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Chicago. Margs. Fitness.

/ Sloan / 3 Comments

Mixing it up is one of the best things to do when you’re trying to get in shape, see a new place and have fun. I, for one, like to combine all of these things to bring joy and fun in my life. I just spent the Fourth of July weekend in Chicago with a good friend of mine and on top of seeing the sites of the city, tasting the delicious food it has to offer and drinking the syrup of the gods (aka: Margaritas) we also took part in an awesome work out with Kira, from Comfy Fitness, in the park outside her studio. This way we were able to get outside, enjoy the beautiful sunshine of the morning and not feel as guilty when we indulged in the evening.

 

Kira’s bubbly personality and itty bitty frame was deceiving, this lady kicked our asses and took a few names while doing it. The only equipment we used were our bodies and a 5 pound weight, this makes the workout super easy to mimic at home where you don’t have lots of fancy studio equipment.

 

Bursts of cardio in one-minute intervals that were partnered with strength building exercises got my booty moving and sweating. While we skipped through the park, did net jumps in place and did jumping jack punches we had a bit of an audience, but the calorie burn and beautiful sunshine-y day was worth the bit of attention we got from random people driving by.

 

One thing that Kira said during the work out that stuck with me and will continue to haunt my workouts when I just don’t think I can keep going was: “You’re only cheating yourself if you don’t do each exercise fully.” Think about that next time you want to half ass a jumping jack or a push up—it’s bad enough letting other people down in other parts of your life, but one thing that you can truly prevent is letting yourself down—do it to it to it’s fullest! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

 

If you’re ever in Chicago, or live there now I encourage you to check out Comfy Fitness—Kira is truly passionate about fitness and enabling her clients to reach their full potential!

Break ’em. Ride ’em!

/ Sloan / Leave a comment

Being on a road bike is a long road. The road in front of you seems to go on and on and on. That is, until you see a stop sign in the distance, that red hexagon that tells you to stop, slow down, unclip and wait for the oncoming traffic. As a cyclist we have to obey the rules of the road, yet a 35 mile bike ride does more for your body and mind than sitting in a car for 30 minutes does.

 

I recently hooked up with my old TNR (Tuesday Night Ride) group at Velo City Cycles in Holland, Michigan. I saw heaps of familiar faces, got a hug from MC, the shop owner, and biked with an old friend (whom I met by bonding over our love for our Bianchis.) As the miles passed by I chatted with different guys on the ride, rolling over the hills, noticing the different landscape we have here in Michigan versus Maryland. Flat versus hilly, farm land versus the Chesapeake Bay I’ve become so familiar with.

If love could come in a bike...

 

Half way through the ride I began to feel the five miles I ran earlier that morning. My quadriceps were ‘feeling the burn’ that Coach Troy would be proud of. My outer quads worked hard while I ran.  Now the inner quads were working (and screaming!) But the feeling of working, of hurting, of knowing I was going to be sore was tremendous and great. This ride was about the ride not the destination (I know! Cliché, but it’s soooooo true!) I enjoyed the conversation, I enjoyed the scenery, I didn’t enjoy the farm smells so much, but the silos towering over the fields were beautiful in a Pure Michigan way.

 

Obeying the rules sucks. But to be respected on the road cyclist must obey the rules. However, just by being on a bike and competing with the cars we’re breaking some sort of unwritten rule. We’re riding on the road on two wheels, powering our bodies on this machine with nothing but a helmet (brain bucket) for protection. Our spandex shorts most definitely aren’t the most stylish of clothing and some of us wear jerseys, I’m too poor to invest and just wear a running top… so in a sense, as we’re following the rules of the road we’re also breaking them down. We’re unconventional. I feel we’re sticking it to the man by not buying gas, by using our bodies and machines as efficiently as possible we’re somehow better than those people driving and riding shotty. It may take us a little longer to get somewhere but we’re enjoying the ride not just looking and waiting for the destination.

 

And what’s the destination anyway?

Paddle High Five!!

/ Sloan / 2 Comments

When life hands you a paddle you better dig it in the river and paddle as hard as you can! This weekend I spent Sunday in Ohiopyle, PA(yes, that’s really the name of the town!) and was able to get on the Lower Yough and have a turn at some white water for the first time. It was a-mazzzzing! I might be addicted and need to commit to doing this more often.

These guides are incredible, they practically live on the river, ride it daily and know its twists and turns as well as they know the layout of the furniture in the houses they grew up in. But just like life, the river changes—throws the rider over a rock, through a rapid or it rains and the river completely changes it outfit and goes from a level 3 rapid to a level 4 or 5 and tosses the riders for an even bigger ride and you have to adapt. You have to take it, you have to dig the paddle and even if you get air and miss the water completely you’re still trying, still moving forward, and still paddling.

The power behind one good push and paddle is empowering. As the rain fell, (because it rained the whole 7 miles down the river) and drops fell from my helmet, my arms used every muscle, each pull they flexed and I sweat and the 17 year old high school girl and I agreed that we felt pretty bad ass going down rapids on a Sunday afternoon in the thunder and rain. At one point we hit a rock and she and I both went flying—the river was cold, rocky, and rough but our team pulled us out and we started paddling again. Because that’s what you do. You keep going. I repeat. You keep going.

Who knew Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania would show me so much? The river would be a perfect metaphor for my life, your life and life in general. Paddle on friends, paddle on!

 

Check out my Facebook page to see video of us riding down the Dimple!