Foot Fault???

But we are sick and tired of hearing your song

Telling how you are gonna change right from wrong

'Cause if you really want to hear our views

"You haven't done nothing"!

Stevie Wonder

So another birthday at the Ridge :) Got the call from Stephanie that she was catching the early shuttle and I needed to come say goodbye. Merely a ruse to get me into the dining room where about 4 steps from the door I saw a lot of people wearing party hats and holding noise makers. It was a festive morning with some gifts and some singing and a really embarrassed by the effort Jim. So let me start by saying a big thank you to Katherine, Steph, Caroline, and Gretchen for making sure I had a special day. I'm not sure who the lady in the orange hat is but she was having none of that.

Flowers and balloons!!! I was told the search was on for a giant mylar stop sign balloon but to no avail. And thank goodness because who needs to be traumatized on their birthday.

"Birthday cake" came in two forms at the ridge. The broccoli puree soup kind and the french toast with strawberries kind. Of the two I am going to go with the toast but let's face it's not exactly red velvet cupcakes or even a twinkie with a candle in it.

I do greatly appreciate the effort of the kitchen staff. I can't really say enough nice things about the staff that serves us fabulous food, deals with a ton of different allergies and food requests, and always serve us with a smile. I will however pass on some news from the kitchen. The 150 to 200 calorie dessert that has been served at dinner every night I have been at the ridge came to an end last wednesday. Dessert will now be served only a few nights a week to more emulate the way people eat dessert at home. Now if they change the exercise program to emulate the way we exercise at home they can keep the nightly dessert.





If you ever get arrested in Toledo, Gretchen is your girl. Shown here scaling the canyon the day after knocking out the stop sign with ease. And by ease I, of course, mean pain, sweat, and questioning the existence of a higher being.



















After the morning hike, before we put Stephanie on to the shuttle back to reality and out of the bubble.













Because of the extreme heat some of us chose to do a group indoor hike. The benefits being that you are much less likely to suffer heat stroke inside. There's not a great indoor hiking venue in St George so instead we chose the Caesar's Palace Forum Shops. On top of my list of things to do this week is list and publish everyone's picks in the win a free week at the ridge contest. I will be giving periodic weight loss/gain tallies I'm just not sure of the periods yet. This week at the ridge there are only 29 campers, the lowest total since I started coming here. Should make for an interesting week. Peace, Jim

Just One Day Older

You loved me 'cause I'm fragile.

When I thought that I was strong.

But you touch me for a little while and all my fragile strength is gone.

Sara Bareilles

Wake up sunshine

Let me feel your warm sunlight on me

Can't have you hidin'

Night was long and night was cold

But today we're one day older

Chicago

I have knocked out three days of week two and thought I would share some highlights so far this week. Cammy who is one of the very cool hiking guides and an amazing volleyball player took me out into the sand of Snow Canyon park and hit balls with me for 45 minutes. My heart rate was elevated and I sweated like I was hiking up the mountain. Imagine that exercising and having fun, a concept that at times seems possible at the ridge and at other times seems a million miles away. I spent one morning hiking through the dunes only to find this print intermixed with my footprints. Not there on the second pass but there on my third circuit. Probably just tracking me and waiting until the big cat is really hungry. had cardio intervals class on Tuesday. Cardio intervals involves 2 8 level ladders with rising and declining speeds. You spend about 50 minutes on the treadmill with 4 extra sprints thrown in for good measure. I had so much "fun" I did it twice. 1 hour 45 minutes on a treadmill!!! I basically should have lost every ounce of fat on my body during the hour and 45 minutes but NO. Dragged Eric Jackson out hiking with me on Wednesday and we hit the trail at 6:30 am instead of 8:30 like everyone else. A little cooler, a little shadier, and the best thing was being done as the others just started.

Baked Penne for dinner Tuesday. Not the best thing to come out of the kitchen. And soy cheese may be manageable in small doses but as a top layer it is not the answer. I have been hungry this week and this didn't satiate that.

This is the "sunshine sandwich" Pretty tasty with an avocado and tomato base. You know what would make this a really good sandwich...a chicken breast

And if you threw a party

Invited everyone you knew

You would see, the biggest gift would be from me

and the card attached would say,

Thank you for being a friend

Andrew Gold

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I am celebrating my second birthday in a row here at Fitness Ridge. It's been an amazingly wonderful year. No question in my mind what has made this year my best in a very, very long time. It's my friends. I have a ton of new friends I didn't even know existed this time last year. I spent time with life long friends I hadn't seen in years. I reconnected with friends I hadn't spoken with in forever. And the friends I have leaned on repeatedly stepped up like they always do. I have a loving wife, great friends, friendly dogs, a really cool store, wonderful parents and brothers, a better attitude. Life is Good!!!

Thank You.... new friends and old friends, blog readers and facebook buddies, volleyball teammates and opponents, Gtown Prep buddies in Vegas, Fitness Ridge campers and staff, friends in Madison and Maryland and everywhere else, friends who dragged me to movies, concerts, bars, cookouts, trivia nights, and tennis courts. You all inspire me and will continue to do so. I love you guys, Jim

If it takes all night, that'll be all right

If I can get you to smile before I leave

Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels

I don't know how to tell you all just how crazy this life feels

I look around for the friends that I used to turn to to pull me through

Looking into their eyes I see them running too

Jackson Browne

You Slay Me

We are stardust.

We are golden.

And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden.

By the time we got to Woodstock,

We were half a million strong

And Everywhere there was song and celebration.

Joni Mitchell

We switched schedules this week to what they like to call the "winter" schedule around here. Now I'm not sure how you define winter but it surely can not include hiking up a mountain in 100 degree weather. The benefit of the "summer" schedule is you are hiking at 6:45 am and done by 9am before the sun gets too high in the sky, the temperatures rise, and the path gets covered in direct sunlight. However as summer comes to an end it gets a little too dark to be turning the guests out at 6:45. Last year the switch came in late September while this year it was moved way up. A little too way up.

Now before I ask for your forgiveness and explain how I was one of the 30% who didn't make the top or how no one broke an hour let me tell you it was way, way too hot to be attempting this and I faltered badly at the top. I started so well running most of the first mile and easily splitting the field of 40 at the first mile. Visions of a new personal best danced in my head. And then Mr. Sun came over the mountain, sweat ran like a waterfall, and the only thing dancing in my head was Korey Stringer. (google him)

Those twenty behind me closed in and the number behind me dwindled. It occurred to me that the people who run marathons and knock this mountain out in less than an hour don't have the same body make up as I do. They'll never be an offensive lineman and I'll never be a long distance runner. Anyway at Galoot after drinking a ridiculous amount of water I did what most of the last 15 or so people chose to do and that was not get on the road and go up the last 1.5 miles. I felt like I was quitting but discretion is the better part of valor. Sorry readers. Next week or later this week.

I did happily get in 1.5 hours of lap swimming yesterday and two pool classes to go with the hike and circuit training. And get to get back at the mountain in an hour or so.

Speaking of disasters I saw the movie 'Taking Woodstock'. I had looked forward to this movie all summer and if any movie should have been right in my wheelhouse certainly it would be a movie about Woodstock. But Ang Lee, who makes wonderful movies, made the choice to use this seminal event as merely the backdrop to a pointless family drama and coming out story. The music didn't exist and the impact this event had on a generation was bypassed. Just a gigantic whiff.

Again only 40 or so campers this week and I hear that next week may have the least amount of campers since the second dorm opened. Come on out and join in the fun!!! Peace, Jim

One Down Six to go

I don't believe in anything but myself

But then you opened up a door

You opened up a door

Now I start to believe in something else

But how do I know if I'll make it through?

How do I know? Where's the proof in you?

And so it goes, this soldier knows

The battle with the heart isn't easily won

Ingrid Michaelson

Here's your first week wrap up. First off Congrats to my four legged love Rachel Alexandra who beat older boys yesterday to become the first 3 year old filly to ever win the Woodward Stakes. She had to fight it out down the stretch and was challenged for real but dug in gamely and preserved. She is rewriting the record books and bringing a ton of new fans to the races. She is now the greatest filly to ever look through a bridle (sorry Ruffian).

We had pizza this week. Not really pizza like say would walk through your door dripping cheese and delicious cured meat, but it had crust. I'm sure the Wisconsin dairy industry would be bemused by the lack of cheese, but tasty, and about 400 calories less per slice than what you get on the streets of New York.


















Kind hearted Emily, the nutritionist at the Ridge loves to break out her plastic food to shows us serving sizes. I'm sure a few people think about trying rubber cake but it is eye opening and one thing is for sure, a steak at Mortons might be slightly more than one serving, by say 8 or 9 servings.















Here's Paige giving the Anatomy lecture. Paige has completely reworked the program at the Ridge, added a level of accountability that didn't really exist before her, and made the program 100% better. There is no one at the Ridge that will make you want to push yourself harder than Paige. Yet under that tough trainer exterior lies a beguiling sense of humor and some tenderness. I know when she reads this she'll kick my ass even harder, but I would be remiss if I didn't give her the credit for making the Ridge what it is today and having a positive impact on every single camper that walks through that door.






The Battle of the Bulge was held this week. It is a week long weight loss competition for teams and individuals. You weigh in Sunday and weigh out Friday afternoon. You compete against members of your own sex individually and combined in team competitions. My red team regrouped with a win in the triathlon but congratulations to the blue team for winning that stage of the challenge. Also Congratulations to the Kim who picked up the Women's championship by losing 5% of her weight. And a huge shout out to Julie Ann who won last week and then followed that up by notching second place this week. That is ridiculously impressive. Congrats to Mike who on his 4th week was able to notch 15 lbs of weight loss and pick up 2nd place in the men's division.




However, thanks to a few extra walking laps around the pool in 105 degree weather and and lots of sit-ups on the stability ball baking on the pool deck, and a certainly unhealthy decision to bypass most of lunch on friday and water that afternoon I was able to knock out 5.5% of my body weight and pick up the 1st place prize of $500 for spa services and pro shop purchases. Anyone want a Fitness Ridge t-shirt?

Week two starts tomorrow. Think of me hiking up that damn mountain as you enjoy your labor day barbecue :) I'm also signed on for some extra work this week with the GM Eric who has missed me bugging him, but may have not survived his BYU Cougars knocking off Oklahoma this week. And there is a rumor that there are some nightly pick-up sand volleyball games at a park in town. My goodness will that make Jimbo a very happy boy. Between that and tofu birthday cake it's bound to be the best birthday week ever :) Peace, Love, and super fast fillies, Jim

Power Play

My room feels wrong

The bed won't fit

I cannot seem to operate

And you, my love, are gone

So glide away on soapy heels

And promise not to promise anymore

And if you come around again

Then I will take, then I will take the chain from off the door

Ingrid Michaelson

I fell asleep last night at around 10:30 and woke up about midnight sweating and missing the happiness that my trusty fan blows at me augmented by the ceiling fan and of course all in support of the wonderful hum of the A.C. which was sadly silent. I also noticed it was damn dark in the room. The power was out and would not return until around 5 am, or just in time for me fall asleep for about an hour before heading to the van. I can promise you if I had been awake from midnight to 5 am at home the only place I would be heading at 6am is to the other side of the pillow. But at the ridge you don't have that option and it was out to hike, with a morning lecture, pool class, indoor triathlon, ball works class, treading intervals on the treadmill for 50 minutes, a stretch class, dinner and a night lecture. No time for that nap, and now I get to stay awake and watch opening night of college football. Tomorrow is our weigh in for the Battle of the Bulge competition and I will hang up a good number:)

Here is my Battle of the Bulge team....Go Big Red!! We stumbled out of the gate in the calorie guess, had some issues on the obstacle course, but today put it all together and demolished the blue team in the triathlon which included, like most triathlons swimming running and biking. But also had anatomy and health questions. We picked up pedometers from the Ridge. You guys know I am all about competition and this built a lot of camaraderie with everyone cheering on their teammates and competitors. I would love to see the Ridge incorporate more stuff like this into the program.




Today's lunch was something new and really delicious. Grilled chicken Caesar salad. Amazing the amount of food, excellent taste, and presentation for under 300 calories. I can ingest 300 calories just walking into most places sering a chicken Caesar with 3 times the calories











A couple shots from kickboxing class. I really used to be afraid of these classes. But not only are they great workouts they really are fun. I'm way better at the boxing part than the kicking part but I do what I can. You work your upper body, you work your lower body and you sweat, well at least I really sweat.

Dropping a right jab on the girl next to me :)

I'll leave you with this shot of sunrise over the red rocks. 4 days in and I feel way better than I did on Tuesday. I have been using lots of Ingrid Michaelson quotes this week. She has a fabulous new cd Everybody. Download it, buy a hard copy, whatever just get it. And don't forget to come see her in Madison the weekend of the 23rd of October. Peace, Love and beautiful sunrises, Jim

'Til Tuesday

If I was 17 I could find it in a dream

A dime a dozen kind of love

I could find it.

I could find it

But I'm not 17 and I lost it in-between

The birthday cakes and fast mistakes

That roll by

If I look to my right, will I see the one I fight for.

Ingrid Michaelson

I have finished day two and the hike of day 3 and have the first break in the schedule so I will spend it typing this. It has been a rough two days and I am sore as can be. Feet,Legs, Hips, Shoulder and fingers all feeling the pain. The afternoon sessions have kicked the little bit of ass left to kick after the morning hike took its toll.

The Sunday dinner is always one of two things. Pasta with meat sauce of pasta primavera. One is excellent the other a God forsaken wretched excess of onions. I got the one I like soy cheese and all.










Quinoa lettuce wraps that most people loved but me not so much. A long way from PF Changs. Breakfast was the english muffin with eggs and turkey bacon. Dinner the purple potatoes and chicken that I have seen most Monday's.










This was a great Tuesday breakfast fruit ,yogurt and granola parfait. Fabulous.














Beet Soup , 10 points for presentation!!, quite a few less for taste unless you like beets and soup, neither of which I am fond of.











The Shepard's Pie... It's a nice effort even though I know how much tofu is in the mashed potatoes... a ton. Not a big chance that the Shepard lost any of the flock when this was made unless he had a flock of say one really small turkey. The base had a lot of things not associated with this dish and don't get me started about the missing peas.




Here is how we make Jimbo a happy man, we have Tuesday night water volleyball. We all know I love sand volleyball but goodness I have jordanesque ups in the pool. Toss in the fact that it was a nice 85 degrees, we had Jack Johnson cranking on the stereo, and we got a decent turn out and we had one really happy camper.

I want to talk a little about the new schedule here as well as the many changes that have taken place since I started. I'll also talk about the Battle of the Bulge competition that is going on with both team and individual competitions. And give a better description of the step class that killed me, the total toning which beat me up and my kickboxing extravaganza today. But I got 7 weeks here and if I do all that I will run out of things to say. So it'll come.

A quick wrap-up of Vegas. Steely Dan was really fun. Nothing but hits and some well known lesser hits. Amazing band, the best back-up singers ever, and Donald Fagan sounding great, Show was a little short as casino shows tend to be but I have come to know that. The Venue was the Palms Pearl theater. Without a doubt the best designed and most comfortable facility I have been into. No bad seats and I sat second row from the top.

I really struggled and felt beat up Monday and Tuesday but I feel a whole lot better today. Have high intensity interval training tomorrow and then have the weigh in for Battle of the Bulge Thursday. The free time I used to have here has disappeared so getting this blog done will be a challenge for sure. I will update my Friday weigh ins each week but not this week because the contest can still be entered thru next Thursday. College Football starts tomorrow. now if I could just get them to install a big screen by the pool volleyball. Peace, Jim

The Grand Illusion

Baby, you've got the sort of laugh that waters me

And makes me grow tall and strong and proud and flattens me

I find you stunning, but you are running me down

My love's too big for you my love

My love's too big for you my love

And if I was stronger then I would tell you no

And if I was stronger then I will leave this show

And if I was stronger then I would up and go

But here I am and here we go again

Ingrid Michaelson

I know you guys want a first day update so I will give you a quick rundown of day one and a weekend wrap up. Lets start with the hike. I somehow deluded myself that I have done enough to prepare myself that I have made enough forward strides that this wont kill me but alas it is all in my head and I suffered big time on the hill. Hated it, was miserable the entire last two miles. My feet hurt and virtually every volleyball injury from this summer ached. There was a nice mix of 6:30 wake up, a lot of wildfire smoke lingering in the air and the fact I hadn't done any exercise in a week. I made it but only because I would have been two embarrassed to tell you guys I hadn't. And it took my the entire time, and then 10 more minutes.

Had breakfast of dry english muffin, morning lecture, and then pool class, lettuce wraps for lunch, afternoon lecture, got assigned to the red team for this weeks battle of the bulge. Did 3 afternoon classes of circuit, than a step class called step and pump, and finally one more pool class. Dinner was the chicken and purple potatoes followed by one last lecture. One long day. I have some pics I will get up tomorrow I swear and give a Steely Dan review. Shout out to Kim from Milwaukee who id'ed me from the cartoon picture, and Sharon and Victoria who were the first of quite a few campers that commented they had read this. I would love to write more but I would love to sleep even more. I am sore in a whole lot of places. Peace, Jim