Peter's
Bio
Sales Manager at the Chamber of Commerce
of the Palm Beaches, and known around town as "the
Chamber Guy". Owned the ice cream and yogurt
shop in Village Commons Plaza for 10 years, where
he was known as "the Ice Cream Man." Also
had a cart at Clematis by Night and GreenMarket with
ice cream and fresh squeezed lemonade. Currently seen
at SunFest, ArtiGras, 4th on Flagler, and other events
with Hoffman's cart of vanilla ice cream bars fresh
dipped in Hoffman's Chocolate. It's yummy! Coached
Little League for years at Phipps Park, and thought
that was exercise. Now is committed to showing, by
example, how people like him (a couch-potato sofa-surfer
carbo-addict) can succeed in being healthy and fit.
The theme for his committment is "Loose the Valise"--get
rid of the 30 pounds of baggage that he carries everywhere.
So don't be annoyed with his constant harping, "gotta
run!" Born in Brooklyn, and has resided in various
neighborhoods in this city for 14 years. Loves it
here, and realizes the tremendous potential and growth
for all of us by saying, "If the kids we went
to high school with aren't here now, they're coming."
Peter's
Progress
Running
Dispatch, November 3, 2004:
The human body is an engineering marvel. I’m
amazed at the changes in me since CityFit started
23 weeks ago. In that time I’ve run 580 miles
(including running up the Blue Heron Bridge 94 times!),
I’ve lost 27 pounds and my pants keep falling
down. As my personal trainer, Coach Chip at Ultima,
says, “you’re an inspiration to KeggerDads
everywhere!” He’s been great; I’ve
learned so much from him, and I’m grateful to
CityFit because it’s something I wouldn’t
have done, or been able to afford, on my own.
As one of my childhood heroes, Alfred E. Newman, always
says, “What? Me worry?” Even if I fell
off a curb, broke my leg, and missed this upcoming
Marathon, I’m none the worse for wear, and the
payoff, the change in mind body and spirit, is awesome.
So stay tuned, we’re coming down to the end
(or is it the start?); in 10 days it’s the 26.2
mile Marathon of the Palm Beaches. I’ve got
high anxiety and I’m feelin’ kinda CityFit
right now. Gotta run…
Peter's
Previous Update
"Running
Dispatch, October 3, 2004 from the West Palm Beach"
City Fit Challenge" marathon participant
Pardon
me. I never submitted a City Fit progress report at
the beginning of September. Back then, over Labor
Day, I couldn't decide...finish my story, or comb
the neighborhood to find my fence. If you'd told me
back then that I'd be spending a 5 day 4 night Tropical
Vacation, with my parents, at my house with no power,
no AC, no ice, I would've said "there's not enough
wine in
the world" (only kidding, my parents are cherished
gifts, and we made it a high adventure). We were fortunate;
my home in Pineapple Park will be featured in the
next 3 Little Piggies movie as the house they couldn't
blow down.
If it wasn't for CityFit, here's some things I would've
missed: Rainbows ! One Sunday on the long run, before
and after sun up, heading south on Flagler, the glowing
moon was inside the arc of a hazy rainbow that stretched
from Lake Worth to the airport. And this past Wednesday,
September 29, after the afternoon's deluge & lighting,
there was the most solid, full color mac daddy rainbow
over "the Island" as we headed over the
north bridge to the lake trail. But better yet, running
in darkness this morning and stretches of South Flagler
with no streetlights, the bright moon was playing
with the lighting by using the clouds, and later,
at 8 miles, cresting the Lake Worth Bridge just as
the sun was coming out of the ocean. Sky on Fire!
Spectacular. Looked up reasons for living, and this
was there.
Lovely Ladies! Went to a nutrition seminar at the
Library that was given by a woman whose has exquisite
skin. Beth Ellen DiLuglio, MS, RD, CNSD, CCN, is a
Clinical Nutritionist at Good Sam and faculty at PBCC.
Brilliant. Such a common sense approach to use what
grows naturally as our feed (think fuel) and how it
all relates to our lean body mass (which I'm supposed
to get calibrated soon, more on that next time). More
people need to know her message: www.nutritionmission.org
Another woman who is walking proof of practice what
you preach is Kimberly LaRue. First of all, don't
you love that name, sounds like a starlet from days
gone by. She does yoga classes at Fit Studio in City
Place. Saturday's at 9 is Yoga for Runners. If guys
from my rugby days saw me doing downward dog, I'd
get an ass kickin'. But this CityFit experience is
all about trying new things, that's how we grow, am
I right? Which is why I had a massage, also by Ms.
Kimberly LaRue. Her voice is so soothing, so relaxing,
so knowledgeable. She has a great way with people
and with life, and you learn something new every session.
Also, she's doing her part to help the storms' economic
setback by offering a valuable (great price) massage
package. You go girl."
LA Book ! Actually, it saw me. Yep, jumped off a table
at me while perusing Borders. It's "CHI RUNNING"
by Danny Dreyer, 2004.
Sounds silly but I thought, what the hey, 15 bucks,
trying new things, right. Unbelievable. The text is
heavily dog-eared and re-read often. It's that mind
focus, body sensing, centering energy mumbo jumbo,
but it's been very effective for me, and made running
fun & challenging."
"Running
Dispatch, July 29, 2004:
It's
been 8 weeks since I started "the new City Fit
me," and it seems like forever. There use to
be a time, long ago and far away, when I considered
myself a well conditioned athlete. Not anymore. I
guess most of us never realize how your body quietly
gets accustomed, over the years, to putting on weight,
because before you know it, you're a pot-bellied lard-ass,
and it's a serious struggle to reclaim your youthful
shape and conditioning. But City Fit has taught me
a lesson: it's worth the effort, because you sleep,
eat, and feel better. Just the accomplishment, the
process, of committing to workouts and getting them
done...it's the kind of fulfillment that can change
your life and make healthy living a habit.
Judy Cooper and Wynna Dunmyer at the Palm Beach County
Health Department have conducted excellent nutrition
seminars for City Fit at the West Palm Library. I
never knew that you should stay around the perimeter
at the grocery store for the fresher, more healthful
items, or that portion sizes are all out of whack.
Personal Trainer Chip Schrecengost at Ultima Fitness
Downtown has forgotten more than I'll ever know about
conditioning and nutrition. And Coach Bob Anderson
at Palm Beach Marathon Training is helping with my
replenishment of electrolytes ("I thought I paid
that bill").
I'm working out on the machines 3 days a week at Ultima;
running 4 or 5 times a week for the Marathon, with
the Sunday long run at 12 miles, and Wednesdays doing
the Blue Heron Bridge run-ups (8 times last week).
Eight weeks ago I was at 213 pounds, and for the past
2 weeks I'm stuck at 197. Adjusting my calorie intake
downward is difficult but necessary because I'm still
running with baggage, and I need to "loose the
valise" to run better, like the conditioned athlete
I once was."
"It all started innocently
enough, going to the Mayor's press conference for
CityFit back on April 1st (should have realized it
was April Fool's!). Besides the day-glo lime green
T-shirts you'll soon see worn proudly up and down
Flagler, they were handing out applications for the
"CityFit Challenge": write 100 words or
less on "why you want to change your lifestyle,
be healthy, and CityFit." They pick 20 semi-finalists
to interview, and based on enthusiasm and commitment,
six lucky finalists receive: health club membership,
a personal trainer, nutritionist appointments, athletic
wear, salon make-over, and celebrity status like this
on the city's website. I had been half-heartedly trying
to get myself in shape since New Years, running in
the Race for the Cure and other races on Flagler,
so I'm thinking this is just the thing I need. Unfortunately,
I must have been in a dream state when I wrote in
the essay that I wanted to finish the Marathon of
the Palm Beaches on November 14. Be careful what you
wish for. In the interview, they asked if I was committed.
My answer,"I have
a confession to make...I am an addict...for the past
twenty-five years I have been a carbohydrate addict...living
on beer, bagels, and baked goods!"
So
next thing I know, I'm getting my feet held to the
fire bigtime. Fast forward to Thursday, May 13, Clematis
by Night, where swirling thunderstorms drove us into
the Cuillo for the Mayor's big announcement of the
winners and the introduction to their trainers. You
could tell: Mary Pinak, Leah Rockwell, and Jan Bostic,
among others, had worked very hard on making all
this happen, and they've done a great job. I got a
personal trainer, Chip Schrecengost, to work me at
Ultima, and a running coach, Bob Anderson from PalmBeachMarathonTraining.com,
to see that I finish the November 14th marathon (poor
Bob). Over the past few weeks, we developed this
training schedule:
