BL&T No. 105: Finding Energy in Exhaustion

This post originally appeared in my weekly newsletter, BL&T (Borrowed, Learned, & Thought). Subscribe

Borrowed

"Making things with our hands centers us. The simple action of doing it—of getting lost in it, of shutting everything out until we look up again and realize time has passed—is as close as some of us ever get to that feeling of inner peace. It gives us an opportunity to get away: from our worries, from the regular rhythms of life, even from what we think of as “our minds.”

From "A Craftsman's Legacy" by Eric Gorges and Jon Sternfeld [Book]

Learned

This weekend was a particularly active one. While it was physically exhausting, I ended Sunday feeling energized heading into the week. It was a good reminder of the rejuvenation I get from immersing myself in physical endeavors, especially new ones like long-distance cycling that take an extra level of focus and determination. There is the meditation of being in the moment and pushing through, followed by a feeling of accomplishment when you come out on the other side.

Read on for more from the weekend. Otherwise, jump down to Barrel topics on my mind last week.

On Saturday, my friend Lee and I did an early morning 20-mile bike ride along the Delaware Canal towpath bordering New Hope, PA, and Lambertville, NJ. We were engulfed in fog when we arrived. It was surreal.

Luckily, it cleared up once we began riding. The weather was perfect.

Lee is a childhood friend of my older brother Nick, so I have known him for years. It has been fun hanging with him since moving home. Lee is also a drummer, so our bands played several local shows together back in the day, and in October 2020, I played a song at his wedding.

Much like my journey with powerlifting, Lee never pictured himself as a cyclist, but that did not stop him from getting his feet wet. Now, he is crushing 40 miles in a weekend. I have enjoyed seeing Lee pursue this new passion. I am excited to continue learning from him, getting more rides in before it gets cold, and maybe include some other biking enthusiasts in the group. My Dad is up next!

On Sunday, I went to my local gym, Lion's Den Elite Training, for a memorial event and workout to honor first responders and the lives lost on 9/11. Despite the rain, we kicked off with a group jog before getting started. Our workout was:

9 x rounds of:

9 x press movement (I did 75# axle push presses)
11 x step-ups (I used my 20# weighted vest)

Close with a 2001m row (this took me about 9 minutes).

Here's a shot Lion's Den coach and owner Joe took during the workout:

I appreciate Joe and the Lion's Den coordinating this event to honor the day and welcoming non-members from the community to participate. A highlight for me was chatting with two veterans who served in Afghanistan and joined us in the workout.

Let's dive into a couple of topics on my mind last week: