Saturday, January 30, 2010-Here Comes 60

I have found lots of excuses not to write: the holidays, too busy, nothing to write about, and more.  Well it’s about time I stopped babbling and got down to something useful.  Lying in a fetal position at the end of the bed does no good.  I still have to get up, go to work, so we’re not evicted.   You know:  “Baby Needs New Clothes”.  Aging is a funny thing, it comes before you are ready and then doesn’t want to leave;  just like an unexpected and unwanted guest.  Sixty years is closing in and I can’t get out of the cross hairs.  What should I do?  Lay down and hope it goes by or stand up and take it like a man.  Ok, I’ll stand up and see what I can take.  As a patient of mine well past 80 once told me: “Ed, getting old is not for wimps!”  Good news is that I crossed over to the next age bike racing age category: 60+.  I figure I have a solid  chance this year since there will be fewer and fewer fit racers still standing.  

I finished the 90 days of P90X and that really ramped up my overall fitness.  I am now continuing to see improvement in my speed and endurance.  Let see how this translates into actual racing when I start the first weekend in March.  I have a few races picked out then that have a 45+ field.  Whatever the outcome, I will  sure enjoy being inside the peleton again.

Oh, by the way, I no longer have to deal with loss of testosterone.  Damn, now that feels great.  See you on the road.  You’ll be surprised when I tell you how old I am.

November 17, 2009-Everything is Connected, I Think

I have not been able to write anything coherent since my last posting.  Thoughts have been swirling around my head like falling leaves blowing about trying to find a resting place.  The contingencies of daily life have been battering me against the lee shore and I have been struggling to find the right drift to fill my sails again.   So now I’m on this tack and the wind has shifted, pushing me away from the rocky lee shore, so I think I will stay with it and see where it goes.  I have been watching some movies made in the far North.  Two quite different themes, but both with a unifying connecting lattice that joins them together in my mind. “The Fast Runner” tells the story of jealousy, infidelity, murder, and survival among the Inuit people in an indeterminate time.  The other movie: “The Snow Walker” is about a bush pilot in Canada’s Northwest Territories that crash lands his seaplane with a lone Inuit woman passenger that is seriously ill.  Ultimately the two stories bind themselves to the unifying theme that survival in harsh conditions often depends on relying on others.  This is in direct conflict with the myth of the highest achievement of a hero in western civilization is to conquer the elements alone.  At this time in history with the survival of the planet at stake, we don’t need solitary heroes doing it their way a la Sinatra, what we need to learn is how to cooperate.  Just like Mick Jager sings: “We all need someone we can lean on.”  This point was made quite clear many years ago when I was an orderly at St. Rose’s Home for the Terminally Ill.  One of my patients was a big Greek named Mike, who spoke very little English.  One day he asked me: “What is stronger?”  He then crossed his arms across his chest in a very proud way and said: “this?”  Next, he joined  both my hands to his outstretched hands and said: “or this?”  There was no doubt about the right answer.  Stay tuned tomorrow for another exciting edition of  “Everything Goes Better with Cooperation”

Tuesday, October 20, 2009-The Best Reason to Ride a Bike

Everyone has their reasons why they ride.  For me one of the best reasons is to spend some time with my 8 y.o. son, Eddy.  He likes to be outside and loves the freedom of being on a bike behind his dad working the pedals of our tandem.  I had invited my sister, Claire and her husband Bert down from Albany to ride the Putnam Valley Rail trail, which winds it’s way from Yonkers to the Putnam Co. line on the former rail bed of the Putnam Valley Train line.  It was a radiant fall day in October. It was near peak color of the climax forest corridor that the trail passed through. We parked our cars off of Saw Mill River Road at the end of Warehouse Rd.  Just before beginning our adventure, we met another cyclist coming south who gave us a complete report of the trail and advised us of the short jaunt on the shoulder of Rt. 100.  The trail is in good condition and was not heavily used on this particular day.  It courses through a narrow isthmus of land  shadowing the Saw Mill River Parkway.  You are never that far from traffic noise, which detracted from the stunning beauty of the forest and outcroppings of granite. Eventually we reached the end of the trail and had to ride the shoulder of Rt. 100 for about 1/2 mile in Millwood until we gratefully entered the continuation of the trail one more time.  I have to say it was not half  as bad as riding the shoulder of the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn in Mill Basin for a mile to get to the Cross Channel Bridge and the Rockaways.  From that point until we reached our destination of Yorktown Hts., I entertained my son with his every inquiring of ” are we almost there?”  with “We don’t have far to go”.  I also told him to rest his legs on the cross bars of the Burley Samba Tandem that has a x tube configuration for the stoker, making it easier for non-pedaling passengers.   As we got closer and crossed the Croton Reservoir I kept Eddy motivated by telling him we were going to visit his cousin in Yorktown Hts.  This seemed to shake him out of his desire to end his trip with chants of “Go faster Daddy, so I can play with Sammy longer!”    Suddenly, as if we had been in some sort of time travel machine we pulled into the driveway of my Brother and the trip was over.  Eddy’s summary of the trip was: “Dad, this is the best adventure I have ever had!”  And that is the best reason I can think of be riding a bike

For more information about rails to trails conservancy check out:

www.railstotrails.org

Eddy and Me on our bike adventure

Tuesday, October 13, 2009-Knowing Your Limits

Knowing what your limit is can save your life.  The recent death of two apparently healthy people in a sweat lodge in Sedona, Arizona is an example of the fatal consequences of disregarding that knowledge.  Imagine you are sitting in a sauna.  How long can you tolerate the heat before you have to run out: 15minutes, a half an hour, maybe 45minutes?  An entire hour is really at the edge of most people’s endurance.  Yet this ceremony went on for 2 hours.  What kept those people in the tent long after some began to have body system failure due to dehydration and kidney failure?  Was it peer pressure, fear of failure, a magical belief that they were immune to the consequences of extreme heat in a confined space, or could it be the intimidation of the leader James Arthur Ray who demanded everyone push past their limits.  Whatever it was  two people died and 19 were taken to the hospital with hyperthermia and dehydration.  Bernard Thévenet, who beat Eddy Merckx in the 1975 Tour De France, said in his memory of that race: “I touched my limit”  to overtake Merckx.   On an other edition of the Tour De France, Tom Simpson didn’t know his limit on Mt. Ventoux, and died tragically in 1967.  I remember cycling journalists quoting his last words: ” Put me back on my bike!”   Knowing your limit gives you respect for your body and a protective barrier beyond which the outcome is unknown.  Testing the boundaries of your limits is good once in a while to know where they are, but recklessly pushing  beyond can  be  fatally foolish.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009-Beating Cancer One Day at a Time

Ok things are getting interesing here. I’ve almost reached my midway point of P90X. Six weeks in, Seven to go. I promised to post some pictures here just to chart my progress and see if this program really works as the infomercial says it does.  Like most cyclists I have well developed legs, but lack upper body strength.  All in good time is what I say.  Looks like my core also needs some attention as well. The hardest nut to crack so far is my diet and shredding some fat.  I’ve got some long inbedded eating habits that are hard to let go of.  I started biking in the 70’s when the gospel of the day was “Carbo Loading”.  So although, I’m reducing saturated fats, processed foods of all kinds, sugar, and other junk, I’m still holding on to my carbs.  That would be my rice, pasta, and breads.  Ok in good time, I’ll get there.  Not to worry. 

On to another topic.  How’s my cycling faring.  Over the last six weeks, I have gradually escalated into a solid 20mph rider.  This has been an impressive accomplishment.  I just can’t wait to line up for my first race next year, plus I’ll jump to the next age category-60+.  Ok, watch out all you other geezers!

Now some downer news.  Well as you might have anticipated,  any mention of the word “Cancer” in a life insurance application will automatically permanently disqualify you.  Even the ones that don’t require a medical exam will turn you down.  All insurance companies subsribe to a information sharing service that allows them to find out if you have ever been denied life insurance before and why.   Once you have been identified as having a potentially life threatening illness, don’t even bother applying elsewhere, they have your number.  The best I can do right now, is Accidental Death and Dismembering Insurance.  They only pay if it’s an accident.  Ok, so I’m covered on the bike and my wife and family won’t suffer financially if I end up on the hood or car whose driver was distracted or drunk or both.  What a relief.  Well, we can be sure of one thing: insurance companies will always make money!

Thats it for now, see you on the road.

Monday, September 28, 1950-Another Lap Around the Sun

I’ve just turned 59 today. “How is that possible?” I say to myself. I seems like a mistake. I’m not like those other people in their late fifties with grey hair, bloated bodies, and resentful sighs of lost youth. I will enjoy my last 50th birthday today and savor the rest of the year before the BIG 60 spoils the party. Ok, everyone, let’s roll. I’m in my fifth week of P90X. Just for fun, I strapped on my heart monitor when I did a workout called Core Synergistic. Based on my previous 4 outings with the same routine, I knew that this was going to be a big time cardio workout. I wasn’t disappointed. I really got gassed for the 57 minute workout and hit a max HR of 181 with an average of 153. I have the sweat pools to prove it. This is turning into a real plus with my cycling that just gets better every week. I was supposed to do
stretching Sat., but I had a need for speed. So I went biking for an hour and 15 minutes. I went over the George Washington Bridge. There were lots of other bikes out, more than I ever seen on an early Sat. morning. Two events were going on simultaneously: Escape From New York and a memorial ride for a CRCA rider who recently died of brain cancer. Just after crossing the bridge, I fell in with a fast group and jumped in. I noticed right away that I had no trouble with handling the accelerations and keeping a tight pace line. I pulled the group up to 9W when it came my turn. The group waited to regroup and I pushed on. Just ahead by about 400 meters another rider was pushing up the hill. I made that my rider to catch and I kept turning the pedals in a determined way without going into the red. I was making progress and saw that the rider was slowing on the hills. I dug a little deeper with each rolling hill and eventually caught him after twelve minutes of chasing. He was a tri-athlete warming up for a race tomorrow in Westchester. I advised him not to overcook it. Unfortunately I had run out of time for my Saturday of family activities and I had to turn around. Every time I’m on the bike, I’m finding that it’s all getting better thanks to P90X. And this is only the fifth week!

Monday, September 21, 2009-P90X and Cycling-Week 4

Last week, I had a complete revelation on the power of p90x on my bike. Since starting I have only ridden my bike three times over the last three weeks. When I started riding early Wednesday morning at 5:30, I could tell right away something was different. I felt my legs had turbo power and the rest of my body was cooperating as well. I put in my best time ever on the return trip home. It is not a very hilly route, however there was traffic and lights. I improved my usual average 18.5mph training speed by almost 3 mph, averaging 21.4mph by the time I returned home. I realized that this was a huge gain, especially since I had barely touched the bike for the previous three weeks. Prior to this I was not quite sure how my cycling would respond. Now, I’m a believer. This week is a rest week, focusing on cardio fitness and improving flexibility.

Monday, September 14, 2009-P90X-Third Week

I’ve just started my third week of p90X.  So far it has not been as hard as I thought it would be.   Watching the infomercials it seemed to be beyond my capabilities, but then I just said to myself: “What do have to loose?”  I choose the Lean  program, mostly because I was worried about my right shoulder that only has three of the original four rotator cuff tendons.   So I decided to be conservative and see how my shoulder managed the stress.  Well, so far it has been good for my body.  Here is what my workouts look like:

Monday-Core Synergistics-1 hr.
Tuesday-Shoulders/Arms/Ab Ripper X-1.25 hrs.
Wednesday-Cardio (on the bike)-1.25 hrs.
Thursday-Yoga-1.5 hrs.
Friday-Legs/Back/Ab Ripper X-1.25hrs
Saturday-KempoX-1 hr.

So adding up the time it comes to 7.25hrs. Not an easy commitment, but not impossible. I strive for early morning workouts before work, which I find the best schedule, since it is the only time at my home where I am alone without interruptions. I’m hoping to improve my overall cycling fitness and become competitive again.

I’ll be posting my “Before” photos soon. Stay tuned. If you think you might be ready for p90X, take the fitness test at this link:

www.beachbody.com/text/products/programs/p90x/p90xFitTest.pdf

Wednesday, September 2, 2009-And Now for Something Completely Different

Have you seen the adds for “P90X” by Tony Horton?  Just another infomercial or something worthwhile?  “Get in the best shape of your life in 90 days!” so goes the repeating mantra, followed by “Extreme exercise with extreme results!”   Sounds enticing doesn’t it.   I have thought about it for the last three months and then made the decision.  I was attracted to P90X because Tony places such a high premium on the importance of  Yoga in his twelve  routine program, as well as using some Yoga variations in all the warm-ups and cool downs.   There is also the dreaded 90 minute “Yoga X”  program.  I did a preview of “Yoga X” on Saturday.  Although I have been doing Yoga for over thirty years, it was a tough 90 minutes for me.  It goes at a rapid pace and challenged  me from top to bottom. It is a genuine hardcore Yoga workout not meant for slackers.  Despite the on-line upselling of multiple add-ons, the only thing you need is the “P90X” box, a set of dumb bells, and a pull up bar.  Ok, I’m ready.  First take my before shots and measurements, take the fit test and away I go.  I’m in day three.   So, I’m still standing and I not plagued my D.O.M.S. yet.   I’ll keep going, and keep you up-to-date with my progress.  How will this effect my cycling?  Wait and see.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009-What’s Ahead?

“Every day is a gift, Ed!”  That’s what a friend of mine who was dying of AIDS told me more than 15 years ago.  I have to remember that from time to time when I’m getting stressed about my life on or off the bike.  It’s a good notion to live completely in the moment without remorse.  I had a chance to have a peak experience with my 8 year old  son, who will do anything with his dad.  I took my Burley tandem outfitted with child cranks to Upper Nyack State Park about 25 miles North of the George Washingtion Bridge.  There  is a 4.5 mile gravel trail from the park  to Rockland Lake with a nasty 1/2 mile paved climb at the end.  I had never been that far and didn’t know what to expect.  ”You’re going to have to walk it”  we were told by another family group we passed along the way.  “We’re not getting off, are we dad?” my son wanted to know.  “Not if I can help it!” was my determined reply.  As the  hill rose beneath us, I had to go to the end of my gearing.  I was up and down on the saddle with my son cheering me on and giving what he could.  Near the top, I had to traverse side to side and ventilate like I was giving birth.  Finally we hit the top satisfied we didn’t get off.   We pedaled a few miles on the rolling road next to the lake to spin out my legs.  After we  turned around, I gave my son intructions about the downhill:  ” hang on the bars and don’t take your feet out of the pedals.”   I could hear him behind me with “Whoa” and “Woo-ho”  as we picked up speed.  In a little less than a minute it was all over.  I got a little close to the edge on one corner, and kept my promise to my son not to crash.  He told me later that he didn’t think the hill was that hard.  Sometimes not knowing what’s ahead is the best part of the trip.