Stop in the name of love

Cuz you are you such a burden
But you're the weight above my shoulders
And even though I'm hurtin'
It still feels like each time I'm growing
When I thought that we'd grow up and grow together at the same time
Guess I passed you by
At that old stop sign
At that old stop sign
Beyonce

The last day, the final time, the fat lady has sung and most likely hiked. The full camp Monday morning stop sign hike has come to an end. With a promise to the park service that starting April 1 no hike from the ridge would have more than 11 campers, the signature hike that has taken place every Monday since the start of Fitness Ridge, the hike that has made campers whimper and cry, and has brought joy and pain to every single camper who has ever gotten on those vans and headed to the park ceased to exist. You can still do the hike every day you are at the ridge, you just will never again get to do it with each and every fellow camp mate. So here are some pictures from us defeating that old lady one last time. It was a fun day. We dragged young Jennifer, from Nashville, on her 8th day at the ridge, all the way to the top.

Here we are 2.5 miles in to the hike at what is called the mini- stop sign. I remember the first time I made it here and getting my picture taken here. It seemed at the time like such a big deal and such an accomplishment and now getting here doesn't stress me in the least. I'm not going to lie, every step after the mini stop sign stresses me out but hey I'll take where I am now for sure.






Deb, the hiking guide extraordinaire, walking up the hill with a camper. Up to 190 marathons completed and a promise to be on the tri course inspiring me on Saturday.

Not something you see very often this high up the hill, but always nice to see smiling faces on the hike. Emily from NY and Nicole from LA
powering up the hill.

This picture gives you a decent perspective of the incline. And this isn't the steepest part of the hike. So to review: One 4.5 mile hike, add ridiculous inclines, and stir in some altitude and what you get is one obnoxious hike and one very sweaty, very miserable Jim. Until it's over then
nothing but satisfaction.

So I told Jennifer that she would surely be cussing me out before the hike was over and for the record that happened for the first time about a 1/4 mile on to the road. But to her credit I think she only cussed me out one time and that was more of a joke. Not sure it's the best way to spend the day before your 23rd birthday but it will make for a memorable day.

Let's start with the great stop sign pictures. Sara a girl after my heart with her Fear the Turtle shirt on. Just a couple of Terp fans hanging out by a stop sign in Utah. Sara is from Elkridge, Md. Home to BWI airport. And she is one of close to ten people here this week including a couple fro Silver Spring, a senior at Walt Whitman High in Bethesda, MD, and a lady who had the privilege of having the greatest banquet manager ever do her wedding, my mom, Joan Trudeau.

Lisa who was here earlier in my stay wasn't just happy enough that Michigan St eliminated my Terps, she figured she would rub a little salt in my wounds. If you click on the picture my reaction is more evident. Lisa came back to kick my ass in the triathlon as well. She is one of 9 current campers signed up for the event. Which goes hand and hand with my earlier post about people cussing me for talking them into to joining in my misery.

Jen with John, who joined the 60 minute club by getting to the top in 60 minutes.Quite a feat. Mix in that he owns candy and popcorn stores in Michigan and lets just say that when he finishes the tri on Saturday he should probably send a thank you package of of my kind of triathlon .......cheese, caramel, and butter flavored to Madison.

Lisa, Jen, and I. If you combine our times and divide them by 3 we all did pretty well. The 57 minute performance by Lisa helped the average immensely. The first 3 finishers on Monday are all signed up for the tri and will all get to wait a while for Jimbo to cross the finish line.

So there's lots of joy on Monday. It will never be the same here that is for sure. For a Tuesday I am pretty sore. Thank you stop sign, thank you circuit, thank you 18lb medicine ball, thank you pool but most of all thank you bike. I will be happy not to readjust on your seat for a while come Saturday at 9am. Have a great week. Peace, Jim

Go Greased Lightning

I got chills they're multiplying
And I'm losing control
Cause the power you're supplying
It's Electrifying!

John Farrar/GREASE

It's the start of my last week in Utah, and the end of my longest trip ever to the Beehive state. I wasn't sure why Utahans chose the beehive as their state motto so like any good person alive in 2010 I googled it so here you have it: The beehive became the official state emblem on March 4, 1959. Utahans relate the beehive symbol to industry and the pioneer virtues of thrift and perseverance. And so I would like to think that while I have been a proud visitor to the Beehive state I have shown the traits of thrift (wise management of resources) and perseverance (persistent determination).

One thing I haven't done enough of is take in the sheer beauty that is Southern Utah. I know a lot of the you readers have never been here and I am sure the tourist board will love me for this. You really should come visit, it is truly amazing and really unlike any other place I have been for breathtaking views.







Tomorrow will be the last official, full resort, every last camper, Monday stop sign hike. I'm going to do it, against my better judgement, because it seems like the thing to do. I was planning to walk/run the tri course, which is really much flatter than stop sign, but I feel this pull to drag some unexpecting newbie to the top with me. Not going to try to beat my best time ever, I'll save that fun for the next trip. At this point I hopefully can avoid injury this week and can go into the tri feeling 100% or at least as close to 100% as I can.

Did a Friday afternoon hike with Joyce and Sharon. We headed out thinking we were going to Piano Rock, however, based on the winds that were whipping through the canyons and the thought of me, although well anchored, blowing off the side of the mountain, we ended up doing a tour of the park. No Jenny's canyon as it has closed for turtle mating season. As always good luck to my happy, amorous reptilian friends.





We walked to stop sign that day. I'm not saying where we started from, but let's just just agree that we started in a parking lot fairly near a guard shack. Did I mention that it was really cold and really windy?


















Butch Cassidy: Alright. I'll jump first.
Sundance Kid: No.
Butch Cassidy: Then you jump first.
Sundance Kid: No, I said.
Butch Cassidy: What's the matter with you?
Sundance Kid: I can't swim.
Butch Cassidy: Are you crazy? The fall will probably kill you.
Sundance Kid: Oh, shit






Saturday night was graduation night and this really was a tremendous group of campers who I unfortunately didn't spend as much time with as I would have liked. Jason, from Tennessee, was clearly the heart of this group. It's people like him that come to the ridge, make everyone work harder, and feel better about themselves while doing it that make this place so special. He and many others leaving this week will be greatly missed, but they open the spaces for the 46 new campers headed our way.












So while many of the campers headed off to Vegas following graduation a good bunch stuck around and got to listen to me sing Olivia Newton John's portion of the Grease duet You're the one that I want. And for the record I do a much better ONJ than Eric does Travolta. Great fun, awesome singers, and thanks to my other partner Linda for letting me be the Sonny to her Cher. Hope everyone has an awesome week. 6 days until tri time. Wish me luck. Peace, Jim

The Butler Did It, with an orange orb, in Salt Lake City!!

Well, I hope we're not too messianic
Or a trifle too satanic
We love to play the blues
Well I am just a monkey man
I'm glad you are a monkey, monkey woman too, babe
The Rolling Stones

So I have spent the better part of this week training for the triathlon. I feel a little like I am letting my fellow campers down by not being there for all the classes and hikes but to be truthful the program is designed to teach you that you can do more. I would never have attempted, nor been able to even fathom, doing this without having completed so many weeks. So please excuse me if I seem distant this week or out of sorts. I'm not really nervous per se, but more expectant and hopeful that I will get this done. I want to do my best and prepare how I see fit. So I apologize to this week's group and in advance to next week's group. It's not that I am getting special treatment, it's that I am using my time to best help me achieve the goal I set. We are going to have an amazing number of participants from the ridge at this year's race over 10 staff and I now believe over 6 current or former campers. And of course one film crew :(



The view over the handle bars :) Above is my transition practice set up. We go from the pool on to the bike route without a changing tent. I think most people wear their swimsuits on to the bike course but I need to change into dry shorts. So perhaps if the cnbc crew is alert while filming you can get a pixeled shot of my butt and junk flying free in the Utah morning sunshine. I am hoping to towel wrap, drop trough, and reengage with my pants but that's is asking an awful lot from a piece of terrycloth. So no promises that there won't be a poor terrified and most likely scarred Mormon housewife who in her worst nightmare never dreamed a triathlon would expose her to such.


The weather has been awesome this week. I have picked up a little more red around the shoulders than I expected. I know sun screen is my friend Love it though and between the bike and pool class I will be taking home a nice tan; of that I am assured of. By the way that is Damien, this month's employee of the month at the Ridge. And he has really helped get my bike into working order. Including adjusting the seat, changing the pedals and replacing a ruptured innertube on my back tire.



There really is nothing more fun than pool class on a wonderful warm day. I am heading out on a hike tomorrow. Most likely my last real off-road hike of the trip as next week is exclusively tri prep. I know that next week will be the biggest number of new campers ever as 46 new campers arrive. The numbers, while consistently in the 65-73 range, have never felt overwhelming to me. There is always enough staff, always enough accountability, and still much of the same personal touch I felt with 35 campers. Not much fall out from the change over in hiking sign-ups and the loss of the stop sign hike ritual. Change not always welcome here at the Ridge is certainly understandable and the campers have done a good job of adapting. I hope everyone has a great week Peace, and Big Love!!, Jim

Jubilation to heartbreak in 6 seconds.

I don't wanna feel like this
But I'm so tired of missing you
Oh my baby please
Don't forget you love me
Today

Schuyler Fisk

I made it back to the ridge Sunday evening. I apologize to those of you who had Monday or Tuesday in the pool but I was in need of some reality after a very, very fun time in Vegas. The triathlon is less than two weeks away and I got the news that it seems cnbc is coming out that day to do a conclusion to their story. Ah yes, the joy of appearing on national TV, in your swimming suit, just another thing to take off the "no list" of things I never would have imagined doing.. All my dreams coming true. Speaking of the Ridge, next Monday will be the last time that the stop sign hike will be timed and offered for each camper on Monday. There has been a limit of 11 hikers per hike placed on the guests at the resort including the stop sign hike. It will still be offered virtually every day but only one van will be heading there. The days of 90 people trotting up there are over. It really has been the signature of this program in many ways and I'm sad to see it leaving as the first measuring stick of each guests stay. And I will also miss the communal feeling of most every guest heading up that damn mountain as a group. But life goes on and again it will still be an option just not a requirement.

My schedule for the next two weeks will be triathlon training in the morning followed by pool class at 11, lunch, and then the three afternoon classes. Do to the overflow crowds at the ridge I am staying off campus in a studio apartment in Kayenta. Staying off campus is certainly manageable, but you need be prepared each morning for your full day of activities as getting back during the day is tough. So I really end up looking like the homeless ridger as I have to carry various shoes and bathing suits and ipods and clean outfits with me in a bag that sits on the pool deck all day.

Here's some Vegas wrap-up for you. My brother Jay and I celebrating Maryland's first round win over Houston. Maryland's second round loss was devastating. Taking the lead with six seconds left only to get beat by a buzzer beater. It was an amazing weekend of basketball and the single greatest event in all of sports, but oh what a painful end.

Paul, Jay and the Eric watching the action. We were again holed up at the Golden Nugget, which opens their grand ballroom to the masses with 6 giant tv's.









I'm not sure if Eric was praying or begging for a BYU win but whichever it was it worked. It took two overtimes but the cougars got their first NCAA win in 17 years. And then got run out of the gym in the second round by Kansas St.

My good friends Tim and Paul who made their first trip to the March Madness event and now can't wait to get back. One of the girls from the Ridge said she had never seen Vegas so full of men. I can vouch for the 1,000 or so crowd in the ball room which was 98% men. So there you have it single girls this is the weekend to find men, of course, they are sports addicted, gambling machines who like to go to Vegas with their buddies. I know every girl's dream guy.




Spent Friday night, with some Ridge girls. Here's Jerica, Bobbi and Al. Al was in town with her wonderful husband Richard and was there on my first ever successful stop sign hike. She promised me that day I would never have to do that hike ever again if I finished. I like to think she lied, she says all the rest have been by my own personal choice. she should know me better than that







I'm leaving you with one last picture. It's kind of hard to see. Look Closely. One of the things dancing on that bar is not like the others. Have a great week. I sure hope it is spring where you are. Peace, and go Cornell, Northern Iowa, and St Mary's. It's all about Cinderella now!!, Jim

These Shoes are made for walking

No fame no money I'm nobody
The way I'm running has sure got me down
On my knees.
Next stop, Vegas please.
Can you take me to Vegas?

Sara Bareilles

So today will be the end of my initial 6 week run at the Ridge as I head to Vegas in the morning for just a bacchanalia of college basketball and fun with friends. Can't wait for my friends to start arriving early next week. And have just a full slate of college basketball tournaments to immerse myself in. As an extra added bonus I get to see my girlfriend stretch her pretty legs this weekend. Horse of the Year, Rachel Alexandra returns to the track for a race on Saturday in New Orleans.

I'm not going to do a big wrap up of this trip as I have two more weeks beginning in 9 days. I will say that I have begun in earnest my daily tri-prep with mornings being devoted to training on the course. I don't just want to finish, I want to do well, with well being extraordinarily subjective. I will tie up a couple Ridge rumors for you guys. First off there is no scheduled "celebrity" at the Ridge next week and secondly there are big major changes coming to the hiking program here starting in April, although what those are and what will happen are still up in the air. Additionally if you are wanting to come out here just know that they are currently booked through close to Thanksgiving. Don't be afraid to put your name on the waiting list as I hear stories almost daily of people coming off that list and into a room.

Picked up my racing shoes this week thanks to Cody in the pro shop here. Not only are they extraordinarily spiffy they are really lightweight and feel like pillows on my feet. Broke them in with a new personal best on the treadmill yesterday. I can't say enough about the Brooks brand of shoes. Do yourself a favor and get some.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week. The blog will be on a week long vacation with me. It looks like nothing but sunshine here for the foreseeable future and temperatures rising as well. Spring is in the air!! Although the sleet falling on my head in the pool yesterday was a new experience. Don't forget to root for the Terps. If you're bored you know where to find me :) Peace, Jim

Rainy Days and Mondays

Long as I remember The rain been comin' down.
Clouds of myst'ry pourin' Confusion on the ground.
Good men through the ages, Tryin' to find the sun;
And I wonder, Still I wonder. Who'll stop the rain.
Credence Clearwater Revival

Began the last of my first 6 weeks at the Ridge with something different, some live music in the dining hall following the guest orientation. Dan from season five of the Biggest Loser along with his partner from that season his mom, Jacky are doing the program this week. Dan is a fledgling country music performer and he played a couple of songs on his guitar for us. Was it James Taylor doing Fire and Rain, well no, but live music is never a bad thing.

My Monday morning was a whole lot different than most of my Monday mornings here at the Ridge. I did not do the stop sign hike. Now before you think I am slacking off, I did meet Tiffany at Sand Hollow to get out and ride the bike course of the Triathlon. The course is two 5 mile loops on open roads with vehicles still traveling down the road. Now bike riding is one thing, bike riding on a path another, but bike riding in open traffic with no bike lanes is a whole different ball of wax. I don't think I am going to wipe out and fall off my bike, and so far so good, but I sure don't want to do it while sharing the road with a cement truck. The course contains four uphill climbs with the final one being the longest and steepest of the hills. I know you have seen pictures of Lance Armstong standing on his pedals powering up some hill. That's not me. My butt stayed on the seat, I dropped the gears down, and pedaled all I could. I made every hill without a huge issue, and although sweaty ( no shock there) and panting a bit completed the course in a reasonable time for me. Now I have soreness and a bit of chafing in a new found fun area but I know I am going to do this. Special thanks to Damien, who swapped out the tube in my back tire after I woke up Monday to a flat tire.



Tuesday the rains came falling. I could hear the rain pounding against my window much of the night, which is someone surprising because it sounded like a team of lumberjacks was snoring in 118. I miss the quiet that was 118 when Brandi and Katee were there. Anyway back to the rain. It was legit, pouring, cold icy rain on Tuesday morning. Does this mean the hikes are cancelled? NO. Does this mean that people don't venture out into this cold wintery mix of weather? Well the smart ones don't. Being a Tuesday all of the newbies hopped onto those vans and headed back to stop sign. The off road hikes were a no go but you could walk the parts of stop sign that were not under water. Many of the stayovers understood that God, or more likely the people at Life Fitness, had invented treadmills, weight machines, roofs, and heaters exactly for days like this. so we cranked up the music, and plugged away at our inside activities. Mine included treadmill, medicine ball sit-ups, and some arm, chest and back work with the dumbbells. In the pictures you can see the girls struggling to reach new speeds and inclines on the treadmills or perhaps seeing who can find the most ridiculous way to climb aboard a treadmill.

I'm used to being asked about my weight and weight loss here at the Ridge. I begrudgingly answer most every question for the people here. However, the damn treadmill can bite my ass if it thinks I am answering that question for it. My advice to Mrs. Treadmill is mind your own damn business and get prepared to feel every single one of those pounds beating down on you.







The weather is going to be bad on Wednesday with sunshine arriving again on Thursday and sticking around for quite a few days. As of now there are classes scheduled in the morning for the first time since I have been here. A few hearty soles may venture out into the canyon but my guess is most of the campers will be content with a morning circuit and stretch class. As for me I am heading to the city pool to do the triathlon swim segment and work on my turns. I need to start packing up the room as well. I get used to my home away from home room 120 and don't know when I will be back in it. I do come back in a week but I will be at the new off campus studios down the road 3 miles in Kayenta. I hope it's warm and dry wherever you are and as always Peace and Love, Jim

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day.
When it's cold outside I've got the month of May.
I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl (my girl, my girl)
Talkin' 'bout my girl

The Temptations

5 weeks down on this trip, a slightly abbreviated week this week, and a whole lot of basketball looming on the horizon. I am tired, I'm beat up and sore, and I am ready for a little break. I had to say goodbye to a big group of friends this week. There are only two people here doing the program that were here when I started and one of them chose today's blog song. Congrats to Cherise who in 7 weeks has gone through the 40 lb lost threshold and has as much as anyone I have seen here blossomed into, I wanted to say a new person, but it is really the old Cherise peaking out again. Congrats to her.

I have really started changing my focus this week to full on triathlon preparation in the mornings. I am working out this week with two of my fellow competitors. Jen, who really is the one who gets credit for me signing up for this, and Tiffany who is getting to make me faster and stronger on the course. Tiffany is going to have to wait the longest for me to finish as she is ridiculously quick on the course. I will be on the bike the next 3 mornings and in the pool 2 of the 4 mornings as well. No stop sign hike for me this week for the first time on a Monday in Utah. Can't say I am really going to miss it :) Cardio will be every afternoon this week.

Friday was a fairly light day for me as I let the finger heal up a bit. It still has some tenderness in it this morning but feels like it is on its way to recovery. Can't let it slow me down this week. Speaking of injuries I have to apologize to my good friend Eric who went and landed on my foot and turned in ankle at our Saturday morning basketball game. Hopefully not too serious, as I need my workout partner and NCAA march madness partner in peak shape for these next 4 weeks. When you get out on that court you sometimes tend to forget that you're not in college. any more. The head starts making some promises that the body just can't keep. However this was just a fluke and it was only a matter of time until my size 13's wound up under someone's landing gear.


Another really fun night of bowling Saturday night and our group is apparently not yet ready for shoe strings. I started out spare, strike, strike, spare. Had a 95 after 5 frames. The girls thought I actually knew what I was doing. That ended quickly as I limped home to a 124 and then got even worse in game 2 which mercifully was cut short due to time constraints. I did like my magic orange bowling ball. It really is about the most wholesome bowling adventure imaginable. Lots of babies, although after watching me drop the bowling ball no one thought they should hand one off to me this night.




Jerica tossing one down the lane. That might be the happiest bowler face ever. We had a group of around 30 spread out over 6 lanes. The thing about these Saturday night activities is that you really get to bond with your fellow campers. There's no pressure at all, no one cares if you can bowl or not, no one cares if you bowl or hang out. There's no temptation to run to the snack bar or the beer bar. Although, I did see one tall roundish guy in velcro shoes , singing along to Ingrid Michaelson on the jukebox and sipping from a blue cup with diet pepsi written on the side of it.

It's amazing how each week here takes on it's own personality based on the group of people that are here that week. Most of the personality comes from the stayovers and with so many multiple weekers leaving this week there really was a fun and triumphant vibe all week. It peaked with the biggest pool class I have ever seen. 40 + people in the pool on a beautiful Friday afternoon. Not many interested in paying attention and not many interested in working too hard but lots of singing along, lots of people being dunked, and people jumping in wearing clothes coming out of class. Such a wonderful time. The good times continued with the most raucous dvd viewing I have seen in my 20+ weeks. Cheering, and laughing and and shout outs followed by some tearful farewells. Congrats to my good friends who went home this week; Janet, Seth, Merinda, and Brandi. We have a new record high for campers this week as 71 people undertake this adventure. Included are Dan and his mom Jacky from Biggest Loser season 5 and the film crew they have tagging along filming a new tv pilot. Should be a fun week, especially the part of it I spend watching the Terps in Vegas, where I am confident that no one will be handing me a baby to carry around,..... a tall icy fruity drink? that's a whole different story. Peace and Love, Jim

Defenders

You're the color of the sky
Reflected in each store-front window pane
You're the whispering and the sighing
Of my tires in the rain
You're the hidden cost and the thing that's lost
In everything I do
Yeah and I'll never stop looking for you
In the sunlight and the shadows
And the faces on the avenue
That's the way love is
That's the way love is
That's the way love is
Sky blue and black

Jackson Browne

It's been two full days of basketball since I last blogged and and one day of doing the bulk of the triathlon. I sustained my first half-way serious injury since I have been here this trip and as far as injuries go it's not really that bad. We have had some days that were amazingly beautiful and a day of rain and wind and cold. It's really been a mixed bag kind of week

Wednesday I set out to do as much of the triathlon as I could. It was one month out from the date of the race and I figured I really needed to get a grasp on where I stood as far as prep work needed. This is the Sand Hollow Pool area from the outside. The locals call the building something to do with boobs but I'm not sure what. It will stage the swim, and be the transition area for the biking and for the running portions of the race. I spent the early part of the morning on the actual running course. I did that full leg, not at race speed, but at a decent pace. I had a 1pm appointment with the trainer Tiffany, who has been an amazing help in my tri-prep. We did the full swim in the Ridge pool and worked on transitioning onto the bike. Strapped on a helmet for the first time and went out and rode in my swimming suit for around 4 miles. Still need to stretch that out but I have no fear of finishing this thing and one month to add speed and endurance. Who knew I could be a triathlete.

I feel like I haven't done a very good job of taking food pic's this trip. We had stuffed chicken with wild rice last. I really like this dinner although I have no idea what they actually stuff the breast with. I swear there were some pumpkin seeds in it. Food has been really good this trip. 1200 calories is not a lot by any measure, and I feel at times like it's just not enough to sustain my body through these kind of workouts but they do a magnificent job of making those 1200 calories appealing.

Jerica modeling Thursday night's dessert the chocolate covered strawberries. Now they come in many different sizes but the one Jerica landed was the Moby Dick of strawberries, and heart shaped for good measure.

Wednesday was also a really good day to be Jim as my Maryland Terps got to celebrate senior night by welcoming the Duke Blue Devils to town. I drove down to Mesquite, settled into the lucky chair at the Casablanca sports book, enjoyed my Subway turkey on wheat, and watched bedlam in College Park as the Terps gained a share of first place in the ACC by beating the dukies. What made it even more special was the friends that watched along and spent the night texting me congrats. I really love this time of year.

Thursday was rainy and cold and my plans to ride the bike changed into some extra morning gym time. A huge thanks to Paige because she was "nice" enough to buy me some bigger medicine balls. You wouldn't think the jump from 12 to 18 lbs would be a huge difference but it is. I headed to my second Mormon church of the week this one with a slightly larger basketball court. Now I have been happy with my shooting and general play since I started playing in earnest. I'm not the defender I used to be. I reached in to someone cutting through the lane and jammed the hell out of my finger. It is swollen and a strange shade of black and purple this morning. I gave it a quick tug after the foul and straightened it out pretty well, but there is not much bending going on today, and my trip to camelbak is going to have to wait for another day as there's no way I can rock climb with one working hand.

Thursday night I joined Eric and his son Jake and the owners Cameron and Michelle and their merry band of children for the Dixie State College Hawai'i-Hilo basketball game. A slight drop off talent wise from the Terps but I'll watch basketball anytime. A much bigger drop off attendance wise as I would estimate the crowd in the 300 range. The home team was winning by 20+ when we left with 6 minutes to play.

There is just something about this state that you find yourself holding babies. People seem to have a lot of them and figure you know what you're doing so they hand them off to you. This is the beautiful, happy young Macie who got in some sitting on Santa's lap practice at the Dixie game. Making girls smile, young and old :)

Mari-Ann did a nice job giving me a litlle trim and style on Tuesday night. The hair style doesn't really have a name but I have chosen to call it "The Bird" Quite a few people asked me if I had gotten a haircut, but I know what they were really saying, dude you have hair under that hat, who knew?

Need to give a shout out to Kelsey a college student from Jersey here this week. She said that she liked reading the music on the blog and then dropped sky blue and black on me as her favorite Jackson Browne song. A 20 year old who actually has a favorite Jackson tune, wow, the world and Fitness Ridge is a better place. No major weekend plans. We have the bowling trip Saturday after Graduation. I have to say goodbye to a bunch of friends this weekend which is so hard for me. I have a week left until I get a short break in Vegas. I have signed up for 3 workouts when i am there, but I can assure you my body is looking forward to the freshening, because it is as beat up right now as it has ever been in Utah. Oh well, besides being sore and tired my body feels damn good and I even will occasionally look in a mirror and not wince. This place is amazing. Have a nice weekend. peace and love, Jim

March On

And you ask me what I want this year
And I try to make this kind and clear
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
Cuz I don't need boxes wrapped in strings
And desire and love and empty things
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

So take these words
And sing out loud
Cuz everyone is forgiven now
Cuz tonight's the night the world begins again

The Goo Goo Dolls

Happy March!!! No there are not many things that make Jimbo happier than the seasons being on the precipice of spring. March really came in like a lamb yesterday with a very beautiful mid-60's day in Utah. Other things that make Jimbo happy this month include getting to see all my friends in Vegas (now single digits 'til I get to go), my Terps having locked up a bid to the NCAA tournament, the Oscars are coming up and I really need to see The Hurt Locker which seems to have emerged as the favorite, the snow is finally starting to melt in Madison, and it is now only 32 days until my triathlon debut. Speaking of which I have a 6am appointment at the pool for laps and turn practice and then onto the bike for some training on the course. That may be why I am awake at 4 am working on this :)

Wanted to give a thank you to Cat Cee for today's musical submission from the Goo Goo Dolls. Funny store about that band. They came in the store en masse when on tour in Madison. Now I have no idea how or why we had a Goo Goo Dolls shirt but we did. They were so surprised to see it on the rack they left us a bunch of passes to the show. I still didn't want to go, but it was nice of them. Cat is going to be starting here on the day I leave town :(

The Monday stop sign hike and of course one sweaty-ass Jim at the top. Let's start with the good news. I was quicker on the bottom part of the course, running a whole lot of the first 1.5 miles. I raced Cherise to the 2.5 mile mark and...LOST. she beat me fair and square outperforming me on the hills. I should perhaps go back and reacquaint myself with the story of the tortoise and the hare. I severely ran out of gas on the hills. I was unable to shave any time off my overall time even having shaved close to ten minutes off my lower level speed. One day I am going to figure this thing out. Until then I shall be the humble weekly servant of my master. A big congrats to Shawn from Alaska who may have been the happiest person to ever wrap their hands around the stop sign. And I'm not exactly sure who took this picture for me but you don't cut off the top of the stop sign and you don't let the pole obscure one of the two faces.

Rode the bike down to the park Monday where there was a spirited tennis match going on. I spent some time on the basketball court working on my 3 point jumper. Apparently I thought I needed extra work because I failed to roll back on to campus in time for my 2:30 class. It may have been my desire to do extra work on my game or it may have been the thought of being in the gym on such a spectacular day was completely unappealing and nowhere near as fun as shooting hoops. I'll let you decide. Sometimes these new Monday schedules confuse me, and although I made it back in time for the 3:30 class I somehow ended up in the pool for that pool class and well, somehow stuck around for the 4:30 class as well. fit and tan works for me :)

Here's something fairly rare at the Biggest Loser Resort. Another guy!!! Seth from New York who really knows how to make a great impression on me. He wore a Maryland Terp shirt to class one day. It seems that Seth had the good fortune to have married a Maryland grad.


On to Tuesday and my morning tri-prep, afternoon cardio intervals, and a much needed hair cut, although not too short this time. I hope everyone has a great week and I wanted to give a big shout out to many of the other bloggers here, they all have great and funny stories to read so look them up on the Fitness Ridge facebook site. Way to go Brandi, Kay, Cherise, Michelle, and Janet. Peace and Love, Love, Love, Jim