Phun Day Monday Ride...

Today I managed to sneak out of the house for a bit and get some more miles on the MTB. What I really need to do is put some miles on the road bike! I think if I don't soon I risk my wife selling it just to prove a point. Well, 'irregardless' (**That is one of my pet peeve 'words that don't exist, yet get overly used' words). Sorry, ADHD catching up with me. I got out and had a nice ride. Wound up stopping to see the progress at Little Mountain Brewing Company and chatting a while, then getting back on the road. Got back on the bike, rode for a bit, and then tried to ride back home the way my wife drove when I was Racing The Automobile. I took her exact path, and was quite please to complete the two mile, 253 foot climb in ten minutes. Legs felt great, breathing was fast but my chest wasn't tight, it just felt good. Yup... time to get the road bike out.

Racing The Automobile...

So I got out for a fairly paced ten mile ride. That is, of course, until I saw my wife three miles from our home. I thought it would be funny to race her. So, clearly without thinking, I told her, "sync our phones, and let's see who gets home first." Now, let me explain. She is in a car, automobile, vehicle. She is going about two miles, on paved road, with ONE traffic light. On the other hand you have me riding a three mile dirt trail, through a creek, up an insane/poorly graded/falling apart hill, and through the woods.

So, she cam in at nine minutes. I came in at a mere seventeen minutes. I'm going to go ahead here, use my license, and just call it. I won. I owned. My legs were burning, my shirt was drenched and I felt amazing! I need to do some stupid sh** more often.

Back In The Swing Of Things

First off two quick points of business. First off, as a point of cross promotion, I was featured for The Art Of Brew (my other blog) on Drink With The Wench. Both AMAZING blogs, if I may say so myself.

Also, my buddy rich is almost completely through Virginia on his 4500 mile cross country ride. He is raising money for LiveStrong, and is accepting donations for LiveStrong on his LiveStrong page. He is now officially more that 500 miles into the journey, and it's day 10. More to follow as I hear more

So it has been about ten days now since my last post, but at least it has been for a good reason. I've been managing to get out on the bike and log some miles, and have been putting myself into a world of hurt working out my core. It's one of those weird things that my body is hurting so much that it feels so good.

I've also been making a point to eat a lot better. Skipping wings with the guys from work, eating a lot more raw, and veggie, and even being suckered into my wife's vegan habit. I have to admit that I could likely be persuaded to go vegan if I didn't have to give up cheese... Or chocolate... Or bacon. OK, I could give up bacon, but it's SO good.

Anyway, I think this is going to call for a July ride in Cleveland. Likely the Towpath once again. So if you're in the area, or want to be, drop me a line and you can meet up with us.

Cheers, for now!

Possible Winds Of Change?!

If you missed yesterday, check out the post about my buddy Rich who is riding from VA to OR and raising money for LiveStrong. If you can, please consider donating a few buck (or more) to his LiveStrong page. I'll keep writing about his journey as I get info from him on his ride.

WHAT?! This is the third post in a week. I got two rides in, in that time. I've started a (minimal, but still...) amount of core building. All in all, I think this might just turn out OK. I have spent the last year feeling like my life has fallen apart, but suddenly I've seen a light at the end of the tunnel. NOTHING I has seemed to go the way I planned, but now it looks as though a ray of sun is breaking the clouds.

Let's take today as an example. I had a crappy day, turned good day, turned uh-mazing. I took the anger of the day and turned it into cranking out a hilly seven mile ride, like I've never killed it in the past. I think I ride much better when someone pisses me off. It's like I need an assistant to just piss me off before I ride so I can hammer that much harder. I am in HORRIBLE physical shape right now. I've decreased in fitness, increased in weight and am 180º opposite of where I was in 2008. But today was different. I threw on my iPod (I know, I DID write about how I hate people riding with iPods), gritted my teeth and just killed it. It felt so good.

So now I sit here eating a few peanuts and some watermelon, legs burning, with a GIANT smile on my face. Turning point? Dammit, I hope so!

My Buddy Rich Is Crazy...

I'm writing this in hopes that my buddy Rich isn't going to be pissed at me, but I had to talk him up. You see, Rich is riding cross country for LiveStrong. Thats right folks, 4,500 miles from Yorktown, VA to Astoria, OR. Crazy, probably but Rich is incredibly badass. With that in mind, Rich will be fundraising for LiveStrong while he is out riding. He leaves Tuesday, June 1 and will take three months going cross country seeing the sites along the way.

If you are able and/or interested, you can donate to his LiveStrong page. I will also make sure that I update his progress when I hear from him.

Let the journey begin! Dipping his rear tire in York River/Atlantic Ocean, Yorktown Virginia... Astoria Oregon or bust!!! Only 4500 miles to go... Holy crap!!!

Godspeed, Rich! Keep fighting the good fight for LAF!

Phun Is NOT Dead... No, Really... I'm Not

Hey all, I know it's been a while (one month, one week, and one day to be specific) since you've heard from me. I wanted to take a minute to say hello, assure you I am not dead, and the blog will go on. It might be sparse (hopefully not 1Y/1M/1D) but it will still be here. Things are in all sorts of chaos right now, but I and mine are well. Busy, but well. I am in the midst of many things right now that are occupying my time, and Cycling Phun has hurt a bit for that. I will be updating, and it should get juicy!

One thing is I am getting ready to start to do one of two things. I want to get back into The Lean Look: Burn Fat, Tone Muscles and Transform Your Body in Twelve Weeks Using the Secrets of Professional Athletes by Paul Goldberg and Matthew Fitzgerald. I just love to say the full title, it's just so freaking long. I've said it before and will say it again, "I think Paul and Matthew should hook me up for how much I've pimped the book on this blog now, don'tcha think? - hint, wink" I'll either do that, or I might start P90X. I've seen awesome things happen to friends, and think it might be an option as well. Anyone here do the P90X thing?

I've also been going back and forth on whether or not I want to go back to the veggie route. I did it a while back and felt great while I was vegetarian. Also, the ol' lady has decided to take a hardcore approach into the world of veganism. I am NOT that hardcore, nor do I want to be. On a serious note: anyone who has ANY input or thoughts... I'd LOVE to hear them! Drop a line in the comments, please. If you need to you can also hit me up on the upper right corner... The "contact me" button.

To leave you with a positive note. I have been getting light exercise in, and I even got a nice, fairly hard pace, ride in recently. It was hot, humid, and I was sweating my ass off. It felt SO good! Even took some time to find a really nice path, with a great photo op. Enjoy it, and I'll be back soon! PEACE!

-Don

Turning Cranks

I had a meeting out of the office today at 3:00 and decided, two days ago, that I was totally playing hooky afterward. So, I got home at 4:00, had a light dinner, skipped lunch so I was hungry, and jumped on the bike. Got about two hours in the saddle today, and man did it feel good. Last time I went out, and totally got creamed by the fact I was out of practice, I really overextended myself. This was going to be all about pacing myself, and keeping the cranks turning. Well, that's just what I did. Up hill, down hill, turns, flats, whatever. I just focused on staying in a moderate gear and turning.

It was a great day for a ride too! Through the woods, across the creek, no iPod just listening to nature all around me. I was, however, also reminded just how much I hate limestone. Have you had the misfortune of riding on it? It sucks! But not even lime stone could piss me off. OK, so dropping my chain off the big ring mid-pedal, might have got me a bit tweaked. I'm beginning to think that maybe I need a new chain.

Anyway, got home and did some stuff around the yard. Got the lines strung for my hop plants to grow on, and now this. All in all, not a bad afternoon.

Day One Of Re-re-re-re-re-starting The Working Out Stuff: Cooked

So, after a trip to the most magical place on Earth, and eating like crap for a week, continuing that for a month afterward from home, etc. I am currently up ten or so pounds. It fluctuates between ten and fifteen. Epic freaking suck. I went out and tried to ride fairly seriously, and felt every bit of it. Asthma was acting up, it hasn't in about a year and a half, I felt like someone was forcing a tire iron in my right side, it was just a hot mess. I feel bad as hell for the person who agreed to ride with me that day. I just sucked.

So, today I started some of my Lean Look exercise routine, and am hoping to build up to starting P90X soon. I'm pretty sure that will be a nice mix of love, hate, pain, joy, happiness, and regret, but also know it will be worth it. I need to build up my muscle tone, again, and start losing fat. Why is it that when you hit, like, 30 everything goes to crap exponentially faster? I have actually, also, been debating going veg again. The wife wants to try going vegan, and I keep telling her she is in-freaking-sane! First off, how the hell do you give up cheese?! Just asking... It's the worlds most perfect food! Anyway, I'd love your opinions on vegetarianism. Any of you doing it? I did a while ago, but fell prey to a 13oz fillet. I ate about a third or a half of it... Mistake. Thought I was going to die. Started back on meat.

Well that's it for now, back to the grind. back to trying to get some level of health and fitness about myself.

This Just In: Bike Snob (BSNY) Reveals His Identity

For those of you who are regulars in the bike blog scene, you know about the ambiguous Bike Snob (ie: BSNY). What you might not know is WHO BIke Snob is. Well, after a very long time of keeping his identity closely guarded, Bike snob (Eben Weiss, 36 of NY) is letting it all go. Eben is a 36 year old ex- bike messenger who grew up riding BMX and is in the heart of the media mayhem. He spent more than a decade in the publishing industry working with the Ralph M. Vicinanza, Ltd. literary agency. He is married and his wife, Sara Goodman, is an editor at St. Martin's Press. Eben and Sara are expecting their first child in May. He is a local racing amateur sponsored by Gotham Bikes in New York City. You can read more about him at Wall Street Journal.

Something Wicked Cool, That Might Just Come In Handy

OK, so I know that this is a week old, or so, but I have been playing around with this and just LOVE it! For those of you who might not have heard, might be living in a box, or are generally not on the internet or don't own a computer (wait... if you don't have a computer I guess you wouldn't be reading this). Anyway, recently the gods at Google updated their Google Maps program to include directions by bicycle. This includes the best routes from point A to point B by bicycle, as well and mapping out any of the transportation trails in the area. Like this:See all the cool green lines in the photo? That's where there are bike specific lanes, or bike paths in the area surrounding Cleveland. Pretty cool, eh?

You just go to Google Maps, and where there is the "more button" on the upper right corner of the map by the "Map", "Satellite", etc, buttons. Click the "More" button and check the "Bicycle" box. That simple!

OH! If someone from Google happens to be reading this; I just had a birthday and would love one of these
if you could please... and a fluid trainer, but that's another story.

Happy St Patrick's Day! I'm Going Freakin' MAD!

Hello all! I was actually just thinking about letting this bad boy go for another ten days, just so I could see that it's been a full month since my last post, but I couldn't do it. I know that so many of you out there are hanging on my every word, that it's been breaking your hearts to have me absent for such a span of time. Please note: This has ALL been sarcasm. Truth is, I often wonder if I just pulled the blog what would happen? Then I look at my analytics, and see how many people are checking in, and I feel like I can't. Furthermore, I feel guilty for not giving people who are checking it something to read, then I wonder why the hell I'm so lucky to have people reading it, then I feel bad again, luck, bad, lucky...

So the bottom line, as always, is this; I will continue to write if you continue to read. Things will be getting better, more interesting, and more frequent. (Lord, if you are listening... HELP!) Part of the issue has been I really haven't had the time to ride with some of the current events in my life, with the current climate (weather and economy) being the way they are, and coming off of a WAY too short, but much needed, one week vacation. My hope and prayer is to get back half way into the shape I was this time last year. I'm ten pounds (and change) up on where I was, and I promise that my muscle tone is way hurting too.

So the plan? To hit the bike again this summer. Hopefully harder than last year. I would like to get weekly rides, and would like them to truly be weekly this year. I want to get the damn weight bench I was supposed to get last summer, and use it. Who knows, I might even go veg again for a while. I'd probably go pseudo-vegetarian and fish, possibly chicken, but who knows. I just know that there needs to be change again, and no time is better than the present!

With that, please keep in touch, and let me know what you think and what you're up to in the comments, and I hope to deliver a better Q2-Q4 in 2010!

All my best!
Don

Still Crazy In The New Year

Well, I had hoped that the pace of life would calm, and give me more time to exercise... and ride. No such luck. The first two months have been at least as crazy as the twelve before it. I was hoping and praying to get in the saddle this weekend, and then it came. About 48 hours of snow. The one thing that I hate about Cleveland is it's extremes. It seems it's 95º and 85% humidity, or 25º and 8-10' of snow. there are few in-betweens, and even those suck, 40-50º and rainy.

II have been able to float around the 190# range, I have NO idea how. I haven't been eating well, I haven't been exercising (nearly at all), I haven't been riding IN MONTHS, but yet I must be doing something right. Maybe the key is minimal exercise and half watching what you're eating is enough to get by, but I need some more weight loss.

One thing that I have been considering is going to a vegetarian diet. II did go veg for a short while about ten years ago, and I seem to remember liking how I felt. I have to confess here, I did eat minimal fish during that stint, some eggs, and very minimal chicken, so I can't claim I was 100% veg. I did try to have other proteins (rather than fish and chicken) during that time, and whenever possible, but sushi was like a treat to me. Like candy!

What do you think? Any of you guys, and gals, going the vegetarian or pseudo vegetarian roll? How's it working for you? I'd love any thoughts you have on it.

Catch you soon!

The Olympics And Fitness

HAPPY LENT, to all of my fellow Catholic friends! Today is Ash Wednesday, and I am SO buried in work, work, home, family, work, LIFE! I haven't slept through the night in at LEAST six months, I'd argue probably more like almost a year now. I quite honestly don't know how the hell I'm even functioning at this point. On the positive side? I am still in the 188 range. The reason this is good, I have managed to keep my shit (weight) in the high one-eighties and out of the one-nineties. I have been half-ass exercising, I have been kind of watching what I eat, but I have been keep consistent. Yay for me? What ever. This summer in the saddle is going to prove to be a bitch.

Sidebar: I am SO into the Winter Olympics this year! Kudos to America's hat for hosting a wicked great Olympic Games! Shaun White, you are the most sickest on EARTH! BEST snowboard halfpipe run I've EVER seen! Lindsey Vonn, you are so hot! I just LOVE IT! I seriously wish I could blow off work, stay home, and watch! I'm even getting into the thing where they throw the giant cheese wheel down the ice (curling). I'm just loving it! For now, that''s all I have. I promise to get more consistent soon, once I get some TITS (Time In The Saddle - I stole that from Judi). Hope you're all enjoying life!

I will likely move a weekly round up to Friday or Saturday, and OH! Likely a post will come Sunday or Monday, also likely it will relate to the beer event I am going to be at Sunday. Sorry...
CHEERS!
Don

Cold, Sick, And Leveling Off A Bit

Well it is winter in Cleveland, after all. I guess I should've seen it coming, like it seems to every February. It's that time of year again in Cleveland. The time of year when it gets mild, then cold, mild again, freezing, snows to beat the banshee, thaw, cold... You get it. I am totally sick, it is wicked cold, and there's no way I'm riding. I've actually put aside the core workouts and such as well. I guess I can't complain, because for now I'm still holding off in the high 180's.

One very positive thing, though, is that Spin Bike Shop will be having their annual customer appreciation sale. This year has been a bit rough in a sales related industry, so no bikes this year for sure. *Says while chuckling. I can't think of anything I actually need, thank goodness, so at least I'll hopefully save some cash over the past few years. Anyway, it is sure to be a great time, with amazing people, and some pretty cool games and competitions. It's always been an amazing time in the past, More on that to come.

For now; vitamins, sleep, get better and back to the workout.

Yay For Weight Loss

Well it's been about a week, I know... "[I] suck", since I last posted here. I have been posting along with the brewer Thomas at The Art Of Brew somewhat more regularly, and as things settle in life a bit I will be hammering away at both Cycling Phun and The Art Of Brew. Then again, it is the winter in Ohio, really quite cold, and kinda crappy. Not a whole lot of riding going on right now to report. The weather has been just cold enough to suck, but just warm enough to be slushy snow and ground that won't freeze. Soft ground+cold rain=no bueno por ciclismo.

Luckily I have been getting back into core workouts (which, honestly, is a part of the reason the posts have been sparse), eating better and less, drinking less beer (surprisingly! I've really been writing about it more than I've been drinking it) and such, and it really is paying off. I can't promise once we get the brewery sculpture built I'll fair so well on the drinking part, but... Regardless of what might happen, right now I'm back on my way to some sort of fitness. I'm back down into the 180's, high 180's, but 180's nonetheless. I can already see the fat bump going away, and feel my abs tightening. The core exercises that were killing me just a week ago, now feel "good". I say "good", because I mean they've transitioned from the pain that lingers, to the lighter pain that turns to a really sweet-ass burn when resting.

I am actually at a point now, where I am SO anxious for the weather to break so I could start turning cranks again outdoors. Likewise, still looking to trade a set of rollers or sell a set of rollers so I can acquire a trainer. If you know of anyone who might be interested, use the "you can contact me by clicking here" button in the upper right hand corner of the sidebar on the right. Hope y'all are doing well, and thanks as always for your readership!

Positive Trending

OK, so it has been fifteen days since my last post, once again I will apologize and ask (nay, beg) that you please bear with me while I try to put my life in order. I have seen the official demise of the only cool bike shop within a forty minute drive, I have had countless issues with time, work has been so stagnant that algae is officially starting to grow on it, and there is nearly NOTHING keeping me motivated for shit! I know, I usually do my best to not use vulgarity in my posting but this is the real me. The real pissed off me. The one real advantage to this, is I have had some of the best motivation through my anger.

Example, some of my hardest riding has been right after a blow up over something, or generally bad event in my life getting me so hot that I just go out, put my head down and turn cranks. Arguably one of my best rides turned out like this. I got so zoned that I was staring in front of me, turning cranks, forgot where I was, looked down and I was pacing at about 20 MPH on a flat. I NEVER get up to 20, I usually hit the high end of my comfort zone at 17. Irregardless (Yes I know... I meant it... As an inside joke. It's a pet peeve of mine), anger motivates me.

I do have some positives going on right now. Like the trending down from a high of 195 right after the new year. I had a week of craziness with one of the kids in the hospital for emergency surgery (It's OK... problem solved, everyone is healthy!), and a crazy work schedule (both jobs) that lead to what I'd like to call "convenience eating". You know, when you eat what is convenient, not really what's good. Example, in the part-time job we had Wendy's. So, while we were locked out of the truck, we were sitting in Wendy's... and got a round of Frosty's. At the hospital, a place of health, a Chipotle-esque burrito, not wholly unhealthy, but then again it could be worse.

Bottom line is in the last two weeks, I have dropped back down five pounds, to an even 190. Not nearly as cool as the 179 all time low, but far better than continuing upward. One of the things I have learned is to pick my battles. I'm not going for getting back to perfect shape in a month, I'm going for slow and steady, and to be back as close to my optimal health by the time the snow melts and I'm on the road bike. For now, that means eating better again, and getting back into core workouts, strength workouts, adding in aerobic workouts and intervals, and rebuilding.

So, for now, there you have it! 190 and dropping. Hopefully this will become a trend.

Finally A Ride!

My only regret is that my camera officially took it's last proverbial breath. Sunday I got out in the 20ºf (3ºf with windchill), 30 MPH wind, with snow squalls weather that is a "beautiful" January day in Cleveland. I dropped the pressure in the Rockhopper to about 25 - 30 PSI and hit the trails. No worries, the trails are crushed lime, so there's no chance of tearing them up.

I was only out about an hour, and only got a couple miles at best, but in about a foot or so of fresh snow it was a little bit more of a challenge from what I remember last year. That is to say, by the time all was said and done I felt cooked! My legs were both frozen to the bone, and muscles burning at the same time. My lungs hurt from the cold, even with wearing a bandana, and every bit of me was as tense as I've felt in years. I actually wondered if it is the slip in fitness, the fact that I haven't been getting to the chiropractor, or a combination of the two.

I realize now, that I really need to get back to stepping up my game. I dread the thought of how crappy I'm going to be on hills, after I was getting so used to climbing. Sad part is, I have no one to blame but myself. Hopefully, I can find a few people in the Cleveland area in 2010 that will actually want to consistently ride. Only a couple people did Monday night rides with me consistently last year. I'm sure I don't have to tell you, but you don't ride nearly as hard by yourself as you do with a person or persons.

Well, that's it for now. Hope everyone had a great new year, and I'll catch you soon.

A New Year And (Hopefully) A New Don?!

The idea of losing weight might just be the end of me! I haven't worked out now in a while, and life's chaos is taking its toll mentally. Because of said mental toll combined with time constraints I have not worked out, much less had a serious ride since, like, July. Let me ask this: ever notice that it's so easy to fall out of fitness and become a total lardass, but when it comes to losing the weight and getting heathy it's bloody murder?! I wish someone could tell me why you could put on ten pounds over a weekend, but it takes two to three weeks to take it back off? Bottom line; I am at 193 now, still, and have a goal weight of 170 lbs. With that I have a little more than six months to get into better physical shape, that is to say toned. I'm not asking for miracles, I don't expect to be the ripped centerfold in Mens Health (as an aside, why the hell is that there? I don't want to see some dude who is so ripped that he could easily kick my ass. Furthermore, I don't really want to see him shirtless and oiled while I'm sitting on the porcelain throne), but I'd like to get back to where I was a year ago, and then some. Some solid muscle tone. After all, that is what the The Lean Look is all about, and is what I was striving for.

Ugh... it's going to be a rough 2010, isn't it? Back to some regular type training. Intervals, strength, etc. 2009 was a bitch. Had to drop the YMCA membership, working two jobs, the wife picking up a part-time gig... My time was non-existent. Now I just need to hope for time to train in the 2010, and the people to motivate and hold me accountable. I had TWO friends who were serious about riding with me and keeping me accountable last year. I hope I could find the time to really get with some people, and the people to get with to make a difference in 2010.