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Patrick Ethridge
Fitness Challenge 2008 blog by Patrick Ethridge
Is it really over?
Is it ever really over?
Thirteen weeks have passed and the Fitness Challenge has officially ended. I lost 67 pounds and must admit I’m pretty happy with myself.
At the same time, I still cannot fit into lots of clothes I have saved away in storage totes. For me, and most of the Challengers I suspect, the Fitness Challenge is will never really be over.
It’s more like a springboard, giving us all the momentum we need to dive forward to a healthy lifestyle.
In the last 10 years I’ve lived in five states. With each move, I took my fitness a little less serious and relied on restaurant food and eating out a little more.
At the same time, my activity level decreased as I went from a reporter pounding the pavement to an editor working long hours behind a desk.
All the while I knew I was gaining weight, but didn’t do anything to take control of it. Maybe I simply didn’t know how.
The Fitness Challenge has changed that.
Upon completion of the Fitness Challenge I couldn’t leave the gym without thanking Club Fitness 24 owner Chad Coy, trainer Tyson Schoolman and of course, our personal trainer Nick Rush.
All three of them said the same thing, “don’t thank us, just keep working hard and keep losing the weight.”
That’s the plan.
Working out won’t be quite as intense without a trainer barking orders, but I have no doubt I can continue down the healthy lifestyle road.
It will take time, patience and hard work.
That’s OK. If there’s one thing I’ve learned through this Challenge it’s that the race to a healthy lifestyle isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon that lasts a lifetime.
May 03, 2008 09:55 am
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Yes, that is his singing voice
Another week and the Fitness Challenge is over. I’m torn with feelings of relief on one hand. On the other hand, I worry that working out without the constant push of a trainer simply won’t be effective.
I actually gained a pound this week due to my own stupidity. With time quickly running out on the challenge, I thought I’d cut my caloric intake a few hundred calories each day and the pounds would roll off a bit quicker. It didn’t work.
In fact, our trainer (Nick Rush) said that’s one of the worst things to do. Something about it slowing down the body’s metabolism.
I won’t make that mistake again.
Despite all the times he’s pushed me to the point of nausea this challenge, I’m going to miss Nick. He was able to adjust his training routines to things that we could do without killing our joints or breaking bones. He knew to keep pushing when we though we couldn’t do something and he constantly explained why we were doing certain things. Above all, he made training fun and never made us feel inadequate or ashamed of the condition which we came to him in.
A gym can be a pretty intimidating place for people who aren’t in shape. Let’s face it, there are some people who look down on you if you’re not in shape or stare at you if you aren’t performing to a certain standard. When we first met Nick, I was definitely concerned that he would have that “typical gym person” mentality. That’s definitely not been the case.
In fact, if you are considering joining the gym or think you might want to try personal training, I can’t imagine anyone doing a better job than Nick Rush.
Don’t be alarmed if he starts singing while training you. Yes, that really is his singing voice, and yes, he does take requests.
April 26, 2008 12:39 pm
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Elvis, Big Foot and a UFO
This week will go down in history as one that proved the unthinkable can indeed happen.
Aliens invaded Kokomo, an earthquake rattled the midwest and I finally hit the 50 pound threshold on my weight loss.
First there were the strange orange lights and the loud boom that rattled Kokomo. That made Thursday an interesting day at the newspaper office. I received about a dozen calls from people insisting they saw a UFO while implying that the Kokomo Tribune and the government were trying to cover it up.
First, anyone who reads the Kokomo Tribune knows full well that the government would never cooperate with us to that degree. Second, though we tried, we could not find any little green men willing to grant us an interview. So in the end we printed some excuse about military jets training in our airspace. I’m sure the tooth fairy and Big Foot are rolling down the grassy knoll laughing about that story as we speak.
That was followed up by an earthquake Friday morning, or at least that’s what the government wants us to believe. It’s far more likely that it was aliens or a shift in the earth’s plates due to all the holes recently dug by Easter Bunny when he was looking for all his missing eggs.
Personally, my favorite oddity of the week was stepping on the scale and losing more than 50 pounds. Of course, I’m still not expecting a call from “Men’s Health” magazine anytime soon, but it’s a start. I realize 50 pounds is much easier for me to lose than most due to my starting weight being much higher than most, but I’ve still been working my butt off to get to this point.
I’d love keep blogging, but I think I just saw Elvis riding a bicycle, with ET sitting on the handlebars, in front of the office. Where are Mulder and Skully when you need them?
April 18, 2008 09:39 am
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Shhh, don't tell Courtney
I’ve been keeping a secret this week that I couldn’t bare to reveal until writing this blog.
The secret: My knees were really aching after beating Courtney around the Jackson Morrow track a couple times recently.
Of course I couldn’t tell her that at the time.
The weather was so nice last weekend that we couldn’t pass up a walk through the park with our dogs. Upon finishing the first lap, I thought I’d surprise Courtney and keep going for a second lap. I think she likes walking through the park even more than our dogs do, and it was incredibly nice outside.
About half way through the second lap, I realized I still wasn’t breathing heavy so I decided to kick it up a notch and leave Courtney trailing behind. It was a nice change of pace and when she attempted to overtake me in the final 100 yards I was able to move a bit faster and hold her off.
A couple days later we returned to the track and I knew she’d be looking for revenge. The pace was much faster from the start and by time we started the second lap I began to sweat.
In the end, I was forced to jog the last portion to retain my title, but I remained victorious. Since that time, Courtney’s been taking “practice” walks with the dogs. I know I’m in trouble.
She was so happy with my progress, and the fact that my aching knees hadn’t hampered my walking, that I just couldn’t bare to tell her any different.
This much I know for sure, aching knees hurt less than a bruised ego, so I’ll be ready for Courtney’s next challenge.
April 11, 2008 08:22 pm
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Dogs, workouts and tents
This week started with optimism as our dog, Husker, undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous tumor. The veterinarian said things went well and she felt fairly confident she was able to completely remove the threat.
We brought him home Tuesday night and I skipped the gym to keep an eye on him. He was quite pitiful the first night, whining and crying throughout the evening despite all the pain medicine.
When I woke up Wednesday morning Husker was acting more like himself, he devoured a bowl of food and was back to his normal routine of carrying around a stuffed animal on our trips outside.
Seeing Husker on the road to recovery left me energized for Wednesday’s training session with Nick Rush. Not that things seemed easy, but I never felt the need to stop pushing.
So here we are with just a few weeks left in the Fitness Challenge and finally I’m confident that Nick and his fellow trainers at the gym aren’t trying to kill me.
It’s encouraging to know that we’re doing things now that simply weren’t possible a couple months ago.
While I’m well aware this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to starting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, I’m encouraged by the results so far.
I’m a realist and I know I won’t be modeling for Calvin Klein anytime soon, but with just a little luck and continued hard work, maybe I can at least get the tentmakers to stop sending me clothing samples.
April 04, 2008 10:09 am
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A walk in the park
Took a day off from the gym Tuesday. I haven’t missed a day for a while, but really never thought twice about missing today.
We took our dog Husker to the veterinarian Monday after finding a strange blister-like sore on one of his hind legs. We figured it was a cyst or something else of little consequence. Instead, the vet kept saying it looked "nasty" and called just before lunch on Tuesday to let us know it’s cancer.
Husker is almost 4 years old, and quite a healthy dog. Despite the risk of sounding like a country singer, he’s the best dog a guy could ask for. I’ve had dogs my entire life, my parents were dog people and I’ve had a dog sleeping near my bed for most of my life. But Husker is my favorite.
His personality is golden. Husker doesn’t like to leave the house without one of his numerous stuffed animals. Everytime we go outside, he first stops at his toy box. If you ever see a dog running through Jackson Morrow Park with a stuffed duck, pig or squirrel in his mouth — that’s Husker.
We got him from the shelter when we purchased our first home in Kentucky. It was a rural home and we had a few acres for him to run on, and he did just that. I often worked evenings at my previous job, and Husker would occassionally accompany me back to work and lay in my office while I finished up the day’s newspaper. Many of my coworkers knew him well and would try to play with him while they worked.
I always had a glass of water for myself on my desk and a glass of water on the floor for him. Since moving to Kokomo about 20 months ago, my adoration of Husker has only grown. My wife and I have struggled to adjust to the new town and haven’t really cultivated many friends in that time. So the majority of our free time is spent with our dogs. We take them shopping, we take them to the park, we bring toys and treats home to them. We don’t have children, so the dogs help to fill an otherwise large void. Since starting the Fitness Challenge we haven’t spent nearly as much time with the dogs as we previously did. I’m sure that’s a healthy thing in more ways than one. I found myself talking to Husker way too much lately.
Though I don’t expect anyone to fully understand, the thought of losing a dear friend is devastating, whether they walk on two legs or four.
We take Husker in to have the tumor removed on April 1. I’m hoping and praying for the best.
On Tuesday we spent a good portion of the evening walking around Jackson Morrow Park. It’s been one of our favorite places to spend time since moving to Kokomo.
In the past, walking the dogs around the track was a major task for me. I’d end up sweating and huffing and puffing as I went up the final hills. Tuesday I didn’t break a sweat, it was a nice relaxing walk. The dogs enjoyed themselves and I was reminded of why I joined up for the Fitness Challenge in the first place, to improve the quality of life for myself and those around me. Tuesday. that meant being able to take a nice walk through the park with my best friend. This summer it will hopefully mean bike rides with my wife, and next winter it will hopefully mean hunting and hiking trips with old friends and family. Today was all about Husker and I was so glad I could keep up with him in the park. Now I just keep my fingers crossed that we have many more years of playing in the park.
March 28, 2008 09:12 am
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Staying positive
I’d like to start this blog by writing something positive. It’s been a rough week, and the only good thought I can come up with is that I did make it through Nick’s training sessions without running to the bathroom. That’s a bonus.
My weight loss stalled for the first three days of the week, so I was forced to double my efforts. Going to the gym twice a day is definitely not my idea of a good time, but a couple days of that and another two pounds quickly disappeared.
Currently I’m hard at work and paying absolutely no attention to the NCAA basketball tournament playing on the newsroom TV. My feet and back are aching, and every few minutes my mind wanders and I can’t help but remember there are five boxes of unopened Girl Scout cookies in my desk.
I had ordered the cookies before the Fitness Challenge began and have kept them in my desk for several weeks. I don’t dare bring them home, for I know temptation would get the best of me.
I’ve tried offering them to Erin, especially now that she has chosen to rejoin the Fitness Challenge. It will be her third year in the challenge and she is currently teaching classes at the gym. As bad as I feel today, I’m sure I’ll feel even worse after group challenges and competing against someone in significantly better shape than the rest of us.
Where’s Tonya Harding when you need her?
Of course, I’m only kidding.
Win or lose, I remain confident that the Fitness Challenge is teaching my healthy habits that will last a lifetime.
By the way, you should see the neat trick I taught my dog Husker recently. Check out Courtney’s blog for the details.
March 21, 2008 03:47 pm
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Lessons in husbandry
For most men, there comes a time in our life when we get married and life as we know it will be forever changed.
With marriage, comes a new set of rules each man must learn to live with. The quicker we learn to abide by these rules, the better our quality of life will be.
They’re simple rules really. Clean the sink after you shave, there is no outfit on this planet that does NOT look good on your wife, a woman can never have enough purses or shoes, do not throw water on your mother-in-law because she may melt, and compliment your wife on her cooking no matter how over or undercooked the food might be.
If you cannot remember all the rules simply remember this, the wife is always right.
My grandfather taught me that lesson. He’s been married for 52 years, but insists marriage wasn’t a big transition for him. He married my grandmother immediately after being released from the Marine Corps and insists that having a wife isn’t much different than having a drill sergeant.
As far as husbands go, I’d like to think I’m OK. I’m mostly house trained, I can lift heavy stuff and open jar lids when called upon, and I’m a good father to our dogs.
I learned this week that I have one more use in my wife’s mind, I can get her out of the Old Ben 5K.
Several of our fellow fitness challengers, and other “gym people” encouraged us to participate in the Old Ben 5K Saturday. They prodded so much that I began to consider it at one point, even asking my wife if she would be up for it.
Her response was the most brilliant thing I’ve heard since listening to Bill Clinton dance around the Monica scandal.
“We can’t do a 5K,” my wife explained. “Think about how bad your knees would hurt if we did.”
I’m still not sure how my bad knees would keep my wife from participating, but it got better.
“And besides,” she said with a straight face, “I walk faster than you and if I finished before you, you would just get mad at me.”
Being the well-trained husband that I am, I couldn’t possibly argue with that logic.
Sorry Old Ben, maybe next year.
March 13, 2008 03:20 pm
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Where's my pill?
The human race has made magnificent developments since our arrival on earth. Our evolution includes mastering control of our thumbs, creating the wheel and developing cellular phones, IPods and space shuttles.
Scientists have discovered cures and treatments for many diseases that were previously thought to mean certain death.
So why, I ask, can’t someone create a pill to become skinny?
I can only imagine: No vomiting during workouts, no sweat rolling down my back as I struggle to catch my breath, no sinking feeling right before I step on the scale.
I probably shouldn’t hold my breath that such an invention will be created in my lifetime.
Instead, I’ll keep dragging myself to the gym, where I deposit a little bit of my pride each day.
In addition to my bruised pride and sore muscles, this week I’ve been persistently harassed by fellow journalist-turned-healthnut Erin Shultz about joining in the Old Ben 5K.
The first 72 times she asked me about it, I thought she was joking. Around the 124th time she asked, I contemplated cutting out her tongue with a letter opener. When I came into work Thursday morning there was even a sticky note on my computer monitor with the words “Old Ben 5K” and a smiley face.
In the end, I decided against the 5K, but vowed to make up the mileage at the gym.
As for Erin and the letter opener, stay tuned.
March 13, 2008 02:49 pm
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It must be the shoes
It must be the shoes.
Most days at the gym I’m wearing my white Air Jordan basketball shoes straight out of 1994. Since the first Fitness Challenge training session, trainer Nick Rush has constantly razzed me about the old school sneakers.
The Jordans are a relic from my high school days (I also have a pair of Charles Barkley’s signature shoes that occasionally guide me to the gym.) To be honest I’m shocked that I was even able to find the shoes when I began digging through boxes the week before Fitness Challenge began.
The last time I wore the Jordans I was probably walking through the halls of my high school. Life was much easier on my shoes back then. That was a couple hundred pounds ago, when I was actually able to run a mile and worked out every day for football or wrestling.
Times sure have changed, but I don’t care what anyone says, the shoes are still cool.
I know Nick is only being jealous when he makes fun of the Jordans. I fear he is too young to fully appreciate the days of Reebok pumps and Jordans. It’s like comparing “Slippery When Wet” era Bon Jovi to Miley Cyrus, or “Thriller” Michael Jackson to current Michael Jackson, some things from the past will always be better.
And mark my words, some day I will run miles in those Jordans again, even if it’s five years from now and they are held together with duct tape.
On Wednesday I had what “gym people” refer to as a reversal of fortune.
Without getting into the details, I can only tell you that this occurs when you take an out of shape journalist and subject him to a particularly rigorous training session. Keep in mind rigorous is a relative term.
So I left the gym feeling pretty embarrassed once again.
At least my shoes were cool.
March 06, 2008 09:55 am
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