How 'bout something new, Matt?

Okay, sounds good to me. You ask for it, you get it. Well, in this case, you didn't ask (hence the blog title), but you get it anyways. I suppose that's a lose-lose situation, but how else am I going to kill half an hour?

So with that wonderful introduction, let us continue onwards to something very common yet intriguing: exercise. It isn't easy. In fact, few things in life are. But it can be satisfying. Can you tell that this will be a feel-good, inspiring post? I've never attempted such a thing; it's requiring me to take a leap of faith and plunge into a realm quite unknown to me.

Do you know what a hell of a workout would be? How about riding across the continental United States? I was given the opportunity to meet such a man, none other than the host of The Amazing Race on CBS. Phil Keoghan is riding from Los Angeles to New York, not only as a personal challenge, but also to help people with MS. Excellent. Many props to Phil for doing this.

Well, it so happens, that I like to challenge my body too, although I must admit, starting a workout routine is no small feat for a typical college kid used to sitting around drinking beer. Not to say I wasn't in shape, but pushing your limits is much more difficult when you don't do it often.

Today I decided to try this in the lovely, hot weather of Nebraska. I believe it was pushing 30ºC today (sorry, no Fahrenheit here), so why not see what you can handle? For me, at this moment, apparently not much.

I set off from the university campus in a southernly direction on the bike path known as the Billy Wolf trail, which runs from campus to Holmes Park in southeast Lincoln (or is it farther now?). Passing the first mile marker was encouraging, and I continued to the pedestrian tunnel below 27th and Capitol Parkway. Every time I pass through here, I picture some sort of movie about... actually I'm not really sure what it's theme is, but something tells me it's a good one. That's my random thought for the day. I then made it to the zoo just in time to hear screaming kids on the train that goes around the perimeter. Wow this took me back. Let me tell you why.

You see, at the zoo in Lincoln, there is a train. This is the train that completely encircles the zoo, running along side the bike path for a good length. There is the railroad crossing, the sharp turns, the bridge that exists for no apparent reason, the tunnel. Yes, the tunnel. I'm not sure if they teach this in school anymore, but the tunnel is where you muster up all you've got, wait until the right moment, and let your voice produce high-pitch sounds, many times indicating fear. I am proud to say, when I was young, I adhered to this standard of living; the tunnel code is was called. And if I ever am a passenger on the train again, you surely will understand, that codes may not be broken, especially by 22 year old engineering students.

After a lap around the zoo, I decided I've reached the half way point (which, unfortunately for me, is a bit of a failure, but that's what makes you stronger in the end) and turned around. Even after a few measly miles, my chest and head are pounding, my stomach is regretting the existence of Husker Hoagie, and my mouth is dry for a taste of the good stuff: water. Wasser, eau, agua-- my favorite drink of all time. As I pass a drinking fountain, the internal struggle mounts. Do I continue? Do I stop? Sadly, my outcome was the latter, but which leaves only more room for improvement.

So what did we learn today? I believe we found that I can write a blog post that has some significance in real life, free from the dry humor that usually accompanies it. Then again, maybe it's just dehydration makes you less funny.