But those thoughts were soon overshadowed by what he actually saw in that mirror. Someone who was overweight and out of shape. A guy who like so many others searched for answers and had tried several things - but at the same time harbored skepticism about quick fixes such as fad diets, supplements, fitness gadgets and the like.
(For those of you hoping that this is a lead-in to a fitness ad or promo - not going to happen here - sorry to disappoint you!)
Soon afterwards a friend of mine unknowingly "rode" to the rescue. While at a social gathering, he invited me and another friend to ride along with him in late summer in a long distance organized bicycle tour that annually attracts thousands of riders. Upon accepting the invitation, and knowing how active and trim my host was, I knew I had my work cut out for me.
First order of business was to weigh in - I needed some reference point. The scale didn't lie - and I didn't like what it said - 209 pounds. And on top of that, the body fat percentage registered about a 24. For someone who is 6 feet tall and not a bodybuilder, not numbers to be proud of. But on the flip side, both readings suggested huge room for improvement.
Second, what distance and average speed was I training for (my host was noncommittal about those pertinent details)? While not organized as a race, the Apple Cider Century ride in Berrien County, Michigan features several distances and layouts ranging from 15 to 100 miles. Also, some rolling terrain to think about. And how about the weather - especially winds? All things considered, I decided to train for the longest distance - 100 miles - and an average rolling pace - sans aerobars - of 18 mph. Fortunately, I had several months to prepare.
I trained several days a week throughout the spring and summer months - all on the bike - alone setting my own pace and with no personal trainer or program to guide me. I varied my workouts in terms of speed and distance only with no hill work. No cross training. No strength training and only minimal stretching. (And no real changes in diet either at that point.) A setup for injury perhaps, but at least I didn't ramp things up too fast. Nonetheless, progress was being made. A feeling of strength and endurance began to build over the summer. And the weight was beginning to come off, too. By the time of the event, I'd shaved some fifteen pounds. As the summer started to wane I looked optimistically to the upcoming event in late September.
And then with only three days until the event, I was in the midst of my taper and enjoying a training ride, rolling along a narrow paved bike path at circa 17 mph. Then out of the blue, a teenage female jogger wearing an mp3 player ran out from the adjoining woods without looking and veered straight into my path. I had only a couple of seconds to react by braking and lowering my shoulder for the inevitable impact. The collision slowed most of my momentum before falling on my back and cracking my helmet. (That helmet saved me from a concussion and perhaps worse.) Fortunately, both of us sustained only a few minor cuts and bruises and I bruised a couple of ribs - but my bike took quite a beating. My local bicycle shop was able to restore my bike to some semblance of roadworthiness just in time for the ride.
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| Members of our church posing for a photo taken during a 2011 bicycle outing. My wife appears standing fifth from right. I'm the one still wearing a helmet, always prepared for a worst case scenario following that 2009 accident. |
The event itself turned out to be enjoyable with lots of beautiful scenery to behold and great weather. And as it turned out, we rode at a pace that was a bit slower that what I had trained for. With the headwinds picking up later in the ride, the three of us decided to stop at 100k or 62 miles. Upon finishing, the three of us met up with the wives and took in a late lunch. What a wonderful day and a great experience ! I thanked our host not only for a terrific outing, but also for helping start me down the path to aerobic fitness . . . a journey that didn't stop there.
