Still riding indoors...

Sunday, March 30, 2014
The day started with what I hope will be the final snow shoveling of this winter.  We’ve had blasts in April before, but it would seem that mercy needs to be shown to those of this area who don’t want to shovel snow every other day as part of their workout.

Temperatures were rising rapidly and if wasn’t for all the melt on the road, I could have done an excellent outdoor ride.  It was melting all over the road however, and so I boarded the trainer for a boring, one hour-plus ride made tougher by the beautiful sunshine streaming through my office window.

I spent time in the kitchen after the ride trying to make enough food to keep Jack satisfied for several days.  Since I don’t have an industrial kitchen, this proves difficult.  I made a large batch of my six bean soup/chili, a rice/chicken combination that claimed to be 12 servings, a batch of apple sauce and two pounds of baked salmon.  I suspect it will all be gone tomorrow, but at least I’m trying.

Bike duration: One hour.
Training Heart Rate: 120 bpm.
Calories Burned: 850.

Lot's of yard work and another killer snow...

Saturday, March 29, 2014
Nathan and I elected to give the boat project a weekend off while he made sure we wouldn’t have any issues with the marina regarding past due monies owed by the previous owner of the boat.  I’d learned some disturbing things regarding maritime liens and how the boat itself held responsibility for satisfying the debts its owners had not paid.  This could be a sticky wicket for us somewhere down the road when the marina approached us as the current boat owners in an effort to collect what they were owed from the boat.  Not good, but hoping that she will see reason and accept the fact that what she’s looking to get may be uncollectable and that we are willing to paying her a year of docking fees up front.

I was hoping to work at Mimi’s and knock out some of the early spring yard clean-up, but the forecast was threatening.  I arrived there early and decided to work until it got nasty.  I was chopping overgrowth and digging up wild thorn bushes on the property separating her from her neighbors for over five hours when the rain finally began to fall.  After dragging the huge piles I’d made across the street to our natural dump area, I was feeling the exertion of the non-stop effort.  By the time I’d put away all the tools I’d been using and climbed into the car to drive to Dan’s, I realized just how tired I was and grateful to be sitting.

I didn’t get home until after five and gave only a passing thought to doing some kind of workout.  I’d already kicked my own ass and with a forecast of 4-6 inches of snow for some time during the next few hours, I thought I’d save myself.

When it did start falling, it was relentless.  Since the temperature was near freezing, the snow was wet and heavy.  In fact, it was the most difficult to move of the entire winter and when I reached the bottom of the driveway 40 minutes later, was rather discouraged to see at least an inch at the top.  I went in and waited until bedtime before returning for a second push.  It proved to be as heavy and difficult as the first and I found myself crawling up the stairs to bed when the day was finally over.

So, no…no formal workout, but I’m pretty sure I burned more calories than I would have in a 1-hour ride on the trainer.  No matter.  I still have some guilt from blowing it off. 

Great Survival Workout...

Friday, March 28, 2014

I went into work early to knock out a fitness test because I needed to be back in Cleveland late morning to attend the funeral of my next-door-neighbor’s father.  The woman doing the fitness test turned out to be quite fit as a result of work she’d been doing at the direction of our personal trainer.  She was still looking to lose weight and had some concerns about the speed of her weight loss.  “I’m only down 7 pounds over the last three weeks and I’m wondering why it’s taking so long,” she said.  She had already shared how many inches she’d lost and how differently her clothes were fitting and how good she was feeling.

“You have made some phenomenal changes in a short time and remember, this is about a lifetime of fitness.  You’ll keep losing if you follow the routine you’re working now.  Besides, you just told me how well it’s all going so don’t get hung up on the scale.  It has nothing to say about your fitness levels,” I told her.

I made it to the church on time and then sat and listened, and thought.  The older I get, the more reflective I become generally, and certainly when I’m sitting through someone’s funeral.  I can’t help but process thoughts about people close to me who have died and how tomorrow is not promised to me, either.  I couldn’t help but think of this man’s quality of life, it had deteriorated significantly, and how my own thinking about fitness and longevity had changed since graduating with my degree in Exercise Physiology.  ‘You’ll live longer if you do this and that,’ I would preach without giving a moment’s thought to living better.  No one ever challenged me on it and so I stuck with that tune.  No more.  I’m training people to have and think about quality of life.  “Stay active.  What’s the point of living long if you’re stuck in a chair or a bed.”

I went to the park later that afternoon and found conditions ideal for a good Survival Workout.  Since I’d run the day before, I elected to add more lifting to the workout.  I added a couple of log lifts for the low back, extra sets of pull-ups, and some quality core work to make up for the lack of sprints and jumping.  I returned to the car with an extreme pump and feeling exhausted, but strong.

As is often the case, I elected to undo all that good with about six pieces of greasy pizza while again watching ‘Trouble with the Curve’ starring Clint Eastwood.  I was watching with my sister and brother-in-law, trying to bring quality film to their dull existence.  I could watch that movie over and over and with the opener less than a week away, baseball movies just make sense.

Survival Workout: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 100-150 bpm.
Calories Burned: 600.

Trumbull County YMCA...

Thursday, March 27, 2014

I had been preparing for this night’s Board meeting for the last three months.  I’ve been working for the Trumbull County YMCA since last October and during the first two months had come to the conclusion that some drastic measures needed to be taken if the facility was to survive in its current location.  The building, constructed in 1928, has many challenges that one might expect of something this old.  Operationally, they have struggled over the last 20 years as the city of Warren and the surrounding area has seen so much of the industry that made it so robust in the 60’s, close down and move away.  As a result, some of the facilities and equipment have not kept up with the times and evolving needs and wants of today’s fitness population.

 

I recognized that what we needed to do and could afford to do were two different things if we were to try and embark on this journey with only the members of the facility.  I also recognized that a YMCA is not only for its members; that it has a larger mission and purpose to serve the entire community by offering programs and a space where all ages can find a way to healthier spirits, minds, and bodies. 

I have been on a campaign since arriving to enlist the communities business and political leaders to embrace our mission and recognize the necessity of the Y in its present location on the town square.  I believe I have accomplished this and so when I presented the Board with a strategic plan that outlined our need to spend $355K on a new roof, a completely updated weight room, creation of a signature ‘Back to Basics Boot Camp’ that would include simulated boxing, rock climbing and a myriad of exercises utilizing medicine balls, ropes, peg boards, and heavy objects to lift and balance, a new youth locker room and 20 new spinning bikes, they agreed and gave me their support.  Now comes the big job of raising the money.

I’d managed a 30-minute run along the Mahoning River before the meeting and couldn’t help but wonder when I’d again be able to put a kayak in the water.  Though this river was running fast, all still bodies of water are almost completely ice covered and will likely stay that way well into April.  It is still dark until 7:15 a.m., but in a few weeks, I should be able to execute my plan to drive half way to work and then pull my bike from the car and ride the remaining 25 miles.  At that point, conditioning will quickly return to last summer’s levels. 

Run duration:  30 minutes.

Training Heart Rate:  140 bpm.

Calories burned:  525.

Hiking in Sand Run Metro Park

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

I drove to Akron after work to pick Heidi up from her job with the Akron Beacon Journal.  We had plans for dinner, but since I hadn’t had a chance to do anything for a workout, I suggested a hike at Sand Run Metro Park.

We parked and I set my keys on the hood while I changed into my hiking shoes.  There was a cool breeze blowing and I considered an extra layer, but Sand Run offers many steep climbing trails and I picked one so we could work up a sweat and stay comfortable without the extra gear.

We were half way up a ridge and breathing heavily when Heidi began to complain about her conditioning.  “I’m glad we’re not in the Adirondacks right now.  I am WAY out of shape.”

The hill we were climbing was at least twice as high and considerably steeper than any trail in the North Chagrin Reservation.  It would be an excellent training park for hiking in the Adirondacks and the runs I’d done here had left me exhausted.  We crested the hill and walked along the ridge to an open field which we quickly realized served as a sledding hill.  At the top was a large, steel chimney with a sliding hatch at the bottom that was partially open.  There was smoke and an orange glow emanating from it and when I realized it was a warming pit for sledders, I was jealous.  There was a pile of fire wood off to one side and since the coals were burning down, I decided to throw a couple of logs in.  To accomplish this, I needed to lift them overhead and toss them up over the top to the top of the chimney, which was about seven feet tall.  “Now I want to stay here and burn wood and get smoke all over my clothes.  I love that campfire smell,” I said.

Heidi was not interested in watching the fire; she had eating on her mind and so we turned and headed back to the car.  We managed an hour of hiking and congratulated ourselves on doing a little something before eating a greasy cheeseburger and fries at Larry’s.

Hike duration:  60 minutes.

Training Heart Rate:  90 bpm.

Calories burned during workout:  350.

Icy run...

Tuesday, 3/25/2014
Yesterday’s back pain was a fading memory.  As I drove home from Warren though, snow began to fall.  I had a dinner engagement with Marla, my partner in ‘OhioActive’ and long-time friend.  I had a limited opportunity to work out and with the snow falling and road conditions worsening, I started to worry I’d miss another workout.  Since I was driving by the East Branch Reservoir, home of my eagle nest and the best pictures I’d ever gotten of a bald eagle and some damned good running trails, I decided to pull in and run before the trails were snow-covered.

I managed about five minutes of running on a bridle trail before coming to a stretch that was snow-covered.  As I started running across and my feet began sliding, I realized it wasn’t snow at all, but ice.  Like a cartoon character, I went through several spins with flailing arms before regaining some semblance of balance and dignity, as I came to a stop…without falling.  I walked gingerly for several yards before again finding clear trail.  This pattern continued for the next several miles and with the wind whistling snow in my face, I found myself back at the car covered in ice and soaked through to my skin in what seemed like a death march.  I’d managed 45 minutes; a very good effort and much closer to my goal of 59 minutes I’d need to do for the birthday run in three weeks.  I really need a couple of weeks of clean roads and warmer temperatures if I’m to get in the riding distance I need and unless I install an ice breaker on the front of the kayak, I doubt I’ll be in the water anytime soon.  I really should have been born in June…or live closer to the equator.

Run duration: 45 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 140 bpm.
Calories Burned: 765.

Low back flair-up...

Monday, 3/24/2014
I drove towards the North Chagrin Reservation planning to do the Survival Workout.  As I drove though, a pain in my low back began to grow and expand.  I found myself shifting around in my seat trying to find a comfortable position, but to no avail.  By the time I arrived at the park, the pain was excruciating and I could hardly get out of the car.  I stood, tried to stretch, and thought about running…or not.  Not won.

I don’t know where it came from and by the end of the evening, it was gone.  I get them now and again…maybe once every six months though they tend to last longer once they set in.  I suspect that all the unusual work performed on the boat over the weekend; I'd gotten into several tight spots and had lifted many heavy items from off-balance positions, could have been the culprit.  My routine includes a good deal of core strengthening, which is preventive, but certainly not a guarantee.  I do need to include a little more low back work and I know how to do that with my rocks and the right movement.  I’m looking forward to a complete thaw when all my logs and rocks will again be available to me, though the forecast says that day is still a ways off.  We’re looking at another snow storm tomorrow with extremely cold temperatures through Thursday.   

Engines rumble to life...

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Nathan picked me up at nine and we drove to the boat talking about firing up the two, 327 Corvette engines that powered the ‘Miss Ellie’.  “They haven’t been run in several years, but there was oil in them and they look pretty good.  I’m thinking we’ll get them running,” he said.  I wasn’t as confident.

He and a friend spent a couple of hours working on the engines while I continued to strip hardware and wood from the deck.  Rotting wood made it easier as I began to simply pry screws, and the wood to which it was attached, away from the deck; it was that rotted.  The deck was being replaced anyway, so what the hell.

It was the third day of spring, but no one had notified the wind whipping across the lake and blasting us with frigid air.  Snowflakes were falling, as well.  No matter.  I was working hard and staying warm.  Dakota, on the other hand, had retreated to the truck and was curled up on the back seat. 

At some point, the owner of the marina, a noted psychopath, came by to inquire about our activities.  This was the first human we’d seen in our three trips to the marina; not uncommon for the time of year.  After she realized she knew who he was since his family had been docking there for over twenty years, he explained the nature of our efforts to rehab the boat and buy a slip from her to keep it there in the coming year.  She did not know the previous owner, she said, and drove off. 

A little after noon, Nathan announced he was ready to fire the engines.  I pulled out my video camera, filmed him pouring high octane fuel into the carburetor of the port engine, and then reach for the key.  “Here goes,” he said, and turned the key.

There was an initial rumbling, the sound of an engine trying to catch, but then suddenly it exploded to life.  Nathan had the throttle wide open and the noise that came from the engine, smooth, loud and powerful, was that of any hopped-up ’68 Corvette might make if its owner was revving the engine at a light to try and impress nearby gawkers.  Standing on the deck just behind the engine, I could feel the power of the pistons as they roared to life.  Amazed at how good it sounded, I found myself with tears in my eyes and thinking that my dad would be so pleased.  In fact, I felt his presence there with me, smiling and nodding approval.

The starboard engine did not run so smoothly; Nathan determined the plugs and points would need some work, but it did turn over and run.  We spent the next couple of hours completing our tasks of removing all hardware from the decks and by 4 p.m., were packing up and heading for home.

Two days of long hours in the cold had taken its toll.  I was tired and once home, didn’t even consider a workout.  I realized how important good mobility was to climbing around the hold of a boat though as I was cleaning out around and behind the engine.  It’s like the crawl space under a house; a couple of feet of height and something bumping you at every turn.  I need some more stretching and increased flexibility if I’m going to continue this work.

Long day of tiring work that felt like a workout...

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Transem dry rot...it'll be replaced.

I’d been planning to go to Fairport Harbor to do some work on the boat Saturday morning, but only after doing my home chores.  The yard was a mess and I wanted to get some of it together before things began blooming and my task would become more difficult.  My nephew, Nathan, had called the day before to say he’d be going to the boat on Sunday with the goal of turning over the engines, shoring up the hull and covering the boat against the weather.  As I ate breakfast though, I received a text from him saying he could get away from work and head for the boat that morning and did I want him to pick me up.  Of course I agreed.

I hurried out and packed up grasses I’d cut down the night before that were now blown across the yard.  So much for getting ahead.  I worked for an hour before he arrived; loaded my tools into his truck and drove to the marina.  Though dressed warmly, six hours in the outdoors working in temperatures in the thirties took its toll. 

I arrived home around five chilled to the bone and pretty beat up.  I’d climbed up and down an 8’ step ladder to get on and off the boat and to work my way around it trying to remove wooden trim that I would be refinishing and replacing after we replaced the deck.  There was a good deal of time spent on hands and knees crawling into tight places to loosen bolts and remove salvageable pieces parts.  We’d loaded everything we’d be reusing and had removed to a storage site, which meant more hauling and carrying from truck to basement. 

I could have ridden the trainer or gone for a run, but elected instead to take a hot shower, download pictures on facebook of the boat progress, and eat a warm dinner while watching an episode of ’30 Rock’.  I struggled to keep my eyes open; exercise was a vague apparition.  Besides, I figured I needed my rest for tomorrow when we’d again attack the boat with the hopes of firing up the engines, something that had not happened in over four years.

A 'cool' ride...

Friday, March 21, 2014
Since I’d done so little outdoor riding through the winter, Friday’s mid-forties temperature did not seem very inviting for a ride.  A year ago, I’d done at least half of my winter rides outdoors because of the lack of snow and warmer temperatures…warmer being a relative word.  I’d taken several rides with temperatures below 35 degrees then, so mid-forties should have seemed like a heat wave.  With that in mind, I dressed for a ride and steeled myself. 

My clothing concessions to the weather amounted to two pair of socks, gloves, a long-sleeved t-shirt under my riding jersey and a stocking hat under my helmet.  All proved to be effective – almost.

I headed out with the wind at my back thinking I’d ride around 30 miles.  The roads were almost completely dry; there was some snow melt from extremely high piles that were still melting.  I headed into Waite Hill riding up several minor hills, forcing myself out of the saddle.  I had a good sweat rolling when I turned around and began heading into the wind for the second half of the ride.

Now the chill factor was kicking in.  It was getting late and the sun was setting.  With a 20mph blow in my face, it felt more like 10 degrees.  I was still plenty warm except my feet.  I had about 30 minutes to get home and they were painful.  Pulling into the driveway was a relief, though walking on frozen feet proved painful as I stepped from the bike.

I should have worn my booties.  I could have ridden on the trainer.  I’m glad I didn’t, though.  I’d have never ridden two hours inside and if I have any hope of being ready for a birthday triathlon, I need some road miles.  After a warming shower, I spent an hour doing yard work; cutting the oriental grasses I should have removed the previous fall and raking leaves out of the gardens.  I needed to get a jump on my yard so I could spend the weekend working with Nathan on the boat.

Bike duration: Two hours.
Training Heart Rate: 120 bpm.
Calories Burned: 1700.

Tricky trail conditions...

Thursday, March 20, 2014
I drove to the park prepared for a muddy run.  The trails were almost completely ice free now, but puddles abound.  As I ran though, I was pleasantly surprised to find it was not as bad as I had suspected.  To some degree, the dirt was partially frozen making the footing solid.  I did find that the hiking trail surface of dirt was giving way beneath the weight of my steps as I ran, almost like ice.  I suppose it had heaved up slightly from being saturated and then re-frozen and could not support the impact of running.  It was an unusual sensation to have each step feel as though I would break through the turf, though.

I started the run heading uphill.  I like to get hills out of the way early in a run rather than finish going up one, but once reaching the top, it seemed to take ten minutes to catch my breath.  I’m really a long way from being in running shape – or cycling for that matter, and suspect I’ll be sucking wind for the next several weeks as I regain my ‘Tour Ohio’ level of conditioning.  My 59^th birthday is approaching and I’ve been questioning whether I will attempt the ‘birthday triathlon’ this year.  I could run the 59 minutes by then and likely be ready to ride 59 miles, but I doubt I’ll put the kayak in the water anytime soon and putting all three together may be too much to expect with only three weeks to go.  I’ll play it by ear.

I’ve made a couple of trips into the tall grass that borders the rugby field looking for golf balls.  The grass grows about hip high in the summer and balls hit in there are basically gone.  The weight of the snow pushed it all down though, and revealed last fall’s errant shots.  I grabbed 44 balls over three days and now have probably 800 or so.  I either need to take up golf and lose some of them or consider renting a storage unit to put them in. 

I had some leftover Amish casserole when I got home, but held it to one helping because Jack and I were planning on meeting Jason at ‘The Local Tavern’ for a burger after his rugby practice two hours later.  I was still full when my food came; I decided on a bowl of corned beef stew, but couldn’t finish it.  I was proud that I didn’t force it down just because I’d paid for it. 

I’m looking forward to some sunshine tomorrow and possibly comfortable temperatures for a good outdoor ride.  I rode eight centuries in 11 days during Tour Ohio, so a 59-mile ride in three weeks shouldn’t be a big deal…right?

Run duration: 37 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 140 bpm.
Calories Burned: 625.

Dog poop doesn't melt...

Wednesday, September 19, 2014
The rain was falling quite heavily as I drove home, though I still swung past the park on the off chance it would stop long enough to do a dry run.  No such luck.  I drove home and went inside for a ride on the trainer.  Sixty minutes later, soaked with sweat, I headed for the kitchen to prepare dinner.

I heated the oven and pulled the Amish casserole from the refrigerator I’d put together the night before.  When the oven dinged to tell me it had reached 350 degrees, I put the casserole in and headed upstairs for a shower. I returned to the kitchen in ten minutes, enjoying the aroma of my dinner, when my cell phone rang.  It was my next-door-neighbor, Pat.  “John – Mike’s putting up a new garage door opener and I’m going over there to watch him while I drink a beer.  Want to join me?”

Mike lived next to Pat and was quite mechanical.  He would, however, need some needling to make the project go more smoothly, and we were just the neighbors to do it.  “I’ve got dinner in the oven, but there’s 20 minutes left on the timer so I’m good,” I said.

I took Dakota and walked the two houses to Mike’s.  He was, in fact, putting up the opener.  It was all laid out, with instructions at hand and looking like a bit of a puzzle.  “I put one of these up thirty years ago and don’t remember a thing about it, so I’m here to look pretty and lift anything heavy,” I offered.

While standing there, Dakota felt nature’s call and squatted for a good dump on Mike’s front yard.  She likes to go in Pat’s yard, but Mike’s would do in a pinch.  I grabbed the scooper and cleaned it up while sharing my fondest childhood memory of poop scooping.  “So I was like ten and we had this big collie.  I took care of her including cleaning up the poops.  That first winter, it snowed heavy and often and I was thrilled that her shit disappeared and I didn’t have to clean it up.  I was pretty sure it was gone forever, I guess thinking it would melt into thin air with the snow, come spring.  Let me tell you, I was pretty disappointed and disgusted when the snow melted and the yard was blanketed in soft, mushy dog shit,” I said.

With that precious story, I left for home and my Amish casserole.  I thought I owed myself an extra-large helping because of the ride…and I also figured ice cream on warm apple pie should be included.  I’m starting to think that if I don’t get my riding up to 200 miles a week here real soon, I’m going to weigh 300 pounds.

Bike duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 120 bpm.
Calories Burned: 850.

Love the mud...

Tuesday, March 18, 2014
It was fifty and sunny…what a day for a ride, kayak, run, Survival Workout in the park, or eating a big bowl of ice cream and pretending to do all of those other things.

I opted for the Survival Workout with the hopes of getting home in time to get in a ride outside.  The trails remain sloppy and will likely stay that way until, oh, June.  We need a long stretch of warm, dry weather to solidify them; something Northeast Ohio has in short supply.  This time of year, I tend to pack a pair of mud shoes in the car and just recognize that I’m going to return from a run covered in mud…and so what?  As a child, I’d have splashed in slop and covered myself in filth with no apparent concern.  Partially because I wasn’t the one cleaning the stuff I was wearing, though I would have been smart enough to take the shoes off before entering the house (I tend to lose sight of that every now and again these days and track mud throughout the house up to the point I get my assed kicked).  Even with my mud shoes on, I still try to avoid the puddles on the trails until I hit one that completely soaks my shoes.  Once that happens, I start running through them on purpose.  Its fun, easier, and I can turn in a faster time on the course.  In other words, I can remain a child.

I completed the Survival Workout with slimy shoes and drove home still thinking I’d have time for a ride.  Once there, the side-tracking began.  I went to the computer and answered some emails, pulled out the salmon I was planning on making for dinner, had a discussion with Jack about working out, and spent some time with a neighbor.  And then it was too late.

The salmon turned out well and my neighbor appreciated my pontification on whatever subject I was pontificating about…so that was good.  I’m continuing to look forward to those long summer days when I have three hours of daylight after work.  Soon… 

Survival Workout: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 100-150 bpm.
Calories Burned: 600.

Happy St. Patrick's Day...

Monday, March 17, 2014

St. Patrick’s Day.  There was a time when this was such an important day in my life and that of my family.  My mom was half Irish, and she took that heritage pretty seriously.  We’d celebrate St. Pat’s with all our food and beverage dyed green.  I could never understand why the milk didn’t taste better – I figured it should be rich and sweet, like chocolate milk.  The first time Holly joined us for a St. Pat’s dinner, she later admitted that the green mashed potatoes and green milk gagged her.

Then came the years at the Cleveland Athletic Club and a thousand drunken members and their guests filling the facility to bursting.  We’d feed them all day long with our brunch and dinner buffets, preparing 500 pounds of corned beef and providing an endless supply of beer and alcohol.  I don’t imagine many of the participants had any recollection of the day.

It’s calmer now.  My sister called and suggested I come over for a traditional St. Patrick dinner.  She’d made corned beef and a concoction of turnips, cabbage, carrots and potatoes as a side, which I enjoyed, but only for a day. 

I put in another run on the trails before eating.  They still have some lingering ice and snow and where it’s melted I found lots of mud.  I had to tread carefully crossing Clear Creek on certain portions of the trail, but was able to run the same course I’d done in 40 minutes a week ago in 37 minutes.  Nothing to do with my conditioning, mind you, but only because it was a little easier to run.

Tomorrow’s forecast is sunny and fifty.  I’m hoping to get on the bike for an outdoor ride and hoping that I will soon be driving only part of the trip to Warren; planning to park the car halfway and then ride the remaining distance.

Run duration: 37 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 140 bpm.
Calories Burned: 625.

Trails still icy...

Sunday, March 16, 2014
I arrived at the North Chagrin Reservation for a Survival Workout early Sunday morning.  The trail was frozen from an overnight dip in the temperature, which eliminated the mud issues, but would likely make it exceedingly difficult to pick up stuff frozen to the permafrost.  Dakota came along for the trip and the cold, frozen conditions did not affect her workout in the least.  That, and she was sparkly clean from yesterday’s bath. 

I pulled off my first several sets without a hitch and moved down the trail.  At my second station, I was greeted by rocks frozen to the earth.  I tried jumping on them to loosen the grip of the frost, and was marginally successful in freeing some.  I lifted those while Dakota wrestled with sticks frozen in the ground which she was sure I wanted to throw. 

My logs remained cemented to the earth and I had to find other things to lift along the way.  Crossing Clear Creek presented an issue in that the water was high and the rocks I’d normally walk across were covered in ice.  I could have tried them and would have likely ended up taking a spill in the icy water, but I was smarter than that.  I moved upstream and found a downed log across the water, which I used to cross.  Dakota simply jumped.

The trail remains partially covered in ice in places of highest hiking.  Hikers and runners pound the snow down in certain areas and they may remain frozen for a week past the general snow melt.  I found similar conditions in the Adirondacks, but there the snow is packed a few feet thick, which means it can still cover the trail as late as the end of May.  Anyway, I managed the rest of the workout, but was also kept from doing some of my lower body activities by the slippery conditions. 

Spring is five days away.  Warm weather is sure to follow and I promise not to complain about the heat (I’ll bitch like hell about humidity, though).  Still, how good it feels to get out and challenge the elements to some degree.  Looking ahead, I may be able to ride tomorrow and the next day before lousy weather returns.

Survival Workout: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 100-150 bpm.
Calories Burned: 600.

First day of work on the 'Miss Ellie'

Saturday, March 15, 2014

I was heading for the woods to do a workout when I received a call from my nephew, Nathan.  “Hey Uncle John.  I can be there in 30 minutes if you’re ready to head down to the boat to do some work,” he said.

He’d texted me the previous evening that today was the day we could get title to the ‘Miss Ellie’, the name my dad had given his 1968 Chris Craft Sun Skiff, after my mom.  “Sure…I’m ready now,” I said.

We drove to Eastlake and the Captains stadium where the current title holder of the boat was working.  After walking around the stadium and smelling hot dogs being prepared for season ticket holders and those there to buy tickets (it was the first day for ticket sales), we found him, picked up all the information on boat maintenance that my dad had saved over the years, as well as some old pictures of the boat, and headed off to Fairport Harbor.

I’d brought along rubber gloves and a box of heavy duty garbage bags.  We’d been inside a month earlier and knew the condition of the interior and that we’d be filling a couple of dumpsters with the garbage.  We drove across the open, muddy field; the boat graveyard, and pulled alongside our boat.  Dakota had come along for the ride and bound from the truck to explore the surroundings.  We climbed the step ladder we’d acquired through eminent domain; it had been laying under the boat in the grave site next to ours, and hopped aboard.

I climbed down into the hold beneath the deck that housed the fuel tanks and started hauling miscellaneous shit out.  There was almost nothing of value.  

The pattern continued in the quarters and we quickly filled 6 large garbage bags.  We could see that there was very little that we would be salvaging.  The deck’s integrity was sketchy and water had infiltrated most spots in the cabin, rotting out wood and soaking all cushions, fixtures, flooring and basically everything.  We pulled down the stretched ceiling material that covered the cross beams supporting the deck above and decided it wasn’t going back.  I could strip and sand the beams and leave the natural wood exposed while painting the ceiling panels in between.  We decided we might do the same with the wall panels, giving it more of a rustic look and feel.  After stripping off the cushions glued to the sofa/bunk bed (the back of the sofa released and swung up to become the base of the overhead bunk for sleeping), I realized I may as well just disassemble the upper and lower sections and take it home to use as a template to make new ones since they both had water damage.  I also took a table top and a drawer with chrome trim home so I could begin remaking a table top and to figure out how to remove the trim so I could refinish all the cabinet wood work.

My sister stopped by with sandwiches and pea soup, which I devoured.  I discovered that Dakota had found a dead animal to roll in while we’d been working and the smell added a special dimension to the work we were doing.  We loaded Nathan’s pick-up to overflowing and drove our debris to the marina’s dumpsters, filling two.  With the windows down to protect ourselves from whatever Dakota had rolled in, we drove home and washed everything, including Dakota.

It had been a full day and I had plans for dinner and a movie at my sister’s place.  I took a hot shower to wash off the mold and try to warm up from working outdoors all day in freezing temperatures.  Though not a workout in the true sense, I probably burned more calories through the day than I could have in a 60-minute ride on the trainer.  It was good work and offered us both a great deal of satisfaction in the knowledge that we had a truly worthwhile project that would someday garner big results.

Trails are a mess...

Friday, March 14, 2014

I landed at the Park on the way home with every intention of doing the Survival Workout, but when I arrived and did a short excursion down the bridle trail, decided that without waiters, I would not be doing it.  Instead, I made myself run the roads again. 

I hate running on the pavement.  There was a time when I put all my miles on the roads, but since figuring out how much better trail running is, I almost never go there.  But it was run the roads or go home for a ride on the trainer.  The roads were definitely too full of snow melt for me to ride, but okay for running.  I parked the car and began the trudge up Rogers Road Hill.  I’d run this same hill several days ago and was pleasantly surprised at how much easier it seemed on my second trip up.  It was still boring, though, and I’m looking forward to the complete melt and a return to the trails.

I ran reasonably hard for forty minutes and returned to the car dripping with sweat.  I toweled off and drove to Heinen’s to get ingredients to make Jack and me Chicken Alfredo for dinner…again.  I could make that nightly and he’d be happy, though we’d both gain fifty pounds from all the fat in the sauce.  During dinner, I received a text from my nephew, Nathan, telling me he could get the title to my father’s old 1968 Chris Craft tomorrow and we could go and begin cleaning it out.  I’m thinking it could take the better part of the day and may not leave much time for a workout, but it is something I am truly looking forward to doing.

Run duration:  40 minutes.

Training Heart Rate:  140 bpm.

Calories burned:  700.

Sort of a double...

Thursday, March 13, 2014

After two days of either no workout or unstructured (snow shoveling), I wanted to get back in the groove.  I’d received a text from my son Jason asking me to join him for dinner, which was going to cramp my time.  Still, I had to get something done.

I’d already completed a hike in the North Chagrin Reservation with Dakota and it had been a decent workout.  We’d hiked off-trail through deep snow down to and out on, the marsh.  I checked my pulse and found it was over 90 bpm, or about 20 beats higher if there had not been any snow, and realized I was breaking a sweat in spite of temperatures in the low teens.  The storm the evening before had left evidence of the ferociousness of the wind.  Even in the deepest and most dense part of the woods, trees were plastered with frozen snow on the side that had faced the blizzard conditions.  Now, with the sun breaking through and beautifully deep blue skies overhead, it was a winter wonderland.  Dakota didn’t notice a thing; running merrily from one stick to the next, but I marveled at the tranquility of the setting.

Descending to the marsh was particularly treacherous.  I couldn’t get good footing because the snow below last night’s fall was frozen and slick.  I half skied/skated down and had to work to keep from going over the edge on Snowman’s Ridge; a precarious 100-foot drop.  Dakota assisted me by trying to grab at sticks protruding from the snow that I was grabbing to keep me from slipping.  A stick is a stick.  If my hand is on it, she figures I’m going to throw it and lunges for it.  Thankfully, I made it down without her sending me into the ravine.

We returned to the car after an hour of hiking and I drove home quickly, switched into my riding gear and mounted the trainer for a 45-minute ride.  It was all the time I had before heading to the restaurant. 

Not quite the double I’d envisioned, but a decent workout.  Temperatures are returning to the fifties tomorrow, but I’m thinking an outdoor ride may be hampered by extensive snow melt.  Cold will return over the weekend, so regular outdoor riding is still day to day.  I promise not to complain about heat this summer, should it ever come back.

Hike duration:  60 minutes.  Bike duration:  45 minutes. 
Training Heart Rate:  80-90 hiking and 120 on the bike.
Calories burned during workout:  300 hiking and 625 on the bike.

It's warm and sunny, aaaaand it's not.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

You really shouldn’t take the weather in Northeast Ohio for granted.  Not for a day, not for an hour, not for a minute.  You really shouldn’t.

I had exercise plans for the evening that included stopping at the park on my way home for a Survival Workout to be followed with time on the trainer, or a run.  Then I started hearing weather forecasts from members at the Y and decided I’d better check out the weather channel on my computer.  I didn’t like what I saw, which was a prediction that a monster winter storm was, well, storming in and would be dropping the temperature into the single digits, with gale force winds and 6-8 inches of snow.  And all this would be happening over the next several hours…starting somewhere around right now.  It was 3 p.m.

I decided I’d make the drive home early, though I still angled towards the park.  Snow was falling slightly in Warren, but as I reached Middlefield on my way north, things were getting seriously nasty.  By the time I was passing through Chardon, I was facing white-out conditions and had reduced my speed to about 20 mph.  I descended Wilson Mills hill, the one I manage to smoke down at more than 52 mph on my bike, in low gear and with a prayer on my mind.  I reached bottom, but now had to ascend the other side to get home…but I was right next to the park!  I slowed and thought ‘maybe a quick Survival’ and then home.  Thankfully, common sense won out and I continued on, just making it up the hill since the roads had yet to receive any salt.

I made it to my driveway and discovered my workout after all.  Snow shoveling, of course.  I spent the next thirty minutes scraping the driveway down to the pavement and returned two more times before bed to make sure I stayed ahead of the snow curve.  It wasn’t the workout I had planned, but it was the one given me.  Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love you tomorrow.  My double workout is only a day away.

The streak is broken...

Tuesday, March 11, 2014
After 12 consecutive days of workouts, something finally got in the way that couldn’t be helped.

Heidi called to let me know she was coming home for the evening and I knew I needed to make a dinner.  I asked her what she’d like and Amish casserole was mentioned. 

“I really don’t like Amish casserole,” Jack said.

“Well…I’m the guest and I’m special and dad’s going to make what I want,” Heidi replied.

Jack likes my Chicken Alfredo Fettuccini, so I drove to Heinen’s on the way home and bought the ingredients to make both.  I thought I’d ride the bike after dinner, so everything would work out okay.

And it would have if I’d remembered that Reza, a runner I’d coached several years earlier while he was in high school, hadn’t been stopping over for visit.  We talked until ten and then Heidi and I put ‘Dances with Wolves’ on and began watching.  She’d never seen the movie and was captivated.  I’ve seen it ten times, but it’s my favorite and I never tire of the story.  We didn’t finish it since I needed to get to bed for an early drive to Warren through what could be the winter’s last storm, but planned to do so sometime soon.

So…no workout and maybe a few too many calories.  It’s okay, though.  There is a difference between the me that was simply blowing workouts off and this situation.  I’ll be back at it tomorrow without a doubt and maybe pull a double.  Before the day is over, I’ll likely have a load of snow to push, as well.

The first outdoor ride of 2014

Monday, March 10, 2014
The cycling gods were smiling down upon Northeast Ohio.  After three months of temperatures closer to zero than to forty, it was fifty and sunny.  I drove towards home with one thought in mind – an outdoor ride.  And the beauty of it was, daylight savings time had begun so I’d have an extra hour of daylight to punish myself.  Oh joy!

I pumped up UB’s tires, filled my water bottle, tucked a stocking hat into the pocket of my riding jersey in case I got cold and pedaled down the driveway.  My plan was to ride my Waite Hill course, which would give me a ride of about an hour and twenty minutes.  I’d done all my riding throughout the winter on the trainer and never went more than an hour.  Though my legs were reasonably strong, you never face the wind or hills on a trainer and I’d have plenty of both on this voyage.  I expected, but did not encounter, too much snow melt.  I don’t like riding through it as it kicks salt up on the bike and makes a mess of the moving parts.  When I reached the point where I would have to turn, I elected instead to keep heading east and following my Mulberry Road course.  At that moment, it seemed like a swell idea. 

The farther from home I rode, the more I began to think about how long it would take to complete this course.  I had the wind at my back on the way out; the winds always seemed to be blowing out of the northwest.  When I finally turned into the wind for the last hour of riding, I was becoming fatigued.  I slowed considerably and thought about just taking it easy and getting some saddle time.  As I climbed the final hill of the ride just past Squire’s Castle on River Road, my thighs began to cramp.  I struggled in over the final seven miles having taken over two hours.  I felt okay about it since I knew I shouldn’t have gone that long since my last outdoor ride had been three months earlier, but it worked out okay.  I knew that I could afford a bowl of ice cream, too, so I had that going for me.

Bike workout:  Two hours and 13 minutes. 
Training Heart Rate:  120 bpm.
Calories burned during workout:  1850.

Spring ahead...or not.

Sunday, March 9, 2014
Spring ahead…and do it Saturday night.

I arrived at the Metropark Sunday morning with Dakota in tow and a goal of doing the Survival Workout before church.  There was a light dusting of snow on the trail which had fallen yesterday afternoon, but nothing to impede progress on the trails.  It was 8:30 a.m. and I had plenty of time to do the workout, return home for a shower, and make the drive to church.  I went through my first series of exercises and was heading down the trail towards the second station when I began to think about that whole ‘spring ahead’ thing.  As the fog lifted from my brain, I realized it was actually 9:30 a.m. and I was not even close to having enough time to complete the workout.  I hit a couple of more stations and quickly returned to the car where I grabbed the phone and called Jack.

“Hey…if you’re looking at the clock in the kitchen and thinking about when you need to leave to get to church, you’re going to be an hour late,” I said.

“Dad…I know about daylight savings time.  I’m good,” he replied.

So he’s smarter than me for once.  I hurried home, showered and made the drive to church with about 40 seconds to spare.

I returned home and rode the trainer for 60 minutes before heading to the kitchen for some major cooking.  Jack had laid off his weight training routine when he started back to school in January and had lost about 15 pounds of muscle.  About three weeks ago, he’d started up in earnest again, with a complimentary return of his major league appetite.  He eats constantly and likes chicken so I made a big batch of rice, mixed in broccoli, celery, onions and sautéed chicken for dinner and the next couple of days.  I also baked some chicken, barbequed pork chops and sautéed green beans.  He should be good for 24 to 36 hours.

I should be eating pretty well myself for the next several days.  I’ll try to stay away from burgers and continue my quest to regain my own conditioning.  So far, I’ve managed11 days in a row. 

Survival Workout:  30 minutes.  Bike workout:  60 minutes. 
Training Heart Rate:  100-150 bpm for SW and 120 on the bike.
Calories burned during workout:  300 for SW and 850 on the bike.

Finding your own 'Adirondack Serenity'

Saturday, March 8, 2014

I have this picture hanging in my office at the Y and I use it often to suggest to people I’m helping begin an exercise program about setting goals and for my own reminder of a good reason to stay in shape.

It’s about the end game, I tell them.  It’s about finding something you really enjoy doing that has the added benefit of putting…and keeping…you in shape.  The scene depicted in the picture is a shot across the meadows of the Flowed Lands with the McIntyre Mountain Range of the Adirondack Mountains on the horizon and a place I love to go.  I can’t hike in to this spot with a 50-pound pack or hike and climb 10-15 hour days unless I’m in shape for the effort.  It keeps the focus over the summer training months.  With my clients, we look for their ‘Adirondack Serenity’; something they would like and sacrifice for to keep them on task.

I went to the North Chagrin Reservation with the intention of running the bridle trails.  And I started there, but after several minutes of running on mostly ice, decided I’d be better off switching to the roads.  It was a good plan generally, except that I picked Rogers Road heading east from River Road, which means ‘big hill’.  The first portion of Rogers Road ascends steeply once you cross the Chagrin River and it is on this section that I have twice snapped bicycle chains when putting maximum crank effort on the pedals to climb.  I was doing something that resembled running going up the hill and though it was slow-going, my heart rate was in the Red Zone.  Still, I made it to the top, ran another 10 minutes and then retraced my steps back to the car for another 40-minute run.  When I returned home, I hopped on the trainer for another 20 minutes so I could record another day of at least an hour of exercise.

My next door neighbor invited me out for dinner and we went to another local burger joint where I ate the most decadent burger I’ve ever had.  It had a name which I can’t remember right now, but it amounted to a burger inside a grilled cheese sandwich…lots of butter, cheese, and fatty beef.  Fries came with it, of course.  If I keep eating this way, I’m certainly going to need more running and cycling time.

Run Workout:  40 minutes.  Bike Workout:  20 minutes. 
Training Heart Rate:  140 bpm running and 120 on the trainer.
Calories burned during workout:  700 running and 350 riding.

A solid double and an art show...

Friday, March 7, 2014

The temperature had reached 50 and with the sun shining, I drove towards the Metropark to try and get inn a Survival Workout on the previously frozen trails.  I had to hurry because I needed to drive to Akron for Heidi’s art show, which began at 7 p.m.

I climbed from the car wearing a t-shirt and shorts.  It was in the forties and the temperature was dropping, but a set of push-ups would get my blood boiling and I knew I’d be warm enough.  I put on boots because there was still 3 inches of snow on the field and the trails would be a combination of ice, slush and snow I was sure.  After doing my initial set of calisthenics at the car, I started running across the frozen rugby field at what was supposed to be a sprint.  It resembled one in name only.

I was huffing in a big way after 30 seconds of running across the field and making my way into the woods.  Following a second set of exercises at my first rock station, I did high knees on the icy surface of the bridle trail.  Slipping as I was made the task that much harder and after thirty bounds, found myself sucking hard for oxygen.  I needed to clear snow from my next push-up area, but the picnic table was clear for crunches.  I did struggle breaking my rocks free from the frozen tundra, though the clinging turf added to the weight and enhanced the workout.

I reached my log after another set of high knees, but no amount of digging and kicking would break the grip of the ice that had formed over it during the previous month.  I resigned myself to lifting more rocks instead.

In all, I managed 20 sets and an excellent workout.  I had sorely missed the woods and working out there and the inconveniences of ice and snow were minor when considering the alternative of working out inside.  I drove home monitoring my time and realizing that if I changed quickly, I could get some time on the bike trainer, which I did.

Heidi’s art show was a success for her; she’d sold half of her work before the evening was over.  Since we were in Akron though, we decided to stop at ‘Larry’s’, a neighborhood pub across from Heidi’s apartment, for dinner.  They had great food and the owner always looked out for Heidi whenever she came in.  I ordered a large burger and chased it with a plate of fries, thus undoing a fine double.  Overall though, a very good calorie-burning day.

Survival Workout:  60 minutes.  Bike workout:  30 minutes. 
Training Heart Rate:  100-150 bpm for SW and 120 on the bike.
Calories burned during workout:  600 for SW and 425 on the bike.