Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Anyone who has played…or watched…Little League baseball knows that the kids on the field are told to ‘talk it up out there’, which means you’re supposed to be saying things like “hey batter, batter…SWING” or “c’mon pitch…strike this guy out” and harmless stuff like that. The intention is to keep the players focused on the game (I’d take naps, chase butterflies or try to squash bees in the outfield) or to disrupt the hitter from making contact. This chatter continues throughout baseball ranks, but the yelling to disrupt a hitter comes more from the stands than the players as things reach the pro level.
Then there’s basketball and foul shooting. I don’t know how anyone shooting and important foul can concentrate on the shot with what’s going on behind the backboard…which is made of glass…by the fans to disrupt the shot. In football, quarterbacks sometimes need to call time-outs so because the noise from the stands is so deafening that the players standing five feet from them can’t hear what’s being yelled to them.
You’re probably wondering about a point…and there is one. David Ferrer, professional tennis player, was competing in a match in the Sony Ericcson Open recently when he was distracted by a baby crying in the stands. It rattled him so much that, after blowing a point, he directed a forehand lob into the stands in the direction of the baby. Although the ball didn’t come close to the baby…apparently he couldn’t put the ball where he wanted it in the stands any better than he could on the court…the crying stopped…and he went on to lose the match. Anyway…what is it about concentrating in tennis (and golf, I suppose) that is different than baseball and basketball? I mean…could there be anything harder or requiring more concentration than hitting a baseball that’s dipping and moving at speeds approaching 100mph from a mere 60 feet away? Somebody help me…
I spent another night doing nothing. My sore throat was better, but the coughing and hacking got worse and I didn’t feel like moving a muscle. On top of that, it snowed. I’m hoping to get in a long ride this weekend since I’ll have to do 56 miles in three weeks. I’m running out of time.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Where'd the trail go?
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
At least the sore throat was better, but I spent the entire day hacking up my lungs…to everyone’s disgust. It had been two days since I’d done anything really physical though, and cold or not I couldn’t let it go another day. I drove to the Polo Fields, parked the car and began running south on the trail along the Chagrin River. I’d not been on the trail since the flooding four weeks ago, but quickly discovered the impact it had had on the trail…because it was gone. There was a stretch running through an open field between the Polo Fields and Chagrin Blvd. where the trail ran right on the river bank. I liked running this section because I could check out the wildlife, hear and see the water breaking over the rocks and wonder about taking a kayak through. Apparently, the water had raged so hard against the western bank…where I was running…that it eroded about ten feet which had slipped down the five feet to the river’s edge. Like those before me, I just began making a new river’s edge trail.
I figured I’d run to the parking lot on River Road closest to Miles before turning around, hoping that would mean around 25 minutes of running. It took a little over 27 and so I ended up with a 55-minute run, one short of the distance I’d cover for the birthday triathlon. I was so tired over the final 15 minutes that I wondered how I was going to get this thing done. I’ve felt reasonably crappy on all of my runs lately with muscle-fatiguing pain nagging at my hips with each step. The achilles was throbbing over the last half of the run, as well. I can probably assign some of the fatigue to the cold I’m fighting, but it sucks in any event.
Holly made us a reasonably low-cal dinner…a noodle concoction with mushrooms, onions and broccoli topped with some crushed bacon…and I’d have been good if I’d stopped there, but I didn’t. I whipped us up some chocolate pudding into which I’d melted a couple of large tablespoons of crunchy peanut butter. Self-destructive behavior tastes so good. Tomorrow I’m riding long no matter how cold it is or what my cold thinks it can do to me.
Oh yeah…John texted me from Key West and wanted to know the elevation there. I’m not sure why he thought I would know…but isn’t Key West next to that big body of salt water they call the Atlantic Ocean? I texted back ‘sea level’ which I figured anyone would know.
Run duration: 55 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 145 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 925.
At least the sore throat was better, but I spent the entire day hacking up my lungs…to everyone’s disgust. It had been two days since I’d done anything really physical though, and cold or not I couldn’t let it go another day. I drove to the Polo Fields, parked the car and began running south on the trail along the Chagrin River. I’d not been on the trail since the flooding four weeks ago, but quickly discovered the impact it had had on the trail…because it was gone. There was a stretch running through an open field between the Polo Fields and Chagrin Blvd. where the trail ran right on the river bank. I liked running this section because I could check out the wildlife, hear and see the water breaking over the rocks and wonder about taking a kayak through. Apparently, the water had raged so hard against the western bank…where I was running…that it eroded about ten feet which had slipped down the five feet to the river’s edge. Like those before me, I just began making a new river’s edge trail.
I figured I’d run to the parking lot on River Road closest to Miles before turning around, hoping that would mean around 25 minutes of running. It took a little over 27 and so I ended up with a 55-minute run, one short of the distance I’d cover for the birthday triathlon. I was so tired over the final 15 minutes that I wondered how I was going to get this thing done. I’ve felt reasonably crappy on all of my runs lately with muscle-fatiguing pain nagging at my hips with each step. The achilles was throbbing over the last half of the run, as well. I can probably assign some of the fatigue to the cold I’m fighting, but it sucks in any event.
Holly made us a reasonably low-cal dinner…a noodle concoction with mushrooms, onions and broccoli topped with some crushed bacon…and I’d have been good if I’d stopped there, but I didn’t. I whipped us up some chocolate pudding into which I’d melted a couple of large tablespoons of crunchy peanut butter. Self-destructive behavior tastes so good. Tomorrow I’m riding long no matter how cold it is or what my cold thinks it can do to me.
Oh yeah…John texted me from Key West and wanted to know the elevation there. I’m not sure why he thought I would know…but isn’t Key West next to that big body of salt water they call the Atlantic Ocean? I texted back ‘sea level’ which I figured anyone would know.
Run duration: 55 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 145 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 925.
Strange ideas on fatherhood...
Monday, March 28, 2011
I guess I was making so much noise as I slept; Holly elected to sleep in Savannah’s room. My cold was keeping even me awake and the Hall’s were having little effect. I finally gave up around 7 a.m. and got up. The oatmeal breakfast helped, but I knew it would be a long day.
I saw this really bazaar story in the PD the other day and was so shocked that I feel the need to pass it along. Seems that this dad has some pretty mixed up ideas about what’s important in raising a child. The boy was only 10 years old, but dad thought he had to “get his colors in the 21st Killas gang” so he brought him along with 6 other gang members as they sought out and then beat a random victim nearly to death. The victim was a father of three and was just walking in his neighborhood when the gang struck. They put him in the hospital unconscious and suffering from severe head wounds. I suppose I shouldn’t judge…Lord knows I’ve done some things to damage the psyche of my kids for the remainder of their lives, but what in God’s name are some people thinking? I remember seeing the movie ‘Parenthood’ many years ago and thinking how well it depicted some of the struggles of being a parent. I particularly liked what Keanu Reeves’ character had to say to the mother of her psychologically-abused son by her ex-husband, “you know, Mrs. Buckman, you need a license to buy a dog, to drive a car - hell, you even need a license to catch a fish. But they'll let any butt-reaming asshole be a father.” If ever a quote fit a situation…
I came home, had some soup and wrestled with the idea of riding the bike on the trainer. I didn’t wrestle long because I fell asleep in a chair…fortunately after I’d finished the soup. Exercise was out…and so was I…so when I woke, I just moseyed up to bed and called it a night hoping 12 hours in the sack might make me feel more human tomorrow…
I guess I was making so much noise as I slept; Holly elected to sleep in Savannah’s room. My cold was keeping even me awake and the Hall’s were having little effect. I finally gave up around 7 a.m. and got up. The oatmeal breakfast helped, but I knew it would be a long day.
I saw this really bazaar story in the PD the other day and was so shocked that I feel the need to pass it along. Seems that this dad has some pretty mixed up ideas about what’s important in raising a child. The boy was only 10 years old, but dad thought he had to “get his colors in the 21st Killas gang” so he brought him along with 6 other gang members as they sought out and then beat a random victim nearly to death. The victim was a father of three and was just walking in his neighborhood when the gang struck. They put him in the hospital unconscious and suffering from severe head wounds. I suppose I shouldn’t judge…Lord knows I’ve done some things to damage the psyche of my kids for the remainder of their lives, but what in God’s name are some people thinking? I remember seeing the movie ‘Parenthood’ many years ago and thinking how well it depicted some of the struggles of being a parent. I particularly liked what Keanu Reeves’ character had to say to the mother of her psychologically-abused son by her ex-husband, “you know, Mrs. Buckman, you need a license to buy a dog, to drive a car - hell, you even need a license to catch a fish. But they'll let any butt-reaming asshole be a father.” If ever a quote fit a situation…
I came home, had some soup and wrestled with the idea of riding the bike on the trainer. I didn’t wrestle long because I fell asleep in a chair…fortunately after I’d finished the soup. Exercise was out…and so was I…so when I woke, I just moseyed up to bed and called it a night hoping 12 hours in the sack might make me feel more human tomorrow…
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
I'm getting sick...
Sunday, March 27, 2011
I’ve been fairly lucky with colds for some time now…but all that ended with a killer sore throat. I woke a couple of times during the night and popped a Hall’s so I could at least swallow. When I finally stumbled from bed in the morning, I went for the Quaker Oats because is smooth and hot and feels good going down.
I spent the next four hours transferring more home videos onto the computer while trying to decide if I should go for a ride or not. It was in the low 30’s though the sun was shining…but I still had that sore throat thing going and if I went for a ride and came home only to get worse, there’d be hell to pay with Holly. “Are you really going to complain about being sick after riding in the freezing cold when you knew your throat was already bothering you?”
Umm…no…I think not. I could have ridden on the trainer…but that sucks, so instead I took Dakota to the Metropark and we did a little antler hunting. I returned to a place where I’d found my first one and to my surprise, found another…or what was left of one. I can see why I’ve never seen one before. The piece I found was about the size of a pork chop bone, having been gnawed to nothingness in a little under a month, I’m guessing. Unless I’m walking the trail as they’re falling off, I can see I’m unlikely to find anything now that the rodents are all over the forest floor.
The hike wasn’t too strenuous…we only went up one climb before returning to the car, but I was feeling it none the less. I’m glad this is happening now and not on the triathlon weekend…
Hike duration: 90 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 75 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 350.
I’ve been fairly lucky with colds for some time now…but all that ended with a killer sore throat. I woke a couple of times during the night and popped a Hall’s so I could at least swallow. When I finally stumbled from bed in the morning, I went for the Quaker Oats because is smooth and hot and feels good going down.
I spent the next four hours transferring more home videos onto the computer while trying to decide if I should go for a ride or not. It was in the low 30’s though the sun was shining…but I still had that sore throat thing going and if I went for a ride and came home only to get worse, there’d be hell to pay with Holly. “Are you really going to complain about being sick after riding in the freezing cold when you knew your throat was already bothering you?”
Umm…no…I think not. I could have ridden on the trainer…but that sucks, so instead I took Dakota to the Metropark and we did a little antler hunting. I returned to a place where I’d found my first one and to my surprise, found another…or what was left of one. I can see why I’ve never seen one before. The piece I found was about the size of a pork chop bone, having been gnawed to nothingness in a little under a month, I’m guessing. Unless I’m walking the trail as they’re falling off, I can see I’m unlikely to find anything now that the rodents are all over the forest floor.
The hike wasn’t too strenuous…we only went up one climb before returning to the car, but I was feeling it none the less. I’m glad this is happening now and not on the triathlon weekend…
Hike duration: 90 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 75 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 350.
Another belt notch...
Saturday, March 26, 2011
As the day draws nearer for the birthday triathlon, I’m getting more confident with the running again. I’ve been managing to get out every other day and run around 50 minutes for a week and was able to put back-to-back efforts in recently, too. The achilles continues to cause some discomfort right at the start of every run and then again at some point after 20 minutes, but it subsides quickly and I do what I do best with potential injuries…I ignore it.
I went to the Metropark in the morning and did the same course I’d done on Wednesday thinking I’d move a little faster. The trails were beginning to dry out, but still too sloppy to leave the bridles. I felt good for the first 20 minutes, but started slowing before the turnaround and finished about 60 seconds faster than I had on Wednesday. Some improvement at least.
Savannah was returning to Columbus from Spring break, so we had to have a fatty meal before she left. I had notched my belt to its final hole after my shower, something I haven’t done since last fall, but with the chicken, mashed potatoes, dressing and gravy…and two helpings later…and apple crisp for dessert, I let it back out. Still…I’m losing again for sure and if the weather ever starts acting like Spring and I can get out for some long rides, I should be able to accelerate the process.
Run duration: 51 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 145 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 850.
As the day draws nearer for the birthday triathlon, I’m getting more confident with the running again. I’ve been managing to get out every other day and run around 50 minutes for a week and was able to put back-to-back efforts in recently, too. The achilles continues to cause some discomfort right at the start of every run and then again at some point after 20 minutes, but it subsides quickly and I do what I do best with potential injuries…I ignore it.
I went to the Metropark in the morning and did the same course I’d done on Wednesday thinking I’d move a little faster. The trails were beginning to dry out, but still too sloppy to leave the bridles. I felt good for the first 20 minutes, but started slowing before the turnaround and finished about 60 seconds faster than I had on Wednesday. Some improvement at least.
Savannah was returning to Columbus from Spring break, so we had to have a fatty meal before she left. I had notched my belt to its final hole after my shower, something I haven’t done since last fall, but with the chicken, mashed potatoes, dressing and gravy…and two helpings later…and apple crisp for dessert, I let it back out. Still…I’m losing again for sure and if the weather ever starts acting like Spring and I can get out for some long rides, I should be able to accelerate the process.
Run duration: 51 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 145 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 850.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
"We're a store...we have to mark it up..."
Friday, March 25, 2011
I’ve had this Canon digital video camera for a number of years, but haven’t used it much. I’d decided that I had a couple of projects I wanted to shoot, and needed to get it out, dust the cobwebs from my brain on how to use it, and figure out how to get the data from the camera to my computer. My next door neighbor teaches that stuff to his kids at Cuyahoga Heights High School, so I just go to him with any questions. He loves seeing me and is happy to share his wisdom…kind of like me…though his actually has a foundation in reality.
“Pat…how do I get this taped stuff on to my computer so I can turn it into a DVD?”
“It’s pretty simple, John, but you need a fire wire…which I think I’ve got and you can borrow,” he said. I like the sound of the word ‘borrow’ since I’m cheap and didn’t want to actually have to go out and buy something. He searched through his mess of an office…I can say that because mine is too…but couldn’t find one, so he went to Amazon.com and found what I needed for $5. “You can have it delivered for free if you’ve got some other stuff you need and get your bill over $25 and there’s no state tax,” he said. “Amazon’s the bomb,” I said and he looked at me warily. “Sure John…they’re the bomb.”
I figured it would take until the middle of next week to get it that way though, so I made plans to go get it the old fashioned way…in a store. “Just write down those particulars and I’ll go to Dodd’s tomorrow and pick one up,” I said. He looked at me like I had a couple of fire wires protruding from my nostrils. “John…if you go to Dodd’s, they charge you about five times as much for the thing. Go up to Best Buy unless you just like to throw money away,” he said.
I don’t and so I went to Best Buy with the specs for the fire wire in hand and asked a young lady working there to assist me in my purchase. She took me right to it and reached for the item hanging on hook under a price tag that read $36 and some change. “Umm…I saw that very same thing on Amazon for five bucks. Is that priced right?” I asked. She physically cringed at the word ‘Amazon’ and put the fire wire back, knowing where this was going. “Amazon? Yeah…well…we’re a store and we kinda’ need to mark things up to make a profit,” she said.
And I get that…but they aren’t making 700% mark up on me…not today anyway. I thanked her…I can be polite at times…and headed for Pat’s to make sure we were talking apples to apples. “I’m a little surprised they were that steep,” he said as he again searched his office until…”hey…here it is!”
Things were going my way now. I headed home, attached the fire wire to my camera and the other end to the computer, opened IMovie on my IBook and began downloading.
The bad news is that I kind of got caught up in the downloading thing and didn’t budge from the office until Holly called me to go to Petti’s for dinner. I had managed a hike before I’d come home, but was planning to do a ride, as well. It never happened and I managed to eat too much fat at Petti’s…fried Pollack and a chocolate shake. I’m going to have to be careful, too. I could really get into this IMovie stuff and forget all about working out.
Hike duration: 90 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 75 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 350.
I’ve had this Canon digital video camera for a number of years, but haven’t used it much. I’d decided that I had a couple of projects I wanted to shoot, and needed to get it out, dust the cobwebs from my brain on how to use it, and figure out how to get the data from the camera to my computer. My next door neighbor teaches that stuff to his kids at Cuyahoga Heights High School, so I just go to him with any questions. He loves seeing me and is happy to share his wisdom…kind of like me…though his actually has a foundation in reality.
“Pat…how do I get this taped stuff on to my computer so I can turn it into a DVD?”
“It’s pretty simple, John, but you need a fire wire…which I think I’ve got and you can borrow,” he said. I like the sound of the word ‘borrow’ since I’m cheap and didn’t want to actually have to go out and buy something. He searched through his mess of an office…I can say that because mine is too…but couldn’t find one, so he went to Amazon.com and found what I needed for $5. “You can have it delivered for free if you’ve got some other stuff you need and get your bill over $25 and there’s no state tax,” he said. “Amazon’s the bomb,” I said and he looked at me warily. “Sure John…they’re the bomb.”
I figured it would take until the middle of next week to get it that way though, so I made plans to go get it the old fashioned way…in a store. “Just write down those particulars and I’ll go to Dodd’s tomorrow and pick one up,” I said. He looked at me like I had a couple of fire wires protruding from my nostrils. “John…if you go to Dodd’s, they charge you about five times as much for the thing. Go up to Best Buy unless you just like to throw money away,” he said.
I don’t and so I went to Best Buy with the specs for the fire wire in hand and asked a young lady working there to assist me in my purchase. She took me right to it and reached for the item hanging on hook under a price tag that read $36 and some change. “Umm…I saw that very same thing on Amazon for five bucks. Is that priced right?” I asked. She physically cringed at the word ‘Amazon’ and put the fire wire back, knowing where this was going. “Amazon? Yeah…well…we’re a store and we kinda’ need to mark things up to make a profit,” she said.
And I get that…but they aren’t making 700% mark up on me…not today anyway. I thanked her…I can be polite at times…and headed for Pat’s to make sure we were talking apples to apples. “I’m a little surprised they were that steep,” he said as he again searched his office until…”hey…here it is!”
Things were going my way now. I headed home, attached the fire wire to my camera and the other end to the computer, opened IMovie on my IBook and began downloading.
The bad news is that I kind of got caught up in the downloading thing and didn’t budge from the office until Holly called me to go to Petti’s for dinner. I had managed a hike before I’d come home, but was planning to do a ride, as well. It never happened and I managed to eat too much fat at Petti’s…fried Pollack and a chocolate shake. I’m going to have to be careful, too. I could really get into this IMovie stuff and forget all about working out.
Hike duration: 90 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 75 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 350.
A modified Survival run...
Thursday, March 24, 2011
After yesterday’s success, almost pain-free run and the bone chilling cold that would prevent me from doing a ride outdoors, I returned to the Metropark with the idea that I’d do my first Back to Basics survival workout of the year. I’d really put it aside last summer because the running had been going so well and I wasn’t finding time for both, but I know I’ve been ignoring the strengthening workouts that I need and don’t see myself spending time in a weight room in the near future…so I need it.
I parked in my special survival workout place along River Road…that’s right…I’ve got more than one special parking place depending on what I’m doing. Anyway, as soon as I put on my gear (changing from work clothes to workout clothes while standing next to your car on a cold day with traffic passing by occasionally can be interesting) and immediately jumped into the woods. My plan was to run over to the cabins where I’ve done the workout in the past by way of the woods making sure to jump as many downed logs and sticks while weaving between the myriad of saplings as I went. This is a decent plan for someone trying to get the heart rate up, work on agility and balance, and strengthen core muscles while running…provided they can run on a clear path without tripping and falling. I actually managed to make the 10-minute warm-up run with only a couple of stumbles, deftly keeping my face from smacking any trees…or the ground.
I was breathing much more heavily than I would have from my normal jogging by the time I hit the open spaces around the cabins and slowed to catch my breath and look for my rocks. I’ve been keeping a couple of boulders weighing between 15-25 pounds laying there for parts of my workouts, but they were missing. I mean…who would want them? I ran over to the creek and jumped down the embankment to the water and began a futile search for something to replace my missing rocks. I climbed out of the creek bed and continued the search, but also checking the landscape for large logs that could be hoisted overhead, crawl under or balance on. I wasn’t planning on doing everything today, but wanted to start identifying possibilities for when there wasn’t three inches of freezing mud on the ground.
I jogged over to the Pavilion where, if I’d had them, I was planning on hanging my TRX bands to do part of my upper body workout. Jason had borrowed them last Fall and it was time to get them back. Instead, I did a set of 25 push-ups and sprinted up the old sledding hill, now overgrown with shrubs, high grasses and briars, slipping back slightly in the muddy turf with each step as I climbed…which only added to the workout. I ran back down and out into the open field where I did five sets of high knees to work the core before returning to sprint up the hill once more. I did a slow recovery jog before beginning my picnic table hop ups, which I did for about 75 seconds.
I knew I was getting close to overdoing it though I was still feeling pretty good. I decided to be prudent and began my jog through the woods back to the car. I had to keep on the trail past the car for five minutes so I could get the total workout time up to 40 minutes and was really feeling each step by the time I did return for my collapse.
Once home, I figured I needed a little more time, so I spent the next 30 minutes on the bike. Holly stuck her head in the office to tell me that she was going for a walk, so I showered quickly and joined her for a 45-minute hike, which was just what I needed to massage some sore, tired muscles.
Survival run duration: 40 minutes. Bike duration: 30 minutes. Hike duration: 45 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 145 running. 130 biking. 75 hiking.
Calories burned during workout: 675 running. 450 biking. 150 hiking.
After yesterday’s success, almost pain-free run and the bone chilling cold that would prevent me from doing a ride outdoors, I returned to the Metropark with the idea that I’d do my first Back to Basics survival workout of the year. I’d really put it aside last summer because the running had been going so well and I wasn’t finding time for both, but I know I’ve been ignoring the strengthening workouts that I need and don’t see myself spending time in a weight room in the near future…so I need it.
I parked in my special survival workout place along River Road…that’s right…I’ve got more than one special parking place depending on what I’m doing. Anyway, as soon as I put on my gear (changing from work clothes to workout clothes while standing next to your car on a cold day with traffic passing by occasionally can be interesting) and immediately jumped into the woods. My plan was to run over to the cabins where I’ve done the workout in the past by way of the woods making sure to jump as many downed logs and sticks while weaving between the myriad of saplings as I went. This is a decent plan for someone trying to get the heart rate up, work on agility and balance, and strengthen core muscles while running…provided they can run on a clear path without tripping and falling. I actually managed to make the 10-minute warm-up run with only a couple of stumbles, deftly keeping my face from smacking any trees…or the ground.
I was breathing much more heavily than I would have from my normal jogging by the time I hit the open spaces around the cabins and slowed to catch my breath and look for my rocks. I’ve been keeping a couple of boulders weighing between 15-25 pounds laying there for parts of my workouts, but they were missing. I mean…who would want them? I ran over to the creek and jumped down the embankment to the water and began a futile search for something to replace my missing rocks. I climbed out of the creek bed and continued the search, but also checking the landscape for large logs that could be hoisted overhead, crawl under or balance on. I wasn’t planning on doing everything today, but wanted to start identifying possibilities for when there wasn’t three inches of freezing mud on the ground.
I jogged over to the Pavilion where, if I’d had them, I was planning on hanging my TRX bands to do part of my upper body workout. Jason had borrowed them last Fall and it was time to get them back. Instead, I did a set of 25 push-ups and sprinted up the old sledding hill, now overgrown with shrubs, high grasses and briars, slipping back slightly in the muddy turf with each step as I climbed…which only added to the workout. I ran back down and out into the open field where I did five sets of high knees to work the core before returning to sprint up the hill once more. I did a slow recovery jog before beginning my picnic table hop ups, which I did for about 75 seconds.
I knew I was getting close to overdoing it though I was still feeling pretty good. I decided to be prudent and began my jog through the woods back to the car. I had to keep on the trail past the car for five minutes so I could get the total workout time up to 40 minutes and was really feeling each step by the time I did return for my collapse.
Once home, I figured I needed a little more time, so I spent the next 30 minutes on the bike. Holly stuck her head in the office to tell me that she was going for a walk, so I showered quickly and joined her for a 45-minute hike, which was just what I needed to massage some sore, tired muscles.
Survival run duration: 40 minutes. Bike duration: 30 minutes. Hike duration: 45 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 145 running. 130 biking. 75 hiking.
Calories burned during workout: 675 running. 450 biking. 150 hiking.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
"Was that thunder?"
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Where did Spring go? I’m sure I was riding my bike on Sunday in a t-shirt and shorts…and sweating. I monitored the weather throughout the day knowing I’d be running but wondering how comfortable I’d be. It was cool and the forecast said rain, but so far…nothing. I got to the Metropark and was climbing back into my car after changing when I thought I heard something that sounded like thunder. It was in the high 30’s…thunder? Nah.
I stuck with the bridle trails knowing the hiking trails were still a muddy quagmire. I started with the idea that this would be another 40-minute run, but was thinking that the birthday triathlon was less than four weeks away and maybe I should go 45 minutes. I must have blinked or something, because I could have sworn that I’d seen a flash across the sky…like lightning? I knew those sightings should be followed by a clap of thunder and a couple of steps later I heard it. Holy shit…I was nearing my turnaround…which I’d moved to 25 minutes so I’d hit 50 minutes for the run and now I was about to get hit by a serious storm.
Being the savvy outdoor’s man that I am, naturally I’d dressed for this possibility. I was wearing a short-sleeved cotton t-shirt and shorts…oh…and socks and shoes, too. I had my doo rag on to protect my head from the cold…or to use as a tourniquet if I fell and had a sharp stick slice through me a cut an artery…but that was it.
Then I remembered I was wearing my new altimeter watch with the barometric pressure reading. I switched to that mode, waited for the calculations, and read the results. “You’re screwed…should have worn raingear…asshole.” John had programmed it personally for me. Good job.
When the skies did open up, it wasn’t rain, but instead I was getting whacked with increasingly larger hail stones. My hands didn’t move and my arms were freezing…but hands and arms are way overrated for running. I was soaked through and had about 20 minutes of running before I made it back to the car. I started checking my altimeter watch every couple of minutes as if that would get me there sooner, but there wasn’t much else going on.
As I reached the point I knew to be about 5 minutes from the car, I started to get tingling sensations in both hands…as if they’d fallen asleep. I’ve suffered through some mild bouts of hypothermia on kayaking and hiking trips, but this was a new sensation. When I finally made the car, I struggled with the key to open the door and it took me a couple of minutes to wrestle my soaking t-shirt over my head before climbing into the car. Even putting the key in the ignition and cranking the engine was a challenge with my hands moving in slow motion.
So…where did Spring go? It’s March in Northeast Ohio. Anything can happen with the weather…and probably will. I’ve got the gear in my car…maybe next time I’ll actually wear it…or not. One thing I know for sure…running with the appropriate gear is totally overrated.
Run duration: 51 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 145 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 850.
Where did Spring go? I’m sure I was riding my bike on Sunday in a t-shirt and shorts…and sweating. I monitored the weather throughout the day knowing I’d be running but wondering how comfortable I’d be. It was cool and the forecast said rain, but so far…nothing. I got to the Metropark and was climbing back into my car after changing when I thought I heard something that sounded like thunder. It was in the high 30’s…thunder? Nah.
I stuck with the bridle trails knowing the hiking trails were still a muddy quagmire. I started with the idea that this would be another 40-minute run, but was thinking that the birthday triathlon was less than four weeks away and maybe I should go 45 minutes. I must have blinked or something, because I could have sworn that I’d seen a flash across the sky…like lightning? I knew those sightings should be followed by a clap of thunder and a couple of steps later I heard it. Holy shit…I was nearing my turnaround…which I’d moved to 25 minutes so I’d hit 50 minutes for the run and now I was about to get hit by a serious storm.
Being the savvy outdoor’s man that I am, naturally I’d dressed for this possibility. I was wearing a short-sleeved cotton t-shirt and shorts…oh…and socks and shoes, too. I had my doo rag on to protect my head from the cold…or to use as a tourniquet if I fell and had a sharp stick slice through me a cut an artery…but that was it.
Then I remembered I was wearing my new altimeter watch with the barometric pressure reading. I switched to that mode, waited for the calculations, and read the results. “You’re screwed…should have worn raingear…asshole.” John had programmed it personally for me. Good job.
When the skies did open up, it wasn’t rain, but instead I was getting whacked with increasingly larger hail stones. My hands didn’t move and my arms were freezing…but hands and arms are way overrated for running. I was soaked through and had about 20 minutes of running before I made it back to the car. I started checking my altimeter watch every couple of minutes as if that would get me there sooner, but there wasn’t much else going on.
As I reached the point I knew to be about 5 minutes from the car, I started to get tingling sensations in both hands…as if they’d fallen asleep. I’ve suffered through some mild bouts of hypothermia on kayaking and hiking trips, but this was a new sensation. When I finally made the car, I struggled with the key to open the door and it took me a couple of minutes to wrestle my soaking t-shirt over my head before climbing into the car. Even putting the key in the ignition and cranking the engine was a challenge with my hands moving in slow motion.
So…where did Spring go? It’s March in Northeast Ohio. Anything can happen with the weather…and probably will. I’ve got the gear in my car…maybe next time I’ll actually wear it…or not. One thing I know for sure…running with the appropriate gear is totally overrated.
Run duration: 51 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 145 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 850.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Awesome present...
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
I’d spent the day thinking I would be going for a ride that evening. It was cold…in the 40’s, but I didn’t want to get on the trainer again after having gotten a taste of riding outdoors again. As I made my way to my car after work though, it was through raindrops. Bastards.
John was stopping by with a ‘pre-birthday’ present. I told him the bike was enough of a present for the next ten years…or couple of days…but he was insistent. I had time enough for a 1-hour ride on the trainer, so I plugged in ‘Lost’ and started riding. I finished as he was knocking on the door, so I went to let him in soaked to the bone.
“Dude…you seriously sweat way too much. You’re going to rust out my bike in…what…three summer rides?” He was absolutely right, but what the hell could I do? I am what I am…a sweaty man.
We ate some cheese and crackers and he gave me my present. The first was a little, battery-powered camping light like the one he’d gotten last year as a present and about which I’d teased him for its impractical nature. “I got two at the time…so I thought I’d burden you with one,” he said. Savannah was sitting at the table with us so I gave it to her. The second box held an altimeter watch…also like the one he’d gotten recently on my advice and which I wouldn’t be giving to anyone.
“I got you one because the directions for mine are too complicated for me to figure out and I know you’ll read the manual and give me a lesson,” he said. Now…that’s scary…me teaching the technical aspects of anything…but he was right. I’m better at it than him and I’m really excited about what the watch adds to the ability to know precisely where you are in the back country. It’s got a barometric pressure reading, an excellent compass, timer, watch, alarm and the ability to store the accumulated feet climbed during a trek…everything but a corkscrew. The instruction manual was in 17 languages and had print in it that would fit on the head of a pin. I had to take my contacts out and hold it an inch from my nose to read it…but I had it working pretty quickly. John had used his on our ride Sunday and was able to tell how many feet we’d climbed by the end of the ride…a very sweet tool I’m looking forward to using on my rides, hikes and bleacher workouts. I’ll keep you posted…
Bike duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 130 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 900.
I’d spent the day thinking I would be going for a ride that evening. It was cold…in the 40’s, but I didn’t want to get on the trainer again after having gotten a taste of riding outdoors again. As I made my way to my car after work though, it was through raindrops. Bastards.
John was stopping by with a ‘pre-birthday’ present. I told him the bike was enough of a present for the next ten years…or couple of days…but he was insistent. I had time enough for a 1-hour ride on the trainer, so I plugged in ‘Lost’ and started riding. I finished as he was knocking on the door, so I went to let him in soaked to the bone.
“Dude…you seriously sweat way too much. You’re going to rust out my bike in…what…three summer rides?” He was absolutely right, but what the hell could I do? I am what I am…a sweaty man.
We ate some cheese and crackers and he gave me my present. The first was a little, battery-powered camping light like the one he’d gotten last year as a present and about which I’d teased him for its impractical nature. “I got two at the time…so I thought I’d burden you with one,” he said. Savannah was sitting at the table with us so I gave it to her. The second box held an altimeter watch…also like the one he’d gotten recently on my advice and which I wouldn’t be giving to anyone.
“I got you one because the directions for mine are too complicated for me to figure out and I know you’ll read the manual and give me a lesson,” he said. Now…that’s scary…me teaching the technical aspects of anything…but he was right. I’m better at it than him and I’m really excited about what the watch adds to the ability to know precisely where you are in the back country. It’s got a barometric pressure reading, an excellent compass, timer, watch, alarm and the ability to store the accumulated feet climbed during a trek…everything but a corkscrew. The instruction manual was in 17 languages and had print in it that would fit on the head of a pin. I had to take my contacts out and hold it an inch from my nose to read it…but I had it working pretty quickly. John had used his on our ride Sunday and was able to tell how many feet we’d climbed by the end of the ride…a very sweet tool I’m looking forward to using on my rides, hikes and bleacher workouts. I’ll keep you posted…
Bike duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 130 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 900.
I hurt...
Monday, March 21, 2011
Since walking up and down the stairs at work was giving me trouble, I knew I was going to catch hell when I went for my run. I wasn’t wrong.
Two days of hard riding had left the muscles of my butt and thighs aching and fatigued. As soon as I began to run, I questioned my sanity…my legs were that tired. I couldn’t pick up my knees as high as I would in my normal running stride, so I went with more of a shuffle run while waiting for the muscles to loosen up…which they will after about 5 minutes of running. Someone forgot to tell them this.
I had to be careful because I was back on the hiking trails where roots, rocks and other trail protrusions have been placed to trip me up. My toes were dragging, making me more susceptible to tripping…something I do well when I’m running fresh. Uphills were the worst and the whole run seemed to be uphill. I wanted to whine, but no one was there to hear me…so I’m whining now. I hurt for the entire run…a 40-minute effort with my muscles never getting over their weak and tired feeling. Still…it was a great workout and I’m so happy to be back on the trails.
I went home and showered, then returned to the park to do a little antler hunting. Now I was really feeling the riding and running with every attempt to climb over fallen trees causing me anguish. I spent an hour in my futile pursuit before giving in to the fatigue and heading for home.
Somewhere around 10 p.m., Holly asked if I’d like to take a hike up to East Coast Custard. “Hell yeah,” I replied. She went to put on her shoes, but returned in five minutes to tell me she’d checked their web site only to find that they’d closed at 10 p.m. “That was a seriously cruel trick,” I told her and went to have some diet Iced Tea to assuage my sweet tooth…with little success.
Run duration: 40 minutes. Hike duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 140 biking. 80 hiking.
Calories burned during workout: 675 running. 250 hiking.
Since walking up and down the stairs at work was giving me trouble, I knew I was going to catch hell when I went for my run. I wasn’t wrong.
Two days of hard riding had left the muscles of my butt and thighs aching and fatigued. As soon as I began to run, I questioned my sanity…my legs were that tired. I couldn’t pick up my knees as high as I would in my normal running stride, so I went with more of a shuffle run while waiting for the muscles to loosen up…which they will after about 5 minutes of running. Someone forgot to tell them this.
I had to be careful because I was back on the hiking trails where roots, rocks and other trail protrusions have been placed to trip me up. My toes were dragging, making me more susceptible to tripping…something I do well when I’m running fresh. Uphills were the worst and the whole run seemed to be uphill. I wanted to whine, but no one was there to hear me…so I’m whining now. I hurt for the entire run…a 40-minute effort with my muscles never getting over their weak and tired feeling. Still…it was a great workout and I’m so happy to be back on the trails.
I went home and showered, then returned to the park to do a little antler hunting. Now I was really feeling the riding and running with every attempt to climb over fallen trees causing me anguish. I spent an hour in my futile pursuit before giving in to the fatigue and heading for home.
Somewhere around 10 p.m., Holly asked if I’d like to take a hike up to East Coast Custard. “Hell yeah,” I replied. She went to put on her shoes, but returned in five minutes to tell me she’d checked their web site only to find that they’d closed at 10 p.m. “That was a seriously cruel trick,” I told her and went to have some diet Iced Tea to assuage my sweet tooth…with little success.
Run duration: 40 minutes. Hike duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 140 biking. 80 hiking.
Calories burned during workout: 675 running. 250 hiking.
Getting my butt kicked...
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Riding your bike on a trainer, though similar to riding outdoors, is far from the same…and my muscles were reminding me. John and I headed out on what was a perfect riding day, but we hadn’t gone 5 minutes before the aches of yesterday’s ride were visiting me in earnest. When I ride on a trainer, I stay mostly in one position and don’t change the gear settings. The resistance remains a constant throughout and there are no hills, wind or traffic with which to contend.
Hills are the biggest difference because I get up out of the saddle and begin to pull with my legs on the upstroke and my arms on the handlebars. The muscles of my butt get a much better workout and since I’d spent almost two hours riding the day before…the first outdoor ride of the year…those muscles were screaming the loudest.
John was cruising ahead on his new, ultra-light bike. He’d been working out most of the winter…running and riding a stationary bike as well and was in great shape. I stayed within myself and let him go. We climbed Old Mill (category 5 climb John tells me…which means the easiest as hills are ranked…but hard enough to have a ranking) and I fell 20-30 seconds behind, but felt good. We rode out Pekin Road, turning around at the 17-mile mark, which had taken us an hour to reach. The return trip was much quicker with the 20 mph head wind now at our backs. I felt strong for the entire ride…my conditioning is good, but not very fast. John was toying with me and had to back off to keep me company.
Two days in a row of close to two hour rides had left me fatigued that evening…and with carbohydrate cravings that always seem to accompany hard training for me. I made it until about 10 p.m. before succumbing to the urge and went to the kitchen to make some chocolate pudding…to which I added about three tablespoons of peanut butter. Holly had a little dish of the ‘four serving’ dessert, but I wolfed the remainder. Still…I’m losing weight again and I know it’s just the increase of activity I always manage to get when the weather breaks.
Bike duration: 1 hour 55 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 130 biking.
Calories Burned: 1750
Riding your bike on a trainer, though similar to riding outdoors, is far from the same…and my muscles were reminding me. John and I headed out on what was a perfect riding day, but we hadn’t gone 5 minutes before the aches of yesterday’s ride were visiting me in earnest. When I ride on a trainer, I stay mostly in one position and don’t change the gear settings. The resistance remains a constant throughout and there are no hills, wind or traffic with which to contend.
Hills are the biggest difference because I get up out of the saddle and begin to pull with my legs on the upstroke and my arms on the handlebars. The muscles of my butt get a much better workout and since I’d spent almost two hours riding the day before…the first outdoor ride of the year…those muscles were screaming the loudest.
John was cruising ahead on his new, ultra-light bike. He’d been working out most of the winter…running and riding a stationary bike as well and was in great shape. I stayed within myself and let him go. We climbed Old Mill (category 5 climb John tells me…which means the easiest as hills are ranked…but hard enough to have a ranking) and I fell 20-30 seconds behind, but felt good. We rode out Pekin Road, turning around at the 17-mile mark, which had taken us an hour to reach. The return trip was much quicker with the 20 mph head wind now at our backs. I felt strong for the entire ride…my conditioning is good, but not very fast. John was toying with me and had to back off to keep me company.
Two days in a row of close to two hour rides had left me fatigued that evening…and with carbohydrate cravings that always seem to accompany hard training for me. I made it until about 10 p.m. before succumbing to the urge and went to the kitchen to make some chocolate pudding…to which I added about three tablespoons of peanut butter. Holly had a little dish of the ‘four serving’ dessert, but I wolfed the remainder. Still…I’m losing weight again and I know it’s just the increase of activity I always manage to get when the weather breaks.
Bike duration: 1 hour 55 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 130 biking.
Calories Burned: 1750
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Finally....an outdoor ride!
Saturday, March 19,2011
I started the morning with a hike into areas of the Metropark I or anyone seldom goes. There are no trails in the north eastern segment between River Road to the east and Chardon Road to the north and I followed a ridge leading out of a parking lot in that sector, making my way down to what appears to be an overgrown former apple orchard bordering River Road. It is full of briars and low shrubbery and the walking was very difficult, but I could see the deer made regular hikes through the area so I followed their trails and found…nothing. And the bastards took me through some of the worst briar patches I’ve ever tried to make my way through. I could hear them snickering in the distance…probably hiding their horns beneath a pile of old leaves or something.
After 90 minutes of fruitless searching, I drove the Honda to Dan’s place for a brake inspection. He drove it for about 10 minutes and said, “yup…you need brakes,”. I asked him when he could do the job and he told me as soon as I got him the car. He was going to check all the things Willoughby Hills Auto told me was wrong, as well. “I could get it out here later today and then ride my bike home,” I suggested and he agreed.
So…now I was committed to riding…and the temperatures were in the high 30’s. Still, I had to ride home from Dan’s or ride the trainer afterwards, so the cold was looking warmer all the time. I loaded the bike into the Honda, put on a long and a short-sleeved t-shirt, my rain pants over my biking shorts, two pairs of socks and headed back to Dan’s.
The sun had broken out as I unloaded the bike for the ride home and completed my cold weather gear selection. I put on a stocking cap under my helmet, booties over my riding shoes, pulled on my gloves and was ready to go. I was actually kind of warm…a bad sign when not pedaling, and wondered if I should lose the hat. I kept it on and started out…uphill. I was sweating in 5 minutes, but once I hit level ground and started creating a wind chill, I was happy with the outfit. I’d decided to take the long route home, which is 30 miles or so and felt pretty strong for the ride…a real positive sign for my first outdoor ride of the season. I did get a little cold when descending to River Road down Fairmount as I hit speeds a little over 40mph and into the wind.
I finished the ride feeling pretty good, overall. It was my first ride on John’s old bike and it fit me perfectly. The aluminum frame must be a little more forgiving because I didn’t feel as beat up after two hours of riding. Everything about the bike was just a little different than the Univega, so I’ll need a couple of more rides to make all the adjustments…which I’ll be making tomorrow when John and I hook up so he can spank me with his new, carbon-fiber, high tech racing bike.
Bike duration: 1 hour 55 minutes. Hike duration: 80 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 130 biking. 90 hiking.
Calories burned during workout: 1750 biking. 350 hiking.
I started the morning with a hike into areas of the Metropark I or anyone seldom goes. There are no trails in the north eastern segment between River Road to the east and Chardon Road to the north and I followed a ridge leading out of a parking lot in that sector, making my way down to what appears to be an overgrown former apple orchard bordering River Road. It is full of briars and low shrubbery and the walking was very difficult, but I could see the deer made regular hikes through the area so I followed their trails and found…nothing. And the bastards took me through some of the worst briar patches I’ve ever tried to make my way through. I could hear them snickering in the distance…probably hiding their horns beneath a pile of old leaves or something.
After 90 minutes of fruitless searching, I drove the Honda to Dan’s place for a brake inspection. He drove it for about 10 minutes and said, “yup…you need brakes,”. I asked him when he could do the job and he told me as soon as I got him the car. He was going to check all the things Willoughby Hills Auto told me was wrong, as well. “I could get it out here later today and then ride my bike home,” I suggested and he agreed.
So…now I was committed to riding…and the temperatures were in the high 30’s. Still, I had to ride home from Dan’s or ride the trainer afterwards, so the cold was looking warmer all the time. I loaded the bike into the Honda, put on a long and a short-sleeved t-shirt, my rain pants over my biking shorts, two pairs of socks and headed back to Dan’s.
The sun had broken out as I unloaded the bike for the ride home and completed my cold weather gear selection. I put on a stocking cap under my helmet, booties over my riding shoes, pulled on my gloves and was ready to go. I was actually kind of warm…a bad sign when not pedaling, and wondered if I should lose the hat. I kept it on and started out…uphill. I was sweating in 5 minutes, but once I hit level ground and started creating a wind chill, I was happy with the outfit. I’d decided to take the long route home, which is 30 miles or so and felt pretty strong for the ride…a real positive sign for my first outdoor ride of the season. I did get a little cold when descending to River Road down Fairmount as I hit speeds a little over 40mph and into the wind.
I finished the ride feeling pretty good, overall. It was my first ride on John’s old bike and it fit me perfectly. The aluminum frame must be a little more forgiving because I didn’t feel as beat up after two hours of riding. Everything about the bike was just a little different than the Univega, so I’ll need a couple of more rides to make all the adjustments…which I’ll be making tomorrow when John and I hook up so he can spank me with his new, carbon-fiber, high tech racing bike.
Bike duration: 1 hour 55 minutes. Hike duration: 80 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 130 biking. 90 hiking.
Calories burned during workout: 1750 biking. 350 hiking.
Monday, March 21, 2011
First trail run of the year...
Friday, March 18, 2011
After a really warm, sunny St. Patrick’s Day, I figured there was a good chance that the trails would be snow free and reasonably passable for a good run. I mean so what that a couple of feet of snow had fallen and melted in the last two weeks…oh and some of which had been washed away by three inches of rain, which had led to major flooding. None of those things would mean that the trails would be muddy, slippery or completely submerged in some areas…right?
I was actually thinking they’d be clear as I began the run. Me…someone who prides themselves on knowing the North Chagrin Reservation pretty well after running and hiking about 10,000 miles there over the last 30 years. Seriously…what was I thinking?
I guess I’m just tired of waiting, so off I went. I started on the Clear Creek trail knowing that I’d only do about 20 minutes of it and then reversing for my 40-minute run. Actually…the first part of the trail was reasonably dry. In fact, I made it to the 120-second mark before I hit the first section that attempted to suck my shoes from my feet. After that…who cares? I did skip a couple of sections by just running into the woods…and getting slapped in the face by saplings when I wasn’t tripping over them. On my return trip, I hit one particularly slippery section and faster than you can say “hey…that asshole is covered in mud,”… I was covered in mud. Which is really just something cool that chicks dig…especially when you mix in some blood as I did…so I was okay with it.
Bottom line? I did my first trail run and saw mostly dirt. There were some spots with ice, but very few. If you’re going to run them though…do it with shoes you don’t care really care about.
Run duration: 40 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 145 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 675.
After a really warm, sunny St. Patrick’s Day, I figured there was a good chance that the trails would be snow free and reasonably passable for a good run. I mean so what that a couple of feet of snow had fallen and melted in the last two weeks…oh and some of which had been washed away by three inches of rain, which had led to major flooding. None of those things would mean that the trails would be muddy, slippery or completely submerged in some areas…right?
I was actually thinking they’d be clear as I began the run. Me…someone who prides themselves on knowing the North Chagrin Reservation pretty well after running and hiking about 10,000 miles there over the last 30 years. Seriously…what was I thinking?
I guess I’m just tired of waiting, so off I went. I started on the Clear Creek trail knowing that I’d only do about 20 minutes of it and then reversing for my 40-minute run. Actually…the first part of the trail was reasonably dry. In fact, I made it to the 120-second mark before I hit the first section that attempted to suck my shoes from my feet. After that…who cares? I did skip a couple of sections by just running into the woods…and getting slapped in the face by saplings when I wasn’t tripping over them. On my return trip, I hit one particularly slippery section and faster than you can say “hey…that asshole is covered in mud,”… I was covered in mud. Which is really just something cool that chicks dig…especially when you mix in some blood as I did…so I was okay with it.
Bottom line? I did my first trail run and saw mostly dirt. There were some spots with ice, but very few. If you’re going to run them though…do it with shoes you don’t care really care about.
Run duration: 40 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 145 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 675.
The day of Green was kind of blue...
Thursday, March 17, 2011
I didn’t do anything on St. Pat’s and since my cousin Donnie was in town, I’d like to blame it on him. We started the day with a breakfast at Kliefeld’s where I had an order of pancakes, which I smothered in butter and fake syrup (real maple syrup was not an option). I gave some thought to taking a trip downtown so we could get the best corned beef in Cleveland at Slyman’s, but figured they’d be slammed with fake Irish people. I can say that because I’m real Irish…sort of.
My mom was a fifty percenter by way of her mom…Helen O’Brien (she’s my grandma that will be celebrating her 106th birthday this June). Anyway, my mom wore her Irish well all year, but went a little goofy on St. Patrick’s Day, making everything we put in our mouths green. I thought it was pretty cool, but it freaked Holly out the first time she came to our house on March 17th and she’s still getting therapy from the damage it caused.
I also spent 18 St. Patrick’s Days helping to play host to Cleveland biggest and oldest celebration at the Cleveland Athletic Club. Work a couple of those parties with the drunken Irish and you qualify to say anything you want to. Donnie has the same Irish genes, but doesn’t really get into it, so I didn’t think it was worth the trouble to go downtown and fight the crowd. Besides, we were planning on going to the Perry Am Vets who were doing a dinner in my brother Jim’s honor later that night and we’d get our corned beef then.
I work with people who are often times suffering with Clinical Depression and understand something of its debilitating nature. I seemed to spend this St. Patrick’s Day trying to put myself there. Donnie and I have been best friends almost from birth. I’m nine months older, so we grew up together…whenever the cousins got together. We lived together for a while after high school and have so many shared memories…particularly of those closest to us that have died. His dad…my special uncle, my dad and mom…his aunt and uncle, grandfather, his sister, and of course…my brother Jim. It’s hard for us to get together and not talk about these people and the great memories we have of them, but to lament…in some cases…why they went so soon. We visited my parents’ cemetery site over the course of the day and finished with dinner at the Am Vets, which we both agreed was a rather depressing affair.
What I really needed was a good work out, but never found the time. I probably could have used a drink and I likely was the only person of Irish heritage in a bar that day that didn’t have one. Oh well…and Jim and mom…these next lines are for you.
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
I didn’t do anything on St. Pat’s and since my cousin Donnie was in town, I’d like to blame it on him. We started the day with a breakfast at Kliefeld’s where I had an order of pancakes, which I smothered in butter and fake syrup (real maple syrup was not an option). I gave some thought to taking a trip downtown so we could get the best corned beef in Cleveland at Slyman’s, but figured they’d be slammed with fake Irish people. I can say that because I’m real Irish…sort of.
My mom was a fifty percenter by way of her mom…Helen O’Brien (she’s my grandma that will be celebrating her 106th birthday this June). Anyway, my mom wore her Irish well all year, but went a little goofy on St. Patrick’s Day, making everything we put in our mouths green. I thought it was pretty cool, but it freaked Holly out the first time she came to our house on March 17th and she’s still getting therapy from the damage it caused.
I also spent 18 St. Patrick’s Days helping to play host to Cleveland biggest and oldest celebration at the Cleveland Athletic Club. Work a couple of those parties with the drunken Irish and you qualify to say anything you want to. Donnie has the same Irish genes, but doesn’t really get into it, so I didn’t think it was worth the trouble to go downtown and fight the crowd. Besides, we were planning on going to the Perry Am Vets who were doing a dinner in my brother Jim’s honor later that night and we’d get our corned beef then.
I work with people who are often times suffering with Clinical Depression and understand something of its debilitating nature. I seemed to spend this St. Patrick’s Day trying to put myself there. Donnie and I have been best friends almost from birth. I’m nine months older, so we grew up together…whenever the cousins got together. We lived together for a while after high school and have so many shared memories…particularly of those closest to us that have died. His dad…my special uncle, my dad and mom…his aunt and uncle, grandfather, his sister, and of course…my brother Jim. It’s hard for us to get together and not talk about these people and the great memories we have of them, but to lament…in some cases…why they went so soon. We visited my parents’ cemetery site over the course of the day and finished with dinner at the Am Vets, which we both agreed was a rather depressing affair.
What I really needed was a good work out, but never found the time. I probably could have used a drink and I likely was the only person of Irish heritage in a bar that day that didn’t have one. Oh well…and Jim and mom…these next lines are for you.
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Still running the roads...
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
The trails continue to be either covered with ice or under water in many spots, so I once again turned to the roads for my run. I start in the Metropark at least so that I’ve got something to see and then hit River Road, which as roads go is rather scenic. I ran past the marsh on River Road and noticed a large, dead animal about 10 feet in from the road’s edge. It was a beaver. He must have been trying to cross the road by his dam…there’s a pond on the other side…and gotten hit. I believe there is an entire family in the marsh…at least I hope so. I’m planning to get down there and take some pictures soon, so I’ll know then.
I ran the same course I did on Monday and decided to challenge myself to do it a little faster, but found myself at the turn-around about 15 seconds slower. Well…this would provide a good opportunity for a negative split (second half of a run faster than the first half) and since I was a full minute slower on the second half on Monday, I figured it would provide a good workout.
I succeeded in returning faster and it actually felt pretty easy. I know I’m slower than I was in the fall when I was running regularly and I suspect I’ve put on 4-5 pounds of winter weight…which I’ll peel off in the next 4 weeks before the birthday triathlon. I know I’ve not been as disciplined with what I eat since the holidays…they always throw me for a loop…so now is the time to get back on track. Well…maybe after St. Patrick’s Day…
Run duration: 40 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 145 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 675.
The trails continue to be either covered with ice or under water in many spots, so I once again turned to the roads for my run. I start in the Metropark at least so that I’ve got something to see and then hit River Road, which as roads go is rather scenic. I ran past the marsh on River Road and noticed a large, dead animal about 10 feet in from the road’s edge. It was a beaver. He must have been trying to cross the road by his dam…there’s a pond on the other side…and gotten hit. I believe there is an entire family in the marsh…at least I hope so. I’m planning to get down there and take some pictures soon, so I’ll know then.
I ran the same course I did on Monday and decided to challenge myself to do it a little faster, but found myself at the turn-around about 15 seconds slower. Well…this would provide a good opportunity for a negative split (second half of a run faster than the first half) and since I was a full minute slower on the second half on Monday, I figured it would provide a good workout.
I succeeded in returning faster and it actually felt pretty easy. I know I’m slower than I was in the fall when I was running regularly and I suspect I’ve put on 4-5 pounds of winter weight…which I’ll peel off in the next 4 weeks before the birthday triathlon. I know I’ve not been as disciplined with what I eat since the holidays…they always throw me for a loop…so now is the time to get back on track. Well…maybe after St. Patrick’s Day…
Run duration: 40 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 145 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 675.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Giving something up...
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
For me, Lent has become a time of self-improvement. Growing up Catholic, I knew I was supposed to give something up and went through the exercise…pretty unsuccessfully…every year. The nuns (I went to parochial school for the first eight years) would constantly remind us to stick with whatever we’d given up during the week and on the weekends, the priest would bash us over the head from the pulpit. I knew my mom would do things like giving up drinking or chocolate, but when Lent was over, so was the ‘giving up’.
Holly was Episcopalian and once we got married and kids came along, I’d go to her church where the minister seemed to have a slightly different approach. “Change something about yourself for the better and keep doing it…forever,” was the basic message. For a guy who struggled with doing something good for forty day, this seemed like a bazaar concept, but I’ve tried. You know…stuff like Thumper’s dad recommended…”if you can’t say something nice about someone…don’t say nothing at all.” Umm…right Thumper’s dad.
I’m trying to make sure I do something aerobic every day in Lent this year. That means no days off (hiking won’t count since I define aerobic as getting my heart rate into my training zone for at least 20 minutes). Technically, Sunday is not one of the forty days of Lent, but I’ll try to maintain it anyway. It will be tough, but so far, so good. And even though it’s not something I’ll change about myself for the rest of my life, it does get me focusing on not taking the easy road some days…which is something I can maintain.
And I’m also trying that thing Thumper’s dad talked about…but I suppose I’ll probably end up saying ‘nothing at all.’
Bike duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 130 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 900.
For me, Lent has become a time of self-improvement. Growing up Catholic, I knew I was supposed to give something up and went through the exercise…pretty unsuccessfully…every year. The nuns (I went to parochial school for the first eight years) would constantly remind us to stick with whatever we’d given up during the week and on the weekends, the priest would bash us over the head from the pulpit. I knew my mom would do things like giving up drinking or chocolate, but when Lent was over, so was the ‘giving up’.
Holly was Episcopalian and once we got married and kids came along, I’d go to her church where the minister seemed to have a slightly different approach. “Change something about yourself for the better and keep doing it…forever,” was the basic message. For a guy who struggled with doing something good for forty day, this seemed like a bazaar concept, but I’ve tried. You know…stuff like Thumper’s dad recommended…”if you can’t say something nice about someone…don’t say nothing at all.” Umm…right Thumper’s dad.
I’m trying to make sure I do something aerobic every day in Lent this year. That means no days off (hiking won’t count since I define aerobic as getting my heart rate into my training zone for at least 20 minutes). Technically, Sunday is not one of the forty days of Lent, but I’ll try to maintain it anyway. It will be tough, but so far, so good. And even though it’s not something I’ll change about myself for the rest of my life, it does get me focusing on not taking the easy road some days…which is something I can maintain.
And I’m also trying that thing Thumper’s dad talked about…but I suppose I’ll probably end up saying ‘nothing at all.’
Bike duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 130 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 900.
Fresh meat...
Monday, March 14, 2011
I have a new project and guinea pig. The friend I mentioned in Thursday’s blog who is looking to lose 70 pounds and begin a program of regular exercise, showed up for her step test and program design. The step test is 3 minutes long and involves continues stepping up and down on a 12” box. At the conclusion of three minutes, the subject sits down and the heart rate is measured for the next 60 seconds. This creates a baseline of fitness against which progress can be measured over the lifetime of the exercise program.
“You just have to try to keep pace with the metronome while stepping. It’s not too fast…92 steps per minute…but if it is too difficult to keep up, just sit down and I’ll note the time and take your pulse,” I said as I stepped up and down, keeping time with the metronome.
“I don’t know if I’m going to be able to keep this up,” she commented after about 45 seconds of stepping. “Don’t kill yourself…if you have to stop – stop,” I said. She kept going, but knew her limitations and stopped after 90 seconds and sat down. I found her pulse and counted for the next 60 seconds.
“Well…your heart rate was around 150 beats when you stopped and was 116 for the whole minute,” I said as I finished counting. “Which means what?” she asked. Nothing very good…as conditioning goes. “You’re picking up an extra 70 pounds and putting it on top of a box 12 inches high. Your heart rate shot up quickly and stayed there because it had to work pretty hard to lift that weight. Two things are going to happen to change that…one is you’ll be losing weight and the other is that you’ll be making your heart stronger through the aerobic exercise I’m going to have you doing so it can handle more and harder work in the future,” I said.
We spent the next 30 minutes creating a six-week walking program that gradually increased the time and intensity of the workout. We mixed in some work on an elliptical machine she owns, but isn’t crazy about using and in the fifth week, I added some hills and steps to the training to vary the intensity. I also had her walking on dirt paths and uneven trails to help with the strengthening of her legs, hips and balancing muscles. At the end of the six weeks, she’ll return for another step test and the next six-week program.
I’ve also hooked her up with my partner, Bob Iafelice, to get her nutrition counseling and to begin attending his ‘Lat-In-Shape’ class in Fairport, which I told her she can substitute for whatever walking I had her doing on that day. “…or you could do both and get bonus calories burned off.” We’ll be talking long-term goals too, and she’s planning on doing a 5K road run in September, “which you’ll be running,” I told her.
I hit the road for my run again. I can’t remember when I’ve seen the trails so sloppy…these last two snowfalls have really done them in. I ran for 40 minutes with nothing really hurting…I must be doing something wrong.
Run duration: 40 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 145 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 675.
I have a new project and guinea pig. The friend I mentioned in Thursday’s blog who is looking to lose 70 pounds and begin a program of regular exercise, showed up for her step test and program design. The step test is 3 minutes long and involves continues stepping up and down on a 12” box. At the conclusion of three minutes, the subject sits down and the heart rate is measured for the next 60 seconds. This creates a baseline of fitness against which progress can be measured over the lifetime of the exercise program.
“You just have to try to keep pace with the metronome while stepping. It’s not too fast…92 steps per minute…but if it is too difficult to keep up, just sit down and I’ll note the time and take your pulse,” I said as I stepped up and down, keeping time with the metronome.
“I don’t know if I’m going to be able to keep this up,” she commented after about 45 seconds of stepping. “Don’t kill yourself…if you have to stop – stop,” I said. She kept going, but knew her limitations and stopped after 90 seconds and sat down. I found her pulse and counted for the next 60 seconds.
“Well…your heart rate was around 150 beats when you stopped and was 116 for the whole minute,” I said as I finished counting. “Which means what?” she asked. Nothing very good…as conditioning goes. “You’re picking up an extra 70 pounds and putting it on top of a box 12 inches high. Your heart rate shot up quickly and stayed there because it had to work pretty hard to lift that weight. Two things are going to happen to change that…one is you’ll be losing weight and the other is that you’ll be making your heart stronger through the aerobic exercise I’m going to have you doing so it can handle more and harder work in the future,” I said.
We spent the next 30 minutes creating a six-week walking program that gradually increased the time and intensity of the workout. We mixed in some work on an elliptical machine she owns, but isn’t crazy about using and in the fifth week, I added some hills and steps to the training to vary the intensity. I also had her walking on dirt paths and uneven trails to help with the strengthening of her legs, hips and balancing muscles. At the end of the six weeks, she’ll return for another step test and the next six-week program.
I’ve also hooked her up with my partner, Bob Iafelice, to get her nutrition counseling and to begin attending his ‘Lat-In-Shape’ class in Fairport, which I told her she can substitute for whatever walking I had her doing on that day. “…or you could do both and get bonus calories burned off.” We’ll be talking long-term goals too, and she’s planning on doing a 5K road run in September, “which you’ll be running,” I told her.
I hit the road for my run again. I can’t remember when I’ve seen the trails so sloppy…these last two snowfalls have really done them in. I ran for 40 minutes with nothing really hurting…I must be doing something wrong.
Run duration: 40 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 145 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 675.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Records are meant to be broken...sometimes.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
I started the morning by trying to a little hiking in the Metroparks. The snow was beginning to melt, but there was still 8-10 inches on the snow and a swamp beneath it. I tried climbing one ridge behind Squire’s Castle, but found myself slipping back on the saturated earth/mud just beneath the snow cover. It was pretty miserable hiking, but I kept at it until Jack called to tell me he needed to be picked up.
I came home and put an hour on the bike while watching a video on Baseball’s most unbreakable records. Baseball, unlike the three other major professional sports, is a game of statistics and its records are sacred. Like any records though…they are made to be broken though some, like Babe Ruth’s single season home run record of 60, was thought of so passionately by Major League Baseball that when Roger Maris broke it in 1961, baseball’s commissioner attached an asterisk to his new record because Maris had the advantage of playing in a regular season made up of 162 games, 8 more than the 154 Ruth had played in. Maris’ record breaking homer came in game 162…the last of the season (by the way…one of the great sports movies of all time is Roger’s 1961 season and the pursuit of this fabled record called simply “61”. Non-baseball/sports fans can enjoy it, too, as it is a great story about stress, society, the pressures of the press and the issues of challenging an American icon).
Roger Clemens…now tainted by the steroid scandal…narrates. The program was filmed in 2006…before he and Barry Bonds, among others, came tumbling down from their steroid inflated baseball statistical heights. It’s a great program for baseball purist and the top ten picks were selected by current and former major league players, some in the Hall of Fame, as well as managers and members of the news media. I don’t have an argument with any of their choices, though we disagree on the record most unlikely to be broken. The program identifies Cal Ripken’s incredible consecutive games played streak – 2632, where I’ve selected Cy Young’s 511 wins. I know it is unlikely that anyone will again be so good, injury-free, and have such longevity as to challenge Cal’s record, but it could happen. Cy Young’s record, on the other hand, is safe unless the way the game is played is changed. Pitchers no longer start 50 games a year. Pitching rotations are made up of 5-man rosters, not 4 as in Cy’s day…thus negating the chance to pitch in enough games to challenge his record. We’ll be lucky to see pitchers winning 300 games of the course of their careers in the future. Anyway…great program and it kept me going for an hour.
Our neighbors were having a pre-St. Patrick’s Day feast, but we couldn’t get over because of our own Sunday night family dinner. They stopped by after though, and brought us some fantastic soda bread, which I smothered in butter. I’d already eaten too much for the day and didn’t need the additional calories…but what the hell. They also informed me that the giant buck with the rack to die for still has his antlers. They’d seen him in their back yard earlier in the day. Looks like I’ve got some more neighborhood prowling to do.
Hike duration: 45 minutes. Bike duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 90 bpm hiking, 130 bpm biking.
Calories burned during workout: 225 hiking. 900 biking.
I started the morning by trying to a little hiking in the Metroparks. The snow was beginning to melt, but there was still 8-10 inches on the snow and a swamp beneath it. I tried climbing one ridge behind Squire’s Castle, but found myself slipping back on the saturated earth/mud just beneath the snow cover. It was pretty miserable hiking, but I kept at it until Jack called to tell me he needed to be picked up.
I came home and put an hour on the bike while watching a video on Baseball’s most unbreakable records. Baseball, unlike the three other major professional sports, is a game of statistics and its records are sacred. Like any records though…they are made to be broken though some, like Babe Ruth’s single season home run record of 60, was thought of so passionately by Major League Baseball that when Roger Maris broke it in 1961, baseball’s commissioner attached an asterisk to his new record because Maris had the advantage of playing in a regular season made up of 162 games, 8 more than the 154 Ruth had played in. Maris’ record breaking homer came in game 162…the last of the season (by the way…one of the great sports movies of all time is Roger’s 1961 season and the pursuit of this fabled record called simply “61”. Non-baseball/sports fans can enjoy it, too, as it is a great story about stress, society, the pressures of the press and the issues of challenging an American icon).
Roger Clemens…now tainted by the steroid scandal…narrates. The program was filmed in 2006…before he and Barry Bonds, among others, came tumbling down from their steroid inflated baseball statistical heights. It’s a great program for baseball purist and the top ten picks were selected by current and former major league players, some in the Hall of Fame, as well as managers and members of the news media. I don’t have an argument with any of their choices, though we disagree on the record most unlikely to be broken. The program identifies Cal Ripken’s incredible consecutive games played streak – 2632, where I’ve selected Cy Young’s 511 wins. I know it is unlikely that anyone will again be so good, injury-free, and have such longevity as to challenge Cal’s record, but it could happen. Cy Young’s record, on the other hand, is safe unless the way the game is played is changed. Pitchers no longer start 50 games a year. Pitching rotations are made up of 5-man rosters, not 4 as in Cy’s day…thus negating the chance to pitch in enough games to challenge his record. We’ll be lucky to see pitchers winning 300 games of the course of their careers in the future. Anyway…great program and it kept me going for an hour.
Our neighbors were having a pre-St. Patrick’s Day feast, but we couldn’t get over because of our own Sunday night family dinner. They stopped by after though, and brought us some fantastic soda bread, which I smothered in butter. I’d already eaten too much for the day and didn’t need the additional calories…but what the hell. They also informed me that the giant buck with the rack to die for still has his antlers. They’d seen him in their back yard earlier in the day. Looks like I’ve got some more neighborhood prowling to do.
Hike duration: 45 minutes. Bike duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 90 bpm hiking, 130 bpm biking.
Calories burned during workout: 225 hiking. 900 biking.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Time for a new bike...
Saturday, March 12, 2011
I’d put an hour on the trainer by the time John arrived. He was coming over so we could scope out new bikes for him. He had decided that he’d like something new and that I should take his Trek 1400 to replace the Univega I’d rusted through. “There is no way that bike is safe to ride,” he’d said earlier in the year when observing the rust I’d managed to build up on the key structural parts of the bike. I’d purchased the bike used when I was on a vacation in Michigan about six years ago and had the Kirk I was riding disintegrate beneath me. I’d taken it to a local bike store where the owner looked over the damage.
“I’ve never seen a bike rust out like this…you must sweat a hell of a lot,” he’d said.
“Yeah…I do…and this is the second frame I’ve done this to over the last twenty years and I’m guessing it won’t be the last one, either.”
We took a trip to Eddy’s Bikes where I was put through sticker shock. John was looking for an aggressive triathlon bike, compact and built for speed. He wanted a carbon-fiber, light weight racing bicycle…something with all the advantages he’d need to keep up with my aging ass on our long rides. After view a couple in the $3,000 range, I knew he was going to be kicking my butt. The bikes in this range built out would run in the 16-pound range, or about eight less than mine. That doesn’t seem like a lot…and maybe it isn’t on level ground, but when climbing hills it would be a huge advantage. “If I get one of these, I won’t have to be in as good of shape as you’re in,” he boasted. He’s probably right…which makes me crazy, but will increase my motivation for this summer and I’ll make sure to put in extra mileage. I don’t like getting dusted.
Bike duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 130 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 900.
I’d put an hour on the trainer by the time John arrived. He was coming over so we could scope out new bikes for him. He had decided that he’d like something new and that I should take his Trek 1400 to replace the Univega I’d rusted through. “There is no way that bike is safe to ride,” he’d said earlier in the year when observing the rust I’d managed to build up on the key structural parts of the bike. I’d purchased the bike used when I was on a vacation in Michigan about six years ago and had the Kirk I was riding disintegrate beneath me. I’d taken it to a local bike store where the owner looked over the damage.
“I’ve never seen a bike rust out like this…you must sweat a hell of a lot,” he’d said.
“Yeah…I do…and this is the second frame I’ve done this to over the last twenty years and I’m guessing it won’t be the last one, either.”
We took a trip to Eddy’s Bikes where I was put through sticker shock. John was looking for an aggressive triathlon bike, compact and built for speed. He wanted a carbon-fiber, light weight racing bicycle…something with all the advantages he’d need to keep up with my aging ass on our long rides. After view a couple in the $3,000 range, I knew he was going to be kicking my butt. The bikes in this range built out would run in the 16-pound range, or about eight less than mine. That doesn’t seem like a lot…and maybe it isn’t on level ground, but when climbing hills it would be a huge advantage. “If I get one of these, I won’t have to be in as good of shape as you’re in,” he boasted. He’s probably right…which makes me crazy, but will increase my motivation for this summer and I’ll make sure to put in extra mileage. I don’t like getting dusted.
Bike duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 130 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 900.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
"That's not snow...it's concrete!"
Friday, March 11, 2011
It’s never a good thing to hear snowplows around 1 a.m. and every hour after that until its time to get up in the morning. The call cancelling school came around 6:30 a.m., so I knew it had to be bad. Mayfield is already over the limit and any further snow days will have to be made up at the end of the year…something they couldn’t possibly want to do. Since Holly’s van was still at Dan’s getting fixed, I was planning on driving her to work in Beachwood and she didn’t need to get there until 9 a.m. It was 7 a.m. and that would leave me with plenty of time to shovel the drive…right?
I opened the garage door, watching for daylight to start shining in as it went up. When it was up over a foot and all I could see was snow…I figured Holly would be late and I’d be later.
I grabbed my pushing shovel and tried to make my path down the middle of our double drive, as I always did. I went about six inches and stopped. To coin a phrase of a friend about shoveling this stuff, “it was like shoveling cement.” I reached for my throwing shovel and began my attack.
I suppose the most annoying thing about sticky snow is that it likes to stick to your shovel. That’s a great thing because you get to pick it up and move it twice…which was what I really wanted to do. I spent the next two hours shoveling only to find that the half I’d shoveled had two inches of new snow on it before I’d finished the second half. I shoveled this and then drove Holly to work. When I returned after a couple of hours, I had another three inches to deal with. I moved that and decided there was no point in doing anything else until the snow stopped falling.
After calling clients from home and rescheduling them for next week, I decided to put in some time on the trainer. I’d already burned a ton of calories and wanted to pile on some more. I managed an hour, took a shower and headed back out for my last push before having to go pick up Holly. There was another couple of inches and I’m guessing that we ended up somewhere in the 15-inch neighborhood and that I’d spent three hours shoveling…easily the toughest day of the winter.
Bike duration: 60 minutes. Shoveling duration: Infinity…plus one minute.
Training Heart Rate: 130 bpm biking. 150 bpm shoveling snow.
Calories burned during workout: 900 biking. 2,100 shoveling snow.
It’s never a good thing to hear snowplows around 1 a.m. and every hour after that until its time to get up in the morning. The call cancelling school came around 6:30 a.m., so I knew it had to be bad. Mayfield is already over the limit and any further snow days will have to be made up at the end of the year…something they couldn’t possibly want to do. Since Holly’s van was still at Dan’s getting fixed, I was planning on driving her to work in Beachwood and she didn’t need to get there until 9 a.m. It was 7 a.m. and that would leave me with plenty of time to shovel the drive…right?
I opened the garage door, watching for daylight to start shining in as it went up. When it was up over a foot and all I could see was snow…I figured Holly would be late and I’d be later.
I grabbed my pushing shovel and tried to make my path down the middle of our double drive, as I always did. I went about six inches and stopped. To coin a phrase of a friend about shoveling this stuff, “it was like shoveling cement.” I reached for my throwing shovel and began my attack.
I suppose the most annoying thing about sticky snow is that it likes to stick to your shovel. That’s a great thing because you get to pick it up and move it twice…which was what I really wanted to do. I spent the next two hours shoveling only to find that the half I’d shoveled had two inches of new snow on it before I’d finished the second half. I shoveled this and then drove Holly to work. When I returned after a couple of hours, I had another three inches to deal with. I moved that and decided there was no point in doing anything else until the snow stopped falling.
After calling clients from home and rescheduling them for next week, I decided to put in some time on the trainer. I’d already burned a ton of calories and wanted to pile on some more. I managed an hour, took a shower and headed back out for my last push before having to go pick up Holly. There was another couple of inches and I’m guessing that we ended up somewhere in the 15-inch neighborhood and that I’d spent three hours shoveling…easily the toughest day of the winter.
Bike duration: 60 minutes. Shoveling duration: Infinity…plus one minute.
Training Heart Rate: 130 bpm biking. 150 bpm shoveling snow.
Calories burned during workout: 900 biking. 2,100 shoveling snow.
Trying to cope with self-destructive behavior.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
I met an old friend from my teaching days for dinner. We do this every couple of months just to catch up. She gets me up to date with Fieldstone Farm, the place Jim and I used to work and where I served as the Vocational Trainer for the high school students attending school there. She knows all about my background as a fitness trainer and this night, was interested in getting my help.
“John…I’ve got to get back on my diet and lose all the weight I’ve gained…which is over 70 pounds,” she said, explaining the diet low in refined sugar and carbs she used to follow. It didn’t sound like the greatest diet, but it had worked for her for over four years, but like so many of us, some stressful events occurred in her life…and food became the antidote. “I know I want to lose the weight and that I shouldn’t eat like I am…as I’m doing it. It’s like I’m trying to self-destruct.”
I hear the same story from Holly lately, too, and I’ve heard it hundreds of times over the years. In fact…it was me a little over a year ago when I began writing the blog and redefining my goals.
“Of course I’ll help you. You know I’m all about goal-setting and baselines so let’s get together on Tuesday and I’ll give you the step test and we’ll map out a short-term program for the next eight weeks to put you on the path. I think you ought to see my nutritionist friend about your wacky diet, too, and grab the book ‘You on a Diet’ and start reading. I think a lot of the issues you have with your eating issues are addressed in there and it will give you a better understanding of your self-destructive nature as well as some tools for dealing with them,” I said.
She’s a horse person and likes outdoor activity, though she has a elliptical machine and has used it with some success. “I still think you need to set some kind of goal to do something…kind of like how I set a trip to the Adirondacks and then need to be in shape to do the climbing. It gives you a deadline and I’ll map out the strategy to get you there. We’ll start with a fun hike in the Metroparks after I give you the step test on Tuesday. Bring some boots…it’ll be muddy, but that will make it a better workout,” I concluded.
For her, as for almost anyone, its about changing behavior…permanently. If you don’t…you revert. It will be a challenge for us both, but I’m looking forward to it.
I didn’t get in too much of a workout because of the dinner, though. Still, I managed a 45-minute hike before and when I got home to find that Holly was out walking, decided to try and meet up with her. The snow was beginning to fall and the wind was blowing hard. The sidewalks were already slippery. I headed in the reverse direction of our normal walk, figuring I’d find her heading my way somewhere along the path, but of course she’d chosen to go in an entirely different direction and we never crossed. I managed to add another 25 minutes to my walking time, which felt pretty good since I’d wolfed down two large, juicy pork chops and a sweet potato slathered in some kind of sweet buttered, topping for dinner. I could tell that I was likely to have a good workout the following morning too, since the snow was wet, sticky and supposedly coming in large quantities.
Hike duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 75 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 250.
I met an old friend from my teaching days for dinner. We do this every couple of months just to catch up. She gets me up to date with Fieldstone Farm, the place Jim and I used to work and where I served as the Vocational Trainer for the high school students attending school there. She knows all about my background as a fitness trainer and this night, was interested in getting my help.
“John…I’ve got to get back on my diet and lose all the weight I’ve gained…which is over 70 pounds,” she said, explaining the diet low in refined sugar and carbs she used to follow. It didn’t sound like the greatest diet, but it had worked for her for over four years, but like so many of us, some stressful events occurred in her life…and food became the antidote. “I know I want to lose the weight and that I shouldn’t eat like I am…as I’m doing it. It’s like I’m trying to self-destruct.”
I hear the same story from Holly lately, too, and I’ve heard it hundreds of times over the years. In fact…it was me a little over a year ago when I began writing the blog and redefining my goals.
“Of course I’ll help you. You know I’m all about goal-setting and baselines so let’s get together on Tuesday and I’ll give you the step test and we’ll map out a short-term program for the next eight weeks to put you on the path. I think you ought to see my nutritionist friend about your wacky diet, too, and grab the book ‘You on a Diet’ and start reading. I think a lot of the issues you have with your eating issues are addressed in there and it will give you a better understanding of your self-destructive nature as well as some tools for dealing with them,” I said.
She’s a horse person and likes outdoor activity, though she has a elliptical machine and has used it with some success. “I still think you need to set some kind of goal to do something…kind of like how I set a trip to the Adirondacks and then need to be in shape to do the climbing. It gives you a deadline and I’ll map out the strategy to get you there. We’ll start with a fun hike in the Metroparks after I give you the step test on Tuesday. Bring some boots…it’ll be muddy, but that will make it a better workout,” I concluded.
For her, as for almost anyone, its about changing behavior…permanently. If you don’t…you revert. It will be a challenge for us both, but I’m looking forward to it.
I didn’t get in too much of a workout because of the dinner, though. Still, I managed a 45-minute hike before and when I got home to find that Holly was out walking, decided to try and meet up with her. The snow was beginning to fall and the wind was blowing hard. The sidewalks were already slippery. I headed in the reverse direction of our normal walk, figuring I’d find her heading my way somewhere along the path, but of course she’d chosen to go in an entirely different direction and we never crossed. I managed to add another 25 minutes to my walking time, which felt pretty good since I’d wolfed down two large, juicy pork chops and a sweet potato slathered in some kind of sweet buttered, topping for dinner. I could tell that I was likely to have a good workout the following morning too, since the snow was wet, sticky and supposedly coming in large quantities.
Hike duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 75 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 250.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
New idea for a triathlon...
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
I received and interesting comment on the blog the other day. The ‘Postman’ is one of my regulars and an old high school buddy now living in Florida. On a visit last fall, he and I made our way to Slyman’s for some over eating and then later met at the Metropark so he could go through a workout with me and see the haunts he’d been reading about. His comment followed a story I’d written about getting ready for this year’s birthday triathlon…something he believes I can handle easily if I follow last year’s format and add a ‘1’ to each distance. He wants me to incorporate more of what I’ve been doing over the last month.
“Get even more in touch with nature. Perhaps you should run after a deer for 56 minutes with a bonus if you rip off one of its antlers or time off if you can touch one. From there…swim with the beavers for 56 minutes and then cap it off with a ride on a ground surveillance eagle stalking mountain bike,” he wrote. These are all excellent ideas, Postman, but there are some issues. In all likelihood, the antlers will have fallen by April 18th…my birthday…so I won’t have the opportunity to actually rip them from the head of a deer (otherwise I’d be all over that most excellent idea). Swimming with the beavers could be interesting except that the water is so shallow in the masrh that I’d have trouble with the flip turns in trying to keep with them and…as you are well aware…you CANNOT ride a mountain bike…even one especially equipped to mount surveillance on eagles at the marsh…off-trail in the Metroparks.
In the famous words of the Sundance Kid…”you just keep thinking Postman, that’s what you’re good at…”
I hate cold, wet, rainy days (as opposed to ‘dry’ rainy days) and when they happen…I head inside. I could have run, but I’m sticking to every other day for a while and besides, the trails are truly underwater. I went home and climbed on the trainer for a ride and an episode of ‘Lost’ before church and ashes on the forehead. I figured I could get in an hour ride, but that wasn’t allowing for Holly’s making a dinner and eating it first. She stuck her head in the office to notify me that we’d be eating in 10 minutes, which meant I’d only get in a forty-minute ride and, more importantly, not be able to finish the episode I’d started. I know better than to be late for dinner though, so I cut the ride short. I hate to miss the training time…especially now that I have ‘Postman’ working on alternative events for my birthday triathlon.
Bike duration: 45 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 130 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 675.
I received and interesting comment on the blog the other day. The ‘Postman’ is one of my regulars and an old high school buddy now living in Florida. On a visit last fall, he and I made our way to Slyman’s for some over eating and then later met at the Metropark so he could go through a workout with me and see the haunts he’d been reading about. His comment followed a story I’d written about getting ready for this year’s birthday triathlon…something he believes I can handle easily if I follow last year’s format and add a ‘1’ to each distance. He wants me to incorporate more of what I’ve been doing over the last month.
“Get even more in touch with nature. Perhaps you should run after a deer for 56 minutes with a bonus if you rip off one of its antlers or time off if you can touch one. From there…swim with the beavers for 56 minutes and then cap it off with a ride on a ground surveillance eagle stalking mountain bike,” he wrote. These are all excellent ideas, Postman, but there are some issues. In all likelihood, the antlers will have fallen by April 18th…my birthday…so I won’t have the opportunity to actually rip them from the head of a deer (otherwise I’d be all over that most excellent idea). Swimming with the beavers could be interesting except that the water is so shallow in the masrh that I’d have trouble with the flip turns in trying to keep with them and…as you are well aware…you CANNOT ride a mountain bike…even one especially equipped to mount surveillance on eagles at the marsh…off-trail in the Metroparks.
In the famous words of the Sundance Kid…”you just keep thinking Postman, that’s what you’re good at…”
I hate cold, wet, rainy days (as opposed to ‘dry’ rainy days) and when they happen…I head inside. I could have run, but I’m sticking to every other day for a while and besides, the trails are truly underwater. I went home and climbed on the trainer for a ride and an episode of ‘Lost’ before church and ashes on the forehead. I figured I could get in an hour ride, but that wasn’t allowing for Holly’s making a dinner and eating it first. She stuck her head in the office to notify me that we’d be eating in 10 minutes, which meant I’d only get in a forty-minute ride and, more importantly, not be able to finish the episode I’d started. I know better than to be late for dinner though, so I cut the ride short. I hate to miss the training time…especially now that I have ‘Postman’ working on alternative events for my birthday triathlon.
Bike duration: 45 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 130 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 675.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
It's all about 'who you know...'
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
I’m sorry if you don’t like to hear about local, public corruption, but its something about which I get rather incensed…which helps me burn extra calories…but necessitates a need to vent. Jobs are hard to come by in greater Cleveland over the past year or so…unless of course you’re related to Cuyahoga County Prosecutor, Bill Mason.
Bill’s put at least 13 relatives on the county payroll during his 20 years in office with taxpayers providing more than $2.2 million for their salaries during that time. You might say “only 13 in 20 years? Not so big a deal,”…but that doesn’t include friends of relatives (and there are many), and relatives working for other public officials. Some of these people were hired to positions that were never posted, thus not giving the general public the opportunity to apply.
Now…Bill’s got one pretty solid excuse he’s not using. He’s one of 15 children and as such has 119 members of his immediate family. Start adding in cousins and such and I doubt the man could possibly know who all his relatives are and may be hiring them without even knowing. Apparently, Bill declined to be interviewed by the PD and wouldn’t disclose whether other relatives have obtained public jobs, though in a statement issued through his ‘public spokesman’ (people assigned to speak for you so you don’t make an ass of yourself…I could use one of those), he said he encourages everyone, “including my family” to consider public service. Well…we would…but you’ve already filled all the jobs with your family.
Okay…enough of that. Yeah…I was in the woods hiking around looking for antlers again. I only spent 90 minutes in this futile pursuit before changing over to my running gear. I started on the bridle trails, which were a combination of ice and ankle deep mud and got discouraged with it in about five minutes. I turned around and started jogging back to the car so that I could go home and ride the trainer, but kept on going right past the car and decided to try running the road until something exploded. I crossed River Road and began working my way up Rogers Road. It’s the steep, little bastard hill upon which I’ve snapped three bicycle chains over the years and someplace I was likely to snap an achilles tendon. It hurt on the way up, but I pressed on, reaching the top in a little over four minutes (interpret as I was barely moving).
I returned to the car managing a run of 33 minutes of which all but four was on pavement. It’s the longest I’ve run on hard surfaces…without hurting myself…in about a year. I don’t see it as a new trend…I’ll hit the trails as soon as I don’t need waders to run there…but at least I got in a run.
Run duration: 33 minutes. Hike duration: 90 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 145 bpm running, 75 bpm hiking.
Calories burned during workout: 560 running. 350 hiking.
I’m sorry if you don’t like to hear about local, public corruption, but its something about which I get rather incensed…which helps me burn extra calories…but necessitates a need to vent. Jobs are hard to come by in greater Cleveland over the past year or so…unless of course you’re related to Cuyahoga County Prosecutor, Bill Mason.
Bill’s put at least 13 relatives on the county payroll during his 20 years in office with taxpayers providing more than $2.2 million for their salaries during that time. You might say “only 13 in 20 years? Not so big a deal,”…but that doesn’t include friends of relatives (and there are many), and relatives working for other public officials. Some of these people were hired to positions that were never posted, thus not giving the general public the opportunity to apply.
Now…Bill’s got one pretty solid excuse he’s not using. He’s one of 15 children and as such has 119 members of his immediate family. Start adding in cousins and such and I doubt the man could possibly know who all his relatives are and may be hiring them without even knowing. Apparently, Bill declined to be interviewed by the PD and wouldn’t disclose whether other relatives have obtained public jobs, though in a statement issued through his ‘public spokesman’ (people assigned to speak for you so you don’t make an ass of yourself…I could use one of those), he said he encourages everyone, “including my family” to consider public service. Well…we would…but you’ve already filled all the jobs with your family.
Okay…enough of that. Yeah…I was in the woods hiking around looking for antlers again. I only spent 90 minutes in this futile pursuit before changing over to my running gear. I started on the bridle trails, which were a combination of ice and ankle deep mud and got discouraged with it in about five minutes. I turned around and started jogging back to the car so that I could go home and ride the trainer, but kept on going right past the car and decided to try running the road until something exploded. I crossed River Road and began working my way up Rogers Road. It’s the steep, little bastard hill upon which I’ve snapped three bicycle chains over the years and someplace I was likely to snap an achilles tendon. It hurt on the way up, but I pressed on, reaching the top in a little over four minutes (interpret as I was barely moving).
I returned to the car managing a run of 33 minutes of which all but four was on pavement. It’s the longest I’ve run on hard surfaces…without hurting myself…in about a year. I don’t see it as a new trend…I’ll hit the trails as soon as I don’t need waders to run there…but at least I got in a run.
Run duration: 33 minutes. Hike duration: 90 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 145 bpm running, 75 bpm hiking.
Calories burned during workout: 560 running. 350 hiking.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
"You've found three already?"
Monday, March 7, 2011
“That needle for hot and cold went all the way to hot and the car started dinging at me…so I pulled into a parking lot. What should I do now?” Holly asked.
“Well…you did the right thing. I’m on my way,” I replied. Not good. She’d been telling me she wasn’t getting any heat in the van and I was scheduled to take it to see Dan after work. But the damn thing couldn’t wait until then. I grabbed a gallon of anti-freeze and a gallon of water and went to meet her. My hope was that I could get it to run cool enough to get it to Dan’s and avoid the tow.
I filled the radiator with fluid…it only took about a half gallon so I didn’t hold out much hope. With good reason. It didn’t do a bit of good and I called for a tow. Dan would check it out later and give me a call with the bad news. What’s worse is that since I don’t have a functioning road bike, I’ll have to drive out to pick it up instead of my normal bike ride to Chardon.
I made my way to the Metropark for another hike after work. I was reinvigorated for antler searching after seeing the two deer in my back yard yesterday still carrying antlers. There was a couple of inches on the ground…just enough to make them stand out without covering them completely. I hadn’t gone five minutes when after climbing out of a small ravine, came face to face with…a face.
I did a double take…but it was definitely a skull with both antlers attached lying against the base of a tree. I picked it up to discover it was fairly complete with all of the teeth to the upper jaw. The lower jaw was missing. Though I’d seen many like this in my friend Jeff’s fathers’ garage, I never expected to find one. I had left a message for Jeff earlier in the day to question him about how late into the season I might expect to find antlers, but he hadn’t called back yet. I continued my search with my trophy hanging loosely from my hand.
I felt the vibration of the phone and reached into my pocket to check the display. It was Jeff and I answered, explaining to him what I’d been doing, but not mentioning what I’d found to date. “My dad has found them into May and they’re still dropping now. In fact, if you find a big one, look around for the other. The bucks are really unbalanced when they lose one and try to knock the other one off right away,” he told me. “They’re really hard to find though…I’ve only found one antler over the years,” he concluded.
“Oh?…I...um…I’ve found three…actually. I figured I was doing poorly…,” I replied. There was a pause before he answered. “You’ve found three? You called to rub it in…didn’t you?”
I hadn’t actually…though it was something I’d do. “Yeah…I’m holding a skull right now.”
“You’re holding a skull?”
“Well…no…I’m holding an antler…but it’s attached at the other end to a skull,” I said. We talked some more about his dad…the ‘Michael Jordan’ of antler hunting. He’d found seven this year already and averaged twenty a season. I tried to soften the blow of my discoveries by claiming to be lucky…which I was. I’d walked within twenty feet of today’s find on at least two other occasions and not seen it. We agreed that I’d come out to see his dad soon to show him my trophies and hung up.
That was it for the evening though. I did see my beaver friend as I worked my way around the marsh and saw an eagle overhead as I made my way back into the woods. He was flying into the sun and was out of sight before I could get a picture, though. I know I need to give up the searching soon because it consumes all of my training time and I can’t see myself working ‘antler hunting’ into my birthday triathlon.
Hike duration: 2 hours.
Training Heart Rate: 90 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 500.
“Well…you did the right thing. I’m on my way,” I replied. Not good. She’d been telling me she wasn’t getting any heat in the van and I was scheduled to take it to see Dan after work. But the damn thing couldn’t wait until then. I grabbed a gallon of anti-freeze and a gallon of water and went to meet her. My hope was that I could get it to run cool enough to get it to Dan’s and avoid the tow.
I filled the radiator with fluid…it only took about a half gallon so I didn’t hold out much hope. With good reason. It didn’t do a bit of good and I called for a tow. Dan would check it out later and give me a call with the bad news. What’s worse is that since I don’t have a functioning road bike, I’ll have to drive out to pick it up instead of my normal bike ride to Chardon.
I made my way to the Metropark for another hike after work. I was reinvigorated for antler searching after seeing the two deer in my back yard yesterday still carrying antlers. There was a couple of inches on the ground…just enough to make them stand out without covering them completely. I hadn’t gone five minutes when after climbing out of a small ravine, came face to face with…a face.
I did a double take…but it was definitely a skull with both antlers attached lying against the base of a tree. I picked it up to discover it was fairly complete with all of the teeth to the upper jaw. The lower jaw was missing. Though I’d seen many like this in my friend Jeff’s fathers’ garage, I never expected to find one. I had left a message for Jeff earlier in the day to question him about how late into the season I might expect to find antlers, but he hadn’t called back yet. I continued my search with my trophy hanging loosely from my hand.
I felt the vibration of the phone and reached into my pocket to check the display. It was Jeff and I answered, explaining to him what I’d been doing, but not mentioning what I’d found to date. “My dad has found them into May and they’re still dropping now. In fact, if you find a big one, look around for the other. The bucks are really unbalanced when they lose one and try to knock the other one off right away,” he told me. “They’re really hard to find though…I’ve only found one antler over the years,” he concluded.
“Oh?…I...um…I’ve found three…actually. I figured I was doing poorly…,” I replied. There was a pause before he answered. “You’ve found three? You called to rub it in…didn’t you?”
I hadn’t actually…though it was something I’d do. “Yeah…I’m holding a skull right now.”
“You’re holding a skull?”
“Well…no…I’m holding an antler…but it’s attached at the other end to a skull,” I said. We talked some more about his dad…the ‘Michael Jordan’ of antler hunting. He’d found seven this year already and averaged twenty a season. I tried to soften the blow of my discoveries by claiming to be lucky…which I was. I’d walked within twenty feet of today’s find on at least two other occasions and not seen it. We agreed that I’d come out to see his dad soon to show him my trophies and hung up.
That was it for the evening though. I did see my beaver friend as I worked my way around the marsh and saw an eagle overhead as I made my way back into the woods. He was flying into the sun and was out of sight before I could get a picture, though. I know I need to give up the searching soon because it consumes all of my training time and I can’t see myself working ‘antler hunting’ into my birthday triathlon.
Hike duration: 2 hours.
Training Heart Rate: 90 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 500.
A decent double...
Sunday, March 06, 2011
“Wow…there’s a deer out there with big antlers,” I heard Ash call from the family room as I sat at the dinner table. I bolted from my chair and headed for the family room. I’d just been showing off my antlers to the family, but told them how there probably weren’t anymore to be found since the animals and insects would be devouring the ones that I’d missed on the forest floor. Yet here was Ash claiming she could see a deer in our back yard…with antlers on its head.
I pushed her aside and looked out the back window. Sure enough…three deer. One with a full, big rack, one with only one antler and one with none. I grabbed my boots and camera and headed for the front door. I planned to sneak around to the back through the neighbors’ yard to try and get a picture of a deer with one antler…something I’d never seen before. I walked down the sidewalk, up their drive and along the side of their garage until I reached a point where I could see one of the three feeding from the corn stand in the back yard. The deer picked up its head when I clicked my first picture and it was the one-antlered fellow. I snapped a couple of quick shots as he turned and bound away.
So…I guess some deer are still carrying their antlers and I’m going to be continuing my search. Holly can’t figure out why I want more antlers, but Jason reminded her of the song from ‘Beauty and the Beast’ sung by Gaston about “…I use antlers for all of my decorating…”. I could make an end table…or a desk…or maybe a $3,200 credenza. Anyway…I’d find something to do with them.
I’d started the day with a 33-minute run in the Metropark on the newly fallen 2 inches of snow. The trails were soggy underneath, but the footing was good. My achilles ached on and off during the run, but I had to get through it if I was going to be ready for the birthday triathlon. When I returned home, I went straight to the trainer and hopped on for a 1-hour ride.
I know the biggest challenge on the birthday triathlon will be the ride. Fifty-six miles will take me over three hours and if all I can do is a lot of trainer rides…without hills…well, I’ll be hurting. I figure to do the kayak first and follow that with the run, saving the ride for last. I know I can push myself through things and I’ll feel like crap after the ride…so I want it last. John has agreed to join me and I’m shooting for the Saturday before so I have some options if the weather heads south.
Looks like I’m back to the hiking trails tomorrow, though. Still so many antlers to be found…
Run duration: 33 minutes. Bike duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 140 bpm running, 130 bpm biking.
Calories burned during workout: 560 running. 900 biking.
“Wow…there’s a deer out there with big antlers,” I heard Ash call from the family room as I sat at the dinner table. I bolted from my chair and headed for the family room. I’d just been showing off my antlers to the family, but told them how there probably weren’t anymore to be found since the animals and insects would be devouring the ones that I’d missed on the forest floor. Yet here was Ash claiming she could see a deer in our back yard…with antlers on its head.
I pushed her aside and looked out the back window. Sure enough…three deer. One with a full, big rack, one with only one antler and one with none. I grabbed my boots and camera and headed for the front door. I planned to sneak around to the back through the neighbors’ yard to try and get a picture of a deer with one antler…something I’d never seen before. I walked down the sidewalk, up their drive and along the side of their garage until I reached a point where I could see one of the three feeding from the corn stand in the back yard. The deer picked up its head when I clicked my first picture and it was the one-antlered fellow. I snapped a couple of quick shots as he turned and bound away.
So…I guess some deer are still carrying their antlers and I’m going to be continuing my search. Holly can’t figure out why I want more antlers, but Jason reminded her of the song from ‘Beauty and the Beast’ sung by Gaston about “…I use antlers for all of my decorating…”. I could make an end table…or a desk…or maybe a $3,200 credenza. Anyway…I’d find something to do with them.
I’d started the day with a 33-minute run in the Metropark on the newly fallen 2 inches of snow. The trails were soggy underneath, but the footing was good. My achilles ached on and off during the run, but I had to get through it if I was going to be ready for the birthday triathlon. When I returned home, I went straight to the trainer and hopped on for a 1-hour ride.
I know the biggest challenge on the birthday triathlon will be the ride. Fifty-six miles will take me over three hours and if all I can do is a lot of trainer rides…without hills…well, I’ll be hurting. I figure to do the kayak first and follow that with the run, saving the ride for last. I know I can push myself through things and I’ll feel like crap after the ride…so I want it last. John has agreed to join me and I’m shooting for the Saturday before so I have some options if the weather heads south.
Looks like I’m back to the hiking trails tomorrow, though. Still so many antlers to be found…
Run duration: 33 minutes. Bike duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 140 bpm running, 130 bpm biking.
Calories burned during workout: 560 running. 900 biking.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Training for the birthday triathlon begins...
Saturday, March 5, 2011
With my birthday a little less than six weeks away, I guess it’s time to get serious about the training for the second annual birthday triathlon. Last year, you may recall, I was scheduled for a 55 minute kayak trip, 55 mile bike ride and a 5.5 mile run. I completed the kayak and the run, but was stymied by the snow falling and opted not to do the bike ride until later…which ended up being like a month later.
This year it will be a 5.6 mile kayak trip (hard to measure, but I’ll be out there for a couple of hours), 56 minute run and, weather permitting…a 56 mile ride. John is supposed to join me…he’s younger and should be able to handle everything well…if he does some training. He came for last year’s ride, agreed that we shouldn’t ride in the snow…then complained to anyone who would listen that I’d wussed out on the bike. Well…he’s my best friend and training partner…and that’s what they’re for.
Anyway, I started the morning with a 70-minute bike ride. It was just long enough to finish season three of ‘Lost’. Since I picked up the final season from the Library, I kind of want to ride a lot and get through seasons four and five so I can refresh my memory on all the twists and turns. I’ve been wondering if I should make a pitch to the producers of the ‘Avengers’ movie, which will be filmed partially in Cleveland…if they’d like to have another arch villain – a guy that looks a lot like John Locke…though maybe a touch more handsome and manly and is a native of the area…in their film. I think it’s a good idea…for whatever that’s worth.
I hit the Metroparks for a 45-minute hike/antler search later in the day, but came up empty again. It was a balmy 50 degrees and most of the snow was gone, though I’m not sure if that makes it better or worse to spot the things. They show up pretty nicely against the snow and would likely blend in with the sticks when the snow is gone…but I won’t know for sure until I see one.
Tomorrow I’ll try to begin with the bike/run doubles. I want to be ready for birthday 56.
Hike duration: 45 minutes. Bike duration: 70 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 90 bpm hiking, 130 bpm biking.
Calories burned during workout: 225 hiking. 1,050 biking.
With my birthday a little less than six weeks away, I guess it’s time to get serious about the training for the second annual birthday triathlon. Last year, you may recall, I was scheduled for a 55 minute kayak trip, 55 mile bike ride and a 5.5 mile run. I completed the kayak and the run, but was stymied by the snow falling and opted not to do the bike ride until later…which ended up being like a month later.
This year it will be a 5.6 mile kayak trip (hard to measure, but I’ll be out there for a couple of hours), 56 minute run and, weather permitting…a 56 mile ride. John is supposed to join me…he’s younger and should be able to handle everything well…if he does some training. He came for last year’s ride, agreed that we shouldn’t ride in the snow…then complained to anyone who would listen that I’d wussed out on the bike. Well…he’s my best friend and training partner…and that’s what they’re for.
Anyway, I started the morning with a 70-minute bike ride. It was just long enough to finish season three of ‘Lost’. Since I picked up the final season from the Library, I kind of want to ride a lot and get through seasons four and five so I can refresh my memory on all the twists and turns. I’ve been wondering if I should make a pitch to the producers of the ‘Avengers’ movie, which will be filmed partially in Cleveland…if they’d like to have another arch villain – a guy that looks a lot like John Locke…though maybe a touch more handsome and manly and is a native of the area…in their film. I think it’s a good idea…for whatever that’s worth.
I hit the Metroparks for a 45-minute hike/antler search later in the day, but came up empty again. It was a balmy 50 degrees and most of the snow was gone, though I’m not sure if that makes it better or worse to spot the things. They show up pretty nicely against the snow and would likely blend in with the sticks when the snow is gone…but I won’t know for sure until I see one.
Tomorrow I’ll try to begin with the bike/run doubles. I want to be ready for birthday 56.
Hike duration: 45 minutes. Bike duration: 70 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 90 bpm hiking, 130 bpm biking.
Calories burned during workout: 225 hiking. 1,050 biking.
Why mosquitoes love me
Friday, March 4, 2011
All of my life I’ve suffered the unfair attention of the insect world. On those hot summer nights when mosquitoes are out in their millions, some folks will swat now and again, but I’ll be virtually fighting them nonstop. I complain that I’m like this magnet for them and those around me…thinking I’m whining about nothing…will pretty much ignore me. I mean…by the end of the night, I look like one of those bug strips in the restaurant kitchen of one of those greasy spoon places…it’s not pretty.
Then there’s this story in the Plain Dealer that says “humans stink more than any other animal in the animal kingdom…and a recent study found that John Rolf stinks more than any other human…which is what attracts mosquitoes to him.” People, the article says, stink from the bacteria AND the creatures living on them (kind of creeped out by the ‘creatures living on them’ thing) and apparently, mosquitoes are attracted to this smell. In particular, they like the sweaty smelling carboxylic acids that humans emit and “that John Rolf emits more than anyone else…because he sweats the most.”
So…I may have been whining all those years…but I was right. I sweat a lot, and have things and bacteria living on me in record amounts. What can I say other than…I’ve got that going for me.
I spent another fruitless night hiking in the Metropark woods searching for deer antlers. I suppose it was fruitless in the sense that I didn’t find any, but I had the chance to listen to a couple of Barred Owls calling to each other…which I joined with some hoots of my own (this can piss them off if they come and find that you’re not available for sex…or so I’m told) and saw parts of the park I’ve never seen before. I’m guessing the antlers have been consumed by forest rodents by this point since I was all over an area where many deer spend lots of time, but its still a pretty big area and I’m hitting such a small part. I’ll probably give it a couple more tries, but think the key is starting earlier in February…provided there isn’t a couple of feet of snow on the ground.
Hike duration: 90 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 90 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 450.
All of my life I’ve suffered the unfair attention of the insect world. On those hot summer nights when mosquitoes are out in their millions, some folks will swat now and again, but I’ll be virtually fighting them nonstop. I complain that I’m like this magnet for them and those around me…thinking I’m whining about nothing…will pretty much ignore me. I mean…by the end of the night, I look like one of those bug strips in the restaurant kitchen of one of those greasy spoon places…it’s not pretty.
Then there’s this story in the Plain Dealer that says “humans stink more than any other animal in the animal kingdom…and a recent study found that John Rolf stinks more than any other human…which is what attracts mosquitoes to him.” People, the article says, stink from the bacteria AND the creatures living on them (kind of creeped out by the ‘creatures living on them’ thing) and apparently, mosquitoes are attracted to this smell. In particular, they like the sweaty smelling carboxylic acids that humans emit and “that John Rolf emits more than anyone else…because he sweats the most.”
So…I may have been whining all those years…but I was right. I sweat a lot, and have things and bacteria living on me in record amounts. What can I say other than…I’ve got that going for me.
I spent another fruitless night hiking in the Metropark woods searching for deer antlers. I suppose it was fruitless in the sense that I didn’t find any, but I had the chance to listen to a couple of Barred Owls calling to each other…which I joined with some hoots of my own (this can piss them off if they come and find that you’re not available for sex…or so I’m told) and saw parts of the park I’ve never seen before. I’m guessing the antlers have been consumed by forest rodents by this point since I was all over an area where many deer spend lots of time, but its still a pretty big area and I’m hitting such a small part. I’ll probably give it a couple more tries, but think the key is starting earlier in February…provided there isn’t a couple of feet of snow on the ground.
Hike duration: 90 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 90 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 450.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Shocker...too much money spent by County officials.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
I’m really starting to like Ed FitzGerald, the new County Executive whose job it is to clean up corruption in county government and attempt to re-establish public trust in the folks running Cuyahoga County. I suspect the longer he’s there and the more he digs…the more bodies will come to the surface. Yesterday, the PD featured a story about cost overruns for the new Juvenile Justice Center specifically targeting the purchase of a $23,000 custom conference table, $1,000 desk chairs and credenzas for $3,350. Not only do I not have a $3,350 credenza…I don’t even know what it is. Holly said it’s the desk behind a desk for storing crap you can’t fit on your desk. Excellent.
“I haven’t seen prices that high since the ‘Antiques Roadshow,’” FitzGerald said. “Some of the purchases are indefensible.” Some of them? They purchased 31 coffee makers for $120 apiece. I’m thinking if I was purchasing 31 of any appliance, I’d be beating the price down…not jacking it up.
And here’s a surprise…no one’s responsible. Court officials say they didn’t select the items trying… to lay the blame on the former commissioners who they say, approved the purchases. The former County Administrator said “nope…the court folks made the decisions,” or words to that effect. It’s great to know that they’ve built in three jury boxes and deliberation rooms for an operation that has had only one jury trial in the last five years, as well. Isn’t that called building the church for Easter Sunday…no wait a minute – that’s what you’re NOT supposed to do.
Oh…and guess who pays for all of this? No big surprise there. Still, I like our chances in the future with Ed. His final word on the subject was “we gotta get to the bottom of this because justice is not going to be improved by a $1,200 chair.” Maybe not…but somebody’s ass should be pretty comfortable.
Yeah, yeah…I did it again. Spent two hours traipsing back and forth through areas of the park where some 30 deer or more bed down each night…and I didn’t find one antler. I mean…I was sure I’d find one so my disappointment ran high…and I kind of ran in circles. I kept my nose to the ground and crossed over a couple of streams and got to the point where I didn’t know which way I was heading. Dark was setting in and so I did the easy thing…followed a ridgeline up until I hit a trail. I’ll give it a couple of more days, but I think they’re either gone or the park is just too damned big.
Hike duration: 2 hours.
Training Heart Rate: 90 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 500.
I’m really starting to like Ed FitzGerald, the new County Executive whose job it is to clean up corruption in county government and attempt to re-establish public trust in the folks running Cuyahoga County. I suspect the longer he’s there and the more he digs…the more bodies will come to the surface. Yesterday, the PD featured a story about cost overruns for the new Juvenile Justice Center specifically targeting the purchase of a $23,000 custom conference table, $1,000 desk chairs and credenzas for $3,350. Not only do I not have a $3,350 credenza…I don’t even know what it is. Holly said it’s the desk behind a desk for storing crap you can’t fit on your desk. Excellent.
“I haven’t seen prices that high since the ‘Antiques Roadshow,’” FitzGerald said. “Some of the purchases are indefensible.” Some of them? They purchased 31 coffee makers for $120 apiece. I’m thinking if I was purchasing 31 of any appliance, I’d be beating the price down…not jacking it up.
And here’s a surprise…no one’s responsible. Court officials say they didn’t select the items trying… to lay the blame on the former commissioners who they say, approved the purchases. The former County Administrator said “nope…the court folks made the decisions,” or words to that effect. It’s great to know that they’ve built in three jury boxes and deliberation rooms for an operation that has had only one jury trial in the last five years, as well. Isn’t that called building the church for Easter Sunday…no wait a minute – that’s what you’re NOT supposed to do.
Oh…and guess who pays for all of this? No big surprise there. Still, I like our chances in the future with Ed. His final word on the subject was “we gotta get to the bottom of this because justice is not going to be improved by a $1,200 chair.” Maybe not…but somebody’s ass should be pretty comfortable.
Yeah, yeah…I did it again. Spent two hours traipsing back and forth through areas of the park where some 30 deer or more bed down each night…and I didn’t find one antler. I mean…I was sure I’d find one so my disappointment ran high…and I kind of ran in circles. I kept my nose to the ground and crossed over a couple of streams and got to the point where I didn’t know which way I was heading. Dark was setting in and so I did the easy thing…followed a ridgeline up until I hit a trail. I’ll give it a couple of more days, but I think they’re either gone or the park is just too damned big.
Hike duration: 2 hours.
Training Heart Rate: 90 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 500.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Too much park...
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Flushed with the success of the previous day, I was excited about returning to the park for more antler hunting and picture taking. I thought about all the places deer walked in the 800-acre park, how much of it was in deep ravines, and what the odds of finding something that had fallen from one of their heads and looked like the sticks and branches that lay everywhere on the forest floor. The ‘needle in the haystack’ thing came to me as I pulled on my boots and prepared to enter the woods. Add to that the fact that I’ve been hiking in the woods for 30 years and never seen an antler before. Of course, I wasn’t looking for them either.
I started hiking with no particular plan other than to crisscross areas of the park where I’d seen lots of deer. Seemed to make some sense…yet as I started doing this, noticing the prints going in every direction and what at first appeared to be randomly…I began to doubt I’d ever be so lucky again. I started to look for deer paths…trails they had made and seemed to travel in the greatest numbers. I followed these and after thrashing through one of many briar patches, came to the conclusion they moved with some invisible force bubble…something they’d probably ordered from ACME…that dissipated the prickly bastards. I needed to get one of those to continue this process.
At least I was getting in a decent workout, though I saw very little since I had to keep my eyes glued to the ground in front of and around me, which was still mostly covered with a thin, crunchy layer of snow. I crisscrossed a couple of creeks numerous times, climbed and fell on some mud-soaked slopes in and out of ravines and generally hiked randomly over a large section of the park along River Road between Ox Lane and the old Girl Scout Cabins…and without success.
I was working my way back towards my car after 2 hours of fruitless hunting, when I noticed what looked like a three-pronged branch protruding from the snow. A smile stretched across my wind-burned, frozen face as I realized I’d found my second antler. Now finally Holly would have what she needed to make my deer costume for next year’s ‘wildlife management’ hunt. She’d suggested a couple of years ago that I ignore the ‘park closed’ signs posted during that time and slip into the park from one of my many illicit entry points and run through the woods with a furry brown outfit holding antlers to my head. She thought it was pretty funny…though I’m pretty sure she was serious.
Naturally, this reinvigorated me and I spent another hour searching, going until darkness ended my quest. I’m sure I’ll go again tomorrow and keep going for the next week or so. I’ve found two antlers with four points, but I’m greedy and want one of the really big ones. It’s out there somewhere…so much park…so little time.
Hike duration: 3 hours.
Training Heart Rate: 90 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 750.
Flushed with the success of the previous day, I was excited about returning to the park for more antler hunting and picture taking. I thought about all the places deer walked in the 800-acre park, how much of it was in deep ravines, and what the odds of finding something that had fallen from one of their heads and looked like the sticks and branches that lay everywhere on the forest floor. The ‘needle in the haystack’ thing came to me as I pulled on my boots and prepared to enter the woods. Add to that the fact that I’ve been hiking in the woods for 30 years and never seen an antler before. Of course, I wasn’t looking for them either.
I started hiking with no particular plan other than to crisscross areas of the park where I’d seen lots of deer. Seemed to make some sense…yet as I started doing this, noticing the prints going in every direction and what at first appeared to be randomly…I began to doubt I’d ever be so lucky again. I started to look for deer paths…trails they had made and seemed to travel in the greatest numbers. I followed these and after thrashing through one of many briar patches, came to the conclusion they moved with some invisible force bubble…something they’d probably ordered from ACME…that dissipated the prickly bastards. I needed to get one of those to continue this process.
At least I was getting in a decent workout, though I saw very little since I had to keep my eyes glued to the ground in front of and around me, which was still mostly covered with a thin, crunchy layer of snow. I crisscrossed a couple of creeks numerous times, climbed and fell on some mud-soaked slopes in and out of ravines and generally hiked randomly over a large section of the park along River Road between Ox Lane and the old Girl Scout Cabins…and without success.
I was working my way back towards my car after 2 hours of fruitless hunting, when I noticed what looked like a three-pronged branch protruding from the snow. A smile stretched across my wind-burned, frozen face as I realized I’d found my second antler. Now finally Holly would have what she needed to make my deer costume for next year’s ‘wildlife management’ hunt. She’d suggested a couple of years ago that I ignore the ‘park closed’ signs posted during that time and slip into the park from one of my many illicit entry points and run through the woods with a furry brown outfit holding antlers to my head. She thought it was pretty funny…though I’m pretty sure she was serious.
Naturally, this reinvigorated me and I spent another hour searching, going until darkness ended my quest. I’m sure I’ll go again tomorrow and keep going for the next week or so. I’ve found two antlers with four points, but I’m greedy and want one of the really big ones. It’s out there somewhere…so much park…so little time.
Hike duration: 3 hours.
Training Heart Rate: 90 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 750.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Success!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
I tend to get things stuck in my head and have difficulty shaking them loose. I suppose that is what’s going on with trying to find deer antlers. I have a friend whose father has hundreds of racks lining the walls and rafters of his garage…all from searching the woods around his home in Madison, so I know it works. Then I saw the article in the PD about the cycle of the antler and I’ve been hunting since.
I brought my camera along because I’m also on a mission to photograph those pesky beavers out of the water. I keep seeing them swimming, but I’ve never seen them operate on dry land and when Bruce saw one on Sunday…and I missed it…I was pissed. Well…I didn’t have the camera, so I guess its okay.
The ground was still covered with the melting remnants of the Friday blizzard, but it was less than an inch and the ground was bare in places where the sun reached the forest floor. I made my way from the Wilson Mills parking area to the marsh and began walking around its northern rim to the place where Bruce had seen the beaver on Sunday. I figured I’d find a dry log, sit and wait for him to come stumbling along.
When I got there, I decided that the beaver dam might be a better location and moved on. The dam runs alongside River Road and I made my way up and over it before slipping into the shrubs and thicket just beyond. I was looking towards the water when a large, furry gray blur ran across my path about 30 feet in front of me. I swung my camera around and managed to snap a picture of its ass as it scurried away. It was an opossum and its hind end is probably more attractive than the front…though he probably feels the same about me…but at least I caught him on…digital (what’s the comparable saying for ‘on film’?)?
I walked a couple of more steps and stopped to look at the branch at my feet. Only it wasn’t a branch. I excitedly reached down and picked up my first deer antler. It was small…four points…and the matching antler was no where to be found, but I was as excited as if I’d found a Willie Mays rookie card at some random garage sale. I placed it in a nearby pine tree to retrieve later and continued my search for more antlers and/or a picture of a beaver.
I was walking through the overgrowth close to the marsh’s edge, working my way towards the beaver lodge located about 50 feet off shore when I saw a ripple in the water. I could only mean a beaver or a muskrat…so I stopped and waited. It must have heard me because it slapped the water with its tail and dove under the surface. Beaver for sure. I waited quietly behind a tree for about ten minutes and if finally returned, climbed up on a log and turned to face me. The ‘click’ of the camera sent him back into the water…but not before I’d gotten a couple of fairly good shots.
A red-tailed hawk screeched loudly overhead as I made my way back towards my antler stash. I searched the nearby fields for more, but came up empty. But what a day. Antler, great pictures and a long hike. Not much of a workout, but the serenity I’d enjoyed made it better than a 10-mile run. I suppose I’ll have to head back there tomorrow and comb more woods. I think I’ve got the perfect spot to spend a couple hours some morning and get more and better pictures.
Hike duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 90 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 300.
I tend to get things stuck in my head and have difficulty shaking them loose. I suppose that is what’s going on with trying to find deer antlers. I have a friend whose father has hundreds of racks lining the walls and rafters of his garage…all from searching the woods around his home in Madison, so I know it works. Then I saw the article in the PD about the cycle of the antler and I’ve been hunting since.
I brought my camera along because I’m also on a mission to photograph those pesky beavers out of the water. I keep seeing them swimming, but I’ve never seen them operate on dry land and when Bruce saw one on Sunday…and I missed it…I was pissed. Well…I didn’t have the camera, so I guess its okay.
The ground was still covered with the melting remnants of the Friday blizzard, but it was less than an inch and the ground was bare in places where the sun reached the forest floor. I made my way from the Wilson Mills parking area to the marsh and began walking around its northern rim to the place where Bruce had seen the beaver on Sunday. I figured I’d find a dry log, sit and wait for him to come stumbling along.
When I got there, I decided that the beaver dam might be a better location and moved on. The dam runs alongside River Road and I made my way up and over it before slipping into the shrubs and thicket just beyond. I was looking towards the water when a large, furry gray blur ran across my path about 30 feet in front of me. I swung my camera around and managed to snap a picture of its ass as it scurried away. It was an opossum and its hind end is probably more attractive than the front…though he probably feels the same about me…but at least I caught him on…digital (what’s the comparable saying for ‘on film’?)?
I walked a couple of more steps and stopped to look at the branch at my feet. Only it wasn’t a branch. I excitedly reached down and picked up my first deer antler. It was small…four points…and the matching antler was no where to be found, but I was as excited as if I’d found a Willie Mays rookie card at some random garage sale. I placed it in a nearby pine tree to retrieve later and continued my search for more antlers and/or a picture of a beaver.
I was walking through the overgrowth close to the marsh’s edge, working my way towards the beaver lodge located about 50 feet off shore when I saw a ripple in the water. I could only mean a beaver or a muskrat…so I stopped and waited. It must have heard me because it slapped the water with its tail and dove under the surface. Beaver for sure. I waited quietly behind a tree for about ten minutes and if finally returned, climbed up on a log and turned to face me. The ‘click’ of the camera sent him back into the water…but not before I’d gotten a couple of fairly good shots.
A red-tailed hawk screeched loudly overhead as I made my way back towards my antler stash. I searched the nearby fields for more, but came up empty. But what a day. Antler, great pictures and a long hike. Not much of a workout, but the serenity I’d enjoyed made it better than a 10-mile run. I suppose I’ll have to head back there tomorrow and comb more woods. I think I’ve got the perfect spot to spend a couple hours some morning and get more and better pictures.
Hike duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 90 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 300.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
"Dakota...don't grab that stick!"
Sunday, February 27, 2011
I’d spoken to Bruce, an old camping buddy, about hiking in the deep snow and he’d agreed to join me for an early morning hike. “I’m dropping Jack off at church around 10 a.m. so we could meet right after that if you like,” I said.
“I was thinking more like 7 a.m.,” he replied. Bruce and I used to work together for Libra Industries and he was the only guy in management that arrived consistently before me – usually around 5:45 a.m. He loved the mornings. “Okay…I’ll see you there then…but I like sleeping a little on Sunday morning, so you’re going to pay the price. Be ready to walk long and in deep snow,” I said.
He was there early…and without boots. “Um…didn’t I tell you we’d be going off trail and you’d need boots?” He looked at me sheepishly and claimed he didn’t have any. Bruce is always marching to his own drummer. A couple of years ago when I dragged him up to the Adirondacks I’d had him do some training by carrying a back pack loaded with weight in the Metroparks. He’d shunned my advice to use a bag of salt or rice and gone with tools and weight plates. After hiking five miles to a lean-to and base camp for that camping trip, he discovered that he hadn’t taken out a five-pound weight plate from the training back pack. The knucklehead had thrown his clothes in on top of it and carried it in and of course…back out.
We headed off in search of antlers…sure to still be buried in snow…in places I hadn’t hiked the day before. We slid down towards the marsh and found the creek we needed to cross swollen from the continuing melt of Friday’s blizzard. “We can cross over here. There’s a pretty thick branch kind of frozen into the ice that will probably support our weight,” I said.
Bruce and Dakota followed my lead and when we reached the crossing point, Dakota walked across on the ice. “Showoff,” I said as I put my foot on the branch I’d identified. Dakota believes that all things either once connected to…or still a part of…a tree are hers to chew, chase, retrieve, yank or carry. The branch I now had my foot on was no exception. She grabbed it in her mouth and began to yank. “Hey…stop that Dak…” was as far as I got before the ice under the branch gave way and my boot crashed into the icy water below. I fell backwards laughing and Bruce grabbed for me to keep me from going in deeper. A week earlier, I’d watched John do something similar, but I’d been laughing at him instead of trying to help him out.
We continued our hike around the perimeter of the marsh looking for antlers…or maybe not…when Bruce pointed ahead at something scampering through the woods heading for the marsh. “It’s a beaver…or a big muskrat,” he said. I didn’t have my camera and only saw a blur. I’ve never gotten a picture of or even seen a beaver on dry land…and the streak would continue. There was a fresh dropping of wood chips around the tree from which the tracks left so I can only surmise he’d definitely seen a beaver. Well…I know where to come back…maybe with a little more stealth…and I’ll get my picture on another night.
We completed the hike in a little under 2 hours. We stuck to the woods, working our way into and out of another couple of ravines to add to the workout. Bruce, gym trained, noticed the difference and wondered out loud about the wisdom of this hike before trying to spend a few hours at the auto show. “You always tell me its going to be easy…and then I exhausted. Either you’re a liar or I’m in worse shape than I thought,” he said as we approached the parking lot.
“You’re not in hiking shape…and I suppose I lie…a little,´ I replied.
So…two days in a row of long hikes in deep snow. I’m feeling some guilt…not getting the heart rate up, but my achilles is hurting some even on the hikes so I better stay away from running. And the bike? Yeah…I’ll get back to it, but as long as the snow is deep and I can get plenty from hiking, I’ll probably stick with it.
Hike duration: 1 hours and 45 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 90 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 525.
I’d spoken to Bruce, an old camping buddy, about hiking in the deep snow and he’d agreed to join me for an early morning hike. “I’m dropping Jack off at church around 10 a.m. so we could meet right after that if you like,” I said.
“I was thinking more like 7 a.m.,” he replied. Bruce and I used to work together for Libra Industries and he was the only guy in management that arrived consistently before me – usually around 5:45 a.m. He loved the mornings. “Okay…I’ll see you there then…but I like sleeping a little on Sunday morning, so you’re going to pay the price. Be ready to walk long and in deep snow,” I said.
He was there early…and without boots. “Um…didn’t I tell you we’d be going off trail and you’d need boots?” He looked at me sheepishly and claimed he didn’t have any. Bruce is always marching to his own drummer. A couple of years ago when I dragged him up to the Adirondacks I’d had him do some training by carrying a back pack loaded with weight in the Metroparks. He’d shunned my advice to use a bag of salt or rice and gone with tools and weight plates. After hiking five miles to a lean-to and base camp for that camping trip, he discovered that he hadn’t taken out a five-pound weight plate from the training back pack. The knucklehead had thrown his clothes in on top of it and carried it in and of course…back out.
We headed off in search of antlers…sure to still be buried in snow…in places I hadn’t hiked the day before. We slid down towards the marsh and found the creek we needed to cross swollen from the continuing melt of Friday’s blizzard. “We can cross over here. There’s a pretty thick branch kind of frozen into the ice that will probably support our weight,” I said.
Bruce and Dakota followed my lead and when we reached the crossing point, Dakota walked across on the ice. “Showoff,” I said as I put my foot on the branch I’d identified. Dakota believes that all things either once connected to…or still a part of…a tree are hers to chew, chase, retrieve, yank or carry. The branch I now had my foot on was no exception. She grabbed it in her mouth and began to yank. “Hey…stop that Dak…” was as far as I got before the ice under the branch gave way and my boot crashed into the icy water below. I fell backwards laughing and Bruce grabbed for me to keep me from going in deeper. A week earlier, I’d watched John do something similar, but I’d been laughing at him instead of trying to help him out.
We continued our hike around the perimeter of the marsh looking for antlers…or maybe not…when Bruce pointed ahead at something scampering through the woods heading for the marsh. “It’s a beaver…or a big muskrat,” he said. I didn’t have my camera and only saw a blur. I’ve never gotten a picture of or even seen a beaver on dry land…and the streak would continue. There was a fresh dropping of wood chips around the tree from which the tracks left so I can only surmise he’d definitely seen a beaver. Well…I know where to come back…maybe with a little more stealth…and I’ll get my picture on another night.
We completed the hike in a little under 2 hours. We stuck to the woods, working our way into and out of another couple of ravines to add to the workout. Bruce, gym trained, noticed the difference and wondered out loud about the wisdom of this hike before trying to spend a few hours at the auto show. “You always tell me its going to be easy…and then I exhausted. Either you’re a liar or I’m in worse shape than I thought,” he said as we approached the parking lot.
“You’re not in hiking shape…and I suppose I lie…a little,´ I replied.
So…two days in a row of long hikes in deep snow. I’m feeling some guilt…not getting the heart rate up, but my achilles is hurting some even on the hikes so I better stay away from running. And the bike? Yeah…I’ll get back to it, but as long as the snow is deep and I can get plenty from hiking, I’ll probably stick with it.
Hike duration: 1 hours and 45 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 90 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 525.
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