Exercise Freak

This post features 30-second sketches because I don't have time to peruse my photo libraries, stage an elaborate blog-worthy photo-shoot nary did I ask the people in this post of I could publish their image.

The Train

A couple of years ago, on a warm and sunny Saturday morning, I hitched up the train and took the kids for a bike ride down the bike path, around the tip of Muskegon Lake into downtown Muskegon. We stopped at the Cheese Lady for some snacks and a break before venturing back home. The little bike excursion was seven miles round trip. A great way to kill some time on a long summer Saturday when Chad was at work and myself at a loss of how to entertain tiny people (I readily admit I enjoy my kids much more now that they can DO things than when they were toddlers and infants).

We are used to getting looks when we take the train out for a ride. This particular morning, however, a woman approached us in front of the Cheese Lady's door, jaw dropped in aghast. "I saw you back in North Muskegon! You must be an Exercise Freak--a fanatic to ride all the way here!" 

I, uh, didn't know how to respond.

I'm one of the last people I would call an exercise fanatic. And surely, riding 3-4 miles with my kids is hardly a major accomplishment. Not in the circles I run in at least.

Which brings me to the point of today's post. Let me introduce just one of those people that I call friend, whom I would not consider an "Excercise Freak" but if I had to pick someone to hold that title, he would be a definite contender.

Matt

Matt the "Exercise Freak"

While many people would agree that training for and completing in a marathon* is quite a commitment, Matt has gone above and beyond, doing an Ironman*, an ultra marathon, adventure races and all sorts of crazy stuff. 

That alone, however, is not enough for me to consider him a contender for the title of Exercise Freak. I have quite a few talented and dedicated friends that have accomplished similar endeavors as Matt. Running an Ultra Marathon is NOT a qualification.

But competing in The Ride, a local community fundraising event, as a one-member team is by all definitions considered 'Fanatical.'

The Ride is an indoor bike race on trainers (or stationary bikes) where teams of 8 people race to complete the most miles in a given time. Each team member rides for 25 minutes before passing off the bike to the next person on the team.

^ That's what I look like when I do The Ride (only worse).
That's a pool of sweat on the floor beneath my bike.

I have done The Ride before. It is the hardest 25 minutes of cycling you'll ever do. You crank into the hardest possible gear and hammer for a lung-sucking, quad-busting--everything goes dark and little tiny stars appear--eternity. You're inside, breathing recycled mall air next to 70+ other teams sweating like hogs in August going absolutely nowhere while bleeding every ounce of energy from your body. 

And Matt has chosen to do that 8 times over on his own, self-sponsored team.

Matt, you are one crazy dude. Dear friends and readers, if you would like to support Matt at The Ride, you can make a donation HERE. Select "Sponsor A Rider" and type in Matt Vander Sys. He needs to raise $400, so go help him out!

"All money raised from this event goes to the Mercy Heart Center. Funds help pay for community programs and projects that help heart patience achieve a more active healthy lifestyle as well as helping at risk people from becoming heart patience. Please help me reach my fundraising goal."

*Not all running races are called "marathons." A Marathon is 26.2 miles.

*Not all triathlons are "IronMan" traithlons. An IronMan event is 2.4 miles swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run completed all at one time.