Work In Progress

Category: Health & Fitness

  • Grand Canyon 2009

    [I originally posted this on my father in law’s blog back in May of this year. I know it’s been since December of last year since I’ve written anything but trying again to make this a habit; and getting a jump of my NYR for 2010.]

    A few months ago (early 2009) my Dad informed me that he and his greatest friend Larry had plans to hike the Grand Canyon. Their plan was to hike it “Rim to Rim”. Sounded great and I was in! The details revealed themselves over the coming months. We would start by driving the four hours from Phoenix to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and spend the night at a Lodge there. The next morning we would take a van to the North Rim and spend the night in a cabin. The following morning we would get up well before dawn and start our hike from the North Rim back to the South Rim! That is just how it happened.

    Dad and Larry arrived at our house in Maricopa on Wednesday, May 13th, enjoyed a home cooked meal prepared by Linda, and spent the night. On Thursday May 14 we got up at the crack of dawn and made our way first to Sedona, Arizona. We toured around a little, met up with the other four members of our seven-person hiking team and experienced a Pink Jeep tour; after which we headed out of town, making our way to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon!

    The entire hike was approx 25 miles. The hike started at 4:45 AM and for me ended at around 9:00 PM. This means it took me approx 16 hours. This included walking very slow in 115 degree heat (which lasted a few hours during the afternoon), breaks, and an hour long lunch. I estimate having drank between thirty and forty pounds of water and sports drinks, consumed four power bars, six sports gels, ten little oranges, no less than a dozen fig newtons, one organic peanut butter and honey sandwich, and a handful of wheat crackers

    I should also note that not only did Dad and Larry decide this would be a fun time to come see me and Linda in Phoenix and hike in the Grand Canyon but they took it a step past and made it a massive road trip too. During their entire trip they road 4,600 miles through twelve states. In order of travels: Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky. All very impressive for two guys in their mid to late sixties!

  • How Michael Phelps Changed My Life

    There are a few time gaps to fill since the epiphany about my physical heath earlier this year. First, back to 1997. I graduated from Western Kentucky University and immediately started my first adult job at a publishing company based in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. My good luck! There is a YMCA across the street! I walked over after work, ran a few miles, and lifted weights. Once I started living and working downtown, I would occasionally ride my mountain bike to work. It was around this time that I had the idea to compete in a triathlon. Just needed to learn to swim. Easy, right? Not at all. I enrolled in a swim class at the YMCA but no matter how hard I tried I just didn’t catch on. It was more like torture and I soon gave up.

    Fast forward to my Michael Phelps Olympic experience circa 2008. This time I was truly determined to learn to swim. My wife and I joined Lifetime Fitness in Tempe, Arizona and that’s where it began. My “swimming” started with ten little laps all with the aid of a kickboard. I worked up from there.

    After a month or two of swimming laps divided between kick-board and breast stroke I decided it was time to learn freestyle. I owe special thanks to The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss for introducing me to the Total Immersion (TI) swimming method usually associated with Terry Laughlin. It took me a few weeks after reading Tim’s post but I eventually went to the book store and bought both the book and freestyle dvd. Based on my experience I can strongly recommend this program. From a few laps on a kick-board, I am now swimming three plus miles per week freestyle with minimal rest between 400 and 800 meter sets.

  • Rediscovered Love for Sport

    Over the last year I have rediscovered my love for sporting competition. I have a specific interest in the area of endurance sports. It all began the first part of 2008 thanks mainly to my doctor. I awoke to the realization that I was in fact in terrible physical shape. Having made up my mind to do something, I began running a mile or two during my lunch hour. Later, I began doing a little bicycling with my wife on the weekends (thanks primarily to Mike, Joanie and family at Newbury Park Bicycle Shop in Newbury Park, California). Add to that my captivation by Michael Phelps in this summer’s Olympics. I became determined to learn to swim, and bingo, triathlon!

    I just recently finished my second “sprint” triathlon. I know that the word “triathlon” typically evokes images of the Ironman. However, for the uninitiated, the Ironman consists of a 2.4 mile, 112 mile bike, and a 26.2 mile run. That is not where most people start. All of us starts off with much shorter distances. The “sprint” distance, for example, is more reasonably sane consisting of a ¼ mile swim, 10+ mile bike ride, and approx 3 mile run.

    So, in the coming days I would like to share some of my experiences both in training and in competition as well as some of the essential gear. After all, for guys it is all about the gear.