Tyler Mayforth

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504 Fitness Chronicles: Exhaustion, PRs And Tire Flips

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On July 21, 2016

In Athletic Achievements, New Orleans

I only felt complete, total-body exhaustion twice in my life.

The first? Back in 2010.

The second? Last weekend.

Six years ago I participated in The Avia Austin Triathlon. Held on Labor Day Weekend on Lady Bird Lake every year, entrants have a choice of either competing in the sprint or the Olympic versions. The sprint triathlon is comprised of a 750-meter swim, a 20-kilometer bike ride and a five-kilometer run. If you jump up to an Olympic triathlon, the distances are doubled (1500, 40, 10) — as is the pain.

Photo Credit: AustinDowntownDiary.com

I chose the latter to push my body and to atone for a mistake I made the previous year. In 2009, my parents came down to watch me take on the sprint version, but after I miscounted the laps I needed to do on the bike (two, instead of one), I auto DQ’d myself. I still “finished,” but wasn’t considered an official finisher.

Temperatures reached the mid-90s as I tried not to drown, pedaled my way through the streets of Austin and got enough feeling back into my legs to where I could make up some ground and time over the final 6.2-mile run.

Somehow I willed myself to the finish line in 2 hours, 55 minutes and 44 seconds. That ended up just four minutes longer than the average male finishing time.

I think 30 minutes passed before I moved from my spot on the ground in the hospitality tent after the race.

Fast forward to last weekend.

I stared down the 300-pound tire at 504 Fitness. We have our share of history.

I told Jon, who came up with the idea of The Endurance Board at 504 Fitness, that I wanted 70 flips to break my old personal best and put some distance between me and third place.

Humidity wasn’t my friend as I churned out flip after flip after flip… Let’s be honest, though: Is humidity ever anybody’s friend during the summer in New Orleans?

With less than 30 seconds to go in the five-minute time limit, I blew past 67 and topped 70. How many more could I squeeze out of my body?

71… 72… 73.

My body ached and constellations began to form in front of my eyes.

“Get near the tire,” Jon said. “I want a picture for my Instagram.”

“Give me a second.”

“No. I want to see the exhaustion.”

“No problem. I got you, fam.”

Jaws, The Big Screen And The Orpheum Theater

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On July 13, 2016

In New Orleans, Random Musings

Quick: Name the movie with this popular line.

“You’re going to need a bigger boat.”

Simple, right? That was Titanic.

All right. All right.

Any movie buff that’s worth his/her salt knows that’s from Jaws.

Until recently, all of my viewings of Jaws were restricted to a small screen. After all, I was negative-10 years old when it first came out in theaters way back in 1975.

That all changed on a recent Monday night when I saw Jaws — on the big screen, mind you — at The Orpheum Theater here in New Orleans. It was a free showing thanks to the Orpheum Summer Film Series presented by the Tipitina’s Foundation.

I’ll say this: There is just something about seeing a great movie on the big screen that seeing it on a regular TV doesn’t do it justice, no matter how big that TV is.

For the life of me, I can’t think of a movie someone my age could watch 30-40 years from now that would leave the same kind of impact.

The aforementioned Titanic? Possibly. Just because of how big the scale of it is.

Mad Max: Fury Road? As much as I loved it, I have a feeling it’s fine on a TV screen.

I honestly don’t think I can name one. If you can, let me know on Twitter and if you need my handle, just check on the right-hand side of the page (@tylermayforth).

I don’t want to sound like I’m waxing poetic, but they just don’t make movies like they used to. And yes, I’m saying that about a movie that came out 10 years before I was born.

One Year Ago: USTFCCCA And Taking Control

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On July 7, 2016

In New Orleans, USTFCCCA

It caught my eye like a beautiful woman wearing a red dress.

The headline on SportsJournalists.com read, “Communications Assistant – U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.”

The body included words and phrases like “writing” (It could have really stopped there), “producing video and/or audio content” and “social media platforms.”

All of that was up my alley and I was ready for a fresh start. I felt as if I neared the end of the line in Athens, Georgia and my itch to write, produce podcasts/videos and build a social media following again could not be ignored any longer. Plus, I had extensive experience competing in collegiate cross country and track, so it added up to be an opportunity I couldn’t let pass by.

This happened one year ago today. I had just returned to my apartment after a long day at work and fired up my computer because I knew better things were out there.

Cover letters are my arch nemesis, but something about that one flowed from my fingers. Yet I waited two days to send it to make sure it was exactly how I wanted.

To say things moved fast after I sent my application would be an understatement.

The following day I received a response and within a week they interviewed me for the position.

Not long after that, they offered me the job when I was on my way to Atlanta for the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal match between the U.S. and Jamaica.

I don’t know if they were desperate to hire someone or that my resume truly stood out among the other qualified candidates, but regardless, the offer was made.

I mulled on it for a while, debated the pros and cons and ultimately — like I stated before — it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I accepted the position to join the USTFCCCA staff and put the wheels in motion to move to New Orleans.

The rest, as they say, is history.

From New Orleans To Biloxi And Back

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On July 5, 2016

In Life Stuff, New Orleans

Sometimes it feels great to get away.

Easy, now: I’m not talking about bank robberies.

This past weekend was another festival weekend in New Orleans and unlike the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival or Voodoo Music & Arts Experience, the Essence Festival takes place right downtown. While most of the music is confined inside the Superdome, thousands of festival-goers spill outside and make getting around the city and/or eating anywhere downtown a chore.

Knowing this was the case, Amanda (my lady friend) and I decided to take a day trip to Biloxi, Mississippi to check out the sights — and more importantly, the pool at the Hard Rock Hotel. Biloxi is also right on the beach (with all the flesh-eating bacteria you could shake a stick at), so many opportunities to relax could be had.

To those not in the know, Biloxi is one of several towns on the Gulf of Mexico within driving distance (read: 2-5 hours) of New Orleans. It’s like if you’re up north among the Yankees in Delaware and you want to get to Dewey Beach, Rehoboth Beach or anywhere along the Jersey Shore (Stone Harbor, please).

Overall, the day trip was a pleasant experience.

The pool at the Hard Rock Hotel, while opened to families and children (placards said it was only available to those 21 and up), wasn’t too crowded and the swim-up bar added a fun wrinkle. Other guests were fun to talk to and stories were shared.

On the way back to New Orleans, we stopped at The Blind Tiger — a popular place to eat in Bay St. Louis that Amanda had heard a lot about in the past. Located right on the water, The Blind Tiger had a chill vibe to it, the sun felt great as you dined and the menu reminded me of Charlie’s in The Big Easy, where I had a delicious meal with impeccable company on my birthday.

Like I mentioned before, there are a ton of other cities within driving distance of New Orleans so I’m sure there will be more day trips coming up in the near future.

The Half Hour And More Fun Opportunities

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On June 22, 2016

In Life Stuff, New Orleans

Five months ago I got free tickets to a concert at The Civic Theatre featuring Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. It turned out to be an amazing experience and one where I could truly “feel” the music.

Earlier this month, before I went on a 10-day work trip with the USTFCCCA to Eugene, Oregon for the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships, I went back to The Civic — but this time for a taping of a Comedy Central special entitled “The Half Hour.”

Those in attendance on the night I went were treated to a pair of 30-minute sets (hence “The Half Hour”) by up-and-coming comedians Ahmed Bharoocha and Naomi Ekperigin. Impossible names to spell and I’m not going to lie, I had to just look them up to do so correctly.

Before the show I had a rapport with Ekperigin over Twitter.

https://twitter.com/tylermayforth/status/738529350400675841

Overall, it was another great experience at The Civic.

We got there early hoping to secure floor seats, but had to settle for balcony seats instead and the view wasn’t bad at all (see the picture at the top of the post).

Both comedians were fantastic, with Ekperigin winning Comedian of the Night by the esteemed panel of judges (myself and Amanda). Bharoocha had his moments, but a stalled bit at the end killed his momentum (That’s what you get for trying out new material, which if timed right, would have done marginally better).

I fully recommend checking out “The Half Hour” when it airs in the fall. Look for me in the upper deck if they cut to a ginger during Ekperigin’s set.

It Was The Fest(ival) Of Times In New Orleans

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On May 13, 2016

In New Orleans

Of the many things New Orleans does right, festivals and Mardi Gras are on top of the list. Seeing as I already experienced my first Carnival Season, it was time for me to knock off another huge item on my Big Easy Bucket List — Jazz Fest.

For those uninitiated, Jazz Fest — formally known as the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival — is a two-week celebration of culture and music held at the New Orleans Fair Grounds Race Course. It started in 1970 and has since grown into a destination music festival for hundreds of thousands of fans due to the wide variety of artists booked for both weekends, ranging from No Doubt to Neil Young and just about everything in between.

Two days caught my eye the most: the first Sunday and the final Saturday. Red Hot Chili Peppers and J Cole headlined the former, while Snoop Dogg and the legendary Stevie Wonder would close the latter. Fortunately I secured tickets for both days.

The first Sunday, as you can see from the picture above, was absolutely beautiful. There were very few clouds in the sky and the sun scorched down, which made my fair skin a target. Needless to say I forgot a key ingredient for “festing” — a hat.

The next Saturday wasn’t as lovely from a weather standpoint. Ominous clouds hung overhead and eventually it let loose with more than two inches of rain in less than two hours’ time. The Fair Grounds quickly turned into a knee-deep marshland.

A common theme tied together both days, though: Fun.

It didn’t matter what the weather did: People were going to enjoy themselves at Jazz Fest whether the sun beat down or the rain left knee-deep mud around.

Sure, I would have loved to hear Snoop Dogg and Stevie Wonder just as I did Red Hot Chili Peppers and J Cole, but it wasn’t to be. What the second time out there lacked in music made up for in company and good vibes as no one in the tent we were hanging out in allowed the rain to dampen their spirits.

I can see why festivals are a big thing down here. Can’t wait for Voodoo.

Can’t Believe I’m Living In…

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On April 15, 2016

In Georgia, Life Stuff, New Orleans, Texas

Sometimes it hits me at the strangest times.

Like last week as I drove back from the grocery store.

I just crossed the intersection of Bienville Street and Galvez Street and caught a very brief glimpse of the skyline through a clearing in the trees.

“I’m living in New Orleans.”

I honestly said it out loud as The Weeknd’s “Low Life” played on the radio.

It’s not the first time — and definitely not the last — that those words left my mouth.

I said the same thing at some time about every other location I’ve lived since I started my communications/journalism career nine years ago.

Lebanon, New Hampshire? Can’t remember when, but probably.

Bar Harbor, Maine? Yup. When I sat on the side of Cadillac Mountain after a hike.

San Marcos, Texas? You bet. Hanging out on my ex-girlfriend’s porch in Austin, of all places. I remarked how wild it was to be living in Texas.

Athens, Georgia? For sure. Walking around UGA’s campus.

New Orleans, Louisiana? See above.

My career and pursuit of whatever else is out there for me has taken me places I never thought I’d live. If you asked me right after I graduated if I thought I’d ever be living in New Orleans by the time I was 30, I’d laugh.

Life is all about the road, not the destination.

Recapping My First Carnival Season In New Orleans

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On February 26, 2016

In New Orleans

Of all the things I heard in the first few months of moving to New Orleans after accepting my current job with the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), the most reoccurring refrain was “Just wait til you experience your first Mardi Gras.” More often than not, the next statement someone uttered would be, “Be careful: It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”

Like many Mardi Gras neophytes, I figured Mardi Gras, as a whole, was just one big celebration on Fat Tuesday. I couldn’t have been further from the truth if I tried.

While Mardi Gras is technically the day before Ash Wednesday, Carnival is a two-week-long celebration that features nearly-daily parades run by krewes throughout the city — mainly along the same routes that pass along St. Charles Avenue.

That’s where the marathon-not-a-sprint aspect comes in — well, at least one part of it. The other part is to pace yourself if you enjoy adult beverages, because a bender of an extraordinary length isn’t fun for anybody and downright unhealthy.

Without further ado, here are a few takeaways from my first Carnival in New Orleans.

  • Every parade or krewe has its own special flavor. From Tucks’ satire to Endymion’s audacity, there is something to behold and something special to catch from each one. For example: Tucks threw out bedazzled plungers and toilet brushes; Muses threw tricked-out shoes; Zulu hurls coconuts.
  • This one might be a no-brainer, but Bourbon Street is chaos throughout the two-week span. I walked down it a few times and was invited to check out a balcony party on Monday night and everything you hear about the lewdness and outrageous behavior on Bourbon Street is absolutely true.
  • Doing Carnival activities solo can be fun, but it’s better in a group. There is nothing like staking out a spot to stand and collectively try to catch all of the stuff thrown your way.
  • Walking. Oh, my! The walking. I think I wandered an average of eight miles over the last four days of Carnival. At least I live central to most things.

New Orleans Is Absolutely Beautiful

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On February 3, 2016

In New Orleans, Photography

Let’s go to sleep in Paris/
Wake up in Tokyo/
HAVE A DREAM IN NEW ORLEANS/
Fall in love in Chicago

Those lyrics by Lupe Fiasco in “Paris, Tokyo” bounced around my head as I walked back to my apartment from his concert* at Republic New Orleans this past weekend.

Something caught my eye near the halfway mark and stopped me in my tracks.

I crossed Poydras Street and looked down a desolate St. Charles Avenue.

No less than six hours earlier, revelers packed St. Charles Avenue as krewes rolled down its broken and bumpy asphalt celebrating carnival season. Now it was empty.

Beads and trash covered the street earlier. Now it was spotless.

The afternoon and evening were gorgeous with sunshine. Now a fog and mist rolled in and left an eerie allure around The Big Easy, especially on St. Charles Avenue.

So I took a picture. You can see it in the featured image up top.

There was something haunting, but indescribably beautiful about that scene.

New Orleans, in itself, is a beautiful city. I’ve tried to capture some of it.

https://twitter.com/tylermayforth/status/691761833066283010

Speaking of carnival season, I’ll try to have a post recapping my first Mardi Gras next week. Just like the city, the USTFCCCA shuts down on Tuesday for the big day.

* I thought Lupe Fiasco put on a heck of a show. It started slower than I would have liked, mainly because of his song choices, but by the end everybody got involved. It worried me that he didn’t incorporate the crowd at first, yet by the end he had us eating out of the palm of his hand as “Lu-pe! Lu-pe! Lu-pe!” chants rained down.

Macklemore, Usher and New Orleans, Oh My!

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On January 18, 2016

In Life Stuff, New Orleans

I love live performance art.

Musicals? Been to several Broadway shows in my life, including The Lion King when it was sold out for months on end during its hey-day (Thanks a bunch, Grandma!).

Plays? Don’t get me started on Dickens  (My family still laughs about it).

Professional wrestling? Yes, that counts. It’s so different in person than on TV.

Let’s not forget about music, which is the crux of this blog post.

There is just something about live music that I can’t get enough of. Sure, you can listen to a song but until you hear the artist perform it live, you can’t feel it — if that makes any sense at all. Probably not, but you hear and internalize it differently.

Living in New Orleans has immersed me into the live music scene like no other. For as great as Athens is purported to be, it doesn’t hold a candle to The Big Easy. Now I know that’s apples and oranges, but the best part about New Orleans is that most of the music here is free (other than festivals like Jazz Fest and Voodoo Fest, et al).

These past three weeks kicked some major butt when it comes to free live music.

On December 30, the Sugar Bowl brought Usher to perform during their Fan Fest. That was within walking distance of my apartment and words cannot describe how great of a performer he is. Not only does he sing incredibly well, he can dance with the best of them and engage the crowd. I had no idea I knew so many songs by him until I sang and danced along to pretty much every song he performed that night.

https://twitter.com/tylermayforth/status/681943981803081728

https://twitter.com/tylermayforth/status/682596286403637248

Then on a random Sunday in January, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis brought down the house inside the Civic Theater and I was there to witness it. Earlier in the day someone from the kickball team mentioned it was free and there could be tickets remaining. Sure enough, they wanted to pack it and make sure it was “live” (as the cool kids are saying these days) for the webcast (which was the reason for it).

“The Heist” is easily one of my favorite albums of all-time and I can’t tell you how many times I listened to it while driving from Texas to Georgia and everywhere else since it was released. From the first time I heard it, I could tell Macklemore doesn’t just do music to do it. He lives it. He breathes it. It means something to him. Seeing him live on a random Sunday night in New Orleans cemented that idea.

Macklemore poured just about everything he had into the show and it showed. The crowd hung onto every word that came out of his mouth. And you could tell after he wrapped up “Same Love” and “Starting Over” that he bared his soul to the crowd.

Music is just incredible.

Maybe I’ll share the story about the time I graced the stage in college. Just maybe.

 

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