This Was Worse Than If My WordPress Stats Stopped Working

family, Fitness, health related issues, humor, lessons learned, technology 3 Minutes

One of the benefits of having owned a gym for a few years was that when I decided to close it down in 2010, I was able to take some of the equipment home with me.

One of the pieces I kept was a Life Fitness recumbent bike. I’d been an avid user of such a bike at multiple gyms over the past 40 years, so I was excited to actually have one in my own house.

I’ve been a faithful user of the bike since I’ve brought it home, and one of the features I like about the bike is the simple display monitor, shown in the photo above. As I noted in a post from four years ago:

“I’ve never felt the need to listen to music or podcasts or read my Kindle while exercising. …the only thing I look at it is the monitor telling me what my heart rate is, what my RPMs are, how many miles I’ve gone, and how many minutes I’ve ridden. That’s all the amusement I need; no music, no books on tape, no TV show.”

I’m a big fan of heart rate training, and so I wear a heart rate monitor strap around my chest, and both my iPhone and the bike can display my heart rate. Currently, I am just doing aerobic training, so my goal is to just keep a steady heart rate of about 116-120 for 30 minutes.

Well, this morning I got on my bike, did a five-minute warm-up followed by some stretching, and then sat down for my 30-minute workout.

Unfortunately, to my dismay, the bike monitor had stopped working. It looked just like the photo above.

I could get by without the heart rate display since I had my phone; I could get by without knowing what my RPMs were since I could count that to myself; and I could get by without knowing how many calories I had burned, since I never thought of such a number as being terribly accurate, and besides, my phone told that info anyway.

What I couldn’t do without was the ability to change the intensity level of the pedaling. That, and my RPMs, were what I used to get me into my desire heart rate. Having no resistance made it impossible for me to get my heart rate anywhere near where I wanted, no matter how fast I pedaled.

I also missed having the data on how “far” I had gone on my ride; that’s the number I keep track of to see if I am improving week to week.

In other words, I was lost without my stats.

But this was worse than if my WordPress stats suddenly stopped working. First, if WordPress stats stopped working, it probably wasn’t my fault. Second, it would not be my responsibility to get them back up and running. Third, even though sometimes it seems like it to me, my WordPress stats don’t really have a direct impact on my health.

But the bike, that was going to be on me. All I could think during my workout this morning was what a waste of a workout it was turning into, and how expensive it might be to fix it the monitor.

I also thought it was remarkable that a battery would last that long. I had bought the bike in 2006, and it has been used a lot over the past 14 years. So I thought maybe the cost wouldn’t be so bad if I thought of spreading it over 14 years.

But then later in the day, fate intervened.

I was sharing my woes with my wife and son, and my son said: “let me check it out”.

He took one piece off and put it right back in. Then he got on the bike, started pedaling, and just like that, everything was working again! So kudos to my son for saving me some money, and angst.

I just hope it keeps working for another 14 years…

Published by Jim Borden

A 60-something guy trying to figure out the world, and his place in it. Happily married for 40-plus years, three wonderful sons. Accounting teacher, fitness enthusiast, blogger, reader.

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41 thoughts on “This Was Worse Than If My WordPress Stats Stopped Working”

  1. I didn’t know you were a gym owner. It doesn’t surprise me that since you are into numbers that the stats from your exercise would be motivating and comforting. One of my friends has a Peloton bike, and he can compete with others from the comfort of his home. That sounds like it might be up your alley.

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    1. I was a gym owner, just not a successful gym owner. Only took me four years to run it into the ground…

      I have heard good things about Peloton, but I also think they are on the expensive side…

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  4. One of my past obsessions was exercise, Jim. I did road cycling and entered many races, I also used to exercise in the gym every day and I taught exercise classes, mainly spinning. I was teaching 10 classes a week when I discovered I was unexpectedly pregnant with Greg. Overnight, my passion changed and I now haven’t been to gym for 17 years. Glad you son could help you out. Mine are walking round the garden with me every day. Fortunately, we have a big garden and can do a lot of steps in 6 turns.

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    1. That is quite an abrupt change, from teaching ten classes a week to never going to a gym for 17 years! Do you think you will ever get back into it?
      And your garden walking has the added benefit of being outside, and being with your sons.

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  5. We have a walker/treadmill that I bought when my husband was waiting for his hip ops, to help keep him moving. I reluctantly use it three mornings a week but not for long – its’ B O R I N G. Sadly, I feel the same about any exercise. (I hated sports at school too.)
    I like the odd yoga stretch (as long as it’s standing – have you tried floor yoga at home with three dogs around?) I’m fine walking the dogs and I love to dance (although I don’t often get the opportunity these days). I even joined a local Zumba class for as long as the trainer was running a daytime session… but that’s about it.

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    1. That’s impressive, Cathy, to do something three days a week that you don’t enjoy. I’m lucky in that I’ve always enjoyed working out, but admittedly the best part is the shower afterward 🙂
      I can’t imagine trying to do yoga with one dog around, three must be comical.
      And I’ll pass on any exercise that involves dancing…

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  7. Jim, I have counseled you more than once on leaving those tech problems to your tech savvy son, Pat. But I think your post says something much deeper. If we have a problem, of any kind, but are unwilling to talk about it or share it with others, then often the easiest and best solution may never present itself. It is a great reminder to all of us that it is okay to ask for help. And, I would argue that losing your WP stats may seem less anxious because fixing them would not be your responsibility, but consider how often you ride the bike and how often you post on your blog…..just saying….😁

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  8. I didn’t know you owned a gym….it’s amazing what elements of life unfold as we share our blog posts. Kudos to Patrick. Xx

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  11. Thank goodness for sons…mine have done similar on a few occasions…Exercise now I am in my dotage is walking, briskly albeit given the heat at times..my marathon days are over although I still sometimes get the urge to kick up my heels and feel the wind in my face while my thoughts soar free…In my dreams alas …:)

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