride, won't burn properly. Or something like that. You get the idea.
Check this out: here's an article about a guy who's 59 and runs ten miles a day. And was diagnosed with coronary artery disease. Finished something like 130 marathons. Coronary artery disease. Wow. Read this:
- http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303949704579461381883678174?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702303949704579461381883678174.html
So there you go. This post is a week late, and possibly not all that good, but I did some editing today and it's better than it was! As soon as the two guys working on my hot water tank and new drinking water system are done, I think I'll go for a bike ride!
Well, here I am 15 months later, and I can tell you that the idea is basically working! "Basically" because I have learned a few things along the way that have surprised me; more on that later.
First, the update:
Weight as of January 1, 2013: 226 pounds
Weight as of March 31, 2014: 194 pounds
Net loss: 32 pounds!
Miles ridden in March: 100 miles (March is always the lowest mileage month for me. Unless April is... Way too much going on in life for March to be too good.)
Total bike miles in 2014 - 575!! (new PR for this time of year!)
The good news: ALL of my clothes fit me. I am receiving regular compliments from people (one former student sent me a text after seeing me at a concert - "you're not allowed to lose that much weight again without telling me!"). I feel pretty good. (I still don't look good in a spandex bicycle jersey, but we've had that conversation...)
Here's the weird thing: I hate getting compliments and stuff about this. Why? Because I think I'm sort of afraid I'll ultimately fail. You've all seen "that guy:" the one who loses a ton of weight, supposedly turns his life around, then starts eating "regular" food again and gains it all back. Sometimes more. Then what does he say to all of those folks who told him how great he looked? What does he tell himSELF?? I can imagine that would do wonders for my fragile self-esteem...
Why should that worry me? Maybe because it's actually happened. I lost 25 pounds back in 1995; became a lifetime member of Weight Watchers (I should write about WW - I really appreciate the help I received from them). Got down to 178 pounds (do the math - 16 more pounds to go to get back there). And at various times in the ensuing years I have gained, lost, gained, lost, etc. If you don't think there's a little voice inside my head reminding me I will fail once again, then you have probably never met me. So, for a peek inside my head (a scary place), you can imagine, "hey, I've lost more weight than I did before," is quickly answered with, "yeah, and you gained twice as much as you lost, which is why you needed to lose again." BUT... So far I haven't quieted those voices with a pint of Ben and Jerry's!
I honestly don't think I look all that different. People say that's because I see myself every day, and the folks who don't can really tell a difference. Perhaps. I'll feel better when my waistbands no longer roll over when I sit down, I guess. On the upside, I actually need a belt for all my pants as a functional accessory, not a fashionable one :)
But back to the "regular food" idea for a minute. What if I don't go back?? Could that possibly work? Because here's the thing, gentle reader: there really might be something to this whole vegan idea. Seriously. You read the post about my cholesterol and other health stuff, right? (really? sigh... go read it right now...) Well, I've done enough vegan-style eating to realize a couple of things:
- If it's plant-based it's probably not bad for you
- I haven't counted calories in several months (except for fun to figure out how many calories might be in something)
- My body is responding in ways I didn't think possible
- I think I can continue on this path for the long term
- I think I have to continue on this path for the long term...
Here's something that I found out based on my own non-scentific research; turns out others are figuring it out as well. Apparently you can't just exercise away all of your weight. That has always been my thing - if I just rode my bike 20, 50,100 miles, I'll eat whatever the heck I want to, thank you very much. And I would lose weight every season. Until I wasn't riding as much in the fall/winter. We discussed this in class a few weeks ago. Seems it's really a thing; your body uses fuel in a certain way. It needs the right fuel to operate properly. So the wrong fuel, like that pizza or pint of B&J's after a ride, won't burn properly. Or something like that. You get the idea.
Check this out: here's an article about a guy who's 59 and runs ten miles a day. And was diagnosed with coronary artery disease. Finished something like 130 marathons. Coronary artery disease. Wow. Read this:
- http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303949704579461381883678174?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702303949704579461381883678174.html
So there you go. This post is a week late, and possibly not all that good, but I did some editing today and it's better than it was! As soon as the two guys working on my hot water tank and new drinking water system are done, I think I'll go for a bike ride!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)