New beginnings...

Tuesday, January 1, 2013
I spent my first day of the new year working on some major tasks I hope to achieve.  I’ve been working on a relationship with the Achilles Running Shop in Mentor and its owner, Mark Mendezoon.  Mark, a sports doc, is huge promoter of health and fitness and always walks the talk.  He wants his store to be something special…a cut above…offering services unseen in the industry.  He has basically given me carte blanche to work with the staff of the store in creating unusual opportunities for his clientele.
With my daughter Heidi, I developed a flier highlighting the features of the fitness test I perform for their store.  They intend to offer my services to all their customers, many of whom may be in for their maiden voyage in conditioning and in need of guidance from an experienced hand.  I will give them a fitness evaluation and design the program of exercise that will help them achieve realistic and measurable goals. 

I also started more serious planning regarding ‘Tour Ohio’.  I know I will need some sponsorship for certain aspects of the journey, particularly if it is to gain the notoriety it needs to be an effective effort on my part to communicate the benefits of recreational exercise.  My biggest challenge will be to get communities interested in being part of the TransOhio trail I hope will evolve as a result of my efforts.  It will take more than just riding through these communities outfitted with panniers and camping gear.  They will have to see the benefit of creating space for riders to spend the night for it to prove fruitful and that will be the greatest challenge.  I have sent initial inquiries to a couple of biking organizations, but had no response.  They were only warning shots over their bows to which I’d thought I’d get some reaction, but since I didn’t, I realize I’ll have to get more aggressive…and probably enlist some help.
My head was in the wrong place as the day came to a close and I never did any exercise.  These things happen even to a completely committed exercise junkie though I know I will board that horse tomorrow as my perspective is regained.  I sense that this year may become the most physically active of my life…and that’s saying something.  Good things will happen because I am determined that they will.