The Plain Dealer "needs" me on that wall...

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Remember all that stuff I had to say about the Plain Dealer stealing my idea for blogging about weight loss?

Remember how I said they’d written to me and wanted me blogging and writing for them in the worst way because I was so talented AND good looking?

Yeah…and remember how you all thought I was full of…

Well…check out blog.cleveland.com/fighting-fat-john.

Am I right or am I right? Yeah…I’m right. I spoke with Denise – she’s editor-in-chief of something or other with the Plain Dealer and she was really nice to me. Obviously, she hadn’t been reading my blog. Anyway, she says that “you have an interesting story to tell. That’s why we chose you from the 2 million people who offered to blog with us.”

You heard right. They only picked ten people from over 2 million!

Or was it twenty. No…I remember now…I was first alternate if any of the ten that had responded couldn’t do it and it turns out one of the guys didn’t know what a sentence was, so they gave his spot to me. I know what a sentence is…though I’m struggling with the ‘conclusion’ thing.

Oh yeah. Workout. It was a riding day, which was fine since it was in the 70’s and sunny. I started in the Metropark, but headed for the roads. There was a very strong wind blowing from the south and I was headed uphill and into it for most of the first half of the ride. I knew that meant I would be flying back…and I did, returning 10 minutes faster than I rode out.

My thighs were extremely tired and I resigned myself to a fun ride. I never used to be able to do this – always concerned with how fast I was covering the distance and trying to push…push…push. I just don’t like that anymore and so I ride trying to enjoy the scenery, burn the calories, and not kill myself. I noticed a cyclist a couple of hundred yards ahead of me, which in the past would have meant passing him as if I were riding in the Tour de France. No more. I allowed him to stay ahead and he eventually turned off.

I finished quite exhausted and very thirsty. I’d probably dropped 5 pounds of sweat during the ride – something I would need to put back before night was over. I tend to dehydrate and cramp quite easily with my heavy sweat loss – something I’ll get in to shortly since tomorrow is scheduled for the 80’s and a run.

Later that night, I attended my son Jack’s first track meet and witnessed the way I used to run and you’re supposed to look. He ran the 800, striding effortlessly over the first 500 meters and struggling with the last 300. He hadn’t run over the winter and built the essential base necessary to middle-distance racing, but finished in 2:20, which is quite respectable for a first race freshman. He’ll be running 2:08 before the season ends if he pushes himself. I’ve coached high school runners for 22 years and I know talent. He’s got it.

It’s Easter weekend and, among other things, that means some unnecessary calories. I’ll deal with that on a couple of long rides and runs.

Bike duration: 95 minutes.

Training Heart Rate: 120

Calories burned during workout: 1425