Monthly Update - July 2013

Ahhh, July...  Riding hits full stride, the form on the bike is finally up to par, and it's my birthday month.  And then it all comes to an end and band camp happens and then summer fades, and...  oh, never mind.  Let's just enjoy where we are right now.

Here's the monthly stats a day early:

• Weight as of Jan. 1, 2013 - 226 lbs
• Weight as of July 30, 2013 - 211 lbs
• Net loss - 15 lbs!!
• 27 workouts - 4 different bikes, a couple sessions at the gym
• 511.12 miles on the above-mentioned machines

Unfortunately I am still struggling a bit with the tendinitis in my right shoulder.  Physical therapy was a big help, but lifting weights still bothers it.  Lifting and hanging bikes at the shop makes it flare up as well.  It usually goes away over night, but there have been some painful moments.

HAPPY stuff:

• 3 (THREE) times in recent weeks I have used the word "happy" to describe my current mood.  It's an under-used word in my vocabulary...
• I went shopping in my closet.  Found two pair of pants that fit again :)
• Bought a new set of riding bib-shorts in a size Large and they fit very well; other riding stuff feels better as well.
• It's been chilly the last couple mornings, so I put on my jeans.  Which fit better.
• I can feel a little difference body-wise, but to me it's not noticeable visually (maybe my face looks a little thinner, and my rings slide on my fingers better, but otherwise?).

OTHER stuff:

• Still have some shirts that should fit better...
•  I could still be doing better with food.  I have seriously eaten pizza far too much the last couple weeks as I work with people and/or have it with the family or lunch/dinner with folks.  I try, on those days, to watch my intake at the other two meals.

Part of the cool here, I discovered, is that when the scale read 211 the other day I thought, "cool, that's almost 20 pounds off."  Because, as I mentioned in January, thinking in smaller, manageable increments makes achieving goals much easier.  And now that I am close to having 20 pounds off, I am more conscious of what I'm eating.  Don't want to go back up, after all, right?

So it's been a good month.  Thanks to all who rode with me and encouraged me along the way - MC, Daylin, Kevin, Pam, Dennis, Ross, and many others.  Tomorrow, holy crap, I will be 49 years old.  I don't know how 49 is supposed to feel, but it sounds kind of old...  I feel quite good, though.  I guess.  Two years ago today I had my last attack of diverticulitis before surgery that November.  I remember it hitting me the day before band camp, and I ended up missing Tuesday's camp that year.  Never missed a day before or since.  THAT situation seems to be entirely behind me now, so that's very cool.

And, finally, I guess you could say I'm looking forward to band camp next week.  I'm darn good at being lazy all summer, and would still retire tomorrow and sit around all day if I won the Lotto or something, but teaching is great.  I think part of that is because I don't really ever have to grow up - teenagers keep me (at least feeling) young...

For Dennis (because it's not all about me...)

So as I sit here I realize that it's been TEN days since I last posted.  Far too long to keep any readership on the edge of its seat, eagerly awaiting my next pearls of wisdom or tales of my exploits (I don't even think I have any of either of those things...)

As it turns out, according to Google Blogger, most of you who read this hook up to it via the Book of the Face.  And don't we all...  What is it about that particular "social" medium that connects over a billion people while at the same time leaving them so unconnected?  

Over the years on the bike I have met some very cool people.  One of these folks is Dennis, who has been a great conversationalist for literally hundreds of miles.

"Nice transition, there, Walker," many of you are thinking right now.  But as it turns out, Dennis and Facebook and conversation all connected just this past week.  And I thought maybe I should put some thoughts down on paper.  Oh, stop, you know what I mean... 

"Dennis, I tried tagging you on FB yesterday and couldn't find you.  Are you off it again?"
"Absolutely," was the immediate answer.  "And for good this time, too.  I can't stand the 'me, me, me' about it all any more.  It wasn't good for me to go there."  
"Yeah, but how are you going to read my blog any moooorrrre..." I whined back, somehow missing the irony.

Dennis may feel the need to change that quote; I really don't know if it's completely accurate.  But either way it gave me pause and forced some thought.  Because he's right.

What is "social" media if not a great big sign screaming look how (cool, important, amazing, unique...) I am?  Maybe that's a bit harsh; after all, I get TONS of great links to news of the world of education (thanks, Marilyn and Alison) and cycling as well as many other fun nuggets of world events. 

"Walker, that pic I put on Instagram has 120 likes already."  This news was delivered by a student who snapped a pic of me attempting to not fall off his long board in the band room (the only real safe place for me to accomplish such a task).  Kids, I think, are probably the most at risk here; how much of their self-worth is tied up in how many "likes" they get?  Is it like being picked first or last for the softball team in gym class?  (How many times have I seen a status of "like my status for _____", and when the "like" icon is clicked the person responds with how amazing you are, or how you met, or whatever.  So liking the status gets some attention for both parties...)  Or is it something they, in the speed of our modern technology-driven world, don't even think about because the next picture is already up and they need to "like" it?  (It is called Instagram, after all.)  By the way, if you think I didn't get a little excited about those 120 likes then you really don't know me all that well...

So what is up with this?  Sister Pam would say it's our chronic need for validation.  And she is a big proponent (I mean BIG) of "self-validation."  She and I have had several conversations about this.  When I started teaching in the late 1980s, the self esteem movement was in full swing.  There was a poster called "How many ways are there to say 'you didn't do that correctly'?"  And there was a list of about a hundred phrases that said, in the most gentle terms, "ya screwed up, kid; try again" without really saying it.  Some of this was a good idea; some just drove me crazy and continues to do so to this day.  At what point do we just stop believing (sorry, Journey) anyone because we are constantly told we're great?  Maybe it's called SELF esteem because it comes from ourSELVES...

So sometimes I seriously wonder about our social media culture.  Are we ALL just looking for validation?  Is this blog, my latest adventure in putting myself in front of the public, nothing more than an exercise in "I hope people love and support me"?  I certainly hope not, but can also see how easy that could be.  How many Facebook posts do we make that are simply bragging that we probably wouldn't do otherwise?  

OR, because I can't help seeing both sides of arguments (how did that happen?), is it really something we do to stay connected with each other, especially far away folks?  I have a bunch of former students and band parents on my FB friends list, most of whom are in far-flung places such as California (hi, Deb and Monica!), Texas (how's it going, Brian!), and Washington state (Ski!!).  And it's cool to hear from those folks and see what's up with them, and also be able to update them occasionally on what I am doing.

So what the heck is the point of this post, anyway?  I'm not sure I really know.  I'm not even sure it makes sense or is any good. (ooohhh, fishing for validation again, are we??  nah.  I know it's not my best.  And now I have too much time into it to scrap the whole thing.)  My weight loss, exercise, and other experiments in wellness are something I'm doing for myself, but I am glad to hear voices of support, encouragement, or whatever from others.  And maybe my musings will be of some value to someone in a similar situation to mine.  Is that the point?  I don't know.  But I hope you enjoyed reading this one.

So Dennis, I will email you the link to this post, because not only do I value you and your feedback on my thoughts, but also because much of my self-worth is tied up in how many page views Google tells me I get for this blog ;)  

The Summer Wind

OK, the opening organ stuff is cheesy and sounds like the old roller rink days and not like the great blues from a Hammond B3 as it should be, but this song sums up a lot...

I have decided over the years that the wind is my nemesis.  Countless times I have left on a ride against the wind only to have it shift on me and give me a headwind on the way home, too.  And blow?  No, the wind doesn't blow.  It sucks.  It sucks your energy, your enthusiasm, and your will to live.  (OK, maybe that's extreme...) 

A few years ago on my last attempt at the 24-hour challenge the wind was ridiculous.  I sincerely believe that it was in our faces every time we turned.  I remember yelling out loud as we made the final turn of the 125-mile loop into the school: "just make it stop!  This is driving me crazy!!"  Scared the crap out of the guy who had ridden up on my left side while I was looking the other way...  He thought I was nuts, I'm sure.


There have been many similar experiences; the worst of these are the rides where I forget to check the weather before I leave, and realize too late that I started out with the wind.  My feelings of elation are erased as I turn for home - "what a great ride this is!  I feel great!"  <turns for home>  "Never mind..."

It's usually about this time in most of these musings that I relate something about cycling to real life, or apply it somehow to a new situation.  This time, I close with this:  I saw a quote several years ago, while riding the MS 150, that I really appreciate:
     "There is no such thing as a tailwind.  It's either a headwind or you're having a great day."

Sitting In

Ah, July: summer is in full swing, my legs are beginning to feel like maybe they don't totally suck, the weather is almost always conducive to riding (making for fewer excuses, unfortunately...), and I get to watch the Tour.  And in about four weeks it's band camp and such again, and I get back to work.  But enough about those things.  Today's topic is about sitting in.

Perhaps you've heard of sitting in.  There are many kinds of sitting in, actually.  The most famous is a form of protest.  I remember recently hearing about college students "occupying" their campuses to protest high tuition costs.  Now that I have a kid in college, perhaps I should go find a place to sit in East Lansing... 

There's another definition of sitting in, one that is more familiar to my career.  That's the one in which a musician gets to sit in with a group that happens to be playing, but it's not his/her regular group.  Like when Miles Davis was unable to fulfill an obligation for a gig in Dusseldorf, Germany in 1960.  So John Coltrane sat in!  Friend Jordan VanHemert sent this when I asked him about the idea (he is definitely my go-to person for all things jazz) -

 It was a date in Dusseldorf, Germany in 1960 (March 28 to be precise). Miles Davis was supposed to perform with (and lead) the group, but he was unable to do so. Therefore, the band was the Miles Davis Quintet minus Miles Davis. This was just as Trane was about to form his own quartet--he only agreed to stay on through the end of this tour as a favor to Miles. The video is from Norman Granz’s Jazz at the Philharmonic Presents Jazz Winners of 1960.  It just so happens that two of the other jazz winners, Oscar Peterson and Stan Getz, would join the band for the last tune of this historic set: Hackensack by Thelonious Monk. Wynton Kelly is actually playing the intro, and you can see Peterson tap him on the shoulder and take over at the piano. This is the only recorded instance of Coltrane and Getz playing together.


So now we come to the definition of sitting in that is pertinent to this post, and the one that I take part in the most: that spot in the midst of a line of bicyclists in which there is no wind, very little resistance, and plenty of energy savings!

In a line of riders, the guys at the front "pull."  In other words, they are catching all the wind for the group and using way more effort than the rest.  In most cases the line will rotate and these folks will drop back and allow the next people in line to pull for a while.  In theory, everyone gets a chance at the front and there is at least somewhat equal distribution of work.  

Pulling is not fun, really.  You do get to set the pace,  but there is the added pressure to not let the group slow down, so you don't want to take it easy.  Plus you're in charge of calling out the obstacles, direction changes, and things like that.

So "sitting in" refers to the guys who don't ever pull.  Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it can be seen as a guy being lazy, too.

We have some folks in our regular group of riders that seem to have an affinity for, and are very good at, pulling.  So sometimes I just sit in.  Occasionally it leads to feelings of guilt and shame, but, as was the case last Friday (when I was quite certain when we set out that I would not make it through the ride well), it allowed me to zip along at the 20+ mph mark for most of the ride.  I cannot do that on my own.

So now seems like a good time to refer you to one of my earlier posts - the one in which I told you how important friends are to our various journeys.  Friend Ross shot me a compliment after the ride, as a matter of fact - "best riding I've seen you do this year, Keith."  That was pretty cool.  And he was right - I had a great ride.  But it also wouldn't have been possible without those guys pulling for me.

It's good to have folks like that around sometimes.  Sunday's ride was a zippy one with just one other person, and we took turns pulling; sometimes we even rode side-by-side just hanging out, which is different than sitting in :)  

So look at what's up in your life.  Is someone pulling for you?  Do you take your turn at the front?  We all need some support at some point in our journey; maybe today it's your turn to let someone else pull for a while.

Monthly Update 6.0

It's July the freaking first.  HOW are we half-way through 2013??  The last few months have positively flown by, and it always seems as though I really have nothing to show for it.  I mean, really, what do I do sometimes?  

Well, the month of June saw:
 - An early start (yes, you read that correctly) working ahead for next school year.  Full disclosure - not my idea.  I owe that one to my teacher's aide.  But the band camp stuff was ready to send out before the school year ended.

 - Musical performances with the Holland Symphony and Holland Jazz Orchestras

 - 21 workouts totaling nearly 28 hours of exercise on the bike and in the gym

 - 335 miles on the bike (a bit low, since I had so many days "off")

Weight as of January 1 - 226 lbs
Weight as of July 1 - 216
Net loss of 10 lbs, but up one from June 1st.

This past month I tried totally giving up a few things.  Bread was one.  I LOVE bread.  It doesn't always work for my digestion system, though.  Gave it up for three days and never missed it.  Except for breakfast - I love my toast and bagels, etc.  More on that later.

 Summer has been an easier time to eat good, fresh foods and make better choices.  I don't always make the good choices, but I'm getting better.  Baby steps, as they say...

Saw this on Facebook the other day and thought it would be perfect for a blog post, so I decided to use it right away.  See you in a few days!

Fatty, Fatty, 2X4...

It's a gorgeous summer afternoon (OK, late morning), and I am about to go for another ride.  This time on my newest addition to the stable, the 2013 Salsa Mukluk 2.  A fat bike.  What an adventure...

I first tried one of these a year and a half ago.  The shop has had a demo fleet for a couple of seasons now, and on the afternoon of New Year's Eve a few of us grabbed our bikes and headed north to Port Sheldon.  We hit the beach by Roy's house and headed south to the Holland State Park.  Even managed a walk on the pier!  In what was a complete anomaly for December weather in west Michigan, we ended up with a south wind pushing us back to the north.  It was also about 40 degrees that day, so we enjoyed some good weather!

"Where can you ride that thing?" is a frequent question I get from folks.  "Anywhere I want..."
 - Trails
 - Gravel
 - The beach
 - Snow
 - "Bushwhacking" (this is on the Salsa website.  Not sure I know...)

These machines have been used extensively in adventure racing, specifically the Iditabike race in Alaska.  An adventurous ride from the Hamilton, MI food store a couple winters ago still lives on in legend and lore around the shop: riders left in a snow storm and returned in a blizzard, averaging around 3-5 MPH as they slogged through fields and trails in the Allegan County backroads.

I prefer less adventure.  There are some great trails down near Saugatuck, and they lead directly to the Lake Michigan beach.  That is the plan for this afternoon, as a matter of fact - the water is said to be around 70 degrees, so I may dip a toe or two in!  There's something very cool about pedaling along the beach, the water lapping at your tires, the stares from people who have never experienced such a sight (the bike, not me in spandex...  though that is traumatic as well, I suppose...) as this.  As you can see, shorts and T-shirts are the outfit for this thus far.

 Here are some shots from last time.  You can look at these while I grab some lunch and get ready to go!

That's What I Like About Me

Hey, fans!  (Or even casual readers.  Or innocent passersby...)  LOTS of cool stuff coming up in the next few posts.  As I was riding this morning I hatched several new ideas, and there is this one that I was already working on, so if you've missed me you are in luck!  Shouldn't be too many days between posts for the next couple weeks.  So here goes.

First, I would like to start with the "some material may be too intense for some viewers" for this particular post.  There will be pictures posted.  Of me.  I happen to like them, but it's possible not all of you will enjoy the sight.  So consider yourself warned...

As I have mentioned before in these musings, I have lots of great talks with kids.  One thing that has come up a lot the last couple years is the fact that there are all kinds of people in the world (OK, in my life, anyway) who are simply not happy being who they are.  Too tall, too short, too fat, too thin (I'd have to give that a shot before I complained...), and all manner of shortcomings.  At least as far as they're concerned.  And I put myself in this pile as well.  I would certainly change several things about my appearance if I could; I happen to be working on the weight part at this point.

Something I learned in Weight Watchers, and has been reinforced in other areas of my life, is to do some positive self-talk.  When I think it's helpful, I encourage kids to do this as well.  "What do you like about yourself?"  It's an exercise that has proven very beneficial to me over the years.  I can think of many several a few things that I indeed like about myself.  Top of the list, in most instances?  My legs.

Seriously.  I have amazing legs.  I will not hesitate to put them against most other legs in a contest.  As a matter of fact, in my early teaching days, I won a great legs contest at one of my elementary schools.  The other guy was a runner. Skinny legs...  He never had a chance.

I'm not really sure why I'm blessed with these particular gams.  Doc had some skinny legs, as I recall, though perhaps the genetic combo of his and Helen's made mine look pretty good.  I don't really work on them much.  Riding and the occasional leg workout at TB's Gym is really about it.  One of those things that I just got lucky with, I suppose.

The thing is, though?  Somewhere in the world is a guy walking around with my torso.  You know the one: 40 Regular, flat stomach, maybe some ab definition, but not too much...  My fear?  What if I have that guy's legs??  What if he is thinking, "WTH is up with my legs?  They're all squishy and lumpy and out of shape!"  Perish the thought...  These are mine and I'm keeping them.

Want to see them?  You know you do...  I'll tell you, though, that taking "selfies" of one's legs is somewhat of a challenge.  Here are a couple that turned out pretty well:

 After my ride the other day.  Some decent definition there!









Now, I don't claim to have the best legs anywhere.  BUT - I have received many compliments over the years.  Most recently - "dude, your calves are like baseballs.  How do you do that?"





For comparison, though, here is a shot of Lance Armstrong's legs:

Might be a bit much, actually...  And you could argue that he was a doper, so maybe that helped.  My understanding of EPO, however, is that it is a recovery/endurance supplement, not a muscle-builder.  (You could also argue that if you recover faster/better that you can build more muscle faster.  So either way.)

So now you know one of the things I'm happy about.  There are a couple more, but they don't really fit the blog topic.  Have a great weekend!  And since that is kind of a bad closing, here's another music video link to sort of pump up the end: