Each and every one of us has a reality or set of challenges we have to face on a daily basis. It’s the resources we have at our disposal or how we choose to handle life’s situations that ultimately determines how successful we are and how we feel about ourselves.  I was recently divorced and while I can’t go into details for obvious legal reasons I can discuss how the choices I made and the great support system I had helped me to mentally, emotionally and physically deal with some of the greatest adversity I have ever faced in my life.

I was very fortunate to have some great friends (you know who you are), a supportive family(I know my parents are always there) and my faith to help me maintain my sanity and self esteem through a difficult time. This blog is about health and fitness and that includes both mental and physical health and fitness. When times are extremely hard it’s very easy to just focus on the negative.  I truly believe my commitment to health and fitness gave me something positive to focus on and kept me from crumbling(I will be eternally grateful to Russ O’Connell for providing me with this outlet). At the time my divorce proceedings were beginning I was 46 years old (middle aged), 50 pounds overweight with developing health issues and I was feeling kind of worthless. Russ and his OXF exercise program gave me something positive to work toward on a daily basis.  It was like I was digging myself out of a deep, dark cave of despair. But I continued to work until I saw a little sliver of light–I knew I was on the right path. When you have something incredibly positive to focus on (what can be more important than your health and fitness), you don’t dwell as much on negative things and wallow in self pity.  Instead of making things ugly–I look at my divorce as a sports season in which I suffered a tough loss, but I can still play the game of life.

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One of these days and very soon I will start posting pictures to go along with my blogs for those readers who want to visually follow along. Coming soon will be video and pictures of me falling out of the sky part two. Yes, I have to do the skydive thing again (as if once wasn’t enough), because for reasons beyond my control the video and pictures of my first tandem jump were accidentally erased. Needless to say I was a little upset. I thought my first skydive was a wonderful experience, but I didn’t expect or want to be doing another one two weeks later. I want to thank the wonderful people at Paradise Skydive in Vinton for allowing me and Marty Timson to do a another jump this Saturday(Just like Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet In Titanic–She jumps, I Jump).

I detasseled six days in a row and I was absolutely exhausted by the end of the week. But I have to say working in the fields isn’t near as bad as I remember. Today, there are rolling machines that do a lot of the work, making it more of a clean up job as we pick the few tassels that are missed in a given row. Back in the old days, we would have to detassel every stalk on rows that seemed at least a mile long. I was also lucky last week in that the summer days, mornings in particular have been very cool. But its still not easy walking 5-10 miles with five pounds of mud stuck to each shoe. However, it’s a great workout and it is mentally and physically preparing me for one of the most challenging falls since I have been employed at KWWL-TV.

Because of detasseling and my 15 hour work days,  I didn’t work out for five straight days. I did nothing physically, except  chase around kids on Saturday and a 15 mile bike ride Sunday. The rest I got did me wonders. I felt strong and refreshed on Monday, getting to my 5:30 am weightlifting workout with Russ O’Connell and then embarking on a 15 hour whirl wind trip to Chicago to cover Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa Football team at the Big Ten Football Media Day. Usually we have two people go to Chicago and we stay overnight, but I decided to challenge myself and go alone, driving there and back in one day.  I fought through rush hour Windy City traffic, hauled my 120 pounds of equipment like a pack mule through the Hyatt Regency in downtown Chicago, shot my interviews and stand ups–and cruised out of town like 007, James Bond. The only drama I encountered was self inflicted when I missed an exit(Cellphones should be banned when driving) and drove about 120 miles out of the way, I was about 30 miles from Madison, Wisconsin when I finally realized I was going the wrong way(Rick, You are so stupid!! Stay Humble!!) This added a bit of deadline pressure because I didn’t get back to the station until 9:30 pm. But I finished my story for the 10 O’clock news with 10 minutes to spare. I even had enough energy to spar with one of the 20 somethings in the newsroom who wanted to test an old man’s boxing skills–I am such a big kid!  In the past, in my former physical and mental state, I might have been able to survive a day like that, but I would have been toast for the next two or three days, sleeping until about noon. This morning I hopped out of bed at 4:45 am ready for my next workout and excited about what this day will bring.

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This past week I’ve been getting most of my physical conditioning in a different way–I’ve been working the fields. Yes, I’ve gone back to my employment roots, I’ve been detasseling. My dear friend, former UNI Head Wrestling coach Don Briggs runs a Rouging/Detasseling business and I have been getting up at the crack of dawn and joining him in several different places, Aplington, Near Grundy Center and near Nevada to work.  It’s an adult crew, featuring a couple of professors from UNI, Don’s wife Diana and this morning we even had a local veterinarian join us.  It has been both a rewarding and humbling experience for me. It’s been rewarding in the sense, I’m spending long periods of time with some very good people, sharing thoughts and ideas about life. But it’s humbling in the sense that it’s tough, wet, dirty, muddy work. Most of the mornings we are soaked from head to toe as we walk miles through the cornfields.

I’ve pushed myself to my physical limits this week. On Monday and Tuesday, I worked out with Russ O’Connell from 5:15-6:15 am, met up with Don for four to five hours of work in the field and then I went to my day job at KWWL around 1:30 or 2 in the afternoon until 11:30 at night.  Since I have only been getting 3-4 hours of sleep needless to say I have been exhausted. Russ advised me to skip a few workouts during my detasseling season.  And I have taken the last couple of days off from working out. I’m getting more than my share of exercise walking miles through the muddy fields.

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What if you could buy a prescription that would help you lose weight, inches, get stronger with more energy and endurance all for about $120 a month? That’s right you can pop a pill to get healthy and all it will cost you is $4 a day. The Pharmaceutical companies wouldn’t be able to make enough of the stuff to keep up with the demand.  Of course we would buy this drug which is roughly the cost of 2 large coffees from Starbucks, 3 diet cokes and less than a pack of cigarettes. But when we are told that would be roughly the cost of participating in an “Extreme Fitness Class”, a lot of us start thinking, “Man that’s too expensive!” Or, “I can’t afford that”.  The truth is, you probably can, but you just don’t believe in yourself enough to make it worth it.

How many of us (myself included) have bought gym memberships and hardly ever showed up. I have done this on several occasions–and I have found many gyms actually bank on people doing this, because they get paid regardless of whether you show up or not. I used to have a big hangup about just going to the gym, because I felt self-conscious about my extra weight, my lack of conditioning and my lack of strength. I thought since I have a little public visibility that people might stare at all of my exposed flaws.  So I just foolishly purchased memberships with the best intentions that I never used,

 When you financially invest in physical fitness it requires that you provide the sweat equity which means you have to go to the gym in order to get your money’s  worth. Recently several people I know very well have enquired about the changes in my physique and how I did it. I’m like a preacher spreading the gospel when I start singing the praises of “O’Connell Extreme Fitness” And of course these people ask about the cost–and then they say they can’t afford it. And I think to myself it costs too much to be healthy? “Let’s see since I started this program nine months ago, I’ve lost nearly 50 pounds and I am in the best physical shape of my ENTIRE life. I have eradicated health issues such as “Type 2 Diabetes”, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol which means I am saving $$$Thousands of dollars in prescriptions alone not to mention hospital and doctor’s bills. And if you think about it even with those medical prescriptions and doctors’ visits, would I have truly been healthy?

The bottom line is, a spot in a good fitness program is going to cost a few dollars and require that you put in some work. But in return you will have a chance to control your own destiny in regards to your health and I believe that is priceless.

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I know I didn’t wholly express this in my last blog–but I was scared to death of the idea of ‘Skydiving’. I am afraid of heights (I’m not even that fond of flying in an airplane) and every time I gave serious thought to what I was going to do this past weekend my knees just started knocking and my stomach got queasy. However, I am here to say my jump this weekend from 13-thousand feet was one of the most exhilarating and beautiful experiences of my life. It was nothing at all like I thought it would be and it has left me on a two day high ( I fell through the clouds at 120 miles an hour and it just felt like I was floating in the wind). Before I go any further I want to thank the people most responsible for this incredible event.

Don Briggs, the former UNI head wrestling coach and master skydiver with nearly 3500 jumps (Don jumped nearly a dozen times this weekend). Mr. Briggs gave me tremendous coaching before the jump,  right up to our fabulous landing. Don stayed in my ear letting me know what to expect every moment of the skydive–his advice to me to stay relaxed was on the money. I almost fell asleep during the free fall because my nerves were so calm. Don also made my first jump so much fun by keeping it light but also letting me know that it would be an extremely safe skydive.  I felt like I was in very good hands the entire way. Thank you Don for allowing me to partake in this once in a lifetime kind of thrill. Because you only jump out of a plane for the “first time”,  once–I might have to do it again.

I also want to thank Paradise Skydiving in Vinton, the owner Jay and all the wonderful instructors and support staff for their exceptional hospitality and encouragement. This is a fun group of people who take their skydiving seriously.  And of course I want to thank my friend and OXF classmate Marty Timson. I said in an earlier blog that Marty is  “One” of the most courageous people I know, I might have to revise that to Marty “Is” the most courageous person I know. Most of the people I told about my skydiving plans (Family, Friends, Co-workers) thought I was either crazy or going through a mid-life crisis (which are both probably true), but Marty didn’t blink when I asked her to also try it. We had to wait out the weather(low cloud ceiling) for two days before jumping–and it was Marty’s patience and determination to go through with it that gave me the nerve to follow through. Marty (with her tandem partner connected to her) was the very first person to jump out of the plane at 13-thousand feet–so of course I couldn’t back out (I’m a Man, I’m 47!! haha). Thank you Marty for your courage and continued support.

I will be doing a story for the news some time early next week when I receive video of my adventure from Paradise Skydiving. Thanks for all of your prayers– I really felt them up there.

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I’m just a little more than 24 hours away from my first tandem skydive (I get really nervous just thinking about it) and it’s sort of ironic that it falls on nearly the four year anniversary of the scariest moment of my life. It was Sunday night, July 17th, 2005 at around 10 O’clock I get a knock at my front door and my friend and at the time KWWL colleague Mark Woodley tells me that the police is looking for me. The next words out of his mouth nearly sent me into shock, “They said Darrell ( my oldest son) has been hit by a car and he is at Allen Hospital.”  I immediately begin hyperventilating and I started yelling “How is he?? What happened?? And I can recall feeling dizzy and faint when the only answer Mark could give me is “I don’t know.” I thought my son was dead. It was one of the rare weekends Darrell hadn’t spent with me(He lives with his mother). As I rushed to the hospital at about 90 miles an hour I prayed to God please don’t take my son—the irony of my trip to the hospital is that I took  the same route that I had nearly lost my life exactly ten days earlier.

I was driving to work on July 7th of 2005 when I was involved in a near fatal accident. I was travelling south at around 60 miles an hour on 218  when a vehicle cut in front of me forcing me to suddenly brake and swerve to avoid a collision. I lost control of my SUV, which slammed into the median barricade, bounced off and rolled three to four times back across the highway with my vehicle landing upside down on the shoulder. The whole accident took less than 20 seconds so I don’t think I had time to be scared. But I remember having many thoughts rush through my mind; The first thought as my SUV began to roll is that I am going to die, I thought about my children–how much I loved them and how I would never see them again, I was wondering about the powdery substance in the air bag and how close my face was to the pavement each time my SUV rolled through the driver’s side, I thought about the school bus I remembered seeing behind me to my right and how it would probably crush me. Miraculously when my vehicle finally came to a stop on its top I was able to squeeze myself under the seats and through the back window which had been broken out.  I ran up a grassy hill and looked back down at my demolished vehicle. A young man was coming down the hill to see what was happening, I felt like a ghost when the guy asked me, “What happened? Are the people in that SUV still alive? Standing there with just a few bumps and bruises and a little in shock, I told him. “I was in there.”

 After spending ten days thanking God for saving my life, I was wondering why I was spared to experience such a cruel fate..losing one of my children. I honestly believe I would much rather be gone than have to deal with the incredible pain and emptiness of such a loss. My heart always goes out to parents who have suffered such a tragedy. When I got to the hospital I found out that Darrell had been hit by a car and suffered a broken arm, but he was extremely fortunate. I was relieved and grateful. Those ten days in July has helped influence the perspective I have today–Life on earth is a privilege and not a right and I have to constantly remind myself to live in the moment.

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 I can’t tell you how excited I was when I returned from my morning workout and found that a nearly 60 year-old man was beating the great Tiger Woods and the rest of the world’s best golfers in one of the biggest tournaments on the planet. Of course I know hall of famer Tom Watson leading the first round of a golf tournament is a lot different than a 60 year-old man playing in the Super Bowl, NBA Finals or winning a gold medal in the 100 meter dash at the Olympics, but it does say something about the once before perceived limitations of chronological age. Watson has been playing on the “SENIORS” Tour for the last ten years, he has his AARP card and he is beating a 32 year-old Tiger Woods who is just entering his prime by six strokes.

I was excited because I am 47 years old and the numbers aren’t getting any smaller and they never will. I am closer to Tom Watson’s age than I am to Tiger Woods. My recent foray into exercise and fitness has revitalized me both mentally and physically. I am energized to the point where I don’t think about my age until I’m asked. Physically, because of my fitness regimen, I feel like I’ve been granted a new body. I’ve even taken to challenging young 20 something or younger former athletes in various activities–I’m unbeaten in several push-up competitions while yesterday a fellow 25 year-old colleague ran two-tenths of a second faster than me in a stairs sprinting challenge (although I want a re-run due to a questionable stop watch). My bike seat is broken right now and I have to get it fixed, but before that I had begun riding my bike to work and back (about 20 miles round trip) like I was just riding down the street (before I didn’t have the sustained will to ride it around the block).  I keep finding myself wanting to take on new and different challenges–since I’m training like a kick boxer I want to start working out with Russ O’Connell’s Team ROC Mixed Martial Arts fighters every now and then (Got to get the okay from the Boss). I feel like I’ve wasted so much time (about 15-20 years) that I just want to do so many things.

I know I’m burying the lead here–but this Saturday I am going to jump out of a plane. Okay before you start thinking I’ve lost my mind–former Northern Iowa Head Wrestling Coach Don Briggs who has nearly 3500 successful jumps asked me to do a tandem skydive with him. I am scared of heights, but you only live once.  Joining me on this maiden jump is one of the toughest and most courageous people I know– my friend and OXF classmate Marty Timson (we can do it Marty!!!). Our jump will take place this Saturday at the Vinton Airport–I will have pictures, video and stories to come detailing our adventure. You only live once, but I feel like God has given me an opportunity to live twice.

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We live in a world where you have to watch what you say (even if it’s the truth), because it might sound rude, insensitive or you might hurt some one’s feelings. A politically correct environment is designed to protect the emotional state of the disadvantaged. And I am all for using discretion in discussion and the things we say publicly about the disenfranchised, the disabled or any group that lacks proper defense or is unable to respond to a verbal assault or unwarranted criticism. But for most able bodied human beings, we should be strong enough to handle constructive criticism, particularly when it comes to health, fitness or matters of life and death. 

Yesterday in my blog I talked about some before (OXF) pictures I took back in September. I said that Russ O’Connell pointed out the fact I had a physique shaped like a pear. Today, Russ told me he would never have said that to me then, but now that I have lost 45 pounds and gotten myself into better shape he felt more comfortable pointing out my prior physical imperfections. And I understand while being one of the toughest, most competitive and most disciplined people I have ever met, Russ is also one of the kindest and most considerate human beings I have ever been around. He liked me and he didn’t want to hurt my feelings by telling me, “My gosh Rick, you are about 40 pounds overweight. You need to get in the gym and lose that gut.”  Luckily it was Russ’s invitation last August to join his fitness program that changed my life.

Today, Russ knows me a lot better and he has no problem with being direct because he now understands that I will respond positively and not take offense, because I know what he’s advising is in my best interest. But for so many years, the people in my life delicately danced around the issue of my developing obesity with only subtle references to my need to get in shape. It’s funny all of the people coming up to me now saying, “Wow you lost a lot of weight, what have you been doing??!” “Or man, you look awesome!!” Great compliments, but I know it’s a door that swings both ways because in essence what most of these folks were thinking before, “Goodness, You are overweight do you ever exercise?” “Or, gosh he looks bad, he’s a stroke waiting to happen.”  It’s funny for me if I had heard some of the honest comments, it might have motivated me to get into the gym a lot earlier. And I could have avoided some of the health issues that I encountered last year(Type 2 Diabetes, Sleep Apnea and High blood Pressure). Sometimes it’s the “Things we won’t say” that is quietly creating an environment where health problems can flourish.

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There is an extended two month break from “O’Connell Extreme Fitness”, but that doesn’t mean my OXF classmates are taking it easy. The big warehouse known as “United Sport and Athlete” is full of people and activity as soon as the doors open at 5 a.m.  Some of my “OXF” colleagues are working out together, some are participating in this extreme exercise program called “Crossfit”, and I’ve heard a couple of people are going to give “Farrell’s Extreme Bodyshaping” a try.  Everyone is doing something.

I have rejoined Russ for a little early morning weightlifting five days a week. This morning, Russ told me that Kristi was looking at the before pictures of me from last September (guess she needed a reason laugh) and he says the difference is incredible. The way he described it– I had a pear shaped physique that was soft and fleshy without definition(THANKS RUSS) kind of like melted chocolate that had been sitting too long in the sun(Russ didn’t say that I am). I look at how far I have come and then I look around at my classmates and it’s amazing. Tim Luce is just a couple of Christmases shy of his 60th birthday and he is also very quickly becoming my fitness role model. The guy is driven. The past couple of mornings Tim has been leading about seven or eight OXFers through a series of exercises, just six months ago Tim Luce was huffing and puffing his way through his first class. But two 12 week sessions and a chiseled physique later–Mr. Luce is on the loose leading a fitness revolution.

It’s truly amazing what happens when you commit a little time each day for physical conditioning.  Yesterday when I was shooting the Waterloo West vs Cedar Falls softball game I ran into Tammy Gibson–who Tara Thomas recently featured in a Health Plus story. Tammy was developing “Type 2 Diabetes”, but she was able to combat it with a doctor’s advice by losing 95 pounds! Gibson looks and feels great. Tammy and I swapped comparable stories because I was being prescribed medication for “Type 2 Diabetes” before I lost my first 30 pounds. Neither Tammy nor I are in danger of developing Diabetes as long as we can keep our weight under control which means we have to keep exercising. And Tammy is doing just that she had just finished a workout before the softball game. People, We’re just “Getting on with it”…and everyone is welcome to join in.

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Spending quality time with our children is something every parent treasures. For many of us that might mean a variety of activities depending on the age of the child. It is important to make that connection and fertilize the common ground that strengthens our bond. My oldest son, Darrell is 15 years old and of course he is in that twilight zone period in his life when it’s not supposed to be as cool to hang out with Dad. So I have had to be very diligent about maintaining constant healthy communication. Our natural connection has always been sports(of course my day job helps me a little bit) and I’ve always said since the day he was born that I didn’t want to be one of those fathers who just watched him play–I wanted to be able compete right along with him.

Last week during a hiatus from OXF, I spent time working out with Darrell. My son is nearly six feet tall, 165 pounds and fairly athletic. He participates in sports year round (Football, Basketball and Track) so he is usually in pretty good physical condition. In the past I have worked out with Darrell, but I was usually limited in some of the activities I could do with him because I wasn’t in very good shape. But this past week I led him (and one day one of his buddies) through five grueling extreme fitness type workouts. I believe I not only strengthened my son’s respect for me but I also believe our bond became a little stronger during what has been a challenging summer for both of us. 

In an earlier blog, I mentioned my son lost a friend to a sudden, unexpected death. So far Darrell has been the model child (knock on wood). He is respectful and he still listens to me and his mother. Darrell’s mom (who I’m praying doesn’t read this blog) is a social worker and extremely sensitive to all situations involving children. She of course is worried about the impact the young man’s death has had on Darrell and right afterward she was concerned about some of the activities my son’s friends might be involved with.

I know in many ways Darrell is his father’s son. He’s every body’s friend; his associations with people transcend race and socio-economic background–he truly just looks for the good in people. I don’t see my son every day, but I know him. Recently, when his mother suspected Darrell might be using marijuana, because she believed one of his friends was, I really wasn’t worried because I know my son. While his mother administered a drug test(which of course came up negative) I  still had a conversation with Darrell on the subject. Our discussions are never as simple as right or wrong, because we both know the world doesn’t work like that. I know I can’t live with my head in sand, he is going to be exposed to things now and in the future that are not healthy for him and he is going to have to make responsible decisions. Darrell knows that his mom and I love him and we want the best for him. When he and I talk I point out the mistakes as well as the good choices I made as a young person. It’s been a very tough summer so far for both us, but I believe we have become closer.

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