Tyler Mayforth

Official Website of Tyler Mayforth | Delaware Born | NOLA Living

Red Dress Run-ning In New Orleans

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On August 15, 2016

In Life Stuff, New Orleans

Of all the things I’ve called to tell my mom — and believe me, there have been a lot over the years — what I told her two weeks ago definitely set a new standard.

“My shoulders are impossible to fit in a dress.”

She responded as I expected. Then I told her why I had been dress shopping.

Every August in New Orleans, there is an event called the “Red Dress Run.” It’s a charitable fun run put on by the New Orleans Hash House Harriers, which deems itself “A Drinking Club With A Running Problem.” Last year, according to the New Orleans Hash House Harriers website, the Red Dress Run raised $169,000 for 73 local charities, which is no small feat and a great way to give back to the community.

Outside of Halloween, I don’t think I’d ever wear a dress. I put that disclaimer out there because I did dress up as a cheerleader a few years ago when I was in Texas.

At the same time, I never before lived in The Big Easy where an old axiom goes, “We don’t hide the crazy. We parade it down the street.” You quickly understand that.

When in Rome, right? So off I went to Goodwill and found two dresses that could actually fit me and ended up buying both because I’m as indecisive as the day is long.

Overall, I had a blast and the French Quarter was filled with revelers. New Orleans knows how to throw a party and Red Dress Run is no different than anything else.

This past weekend also marked a milestone of sorts in my life. On August 10, 2015, I officially arrived in Louisiana and exactly one week later, I started my current job as communications assistant with the USTFCCCA (Say our acronym 10 times fast).

Tyler-Mayforth-Georgia-New-Orleans-Move-2015

Pictured: Scotch and Tape before leaving Georgia.

With Red Dress Run in the books, I’ve officially experienced the gamut of things this city has to offer, whether it be a Saints game, carnival season or a music festival.

They say once you’re in New Orleans for a year, you’ll know if you want to stay for a while. With such a wealth of activities, I can understand why people never leave.

My First Disc Golf Tournament

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On August 7, 2016

In Athletic Achievements, Sports

This past weekend I competed in my first disc golf tournament, hence the title of the post. I picked up the sport a few years back while living in Texas and continued playing in Georgia and then to New Orleans, where there are a few area courses.

Here are a few takeaways that I had from the tournament held at Lafreniere Park.

  • Playing in a best-shot doubles tournament, as a single, is hard work. The concept of that style is simple: You and a partner both shoot and whatever lie you like better, you use. When you roll solo, you don’t have that option. It’s just one shot. You mess up? Tough luck. Make up for your mistake the next time. And it’s safe to say I made quite a few mistakes out there.
  • I was supposed to have a partner, but those plans fell through. Then I was supposed to have ANOTHER partner, but THOSE plans fell through. I told the organizer I’d play a level up if a single needed a partner in an advanced group, but that wasn’t to be. I was told I could be refunded or compete in the tournament, so I decided to compete since it was a great experience.
  • I finished the first round at a 16-over-par 88 for the 24-hole course. All things considered, that’s not terrible — but I was 25 shots out of first and 13 shots out of the money (top-4 paid). The two groups I played with said I fared well considering the circumstances (solo, first tournament, etc).
  • “Treezus” is real. That’s the God of Trees in disc golf. Treezus giveth (kicks your disc into a favorable spot) and taketh away (swallows discs whole). You must always thank Treezus whether or not you get a favorable result.
  • Dropping out after the first round sucked at first (It was a two-round tournament), but I gave it my all. If I had a playing partner, there is no way I would have tapped out. This time, though, I had enough after 24 holes.

I’m looking forward to the next tournament, whether it be a true singles format or a doubles format where I can find a partner to play with. Until next time, though…

Walls of Rain, Waterspouts and More

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On July 30, 2016

In New Orleans

Something outside recently caught my eye at work.

Back in February it was all of the Mardi Gras floats rolling by.

https://twitter.com/tylermayforth/status/693155988921135105

This time, though, it wasn’t something on the street. Rather, on the water.

From our vantage point on the 17th floor, we can see for miles and one of those views is Lake Pontchartrain (I can’t spell it for the life of me. Thanks, spellcheck).

On this day, a storm formed in the distance and a waterspout — a tornado on the water, if you will — popped up. Don’t worry: There aren’t any sharks in the lake, so Sharknado: New Orleans couldn’t have happened (Uh oh. Did I give them an idea?).

Unless you’re directly in the way of one, they’re harmless but incredible to see. It was the first time I ever witnessed one and I’m sure it won’t be the last one either.

A few weeks later, I was walking home from work and I glanced to my right and saw a wall of rain coming down the street. It was a literal wall of rain and closed quick.

“We’re about to get dumped on,” I told a guy walking in the opposite direction.

Luckily, I had an umbrella — because it storms every afternoon in the summer in The Big Easy (They don’t call it monsoon season for nothing) — and up it went. As soon as it snapped into place, the rain came down in buckets and lasted for 15 minutes.

Before last month, I had never seen a waterspout or been attacked by a wall of rain (but I have seen them cascade over the city). Both happened within weeks of each other. The weather in New Orleans is crazy. There’s no other way to say it.

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.

Reflections On Year 30

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On June 23, 2016

In Life Happenings

One year ago today I turned 29+1.

I said it like that for the longest time because 30 felt old.

It meant my 20’s were gone and 40’s were a stone’s throw away.

If you can read between the lines, today is my birthday — and my sister’s.

Back in 1985, I came out kicking and screaming into this world. Seriously.

My parents didn’t know they were having twins, so after my sister was born, the doctor noticed another set of legs and pulled me out. Yes, I was a breech baby.

Enough with the details of my birth, though.

Thirty was a remarkable age for me.

It started out in Savannah, Georgia with those I care a lot about. Since I couldn’t make the trip back home due to extenuating circumstances, my family brought the party down to me and vacationed in one of the most beautiful and historic cities I’ve ever had the privilege of visiting. Every single part of the vacation — with the exception of a flat tire — was picture perfect.

Over the next 366 days (2016 was a leap year, after all), life hit fast forward.

Within two months of turning 30, I moved from Athens, Georgia to New Orleans, Louisiana after accepting a position as a communications assistant with the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Just like that, I got pulled from my comfort zone in Georgia — as much as it was one for me — and whisked away to a place I had only visited once before in my life for WrestleMania.

Maybe 30 was the perfect time for that to happen to me.

Ever since I wrapped up classes at the University of Delaware in February of 2007 (walked in May with my sister), my life has been in a bit of disarray in one way or another — most of it by my own hand. It’s unfortunate, but my choices led me down the paths I went and by my own admission, I don’t think a move to New Orleans before 30 would have netted me as much positive growth.

What living in The Big Easy has provided me is much-needed structure. Long gone were the hours of working in newspapers and creating a life around those dreadful hours. Instead, I could mold my life around a common construct of time and not feel like I had to “catch up” in some way or another to make up for “lost time.”

A 9-5 job meant I could date normally (and meet an awesome person, if I must say so), have nights to myself and more importantly — or should I say most importantly — allowed me to create a social circle, something I didn’t really have from ages 22-29. While, at times, I feel like I miss some really fun times with my current group of friends due to work, at least I have an invitation — something I could only wistfully hope for when I lived in Texas or Georgia.

I’m aware this is probably deeper than you expected to read when you opened this post, but as soon as I started writing it poured out of my fingers and onto the page.

Thirty changed me. I am absolutely 100-percent sure of that fact.

I’m excited for what the 10th anniversary of the time I turned 21 has in store.

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.

Working Out, 504 Fitness And The Board

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On June 2, 2016

In Athletic Achievements

It’s hard to miss.

Whenever I walk in the weight room of 504 Fitness, I see it.

Placed on the wall in the back, right-hand corner is “The Board.”

Well, actually there are three boards — one for men’s powerlifting records, another for the women’s powerlifting records and the third (the one I pay attention to most) is the “Endurance Board.”

Every serious gym in which I’ve worked out — namely 504 Fitness and the San Marcos Athletic Club (SMAC, for those of you in the know) — has “The Board.” It’s there for competition and “positive motivation,” as it says on the one down here.

I know I’m never going to bench 350, deadlift 400 pounds or squat 450, so those boards for the lunkheads — and I mean that in the most endearing way possible — are off-limits for me. Instead, I turned to what got me to the dance in the first place: my stamina. That’s how the “Endurance Board” stole my gaze in 504 Fitness.

There are 10 different categories in which you can test your muscular longevity, but I focused on tire flips and how many you can do in five minutes. To get on the men’s half of it, I think it takes 36 (Record is 88), so I decided I would at least be able to get 40 based on my current fitness level. I also figured I would make Saturday my “tire day,” since it’s usually a basic, odds-and-ends workout in the gym anyway.

The first time I flipped the tire, I got 55. I surprised myself.

Much to my chagrin, though, the guy who writes your name on “The Board” has to see you accomplish it, so it didn’t count as I was one of the only people in the gym at the time. I understand that logic, because someone could say they did 55 and well…

The next week I went in determined to set a personal best and lo and behold, the guy wasn’t there that time either. I gave it another go and managed 60.

Two more weeks passed and our paths finally crossed: It was game time.

One flip at a time I worked my way up and down the breezeway. I matched my old mark of 60 with about 45 seconds left (It’s a luxury to have someone else time you. I timed myself those other occurrences and valuable seconds elapse when you have to run back and check your phone) and pushed on. When the tire finally settled and I was thoroughly exhausted (Got quite light-headed and wobbly-legged), I had done it 67 times. That’s good enough for second place behind the standard holder.

Long story short, my name is now on “The Board” and it feels pretty good.

I honestly don’t think it matters what tangible carrot dangles in front of you, though, because once you finally taste it, you’ll try your hardest to munch on it once again.

Edit (July 16): So I got back in there again for another go at the tire and hit that Barry Bonds number (73). I don’t know where those other 15 will come from to tie the record, but I’m going to try my best every month. Slow and steady, right?

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