Wow, it’s been a month since I last posted on this (poor, neglected) blog! Thanks so much, desert sun and scorching temperatures, for giving me so many excuses to avoid getting outside and get out of shape (thus preventing me from having anything interesting about which to blog). I suppose there have been other distractions taking my attention away from exercise and general fitness; after all, we DID move to a new city, start new jobs (2 different accompanying jobs in my case at this very moment), start house renovations, meet new people….however, today I got an invitation to participate in Sufferfest 2, currently scheduled for October 24, 2015 in Las Vegas, NV. I managed to survive through Sufferfest 1 earlier this year and can claim bragging rights (and memories of sore legs). How challenging/stupid/insane would it be to train for Sufferfest 2? As a reminder to myself, Sufferfest 1 consisted of 2 laps of the Red Rock loop followed by the big climb up Mt. Potosi, followed by one more lap of the Red Rock loop. For voluntary fun. Sufferfest 2, as one may have guessed, is a bit more intense: 2 laps of the Red Rock loop, 1 climb up Mt. Potosi, then TWO laps of the Red Rock loop. Gross. Should I survive SF2 and am drugged or coerced into doing Sufferfest 3, let me state for the record that SF3 is made up of 2 Red Rock loops….TWO climbs up Potosi, then TWO more Red Rock loops. I don’t think there are enough French fries in the world to tempt me to do SF3, but I know that I have done stupid things before (e.g., my double century….).
There are a few factors that may deter me from doing any Sufferfest: 1) the heat. It is not going to get cool — i.e., lower than 35c/95F — until end of September. 2) Lack of hills on which to train. Phoenix is not exactly known for its abundance of hill climbs. I would have to make frequent trips out of town to get my climbing miles in. I would also have to consider doing numerous repeat laps of South Mountain, which is the only hill of significance close to my house. How utterly boring! 3) My music schedule: at the moment, I have 2 nighttime accompanying jobs. I expect to start a daytime accompanying job in the next week or so and add a few more things into my schedule, including private teaching. Fitting in bike training will be a challenge, especially for an event with the word “suffer” in the name.
The other physical challenge on my mind for later in the year is a multi-summit hiking day in and around the Phoenix area. I wanted to register for the Phoenix Summit Challenge, but the likelihood of having a paying “gig” (that’s a paying music job for those of you who are not musicians) on that Saturday is pretty high. I also had a problem with paying a fee to do something that was local. Thus, I am seriously thinking of organizing my own multi-summit day and do that with some friends. This event would also require some training, although it would be easier to do that, given that I live right beside a mountain and like hiking (it’s my outdoor activity of choice). Any of my devoted readers interested in doing this with me? Whatever I choose to do — or not do — I know that I have to find some sort of exercise if I don’t want to acquire “pianist’s butt.” 🙂
reluctantroadie 