I Biked Every Day of August

After 122 straight days of running, I took a day off. On that day, I rode a bicycle. That was August 1st and 30 days later, I had rode a bike every single day in August.

After all of my runs for the last 4 months, I wanted to keep my exercise streak going, but figured I would switch it up from running, so I started biking. Whether the weather was chilly, sunny, windy or even rainy, I always found time to bike every day. I ended up biking 402 miles during the 31 days of August. Nearly an average of 13 miles per day. Definitely the most days I have ever biked in a row and the most miles in a month. I have never been a serious biker, and probably haven’t rode a bike more than a few hundred feet in the past 10 years, maybe the last time was the “Runt Races” from 2009 but did my best during the month of August (although no rides on the runt, as it was sold a few years back). As they say, you never forget how to ride a bike.

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A few shots from throughout the month. Bike rides in New Lenox, Naperville and South Haven, Michigan. Rachel joined for a handful of rides!

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Now that you enjoyed the visuals of my rides, take a look at a breakdown of each day. Some days longer than others, some a bit slower than others, but regardless, I always found time to bike a minimum of five miles.

Here is a breakdown of biking days in August

August 1 - 5.11 miles
August 2 - 7.48 miles
August 3 - 10.05 miles
August 4 - 6.25 miles
August 5 - 8.88 miles
August 6 - 8.80 miles
August 7 - 9.09 miles
August 8 - 15.00 miles
August 9 - 18.06 miles
August 10 - 6.06 miles
10 day total - 94.78 miles

August 11 - 5.24 miles
August 12 - 15.00 miles
August 13 - 12.32 miles
August 14 - 10.00 miles
August 15 - 9.26 miles
August 16 - 20.01 miles
August 17 - 11.11 miles
August 18 - 26.02 miles
August 19 - 10.14 miles
August 20 - 10.10 miles
10 day total - 129..20 miles
20 day total - 223.98 miles

August 21 - 20.20 miles
August 22 - 10.34 miles
August 23 - 13.31 miles
August 24 - 12.36 miles
August 25 - 8.78 miles
August 26 - 15.30 miles
August 27 - 15.13 miles
August 28 - 10.05 miles
August 29 - 50.50 miles
August 30 - 10.11 miles
August 31 - 12.25 miles
11 day total - 178.33 miles
31 day total - 402.31 miles

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Here are the maps of where I biked, the distances I biked and the time it took for my first 31 bicycle trips of 2020.

Benefits I found from daily cycling:

  1. Nice to get out and about, clear the mind. Biking makes you feel good inside and out, and makes you feel free. The wind in your hair (or in your eyes) feels amazing.

  2. Consistent, relatively easy exercise. It was nice to be able to go outside and get fresh air every day. Whether my bike was 20 minutes or an hour long, it felt great to do.

  3. It is easy on the body! Especially compared to running… I never felt “tired” or “hurt” from a bike ride. No pressure on the joints or knees! And we live in Illinois, the land is so flat, so there are very few “hard” rides that have a lot of hills.

  4. Working out = stronger legs and healthier heart from cardio.

  5. Something to do and look forward to every day; and you can do it alone or with friends (a new way to explore your neighborhood and build lasting memories). I highly recommend music or podcasts. Biking is “boring” in the sense that it takes a long time and you’ll want something to do while you ride.

  6. Gets you off the couch and outside of your home! Coronavirus lockdown specific: Biking is mostly away from others, just don’t bike behind (or in front of) someone for an extended period of time. “On your left”

Struggles I found from daily biking:

  1. Time. Biking takes so much longer than running. In order to get a decent workout, I found that I had to bike at least 45 minutes.

  2. Weather - I started this biking adventure in August, which was still very warm in the Chicago area, however, it was hard to maintain this for 31 straight days. If there was rain in the forecast, you had to fit in the ride when it wasn’t raining.

  3. Sunlight - the days are getting shorter and shorter as the year goes on. That means the sun sets earlier and there is less sunlight. Trying to fit a bike in after work becomes less reliable as the season goes on. I’ve started to ride in the morning more often.

  4. Boring rides - Welcome to Illinois. It’s flat and there isn’t much to see. However, if you find the right trails and routes, you can enjoy each ride and actually find some pretty unique routes. Hills, bumps, forest, animals and more. You just need to find the right spots.

  5. Dat Booty - All I can say is do what you can to prep that booty. It will take a beating for the first week or two of riding. Even the short rides of 5-10 miles will do some damage to the butt. Once you taking a pounding it becomes natural and you’ll manage. Just gotta get used to it.

I highly recommend everyone try a 30 day biking challenge of some sort. Cycle at least 5 miles a day for an entire month. I usually bike around 15 miles per hour when I am pedaling the entire time. This means each mile takes about 4 minutes. If you do that with a 2 minute cushion, it shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes to bike 5 miles and you won’t regret it!

Tour De Ashbury - Drove by Adam, Brian, John and My childhood houses all in the Ashbury subdivision in Naperville. Only 1 of us still have parents living there in 2020 (it’s me).

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My Gear

I used a Garmin Forerunner 35 watch for all of these rides which has GPS built in, so I did not need to carry my phone with me. It is pretty affordable at only $99. But I tell you right now, I did take my phone on every bike ride and suggest you do the same, not only for music/podcasts to make the ride easy, but also just in case of emergency.

The 2 bikes that I primarily rode during the month of August were both mountain bikes. A Specialized “Hard Rock” bike that was my brothers when we were growing up as kids (I rode this in Naperville) and my Father in law’s Trek 800 bike (that I rode in New Lenox). I’m sure the pro’s will recommend bikes that fit your size and stature and all the other fancy items, I just suggest getting out there on any type of bike and doing it.

My biking attire was mainly athletic shirt and shorts, nothing special for 30 of my 31 rides. I did buy “special” biking shorts with padding in the booty for my 50 mile ride which you can find here. Highly recommend if you have an uncomfortable seat or plan on being on the bike for 3+ hours.

Helmet. Definitely recommend a helmet for anyone riding a bike. Why risk taking a fall, even if you don’t think you’ll need it you never know what can happen. Get a helmet and wear it for every ride. Safety first.

And that concludes my month of biking every day in August.

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Get excited for my next monthly task of lifting weights every day in the month of September.

Josh

The Final (#10) Podcasts

I feel like every single one of my blogs begins with, “Ever since Coronavirus hit…” and this one is no different. My consumption of podcasts has reduced significantly since mid March. All those hours of driving were taken away from me (which I’m not mad about), but as a result I have not been listening to nearly as many podcasts anymore. My last podcast blog was actually a week before the pandemic began in the USA, but here I am, 5 1/2 months later, back with my Final 10 Podcasts to listen to. Most of these are singular true crime story podcasts, but all podcasts you should indulge in. I’ve written about podcasts nine times in the past three years, so be sure to check out the other 90 podcasts I listen to here:

10 Podcasts (#9) to Listen to in 2020 - March 2020
Let’s Talk 10 More Podcasts #8 - December 2019
True Crime Podcasts #7 - November 2019
Let’s Talk 10 Podcasts #6 - September 2019
10 of my Favorite Singular Story Podcasts (#5) - February 2019
Up (4) Another 10 Podcasts To Check Out In 2018 - October 2018
10 Podcasts (X3) To Listen To In 2018 - February 2018
10 More Podcasts You Should Listen to Today - October 2017
Top 10 Podcasts To Listen To Today - April 2017

Let’s get into the final 10 podcasts I listen to.

10. Have You Seen This Man?

“While out on bail for attempted rape in 1965, Lester Eubanks murdered a 14-year-old school girl, was convicted and sent to prison. Through a series of shocking events, Eubanks was designated an honor prisoner and granted permission to join a small group trip outside penitentiary walls to go Christmas shopping. He walked away and hasn’t been seen since. Now, join ABC News as it peels back the curtain on Eubanks’ escape and life on the run, and follow the U.S. Marshals service as one of their star investigators uses every tool available to catch up to Eubanks.”

Hosted by ABC News’ Sunny Hostin, this quick, 6 episode podcast has episodes ranging between 30 and 45 minutes. Not the best pod I’ve listened to, but was interesting enough for me to finish all 6 episodes.

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9. The Clearing

“When April Balascio was 40 years old, something she’d feared for decades was finally proven true. Her father, Edward Wayne Edwards, really was a murderer. The Clearing is about what came after April called a detective in 2009 to tell him about her suspicions — a call that led to her father’s arrest and eventual conviction on multiple murders — and tracks the emotional journey as she and host Josh Dean dig back into her childhood, unravel the truth of her father’s life, and overturn a viral online narrative that had turned Edward Wayne Edwards into a kind of serial killer caricature.”

This Gimlet podcast consists of 8 episodes coming in between 45 and 60 minutes. Realizing your father was a murderer must have been a tough pill to swallow. April recounts her childhood and her suspicions that led to the call that ended with his arrest.

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8. Dying For Sex

“When host Nikki Boyer’s best friend Molly is diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer, she decides to do something bold. She leaves an unhappy marriage and embarks on a series of sexual adventures to feel alive.”

What started as a sexual deviance type of podcast presented by Wondery, quickly transitioned through 6 episodes into a tearjerker. This podcast is all about Molly, who has terminal cancer, and decides to “live her life” once diagnosed with cancer by divorcing her husband and exploring her sexuality. This is her story (and is not a crime podcast).

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7. Broken: Jeffrey Epstein

“Hosted by journalist and bestselling author writer Ariel Levy, the podcast will explore what happened before and after Epstein’s most recent arrest, who was involved, and where the victims go from here in the wake of his unexpected death.”

This 6 part series covers the life and death of Jeffrey Epstein. Maybe you’ve heard of him, maybe you know his story, but this podcast will take you into his life and explain why he wasn’t too good of a person… in fact he was a scumbag, although there is a bit of a conspiracy behind his death! This pod doesn’t dive too deep as the six episodes range from 30-60 minutes, but will give you an overall look at this case. I guess a season two is coming soon…

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6: Missing & Murdered: Finding Cleo

“Where is Cleo? It's a mystery her family has been trying to unravel for decades after the young Cree girl was apprehended by child welfare workers in Saskatchewan in the 1970's. Her siblings say she was stolen, and then raped and murdered while trying to hitchhike back home, her body left at the side of the road somewhere in the United States. They have no idea where she is, whether her name was changed, or if anyone has been charged in her murder. 

Like many Indigenous children, Cleo's brothers and sisters were taken from their community, displayed in advertisements, and sent to live with white adoptive families across North America, through a controversial program called "Adopt Indian and Metis." They've reconnected as adults and are determined to find their missing sister and penetrate the secrets shrouding the truth about Cleo.”

Missing and Murdered seasons one and season two (Finding Cleo) were a great series about missing indigenous children. Thanks to Rachel’s friend Nikki for hipping me to this one. The host has a nice calming voice and tells the story of Cleo through a series of 10 episodes that ranged between 30 and 60 minutes. Will they end up finding Cleo? Listen and find out.

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5. Someone Knows Something

“In 1972, five-year-old Adrien McNaughton vanished while on a family fishing trip in Eastern Ontario. Despite an intensive search and investigation, no sign of Adrien was found, no clue as to where he might be. The case has hung over the area like a dark mass ever since, especially in the small town of Arnprior, where the McNaughton family lived.

In season one of the podcast Someone Knows Something, host David Ridgen asks the questions that have been waiting for answers for over 40 years. He speaks to family, friends and other members of the community, discovering new leads and evidence, trying to put the ghosts of the past to rest.“

I listened to season one of this podcast, which is about the disappearance of a young child, Adrien. There are a few seasons of this, but the first was pretty solid, although very sad, as a young child goes missing right from his father’s eyes. Makes ya think what can happen if you take your eyes off your child for just a minute, or is there foul play involved? I haven’t check out the other 5 seasons, but may have to! Season one consisted of 11 episodes, most of which were around 30 minutes long. There was some repetitive moments, but an overall great listen!

4. Chasing Cosby

“For nearly half a century, Bill Cosby led a dark secret life preying on women. The comedian carefully coaxed them into feeling safe and cared for, then left them to pick up the pieces of their lives. It all started with Andrea Constand. She carried the burden of being the only one of the 60-plus accusers whose case could be tried in a court of law. Cosby’s now behind bars, still claiming he was wrongly persecuted.”

Bill Cosby, “America’s Dad” is actually a pretty terrible person who abused and took advantage of women by drugging them. Bill Cosby is a scumbag and there isn’t much more to it except hearing why. Listen to this podcast and don’t support his guy. Six 30 minute episodes.

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3. Monster: DC Sniper

“From iHeartRadio and Tenderfoot TV, Monster: DC Sniper reinvestigates the beltway sniper attacks. This true crime podcast places the listener in Montgomery County, Maryland on October 2nd, 2002 when an unidentified sniper began randomly killing people going about their daily lives. Host Tony Harris traces what investigators, journalists and the public learned from the first shot until the last and ultimately asks the question: Does the person convicted of these crimes ever deserve a second chance?”

Wow, awesome podcast that really takes you back to the day by day, minute by minute action during the 2002 DC Sniper spree. I was only in 8th grade when this happened and although it seemed like a long time after 9/11 at the time, it was only a year after and tensions were still high. This podcast details each move and murder by the DC Sniper and goes into the background of each culprit. The 15 episodes, ranging between 45 - 60 minutes detailed many facts that I had never heard or realized about the case. I highly recommend this one, as it is well presented by the same guys who brought us Up and Vanished and Atlanta Monster.

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2. Cold

“Susan Powell disappeared from her home in December of 2009. Her body has never been found. The man suspected of killing her was never arrested or charged. This begins the complete story of the search for Susan.”

Unfortunately, the main guy in this podcast (also a murderer) shares a name with me, Josh. This specific Josh, Mr. Powell is a bad dude, and makes his wife, Susan Powell, disappear, then murders his two children and himself in the end. Spoiler alert. These 18, one hour episodes cover the details of the events that took place in 2009 and the years after. I really enjoyed the narrators voice and way this podcast was set up and presented. They repeat some of the same facts episode after episode, but it is a nice recap to what happened in the previous episode. Definitely check this one out if you are looking for a deep dive into a true crime case. Another well directed and presented pod!

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1. Crime Junkie

“You are obsessed with all things crime related. It started out as a general interest but now you have this true-crime-shaped-hole in your life that no amount of radio segments, podcasts, or documentaries can fill. And the more true crime media you consume the more you crave it.

You’re the one at the gym looking inconspicuous running to stories about murder instead of music like a normal human. You’re the one telling your friends “fun facts” about the most notorious murder that took place in the city you’re visiting when all they want to talk about is where they’re getting dinner. You don’t read anymore because you’ve already consumed all the good mystery books. You do a thorough internet search on all potential friends and or lovers and get a little bummed out when you don’t find anything juicy. And you’re pretty sure you missed your true life’s calling to be a detective.

Yep, you are a Junkie!”

Probably the most suggested podcast by friends over the past year was Crime Junkie. Shout out to Rachel’s cousin Amanda and our friends Sarah and Colin with the suggestion for this one. It took me awhile to get used to the two hosts (Ashley & Brit) as they can be kinda annoying sometimes (comments like: *Gasps* OMG REALLY? in the middle of the episodes). In addition, the episodes can often gloss over the finer details, as each episode is a whole different story and only about 45 minutes long. But that is part of what makes this podcast so great. They are quick stories that are well summarized and give you the main details to each case. Whether they are a MURDER, MISSING, CONSPIRACY, INFAMOUS, or SERIAL KILLER, Crime Junkie covers it. I have made my way through most of the episodes since this podcast started in 2018 and there are so many good thrillers! Some of my favorites include: Darlie Routier, Robert Wone, Chandra Levy, Laci Peterson, Kyle Antonacci, Yingying Zhang (U of I Student), Brittanee Drexel, and Kendrick Johnson. Enjoy!

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Wow, these Final 10 podcasts take us to 100 podcasts that I listen to! As always, you can get all 100 for free by downloading on itunes, listening on the websites (links provided above), streaming on spotify, or using the podcast app on your phone like me. Find links to the other 90 pods near the top of this post.

Even though I say this is my FINAL blog about podcasts, don’t be surprised if a few more come out down the line. For now, check the 10 (or 100) above out and get listening…

Josh