Workout with Becky

Fabulous trainer Becky Wenner nearly killed me not once, but twice this week. We did a lot of cardio work this week, and the good news is that my heart and lungs did not explode. The bad news is that my heart and lungs did not explode and put me out of my misery. I still face several weeks of torture from a woman who thinks chilling out means 1,000 pushups followed by a 90-minute hot yoga class.

Now more than ever, I’m convinced she was sent by a rival newspaper to pick me off.

Thankfully, I found some inspiration while sitting on my butt in front of my computer this week. Laura Bassett writes this week on The Huffington Post about Mike Covington, a journalist who lost more than 100 pounds after losing his job at the Louisville Courier Journal nearly two years ago. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, Covington got on his bicycle and got himself in shape.

“At one point I felt I had to ride or die,” Covington said. “But my energy level now is so high and I feel so good, it’s quite a contrast to what’s happening in my life outside of riding. I recently told someone that you might be thinking about your problems before you ride, but if you’re doing it right, you won’t be thinking about them when you’re done.”

- By Michael O’Keeffe