Fitness

Nearly five years ago I set a rowing personal best for 5,016 meters in 20 minutes. Twice after, I rowed over 5,000 meters in 20 minutes. I posted then: I can't tell you how good the accomplishment feels. I didn't plan on doing it today. I started rowing faster and harder than usual, felt good, and kept the pace. Not long ago, I struggled to keep up 900 calories per hour for a few minutes at the end. Now I maintained over 1,000 calories per hour for twenty minutes. My body and mind kept telling me to stop. I felt nauseated for part of it. But "I felt nauseated for part of it" didn't capture how brutal it felt. After rowing more than 5k in…

I woke up, ate a light breakfast, oiled the chain, set the machine for intervals of just over 1/8th a marathon, and rowed. About three and a half hours later I finished my second rowing marathon. My results: I rowed my first rowing marathon two years ago. Someone pointed out my rest periods then of 2 minutes were too long (I forget the reason, something about the body switching modes). I also did 1/15th of a marathon intervals then and averaged around 2:25/500m over that whole marathon, so I rowed significantly faster this time and shorter rests so I like the improvement. I didn't row the sixth interval as slow as it looks. I started 30 seconds late from the bathroom break taking longer than…

Just back from riding out to Brooklyn across the breezy Williamsburg Bridge. I rode in 36 degrees a few weeks ago. Today was my first time this cold in a while. I thought of a few helpful tips for riding in this temperature on a windy day. 1. Extremities: I dressed to keep my extremities warm, especially fingers, toes, and ears. 2. Delivery men: Did I think I was special? I saw dozens of guys delivering food to people who won't go outside. They're probably working eight-hour shifts and half the customers probably aren't tipping extra. 3. Grandparents in Amsterdam: If delivery guys didn't give me enough humility, right now I bet dozens of grandparents are riding around Amsterdam on bikes, where it's probably colder,…

In my podcast conversation with Joe De Sena, founder and CEO of the Spartan Race, we talked about the difference between exercising indoors versus outdoors. He said we give more exercising outdoors. I had been thinking for a while of bringing my rowing machine to my roof but hadn't figured out how to get it up there since I don't like taking the elevator. Joe carries boulders and tree trunks up mountains and I was planning to swim across the Hudson River, so I decided to carry the thing up the 11 flights to my roof. It disassembles into two pieces, which meant Carrying one piece up 11 flightsWalking back down 11 flightsCarrying the other piece up 11 flightsRowing 30 minutesCarrying one piece down 11…

I first meditated almost fifteen years ago, starting with a ten-day no-reading no-writing, no-talking, diving in the deep end. It challenged me, but I went back periodically for more ten-day, five-day, three-day, and one-day sessions. I've written about the experiences here. I never felt the tug to meditate regularly, despite my other sidchas. This year I started two days out of my five-day exercise cycle. At the retreats, I usually sat on a stool. I couldn't sit on my butt that long. These days I'm sitting more, cross-legged. After a while I started trying a half-lotus position, where I put one foot on top of the other thigh and the other foot below the other thigh. I started working toward a full-lotus, putting each foot…

I don't remember the last time I was this tired, so I hope you'll pardon me keeping it short. Wednesday I swam across the Hudson River, about 1 km across, though the current took us from across from about 70th Street to 35th Street. The distance the current took us didn't tire me, but I walked to 39th Street from home and from 35th Street home. I take cold showers every fifth day (days that are multiples of five), so I took a cold shower too. Thursday I rested. Friday I lifted in the morning, walked two miles to Grand Central carrying bags, met a friend to drive to Joe De Sena's Vermont farm, where I climbed so-called Mount Sparta, about 1.5 - 2 miles…