This past weekend I made a trip to Cincinnati for the annual Morning Glory Ride, that is held by the Sierra Club. The trip was far more fun and fulfilling than I ever would have imagined. The Morning Glory Ride was fantastic. It sounds pretty simple: Just a 25-mile ride through the downtown streets in the early-morning hours. But it was so much more than that.
I woke up Sunday morning shortly before 3 a.m. and was out the door by 3:15. The ride didn't start until 4:30, but I wanted to make sure I had plenty of time to get there. I decided to ride my bike to the start, rather than load it up in the truck, drive over, hunt for a parking space, etc. And even though I was less than two miles away, I wasn't at all confident in my ability to find my way to the start by the Purple People Bridge. As it turned out, I had no trouble at all and arrived an hour early.
Funny thing: On my way out of the hotel, there was a drunk chick sitting on the curb outside. As I walked by pushing my bike, wearing my helmet, she took one look at me and, rather loudly, exclaimed, "You mean to tell me you're seriously going to go ride your bike at 3 in the morning!" After only four hours of sleep, I wasn't in any state of mind to offer any witty comeback, and just muttered something the Morning Glory Ride starting at 4:30. "Well, good luck with that, then," she replied, and away I went.
At the ride, as we lined up, the race organizer blared at us through a bullhorn, reminding us that Cincinnati cops would be at every street corner, operating the traffic lights, and that we had to follow all the same rules as cars and stop for every red light and stop sign. The a cop, who seemed like he might have been the chief or something, grabbed the bullhorn and went over the same spiel. Having been sufficiently warned, I was prepared to follow every letter of the law. And then, before I knew it, we were released out onto Pete Rose Way. We rode a block to Broadway, turned into town and then encountered our first red light and aforementioned police officer on the corner. I started to let off the pedals, but then watched as the entire group blew through the intersection without even slowing down. So much for the rules!
It was somewhere at this point that I realized I hadn't turned on my headlight. I pushed the button and nothing happened. Back before the race, when I got off my bike to get a drink from a water fountain, my bike fell over and the headlight fell off and came apart. After scrambling in the dark to find the batteries, bulb and other pieces, I put it back together, turned it on to make sure it worked (it did) and put it back on my bike. Now, however, it had stopped working completely, and I was forced to go the entire ride with no light. For the most part, I stuck around behind other riders and had no problems.
Back to the ride. Before I knew it, we were on Columbia Parkway. OH ... MY ... GOD! It was exhilarating! Imagine riding a bike 20-to-30 mph down a six-lane highway in the middle of the night. No cars, just you and about a thousand other cyclists. No sound but the whiz of a thousand bicycle chains spinning in the night, punctuated by the occasional clunk of changing gears. It was breathtaking, and by far the most enjoyable part of the ride. But after five miles, it was time to turn off of Columbia and head into town.
The day before, I had driven the route to get a preview. The thing that struck me most was ... Cincinnati is on a freaking hill! Once you turn onto Delta Ave., it seems like the ride is uphill the whole way. The same for Erie, the same for Madison. I was filled with dread, because although I'm getting better, the hills around home can give me trouble. Heck, gradual inclines kick my butt some days. I began imagining myself finishing dead last, perhaps several hours behind.
As it turned out, my worries were for naught. I don't know if it was the thrill of the ride, or if the hills in Cincy just seem bigger because of all the buildings around, but I had absolutely no trouble. I had begun the ride about one-third of the way from the front of the pack, and as time went on, I found myself passing more and more riders. Pretty soon, I was near the front, and felt like I could just soar on past everyone in front of me. I couldn't, of course. Instead, I had to stay on the tail of a couple in front of me (they had lights), but even then, I found myself sometimes applying the brakes GOING UPHILL to keep from zipping on past them and into the darkness.
We wound our way through the city streets and, before I knew it, I was riding across the Taylor Southgate Bridge, into Kentucky, for what was supposed to be the final 10 miles of the 25-mile ride. We turned onto Route 8 and made our way through Newport and Covington and on up the hill to Ludlow and Bromley. It was at this point that I seemed to be finding extra energy just as everybody else was tiring out, and I began passing everybody. There were a couple of guys who were obviously in a completely different league that everybody else, and they were about five miles ahead of me, but at one point I was all alone at the front of the main pack. A little later, on another hill, a couple of guys caught up to me, but we stuck together, each one taking turns leading the other two.
This was a huge boost to my confidence as a cyclist. Having been worried that I might be one of the last to finish, I now found myself among the leaders. And it was at this point that things took a turn.
You remember that Charlie Brown cartoon where he's running a race around a track and suddenly finds himself in the lead? He closes his eyes and begins thinking, "I can't believe it! I'm winning! I'm actually going to win!" But because his eyes are closed, he misses the turn in the track and runs straight out of the stadium and loses the race. Yeah, it was something like that.
As I said, I was riding with two other guys, and I just assumed they knew the route better than me. I had driven what I thought was the route the day before, but they changed it at the last minute, so instead of turning into Devou Park, we were to ride out Route 8, turn around and come back the way we came. I didn't know where the turnaround was, but I assumed the other two guys did.
But after awhile, as the sun began coming up and I could see my odometer again, it became evident that we missed the turn, because I was already into mile 29 of my 25-mile ride, and hadn't even begun heading back! I mentioned this to the other guys, but they kept going when I turned around to head back. For all I know, they could be in Tennessee by now.
All the way back, I cursed my stupidity, and the bad vibe I was feeling made every mile harder than the last. All I was worried about was getting back in time to get some of the breakfast they had planned for us, since I was running on empty after four hours of sleep and a 3 a.m. breakfast consisting of a Power Bar and half a Pepsi. But I did make it back for breakfast and celebrated my ride by completely blowing my diet with eggs, bacon, sausage, some sort of cheesy hash browns and, just to relieve some guilt, a banana. My only complaint with the entire ride would have to be that we could only get one four-ounce serving of orange juice with our meal. It would seem that they would provide a lot of fluids after such a ride, but oh well.
But despite the route hiccup, which was really my own fault, and the lack of sufficient breakfast beverages, I can't really complain about the ride. In fact, I'll probably make plans to attend every year from now on.
One other highlight of the weekend, though, was Saturday night's dinner at Pompilio's. This is a local Italian restaurant at the corner of 8th and Washington, in Newport. Think Olive Garden, but half the price, twice the portion size and much, much fresher and tastier. I had the Chicken and Cheese Tortellini San Luci with a side of meatballs and thought I was going to die of sheer bliss after the first bite. I stuffed myself and still could only finish half of my plate. My wife had the scallops and linguine, but similarly had to bail on the linguine halfway through just to have room for the scallops. My oldest son tried the Italian sampler, which included lasagna, eggplant parmigiana, Italian sausage and meatball, and though he is an extremely picky eater, he ate most of everything. My youngest had the kid's spaghetti and meatball (yes, singular) and couldn't have been happier, except perhaps when I gave him one of the meatballs I had ordered on the side. At the end of the night, our bill was only $56, which for the amount and quality of food we received, I thought was a bargain. The menu is vast and I look forward to making many more trips in the future to sample more of it. Pompilio's will definitely be on the agenda for every trip to Cincinnati from now on.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Riding, if not writing
So, it's been awhile since I've updated this page, but it's not due to a lack of bike time.
Lately, I've been making an effort to step up my riding. After posting a personal best 208 miles in April, I managed 205 miles in May and 208 in June. In each case, I was on track to hit 250 or more, but weather, illness, work or some other thing always seemed to get in the way.
Having only been back on my bike for a little over a year now, I've purposely taken a very slow approach to my training. For awhile, 10 miles was my longest routine ride, then 20 miles. Lately, I've upped that figure to at least 25 miles, three times a week. And this past Sunday, I went all out (for me) and logged 41 miles by making the ride from my house to Salyersville and back.
As a result, my legs are still killing me, and it's Wednesday.
Weight loss has been another story altogether. After changing my diet earlier this year, I quickly dropped a bit of weight. Now, however, I have hit a plateau, even though the diet has remained the same and the workouts have intensified. So I'm going to try my best to get closer to 300 miles this month, although I'm probably certain to fall a little short of that mark, and this week, I've decided to add a 20-minute morning run to the mix.
And so that is what I've been up to lately. Hopefully, I'll remember to add a little more writing to my riding to keep this journal a little more up to date in the future.
Lately, I've been making an effort to step up my riding. After posting a personal best 208 miles in April, I managed 205 miles in May and 208 in June. In each case, I was on track to hit 250 or more, but weather, illness, work or some other thing always seemed to get in the way.
Having only been back on my bike for a little over a year now, I've purposely taken a very slow approach to my training. For awhile, 10 miles was my longest routine ride, then 20 miles. Lately, I've upped that figure to at least 25 miles, three times a week. And this past Sunday, I went all out (for me) and logged 41 miles by making the ride from my house to Salyersville and back.
As a result, my legs are still killing me, and it's Wednesday.
Weight loss has been another story altogether. After changing my diet earlier this year, I quickly dropped a bit of weight. Now, however, I have hit a plateau, even though the diet has remained the same and the workouts have intensified. So I'm going to try my best to get closer to 300 miles this month, although I'm probably certain to fall a little short of that mark, and this week, I've decided to add a 20-minute morning run to the mix.
And so that is what I've been up to lately. Hopefully, I'll remember to add a little more writing to my riding to keep this journal a little more up to date in the future.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Huffing, puffing and pedaling to work
This week is National Bike to Work Week, and this morning the rain finally subsided long enough for me to take part.
Riding my bike to work proved to be an interesting experience, as I am accustomed to riding after work. Getting on my bike and making the 18-mile trip to work first thing this morning was an exhilarating way to start the day, and a lot of fun besides.
Actually, the day was doubly fun, due to the fact that this was my first trip on my new bike. Yup, I've finally ditched the tank-like mountain bike I've been riding for the past year and bought myself a bike a little better suited to the type of riding I do.
I decided to go with the Trek 7000, an economical, entry-level hybrid. I had been weighing this decision for quite some time and had at first been leaning toward a Diamondback Insight, until I had a chance to actually see one live instead of online. Perhaps if I had ridden it, I would have felt differently, but something about the looks of the bike just didn't fit what I was looking for.
I then started looking at Trek and Cannondale, which are the two brands carried by the Prestonsburg bike shop, Pro-Fitness Multisports. Of course, I fell in love with the Cannondale name and mythology, and was prepared to buy one, until Don at Pro-Fitness assured me that, for my needs, the Trek would entirely suitable, and for half the price.
Well, it wouldn't take much of a bike to beat what I had before, but I was wholly impressed on this morning's ride. A much, much lighter bike, I was able to chug over all three mountains along the way without stopping to catch my breath -- something that was impossible before. Plus, I was able to trim about half an hour off of the commute.
It will take some time to get used to the skinnier tires, which means I'll probably have a scrape a knee or two during the learning process. But based on my first trip, the education is going to be a heck of a ride.
Riding my bike to work proved to be an interesting experience, as I am accustomed to riding after work. Getting on my bike and making the 18-mile trip to work first thing this morning was an exhilarating way to start the day, and a lot of fun besides.
Actually, the day was doubly fun, due to the fact that this was my first trip on my new bike. Yup, I've finally ditched the tank-like mountain bike I've been riding for the past year and bought myself a bike a little better suited to the type of riding I do.
I decided to go with the Trek 7000, an economical, entry-level hybrid. I had been weighing this decision for quite some time and had at first been leaning toward a Diamondback Insight, until I had a chance to actually see one live instead of online. Perhaps if I had ridden it, I would have felt differently, but something about the looks of the bike just didn't fit what I was looking for.
I then started looking at Trek and Cannondale, which are the two brands carried by the Prestonsburg bike shop, Pro-Fitness Multisports. Of course, I fell in love with the Cannondale name and mythology, and was prepared to buy one, until Don at Pro-Fitness assured me that, for my needs, the Trek would entirely suitable, and for half the price.
Well, it wouldn't take much of a bike to beat what I had before, but I was wholly impressed on this morning's ride. A much, much lighter bike, I was able to chug over all three mountains along the way without stopping to catch my breath -- something that was impossible before. Plus, I was able to trim about half an hour off of the commute.
It will take some time to get used to the skinnier tires, which means I'll probably have a scrape a knee or two during the learning process. But based on my first trip, the education is going to be a heck of a ride.
Monday, May 5, 2008
A time to ride, a time to rest; a time to eat, a time to cheat
After last week's frenetic last-minute push to break 200 miles for the month, I've not spent much time on the bike. I ended up tallying roughly 70 miles over the course of five days, which isn't a whole heck of a lot for some people, but it is for me. As a result, my legs were killing me, and my right leg would sometimes fail on me when I stood up or while I was just standing around.
So I've taken a break for a few days to rest and recuperate, which are essential to any fitness plan. After riding a mere nine miles last Thursday, I took the entire weekend off. For the most part, that has helped. My quads are no longer tender to the touch, although I can still feel a little pain if I exert myself.
Another tip, which I learned from watching last season's Biggest Loser, is "cheat days" are not only to be expected when you're dieting, but they're essential. If you are curbing your caloric intake, you can overdo it and stall your metabolism. That means you don't burn as much energy and you can actually gain weight even though you're eating less. The occasional cheat day, however, is not only good for your mind, preventing you from feeling like you are denying yourself, it can convince your body that you haven't suddenly found yourself in the middle of a famine and it's alright to burn some calories.
I say all that as prelude to my experiences this past weekend, when I finally decided it was time to reopen the toxic waste dump in my gullet. I had planned to have my cheat day this past Saturday to coincide with Free Comic Book Day and the opening of the Iron Man movie, so I could pig out and get my geek on all in one day.
The funny thing is, while I was cheating on my diet and eating all of those things I thought I wanted, I actually felt cheated because I'm finding that my tastes have really changed since I began all this. The day began with a sausage biscuit (no egg) from that evil trans-fat empire, McDonald's. I actually had to stifle a gag reflex or too as I ate it, and once I finished, I just felt greasy. My mouth felt like I'd just drunk a bottle of suntan lotion.
For lunch, I thought I was cheating by getting fettucine alfredo with peppery chicken at Fazoli's, but once I looked up the nutritional info for that dish, I was surprised to learn it was actually something I could incorporate into my diet. Those bread sticks, though, are delicious but evil little bastards.
At the movies I had the one treat I had been looking forward to all day -- buttered popcorn. Again, though, I felt cheated because while the first few bites were true heaven, the rest made me nauseous as I felt that oily goo slithering down my throat. Just a few months ago, I could have polished off a large bucket of corn all by myself. While I certainly gave it my best shot Saturday, I eventually had to set it aside.
When it came time for dinner, I was actually starting to crave whole grains and low-fat dishes, but I was determined to blow my diet in grand style. That explains why I found myself half-heartedly eating country fried steak and gravy. I won't lie -- it was pretty good. But I had already eaten so much junk during the day that I was really only eating for flavor by the time dinner rolled around, and I was having to overcome the pain of stuffing and overstuffed stomach to do it.
But in the end, cheat day wasn't nearly as enjoyable as I had anticipated. Most of the day, as I tried eating some of the foods I once loved, I was continually disappointed. And the after-effects were outright unpleasant. I constantly felt nauseous and bloated, and my whole body just felt greasy.
The lesson in all of this is quite simple. If you are trapped in a high-fat, deep-fried, fast-food diet and feel you cannot change, you can. Not only that, but once you truly make the change a healthy diet, you won't be able to go back to eating the way you once did. I know. I was once quite proud of having the world's worst eating habits. I knew I should eat healthier, but it seemed impossible. However, it was much easier to make the change than I ever thought it would be.
I won't lie: Starting a healthy diet can be a little difficult at first. The first three days, I felt like I was in pain. But I was committed, and it got easier after those first few days. One trick I've used is to eat healthier but not starve myself. By that, I mean I continue to eat hearty portions, but now they consist of food that is better for me. If you attempt to fast your way to a healthier weight, you'll eventually fall off of that wagon. But if you make wholesale changes in your diet, you can stay healthier for life.
Now, however, it's time to stop writing about my food and get on with life. It's also time to stop resting and start riding, so I'm going to get off here and get out on the road.
So I've taken a break for a few days to rest and recuperate, which are essential to any fitness plan. After riding a mere nine miles last Thursday, I took the entire weekend off. For the most part, that has helped. My quads are no longer tender to the touch, although I can still feel a little pain if I exert myself.
Another tip, which I learned from watching last season's Biggest Loser, is "cheat days" are not only to be expected when you're dieting, but they're essential. If you are curbing your caloric intake, you can overdo it and stall your metabolism. That means you don't burn as much energy and you can actually gain weight even though you're eating less. The occasional cheat day, however, is not only good for your mind, preventing you from feeling like you are denying yourself, it can convince your body that you haven't suddenly found yourself in the middle of a famine and it's alright to burn some calories.
I say all that as prelude to my experiences this past weekend, when I finally decided it was time to reopen the toxic waste dump in my gullet. I had planned to have my cheat day this past Saturday to coincide with Free Comic Book Day and the opening of the Iron Man movie, so I could pig out and get my geek on all in one day.
The funny thing is, while I was cheating on my diet and eating all of those things I thought I wanted, I actually felt cheated because I'm finding that my tastes have really changed since I began all this. The day began with a sausage biscuit (no egg) from that evil trans-fat empire, McDonald's. I actually had to stifle a gag reflex or too as I ate it, and once I finished, I just felt greasy. My mouth felt like I'd just drunk a bottle of suntan lotion.
For lunch, I thought I was cheating by getting fettucine alfredo with peppery chicken at Fazoli's, but once I looked up the nutritional info for that dish, I was surprised to learn it was actually something I could incorporate into my diet. Those bread sticks, though, are delicious but evil little bastards.
At the movies I had the one treat I had been looking forward to all day -- buttered popcorn. Again, though, I felt cheated because while the first few bites were true heaven, the rest made me nauseous as I felt that oily goo slithering down my throat. Just a few months ago, I could have polished off a large bucket of corn all by myself. While I certainly gave it my best shot Saturday, I eventually had to set it aside.
When it came time for dinner, I was actually starting to crave whole grains and low-fat dishes, but I was determined to blow my diet in grand style. That explains why I found myself half-heartedly eating country fried steak and gravy. I won't lie -- it was pretty good. But I had already eaten so much junk during the day that I was really only eating for flavor by the time dinner rolled around, and I was having to overcome the pain of stuffing and overstuffed stomach to do it.
But in the end, cheat day wasn't nearly as enjoyable as I had anticipated. Most of the day, as I tried eating some of the foods I once loved, I was continually disappointed. And the after-effects were outright unpleasant. I constantly felt nauseous and bloated, and my whole body just felt greasy.
The lesson in all of this is quite simple. If you are trapped in a high-fat, deep-fried, fast-food diet and feel you cannot change, you can. Not only that, but once you truly make the change a healthy diet, you won't be able to go back to eating the way you once did. I know. I was once quite proud of having the world's worst eating habits. I knew I should eat healthier, but it seemed impossible. However, it was much easier to make the change than I ever thought it would be.
I won't lie: Starting a healthy diet can be a little difficult at first. The first three days, I felt like I was in pain. But I was committed, and it got easier after those first few days. One trick I've used is to eat healthier but not starve myself. By that, I mean I continue to eat hearty portions, but now they consist of food that is better for me. If you attempt to fast your way to a healthier weight, you'll eventually fall off of that wagon. But if you make wholesale changes in your diet, you can stay healthier for life.
Now, however, it's time to stop writing about my food and get on with life. It's also time to stop resting and start riding, so I'm going to get off here and get out on the road.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Nearing a milestone
Today should be the day I finally reach a new goal. After the winter, I had hoped to reach at least 100 miles during March, and I was able to do that ... barely. With much better weather in April, I upped the ante to 200 miles, and with one day to go, I am 12 away.
Although I know there are plenty of guys who can crank out that many miles in a week, this is a pretty proud moment for me. I started cycling just a tad under a year ago and it has taken me quite awhile to get in better shape.
On Sunday, I went on what has been my longest single ride to date -- 31 miles. I am now healthy enough that the first 25 miles were a breeze. I had no trouble going that distance, and at a record pace, even though I was bothered by leg cramps the first five miles or so. Around mile 26, my legs started getting heavy and my energy level began dropping noticeably. At mile 30, it was all I could do to keep going long enough to get back to my office, where I keep my bike.
Funny thing, though. I thought I would have been starving at the end of such a ride, but I literally had to force myself to eat my dinner that night.
Anyway, today is the last day of the month, and with good health and an excellent weather forecast for today, it looks like I will be able to accomplish this goal. Eventually, I hope to get into a routine where I can get to 300 miles a month. Right now, though, it seems like that is a little out of reach. It has taken everything in me to get to 200.
The best part of upping my cycling, though, is that it is having a significant impact on my body. I feel happier and more energetic now than I have since I was a teenager. And it doesn't hurt that I've managed to shed 15 lbs. this month, bringing my total weight loss since I began cycling to 35 lbs. Woo-hoo!
By the way, I am now on Facebook, my first foray into social networking websites. I know most people use MySpace, but I really hate that place. It's just a great place for building crappy websites. If anyone would like to look me up, here's my badge:
Although I know there are plenty of guys who can crank out that many miles in a week, this is a pretty proud moment for me. I started cycling just a tad under a year ago and it has taken me quite awhile to get in better shape.
On Sunday, I went on what has been my longest single ride to date -- 31 miles. I am now healthy enough that the first 25 miles were a breeze. I had no trouble going that distance, and at a record pace, even though I was bothered by leg cramps the first five miles or so. Around mile 26, my legs started getting heavy and my energy level began dropping noticeably. At mile 30, it was all I could do to keep going long enough to get back to my office, where I keep my bike.
Funny thing, though. I thought I would have been starving at the end of such a ride, but I literally had to force myself to eat my dinner that night.
Anyway, today is the last day of the month, and with good health and an excellent weather forecast for today, it looks like I will be able to accomplish this goal. Eventually, I hope to get into a routine where I can get to 300 miles a month. Right now, though, it seems like that is a little out of reach. It has taken everything in me to get to 200.
The best part of upping my cycling, though, is that it is having a significant impact on my body. I feel happier and more energetic now than I have since I was a teenager. And it doesn't hurt that I've managed to shed 15 lbs. this month, bringing my total weight loss since I began cycling to 35 lbs. Woo-hoo!
By the way, I am now on Facebook, my first foray into social networking websites. I know most people use MySpace, but I really hate that place. It's just a great place for building crappy websites. If anyone would like to look me up, here's my badge:
Monday, March 24, 2008
Surprise: Diet, exercise are good for you!
Okay, so maybe it is no surprise, but I've been discovering it for myself over the past six weeks.
On Feb. 7, I checked my cholesterol for the first time and was "scared straight" when it came back at 245. Not surprised, mind you, because I knew full well that stomach had served as a toxic dumping ground for the past 38 years. But there is a distinct difference between innately knowing that you're doing bad things to your body, and being confronted by the hard evidence.
So, armed with fear, I began learning all I could about cholesterol. Not surprisingly, the American Heart Association has some good information about cholesterol, and is a great starting point for telling you what cholesterol is, what it does and how to fight it.
Finally, I decided to make three key changes to my lifestyle to get control of my cholesterol level. They included:
I won't lie. The first week of my diet was hell. Having been the type who was perfectly content to eat a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit every morning and a double-cheeseburger as often as possible, it truly was misery, as my body just wasn't very happy having to cope with the sudden drop in fats. That first weekend, I was just one big grumpy mess.
But after those first few days, it started getting easier. A lot easier. And I think I helped myself by finding ways to enjoy some of my favorite foods in small amounts, just as long as I didn't exceed my daily limits.
For example, I found that if I really watched what I ate for breakfast and lunch, I could treat myself at dinner to not one, but two regular hamburgers and medium fries at McDonald's without doing to much damage to my saturated fats or cholesterol.
(However, that was before I decided to educate myself about trans fat. Now it looks like I'm just going to have to say goodbye to McDonald's permanently -- or at least until they stop killing their customers with hydrogenated oils. Wendy's, on the other hand, has a menu almost entirely free of trans fats, except for the naturally-occurring kind, and you can have a very satisfying chicken sandwich and large fries for under 7 grams of saturated fat.)
These days, I pretty much follow an unchanging diet through the week, having a Power Bar for breakfast and usually some sort of vegetable beef soup and Sun Chips for lunch. For dinner, my wife has been very helpful in coming up with new recipes that are filling, yet easy to incorporate into my daily range. A lot of this has been due to eating a lot of stir fry, but she has also gotten a lot of good advice from Devin Alexander's wonderful cookbook, Fast Food Fix.
Nowadays, the diet does not bother me at all. After I had been on it a week, I found myself easily staying under my daily limits -- without one single slip. I've gotten almost religious about counting my fats and cholesterol, and I don't put anything in my body without knowing exactly what it means for that day's numbers. In a way, the diet has been a lot like learning to ride a bike -- one week of intense effort, followed by weeks of ease.
I didn't get back on my bike for the entire month of February, due somewhat to bad weather, but mostly on a need to concentrate on getting the diet thing down before tackling exercise. But starting March 2, I began concentrating on riding more frequently, and I managed to hit the roads eight times in the first three weeks, logging 85 miles. I have yet to tackle any big rides, as I'm just now starting to feel like I getting my legs back, but I'm hoping to get at least a couple of 300-mile months when good weather finally gets here for good.
Anyway, after six weeks, it was time to check the cholesterol level once again. I was hopeful that I had made at least some modest improvement, and would have been thrilled to death to get somewhere near 200. Of course, I was also scared to death that the numbers hadn't budged at all.
As it turned out, I didn't come anywhere near 200 -- my cholesterol level had fallen to 158, a drop of 87 points in six weeks!
When the nurse told me my results, I was floored. I made her repeat herself. I then looked to where she had written it down just to double-check. I was so happy I could actually feel tears welling up in my eyes, knowing that all the changes I had made and all the work I had done had paid off. And having a family history of heart disease, it is much more meaningful for me to feel like I've made some progress in that regard.
On Feb. 7, I checked my cholesterol for the first time and was "scared straight" when it came back at 245. Not surprised, mind you, because I knew full well that stomach had served as a toxic dumping ground for the past 38 years. But there is a distinct difference between innately knowing that you're doing bad things to your body, and being confronted by the hard evidence.
So, armed with fear, I began learning all I could about cholesterol. Not surprisingly, the American Heart Association has some good information about cholesterol, and is a great starting point for telling you what cholesterol is, what it does and how to fight it.
Finally, I decided to make three key changes to my lifestyle to get control of my cholesterol level. They included:
Getting back on my bike more often. My riding had really fallen off since the onset of winter, and I was only getting one or two rides a month. Starting a somewhat modified version of the TLC Diet, focusing solely on reducing my saturated fats to 22 grams or less a day and my cholesterol to 200 mg or less. Starting to take Centrum Cardio vitamins, after learning about the cholesterol-lowering benefits of phytosterols, also known as plant sterols.
I won't lie. The first week of my diet was hell. Having been the type who was perfectly content to eat a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit every morning and a double-cheeseburger as often as possible, it truly was misery, as my body just wasn't very happy having to cope with the sudden drop in fats. That first weekend, I was just one big grumpy mess.
But after those first few days, it started getting easier. A lot easier. And I think I helped myself by finding ways to enjoy some of my favorite foods in small amounts, just as long as I didn't exceed my daily limits.
For example, I found that if I really watched what I ate for breakfast and lunch, I could treat myself at dinner to not one, but two regular hamburgers and medium fries at McDonald's without doing to much damage to my saturated fats or cholesterol.
(However, that was before I decided to educate myself about trans fat. Now it looks like I'm just going to have to say goodbye to McDonald's permanently -- or at least until they stop killing their customers with hydrogenated oils. Wendy's, on the other hand, has a menu almost entirely free of trans fats, except for the naturally-occurring kind, and you can have a very satisfying chicken sandwich and large fries for under 7 grams of saturated fat.)
These days, I pretty much follow an unchanging diet through the week, having a Power Bar for breakfast and usually some sort of vegetable beef soup and Sun Chips for lunch. For dinner, my wife has been very helpful in coming up with new recipes that are filling, yet easy to incorporate into my daily range. A lot of this has been due to eating a lot of stir fry, but she has also gotten a lot of good advice from Devin Alexander's wonderful cookbook, Fast Food Fix.
Nowadays, the diet does not bother me at all. After I had been on it a week, I found myself easily staying under my daily limits -- without one single slip. I've gotten almost religious about counting my fats and cholesterol, and I don't put anything in my body without knowing exactly what it means for that day's numbers. In a way, the diet has been a lot like learning to ride a bike -- one week of intense effort, followed by weeks of ease.
I didn't get back on my bike for the entire month of February, due somewhat to bad weather, but mostly on a need to concentrate on getting the diet thing down before tackling exercise. But starting March 2, I began concentrating on riding more frequently, and I managed to hit the roads eight times in the first three weeks, logging 85 miles. I have yet to tackle any big rides, as I'm just now starting to feel like I getting my legs back, but I'm hoping to get at least a couple of 300-mile months when good weather finally gets here for good.
Anyway, after six weeks, it was time to check the cholesterol level once again. I was hopeful that I had made at least some modest improvement, and would have been thrilled to death to get somewhere near 200. Of course, I was also scared to death that the numbers hadn't budged at all.
As it turned out, I didn't come anywhere near 200 -- my cholesterol level had fallen to 158, a drop of 87 points in six weeks!
When the nurse told me my results, I was floored. I made her repeat herself. I then looked to where she had written it down just to double-check. I was so happy I could actually feel tears welling up in my eyes, knowing that all the changes I had made and all the work I had done had paid off. And having a family history of heart disease, it is much more meaningful for me to feel like I've made some progress in that regard.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Back in the saddle
I began February with high hopes of getting back into a normal routine. As I wrote before, I rode 21 miles on Super Bowl Sunday, and that had me planning to do at least 100 miles during the month.
But then February got all February-ish. It was cold, or it was raining, or it was cold and raining. Occasionally, it snowed. And to top it all off, I ended up nursing the flu for about a week. As it turned out, February passed by without me getting so much as another single turn of the pedals, much less 79 miles.
March, however, appears to be another story ... so far. I had three rides in the first week, giving me 31 miles for the month so far. That's not exactly a lot, I know, but it's more than February, and it's more than I've ridden in a week in quite awhile.
The previous Sunday, I did something I hadn't done before and rode with someone else. And not just any someone, mind you, but my oldest son. That was a far greater pleasure than I had anticipated. He was quite a trooper and managed to keep up with me (mostly) for nine miles, which is pretty impressive for his first time.
This past weekend did bring a freak snowstorm of sorts, with a full three inches of the fluffy stuff. You folks up north might laugh, but that's the biggest snowfall we've had all year. So instead of getting on the bike Saturday, we drove down to the local Ace Hardware and got some sleds, and I took the family to my favorite spot to sled when I was a kid. So while I wasn't able to log any miles over the past few days, I don't really mind because it turned out to be quite fun anyway.
And now we're back into Daylight Saving Time, meaning there will be at least an extra hour I can ride after work. With the weather forecast looking better and better the further you go (aside from today's rain, of course), March truly is looking like it's going to be a great month.
But then February got all February-ish. It was cold, or it was raining, or it was cold and raining. Occasionally, it snowed. And to top it all off, I ended up nursing the flu for about a week. As it turned out, February passed by without me getting so much as another single turn of the pedals, much less 79 miles.
March, however, appears to be another story ... so far. I had three rides in the first week, giving me 31 miles for the month so far. That's not exactly a lot, I know, but it's more than February, and it's more than I've ridden in a week in quite awhile.
The previous Sunday, I did something I hadn't done before and rode with someone else. And not just any someone, mind you, but my oldest son. That was a far greater pleasure than I had anticipated. He was quite a trooper and managed to keep up with me (mostly) for nine miles, which is pretty impressive for his first time.
This past weekend did bring a freak snowstorm of sorts, with a full three inches of the fluffy stuff. You folks up north might laugh, but that's the biggest snowfall we've had all year. So instead of getting on the bike Saturday, we drove down to the local Ace Hardware and got some sleds, and I took the family to my favorite spot to sled when I was a kid. So while I wasn't able to log any miles over the past few days, I don't really mind because it turned out to be quite fun anyway.
And now we're back into Daylight Saving Time, meaning there will be at least an extra hour I can ride after work. With the weather forecast looking better and better the further you go (aside from today's rain, of course), March truly is looking like it's going to be a great month.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Riding in Frankfort
Super Bowl Sunday came a couple of weeks ago and I found myself in Frankfort, visiting my in-laws. My mother-in-law's birthday was a couple of days before and we had gone there on the weekend to take her out to dinner.
The days leading up to our trip, I had been looking at the weather and seeing that the weather in Kentucky was going to be picture-perfect the entire weekend, which would be great for riding, except that I was going to be out of town.
The natural solution, of course, would be to take my bike with me, but my truck was out of commission at the time due to a busted transmission, and we were making the trip in my wife's Neon. Undeterred. I decided to make a go of it any way, laying our suitcase in the trunk, then placing my bike in the trunk over top of it, back wheel first, leaving the front wheel and handlebars hanging out the back. With a short piece of rope, I then tied the trunk door down firmly against the bike, and we were off.
I was excited about riding in Frankfort. First, the weather looked to be great, and I looked forward to spending a few hours outside, zipping through the streets. Secondly, though, I live in the Appalachian foothills, which can make for some challenging riding, but Frankfort is flat, in comparison. Sure, the Kentucky River cuts a mean gash through the center of the city, but my intention was to avoid that, saving my power for riding for as long as possible. My hope was to finally ride my first half-century. I flirted with the idea of riding to Lawrenceburg, or maybe braving a trip across the river valley to go to Lexington.
It was not to be. I did manage to go on a ride that day, but I found the terrain to be a lot tougher than I anticipated, and I ended up doing my usual 20 miles before I was completely wiped out.
For one, the outskirts of Frankfort, sans river valley, are nothing but rolling hills, an undulating landscape of long climbs and too-short descents. A more experienced rider, perhaps, would have no trouble navigating the terrain, but as I've mentioned before, I'm not that experienced.
For one, this was my first serious attempt at a ride following a winter of limited riding, and my conditioning, never that great to begin with, had fallen off some from its peak back in October. Second, my bike and my build make any ride more challenging for me than they are for these skinny little guys on their skinny little bikes, who are the stereotype of a cyclist.
This is tough for me. Sometimes, back in the summer when another rider would zip past me while I was chugging along, I would get discouraged. Here I was, giving it all I had and managing to only average 11 or 12 mph, while they were breezing along at 20 or more. Or I would picking up a cycling magazine and read about guys averaging 25 mph and knocking out 100-mile trips in an afternoon.
The discouraging part is that I want to be like those guys, yet I'm nowhere near. So I have to constantly remind myself that it will take some time before I get there. I try to remember that I'm carrying 50 or 100 lbs. more on my body, and I tell myself that they probably couldn't do as well as I'm doing if they were carrying the equivalent of a elementary-school child on their backs.
Someday soon, I'll get to the fitness level I want, though not as soon as I would like (which is now). But to get there, I will have to lose weight and put in the miles.
Below is a map of my ride around Frankfort. One thing you'll notice is that there are a lot of stops and starts along my journey, an indication of where I first attempted to go one way, then thought better of it. And while I was expecting my ride through Frankfort to be easier than that to which I'm accustomed, in many ways it was tougher. Sure, the hills are not quite as severe as some I encounter back in Prestonsburg or Paintsville, but they're constant. I flew over the first few, as I expected I would, but after five miles or so, they started to take their toll. I would work to get to the top of the hill, and then once I did, the descent afterwards would be over much too quick before I was chugging uphill once again. As a result, the entire ride felt like it was one constant uphill climb.
All in all, though, it wasn't a bad ride, and it's one I will look forward to tackling again ... once I'm in a little better shape.
The days leading up to our trip, I had been looking at the weather and seeing that the weather in Kentucky was going to be picture-perfect the entire weekend, which would be great for riding, except that I was going to be out of town.
The natural solution, of course, would be to take my bike with me, but my truck was out of commission at the time due to a busted transmission, and we were making the trip in my wife's Neon. Undeterred. I decided to make a go of it any way, laying our suitcase in the trunk, then placing my bike in the trunk over top of it, back wheel first, leaving the front wheel and handlebars hanging out the back. With a short piece of rope, I then tied the trunk door down firmly against the bike, and we were off.
I was excited about riding in Frankfort. First, the weather looked to be great, and I looked forward to spending a few hours outside, zipping through the streets. Secondly, though, I live in the Appalachian foothills, which can make for some challenging riding, but Frankfort is flat, in comparison. Sure, the Kentucky River cuts a mean gash through the center of the city, but my intention was to avoid that, saving my power for riding for as long as possible. My hope was to finally ride my first half-century. I flirted with the idea of riding to Lawrenceburg, or maybe braving a trip across the river valley to go to Lexington.
It was not to be. I did manage to go on a ride that day, but I found the terrain to be a lot tougher than I anticipated, and I ended up doing my usual 20 miles before I was completely wiped out.
For one, the outskirts of Frankfort, sans river valley, are nothing but rolling hills, an undulating landscape of long climbs and too-short descents. A more experienced rider, perhaps, would have no trouble navigating the terrain, but as I've mentioned before, I'm not that experienced.
For one, this was my first serious attempt at a ride following a winter of limited riding, and my conditioning, never that great to begin with, had fallen off some from its peak back in October. Second, my bike and my build make any ride more challenging for me than they are for these skinny little guys on their skinny little bikes, who are the stereotype of a cyclist.
This is tough for me. Sometimes, back in the summer when another rider would zip past me while I was chugging along, I would get discouraged. Here I was, giving it all I had and managing to only average 11 or 12 mph, while they were breezing along at 20 or more. Or I would picking up a cycling magazine and read about guys averaging 25 mph and knocking out 100-mile trips in an afternoon.
The discouraging part is that I want to be like those guys, yet I'm nowhere near. So I have to constantly remind myself that it will take some time before I get there. I try to remember that I'm carrying 50 or 100 lbs. more on my body, and I tell myself that they probably couldn't do as well as I'm doing if they were carrying the equivalent of a elementary-school child on their backs.
Someday soon, I'll get to the fitness level I want, though not as soon as I would like (which is now). But to get there, I will have to lose weight and put in the miles.
Below is a map of my ride around Frankfort. One thing you'll notice is that there are a lot of stops and starts along my journey, an indication of where I first attempted to go one way, then thought better of it. And while I was expecting my ride through Frankfort to be easier than that to which I'm accustomed, in many ways it was tougher. Sure, the hills are not quite as severe as some I encounter back in Prestonsburg or Paintsville, but they're constant. I flew over the first few, as I expected I would, but after five miles or so, they started to take their toll. I would work to get to the top of the hill, and then once I did, the descent afterwards would be over much too quick before I was chugging uphill once again. As a result, the entire ride felt like it was one constant uphill climb.
All in all, though, it wasn't a bad ride, and it's one I will look forward to tackling again ... once I'm in a little better shape.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Intro
Where to begin?
Well, let me start by saying that, just because I'm writing about my experiences on my bike, this site should in no way be considered any sort of expert commentary on cycling or fitness or, really, anything at all. If anything, it's the exact opposite.
That being said, what I hope to accomplish with this blog is to share my learning experiences and maybe help someone like me, who finds himself or herself stumbling into this vast world of cycling without a clue of how to proceed. I will share what I learn and, perhaps more importantly, share the mistakes I've made to prevent others from doing the same.
Hopefully, this will eventually become a two-way street and others who stumble upon this page will share their advice. I have no problem admitting that I have a lot to learn, and I appreciate any and all comments.
Anyway, I began cycling like most people -- as a child. From the time I was in first grade and Santa brought me my first "Evel Knievel" bicycle, I probably spent most of my waking hours on my bike, and had no problem riding across town to get to an arcade or a friend's house.
And, like most people, I gave it up when I got my driver's license. Cars were cool and bikes were for little kids.
Fast-forward 22 years to May 2007. I had just "celebrated" my 38th birthday and I was miserable. I had become a middle-aged and overweight desk jockey, but at least I had finally managed to quit smoking in October 1, 2006 -- after 20 years. A stop at one of those blood pressure machines in my local Wal-Mart confirmed the toll my years of sedentary living had taken: My blood pressure had begun to push the upper limits of pre-hypertension, and my resting heart rate had climbed to 90. That was bad enough, but then I stepped on the scales and found that my weight had reached 280, and I knew that I would be celebrating my 40th birthday at 300 pounds if I didn't do something.
As a husband and father of two, I knew I was cheating my family out of being the best possible me I could be, and that I wouldn't be around for them as long as I could be. But all the other times I had attempted to start exercising had all turned out the same way -- a few half-hearted attempts, followed by abandonment.
Around that time, I was watching TV and heard someone give the advice that the key to a successful fitness program is to find something that you love to do. Hearing that, something clicked and I remembered all the days of my childhood spent on a bicycle. I had bought a stationary bike a couple of years before, but that lasted about a month because it was just too boring. A "real" bike, on the other hand ...
On a whim, I went to Wal-Mart and plunked down $170 on a 26-inch Mongoose. At the time, I thought it was going to be a good bike, and I'm sure it's fine for certain uses, but it's not quite the bike I need. Regardless, I still have it and still ride it -- until I get a chance to buy a better one.
Anyway, I hopped on my bike the first, fully intent on riding all over two counties. The reality of the level of the physical fitness, however, quickly dispelled that notion. My first ride ended up totaling under a mile, with slight, gradual inclines kicking my butt.
And so it began. I managed to make a couple of other very short rides before finally completing a two-mile ride. The next time I went three miles. The next time, five. Within a week, I was riding seven miles, three times a week, and two weeks later I was up to 10 miles a ride. By July, I was doing two 10-mile rides during the week, capped off by a 20-mile ride on the weekends.
Now, I'm fully aware that riding 40 miles a week isn't quite awe-inspiring. And despite my desire to go on some of these "century" and "half-century" rides I've been reading about, the fact is that I can only go 21 or 22 miles before I reach a wall that I've just not been able to get past.
Part of the reason for this, I think, is because I had let myself get into such terrible shape before I started riding. Like I said, my first ride ended up being less than a mile, maybe just half a mile actually, but afterwards I collapsed on my bed for about 20 minutes. Twenty years of smoking, nonstop eating and being a desk jockey will do that to a person.
And then came winter. Just as I was starting to get into shape a little bit, I've had to cut way back on the amount of riding I do because of the weather, which limits the times I can ride on the weekends, and because of the earlier nightfall, which rules out rides during the week because I refuse to ride my bike in the dark. So, whereas I was doing 40 miles a week back in the summer and fall, I only averaged 40 miles a month in November, December and January. That's not enough for me get in shape, and probably just barely enough to keep me from slipping back in the shape I was in.
However, despite my limited endurance so far, there is plenty of evidence that I'm making progress. For one, my heart is healthier now than it's been in awhile. Before I started riding, my blood pressure was 130/90. Today it's 175/78. It could be better, but at least it's now fallen to the upper range of "normal." My resting heart rate has shown dramatic improvement, falling from 90 to somewhere around 55-60. (One time it actually measured 50, but I must have been in a particularly blissful zen state that day.)
My weight, on the other hand, hasn't moved so much. The first month, I dropped 10 pounds, which was the extra weight I had put on after I quit smoking, but then I lost nothing more for months. Part of the reason for that, I think, is that, while I have shed a couple of inches around my waist and can tell a marked difference in my belly and face, I've also gained muscle in my legs. Today I'm down to 265, which is only a loss of 15 pounds. Ideally, I would like to get down to somewhere between 190 and 210, which means I'll have to pull a lot more miles on the road and a lot fewer forks to my mouth.
Plus, I'm thinking that my current bike is playing somewhat of a role in my limitations. I wanted the big mountain bike when I first started because it just seemed safer. What I didn't know at the time is that they are much, much slower and a lot more work. I currently have my eye on a hybrid (this one, in particular), which I had hoped to buy with my tax money, but an unanticipated $1,800 in car repairs has me rethinking that plan until after that tax rebate comes.
Anyway, that's a summary of where I've been, where I am now and, hopefully, where I'm going. I hope that sharing this journey will be helpful to anyone looking to start a healthier life. And just maybe it will provide some motivation for me, now that I'll feel pressure to perform for my audience.
Until next time, keep pedaling.
Well, let me start by saying that, just because I'm writing about my experiences on my bike, this site should in no way be considered any sort of expert commentary on cycling or fitness or, really, anything at all. If anything, it's the exact opposite.
That being said, what I hope to accomplish with this blog is to share my learning experiences and maybe help someone like me, who finds himself or herself stumbling into this vast world of cycling without a clue of how to proceed. I will share what I learn and, perhaps more importantly, share the mistakes I've made to prevent others from doing the same.
Hopefully, this will eventually become a two-way street and others who stumble upon this page will share their advice. I have no problem admitting that I have a lot to learn, and I appreciate any and all comments.
Anyway, I began cycling like most people -- as a child. From the time I was in first grade and Santa brought me my first "Evel Knievel" bicycle, I probably spent most of my waking hours on my bike, and had no problem riding across town to get to an arcade or a friend's house.
And, like most people, I gave it up when I got my driver's license. Cars were cool and bikes were for little kids.
Fast-forward 22 years to May 2007. I had just "celebrated" my 38th birthday and I was miserable. I had become a middle-aged and overweight desk jockey, but at least I had finally managed to quit smoking in October 1, 2006 -- after 20 years. A stop at one of those blood pressure machines in my local Wal-Mart confirmed the toll my years of sedentary living had taken: My blood pressure had begun to push the upper limits of pre-hypertension, and my resting heart rate had climbed to 90. That was bad enough, but then I stepped on the scales and found that my weight had reached 280, and I knew that I would be celebrating my 40th birthday at 300 pounds if I didn't do something.
As a husband and father of two, I knew I was cheating my family out of being the best possible me I could be, and that I wouldn't be around for them as long as I could be. But all the other times I had attempted to start exercising had all turned out the same way -- a few half-hearted attempts, followed by abandonment.
Around that time, I was watching TV and heard someone give the advice that the key to a successful fitness program is to find something that you love to do. Hearing that, something clicked and I remembered all the days of my childhood spent on a bicycle. I had bought a stationary bike a couple of years before, but that lasted about a month because it was just too boring. A "real" bike, on the other hand ...
On a whim, I went to Wal-Mart and plunked down $170 on a 26-inch Mongoose. At the time, I thought it was going to be a good bike, and I'm sure it's fine for certain uses, but it's not quite the bike I need. Regardless, I still have it and still ride it -- until I get a chance to buy a better one.
Anyway, I hopped on my bike the first, fully intent on riding all over two counties. The reality of the level of the physical fitness, however, quickly dispelled that notion. My first ride ended up totaling under a mile, with slight, gradual inclines kicking my butt.
And so it began. I managed to make a couple of other very short rides before finally completing a two-mile ride. The next time I went three miles. The next time, five. Within a week, I was riding seven miles, three times a week, and two weeks later I was up to 10 miles a ride. By July, I was doing two 10-mile rides during the week, capped off by a 20-mile ride on the weekends.
Now, I'm fully aware that riding 40 miles a week isn't quite awe-inspiring. And despite my desire to go on some of these "century" and "half-century" rides I've been reading about, the fact is that I can only go 21 or 22 miles before I reach a wall that I've just not been able to get past.
Part of the reason for this, I think, is because I had let myself get into such terrible shape before I started riding. Like I said, my first ride ended up being less than a mile, maybe just half a mile actually, but afterwards I collapsed on my bed for about 20 minutes. Twenty years of smoking, nonstop eating and being a desk jockey will do that to a person.
And then came winter. Just as I was starting to get into shape a little bit, I've had to cut way back on the amount of riding I do because of the weather, which limits the times I can ride on the weekends, and because of the earlier nightfall, which rules out rides during the week because I refuse to ride my bike in the dark. So, whereas I was doing 40 miles a week back in the summer and fall, I only averaged 40 miles a month in November, December and January. That's not enough for me get in shape, and probably just barely enough to keep me from slipping back in the shape I was in.
However, despite my limited endurance so far, there is plenty of evidence that I'm making progress. For one, my heart is healthier now than it's been in awhile. Before I started riding, my blood pressure was 130/90. Today it's 175/78. It could be better, but at least it's now fallen to the upper range of "normal." My resting heart rate has shown dramatic improvement, falling from 90 to somewhere around 55-60. (One time it actually measured 50, but I must have been in a particularly blissful zen state that day.)
My weight, on the other hand, hasn't moved so much. The first month, I dropped 10 pounds, which was the extra weight I had put on after I quit smoking, but then I lost nothing more for months. Part of the reason for that, I think, is that, while I have shed a couple of inches around my waist and can tell a marked difference in my belly and face, I've also gained muscle in my legs. Today I'm down to 265, which is only a loss of 15 pounds. Ideally, I would like to get down to somewhere between 190 and 210, which means I'll have to pull a lot more miles on the road and a lot fewer forks to my mouth.
Plus, I'm thinking that my current bike is playing somewhat of a role in my limitations. I wanted the big mountain bike when I first started because it just seemed safer. What I didn't know at the time is that they are much, much slower and a lot more work. I currently have my eye on a hybrid (this one, in particular), which I had hoped to buy with my tax money, but an unanticipated $1,800 in car repairs has me rethinking that plan until after that tax rebate comes.
Anyway, that's a summary of where I've been, where I am now and, hopefully, where I'm going. I hope that sharing this journey will be helpful to anyone looking to start a healthier life. And just maybe it will provide some motivation for me, now that I'll feel pressure to perform for my audience.
Until next time, keep pedaling.
Two of my routine summer rides
Here are the two rides I did the most during the summer and fall. The first is almost nine miles, which I do after work a couple of times a week. The second is nearly 20 miles, which I do on the weekends.
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