The Military called them 90 day wonders because during World War II and later wars new recruits were turned from City Slickers to Killing Machines in 90 days of training. They were in better shape in 90 days, but were at a huge disadvantage when going up against hardened seasoned enemy soldiers. The truth is that many of them didn't make it or were wounded.
In January most gyms are full with people who make "Resolutions" or who need to work off those extra pounds from the Holidays. Those armed with realistic goals and a strong support system will succeed. Those who believe Rome was built in a day will be gone by March.
We had a gal in Spin class on Monday who was lost in a sea of 50 others. The instructor was overwhelmed by newbies with questions. There's no way he can handle a group that size.
If a member doesn't ask for help they don't get it. This poor gal had no idea how to set up the bike. Normally I just keep my nose out of other peoples business. It's just rude to "correct" people in the gym. I could see she was "lost" and asked if she would like some help after explaining that I was an instructor (not at this gym, but I am certified elsewhere).
The Spin instructor ran a killer class..an newbie with health issues would have expired.
This illustrates what goes on all over the country this time of year. If I wasn't there she could have gotten hurt and would never come back to something that could help her.
Moral of the story: don't be afraid to ask for help no mater your fitness level.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Can a 60 year old in good shape get better?
In March I'll be 61. Am already balding and gray, but have kept in decent shape. Still having some trouble deciding between endurance fitness, strength fitness, and golf fitness. I want it all!
To be endurance fit we need less bodyfat. My most competitive body weight for cycling and running is around 160 lbs. I would be right there with the elite senior runners and cyclists. At my current weight of 185 I'm no where in that league right now. Carrying an extra 25 pounds up the hills around here is a challenge that a 160 pounder doesn't have! My love of food makes it difficult to get really competitive in endurance sports.
Getting strong means adding muscle and weight...not a good option for endurance sports! Having been a weakling most of my life I'm proud of the fact that FINALLY I can do serious push-ups! I can at least 15 in a minute...plus several difficult variations such as on two medicine balls or feet on a swiss ball with hands on medicine balls! Those are difficult. I can dead lift at least 250 pounds and squat the same. I can front lift 140 pounds...respectable for a guy with long thin arms!
As for golf, I don't have the patience, intelligence, or the nerves to be a really good player which I define as a 3 or better handicap. I've been a 6, but am mostly a weak 9. I say weak because I can shoot 80 one day and 90 the next. I never know which golfer is going to show. Patience is required for quality practice and nerves allows for making shots under pressure.
I think I could be an elite senior athlete if I lost 25 pounds and focused on my strengths...cycling. But oh how I like to eat......
To be endurance fit we need less bodyfat. My most competitive body weight for cycling and running is around 160 lbs. I would be right there with the elite senior runners and cyclists. At my current weight of 185 I'm no where in that league right now. Carrying an extra 25 pounds up the hills around here is a challenge that a 160 pounder doesn't have! My love of food makes it difficult to get really competitive in endurance sports.
Getting strong means adding muscle and weight...not a good option for endurance sports! Having been a weakling most of my life I'm proud of the fact that FINALLY I can do serious push-ups! I can at least 15 in a minute...plus several difficult variations such as on two medicine balls or feet on a swiss ball with hands on medicine balls! Those are difficult. I can dead lift at least 250 pounds and squat the same. I can front lift 140 pounds...respectable for a guy with long thin arms!
As for golf, I don't have the patience, intelligence, or the nerves to be a really good player which I define as a 3 or better handicap. I've been a 6, but am mostly a weak 9. I say weak because I can shoot 80 one day and 90 the next. I never know which golfer is going to show. Patience is required for quality practice and nerves allows for making shots under pressure.
I think I could be an elite senior athlete if I lost 25 pounds and focused on my strengths...cycling. But oh how I like to eat......
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Karl dies of Pancreatic Cancer
This is the same thing that took my father in 2001. Pancreatic cancer is supposed to be rare as cancers go but it's been in the news this year. Steven Jobs of Apple has it and needed a transplant. He was lucky since there are various types. Most people have the inoperable type like Patrick Swasey.
My friend Karl found out in September 2009 a few days before our big golf tournament. I had formed a team of an A+ player, myself a B, and Karl who was the C player. The A player is a stud who hits the ball out of sight but can't putt. Karl couldn't hit it out of his shadow some days, but had shot 79 a few days before. Karl was a great putter. He was an A putter and an F for hitting the ball.
The event was a Scramble where each player hits the same shot. The team takes the "best" drive and then plays the hole with on ball to completion. The team must take a minimum of 5 drives per player. That made things interesting.
Karl was in pain most of the time. The medications helped. Two days before the event he had a stent placed in the tract between his liver and pancreas. It had been blocked by the cancer and was causing his liver to shutdown. The process is intended to allow him to live so he can be subjected to chemotherapy to kill the cancer. The type of pancreatic cancer he was fighting was the most severe with the lowest survival rates. In fact, he was told he had no more than 6 months to live at best.
He found out about the cancer on Friday. That Sunday I asked him to play with us. He said no, but called a few hours later to say ok. On Monday he called me to talk about the cancer diagnosis and that he was withdrawing from the team because he didn't know if he could play the following weekend. On Tuesday our A player suggested we play with him anyway since this might be Karl's last chance to play. I called Karl that night with the offer which he accepted. On Thursday Karl would have the stent put in. His Doctor told him no golf for 2 weeks. Karl explained the tournament and the Doctor said, "go for it!" So we had a team.
On Saturday, we were 5 under, which is a disappointing score. None of us contributed much. Karl was normally a good putter was just a little off, which was expected. He struggled to hit the ball, but managed to get in 5 drives by the 15th hole. I had to get two drives in on the last 3 holes which I did on 16 and 17.
Sunday was a magical day. Karl was first to putt in our rotation followed by me then the A player. Karl's putter was on fire. The first hole he drained a 15' downhill left to right break. The next hole was a tap in birdie as our A player hit one 6" from the hole. Par 5 number three found us putting for an eagle from 50'. Karl bombed it in. He managed to make several long putts, but had trouble hitting the ball. On number 7 his tee shot went backwards a few inches! That embarrassment didn't stop him from making the eagle putt. Our A player eagled 14 on his own ball as both Karl and I missed a 3 foot putt.
The drama was on the par 3 15th where Karl needed one more drive and he was struggling to swing the club. He pulled his shot towards the water and it barely stayed dry, but that was good enough. We salvaged par. On 16 our A player made a 40' putt from just off the green. After this I needed to hit one more good drive which I waited to do on 17. Again Karl made the putt for birdie. On 18 our A player hit a great approach to 3' which Karl made. For this round our A player putted a total of 4 times. Karl made the rest.
Midway through the round Karl's son Dan rode with us for a few holes. Karl continue to play well, but the cold forced Dan to the clubhouse part way through the round.
On Sunday we were 15 under for a total of 20 under which was one shot behind the first place team. We had low round for the day, and Karl had a great time.
Karl never complained about the cold, or the bad drives, or the cancer. He told me he had a great time and thanked us for asking him to play. The thanks goes to Karl.
My friend Karl found out in September 2009 a few days before our big golf tournament. I had formed a team of an A+ player, myself a B, and Karl who was the C player. The A player is a stud who hits the ball out of sight but can't putt. Karl couldn't hit it out of his shadow some days, but had shot 79 a few days before. Karl was a great putter. He was an A putter and an F for hitting the ball.
The event was a Scramble where each player hits the same shot. The team takes the "best" drive and then plays the hole with on ball to completion. The team must take a minimum of 5 drives per player. That made things interesting.
Karl was in pain most of the time. The medications helped. Two days before the event he had a stent placed in the tract between his liver and pancreas. It had been blocked by the cancer and was causing his liver to shutdown. The process is intended to allow him to live so he can be subjected to chemotherapy to kill the cancer. The type of pancreatic cancer he was fighting was the most severe with the lowest survival rates. In fact, he was told he had no more than 6 months to live at best.
He found out about the cancer on Friday. That Sunday I asked him to play with us. He said no, but called a few hours later to say ok. On Monday he called me to talk about the cancer diagnosis and that he was withdrawing from the team because he didn't know if he could play the following weekend. On Tuesday our A player suggested we play with him anyway since this might be Karl's last chance to play. I called Karl that night with the offer which he accepted. On Thursday Karl would have the stent put in. His Doctor told him no golf for 2 weeks. Karl explained the tournament and the Doctor said, "go for it!" So we had a team.
On Saturday, we were 5 under, which is a disappointing score. None of us contributed much. Karl was normally a good putter was just a little off, which was expected. He struggled to hit the ball, but managed to get in 5 drives by the 15th hole. I had to get two drives in on the last 3 holes which I did on 16 and 17.
Sunday was a magical day. Karl was first to putt in our rotation followed by me then the A player. Karl's putter was on fire. The first hole he drained a 15' downhill left to right break. The next hole was a tap in birdie as our A player hit one 6" from the hole. Par 5 number three found us putting for an eagle from 50'. Karl bombed it in. He managed to make several long putts, but had trouble hitting the ball. On number 7 his tee shot went backwards a few inches! That embarrassment didn't stop him from making the eagle putt. Our A player eagled 14 on his own ball as both Karl and I missed a 3 foot putt.
The drama was on the par 3 15th where Karl needed one more drive and he was struggling to swing the club. He pulled his shot towards the water and it barely stayed dry, but that was good enough. We salvaged par. On 16 our A player made a 40' putt from just off the green. After this I needed to hit one more good drive which I waited to do on 17. Again Karl made the putt for birdie. On 18 our A player hit a great approach to 3' which Karl made. For this round our A player putted a total of 4 times. Karl made the rest.
Midway through the round Karl's son Dan rode with us for a few holes. Karl continue to play well, but the cold forced Dan to the clubhouse part way through the round.
On Sunday we were 15 under for a total of 20 under which was one shot behind the first place team. We had low round for the day, and Karl had a great time.
Karl never complained about the cold, or the bad drives, or the cancer. He told me he had a great time and thanked us for asking him to play. The thanks goes to Karl.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Goals for 2010
Time to think about fitness goals for 2010.
1. Break 40 minutes in Turkey Trot.
2. Compete in my first Duathalon.
3. Apply proper wrist break to golf swing....(Practice for a month in March)
4. Do a Trek with son.
1. Break 40 minutes in Turkey Trot.
2. Compete in my first Duathalon.
3. Apply proper wrist break to golf swing....(Practice for a month in March)
4. Do a Trek with son.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Dam Loop at 80%
The Dam Ride or Loop is a 40 mile road bike ride that includes about 1800 feet of gain and loss. The first 7 miles from Lakeway, Texas along 620 is mostly downhill. The most thrilling section is before the Mansfield Dam, which holds Lake Travis. The Lake is formed from the Little Colorado River. Top speed prior to the dam is about 38 MPH. Past the dam for 2 1/4 miles is a 404 ft. climb past Steiner Ranch. The next 16 miles is downhill about 500 ft. to 544 ft. oversea level. The final 14 miles is uphill 527 ft.
Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dam Loop at 80%
Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dam Loop at 80%
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