Slow Richard

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step (or pedal)

March 19, 2018 By Slow Richard

It’s mid-March, and I’m finally breaking out the old bike to get some of the first miles of the year on my old legs. Like the Chinese philosopher observed, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Laozi.

And so the journey begins, anew. December put to bed a good year. January brought new goals and hope for a great new year, along with several extra pounds for taking time off of the bike. February brought glimpses of hope for a great new year with unseasonably warm weather, although in the afternoon, when work trumped exercise in the priority ladder.

And in March, winter finally arrived and delayed the journey. But finally, a chance to get out, and to get out with my very own peloton.

This year undoubtedly holds big things for me. Mountains to be climbed, roads to be conquered.

The Fitbit Christmas miracle

February 18, 2015 By Slow Richard

So this blog was initially conceived with the idea of biking, Strava, and pushing myself towards goals. Then something happened last December. I noticed that there was a free app installed on my phone. Fitbit. My phone had an accelerometer on it compatible with Fitbit. My sister had a Fitbit, so I thought, “What the heck. I’ll give it a try! It’s just a pedometer, and it is totally beneath me and Strava, but I’ll give it a shot!”

Amazingly, the Fitbit gets just the same competitive juices flowing as does Strava. Maybe even more. Now I don’t just compete with the guys who ride my routes, I compete against 68 year old grandmas. And they regularly beat me! I get beat by grandmas!

Something crazy has happened since that December day and today. Fitbit has taken over my families!

Fitbit is forcing all of us to become our own KOMs and QOMs.

First, it was just me and my sister, MH. Suddenly, in the same way that Strava became a part of my daily life, I found myself checking my steps on my fitbit! And suddenly, I was in a competition with my sister, who I would have never in my life imagined would ever be in an athletic competition of any kind, with me! But she started walking more and more. And I couldn’t let her beat me!

BF, my wife, is a marathoner and has her own competetive streak. She would see me checking my phone and wanted to know how many steps I had compared to my sister. She wanted me to beat my sister. My 68 year old mom goes walking every day, and her grandma friends have Fitbit, but she hadn’t gotten herself one yet.

So for Christmas, I needed gift ideas. I love fitness. I love technology. Fitbit!

I had previously asked my mom why she didn’t get herself a Fitbit. She said, “I don’t need one. The walking ladies have them, so I know how many steps I get because they have Fitbits.”So, I got my mom a Fitbit. When she opened it, her jaw dropped. “Is this really a Fitbit? Did you get me a Fitbit?” She couldn’t wait for me to hook it up to her phone so that she could show the “walking ladies.”

Bear Grylls’ manifesto for children

February 11, 2015 By Slow Richard

Ban computer games, get outside, and climb a mountain! Bear Grylls, outdoor survivalist and TV superstar has a new “manifesto for children.” Basically, turn it off and get outside. Technology stifles creativity, and the best things in life aren’t things. Good stuff!

I think kids get a hard time. We go to some tough estates with the Scouts, and I find that kids don’t lack ambition, they lack opportunities. If they don’t have opportunities, they get frustrated, go defensive and the hoodies come up.

But when you give them opportunities and take the shackles off, they love it. I take seven-year-olds up the mountains, and I see these massive smiles come across their faces.”

Bear Grylls’ Manifesto for Children

Get fit
Outdoor classes for all
Ban computer games
Climb mountains
Take risks
Community service

I think that’s a pretty good list. It sounds like Bear Grylls would make a pretty good scout master.

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