MEMBERABILIA
Top of your game…
by Joan Birsh
Championship Season
Of course we are all excited about the young ORC Member Tyler Strafaci, the new US Amateur Champion, but, albeit on a less glorified level, three of Ocean Reef’s finest women golfers Christine Patton, Barbara Olcott, Linda Roberts (plus Barbara’s sister Jeannie Pearce) took top honors in the member guest tourney at the Bald Creek Colony Club in Melvin Village, NH.
Bald Creek is Barbara’s club and the other two Reefers live close enough so that gathering for the event has become a summer ritual. “We’ve been flight winners but have never before won the entire shooting match,” said Barbara. Then she added, “Hurray for the ORC team! Hurray for the old ladies.”
Old Ladies, indeed. The picture defies that description.
1800 Crunches a Day
But who is counting? Answer: 83-year-old ORC Member Jerry Herson.
And that is just the start of it. Jerry has also benched 455 pounds (the 70 and older world
record), achieved the 8th-degree Black Belt in Karate, and is a US champion of Arm Wrestling.
I had always thought that Arm Wrestling was just a frat party game, all about who would pay for the beer.
“Wrong,” says Jerry Herson. Arm Wrestling, he explained, is a serious competitive sport that requires training, physical strength, technique and practice.
The competition ends when one of the two participants pins the other guy’s (or girl’s) arm onto a flat surface.
Winning, Jerry informed me, is called – Over the Top, which happens to be the title of a Hollywood film on the sport, starring Sylvester Stallone. With the exception of Stallone, all other arm wrestlers featured in the movie were coached by Jerry.
Jerry Herson is not just a dude, who picked up arm wrestling in a local bar. He is an extremely successful entrepreneur. His automotive agency had the first Honda dealership in America. He owned and operated a megasized marina in Annapolis and his vibrant yellow 85ft. Sport Yacht Purely Pleasure (moored for many years at the ORC Marina) holds the record for the Annapolis to Ocean Reef race.
Congratulations Jerry Herson If life is a competition, you are “Over the Top.”
Girth Shaking
It has been said that the “19” in Covid19, refers to the unwelcome pounds gained during the stay-athome quarantine for the virus.
If that’s the case, Darla Finley need not worry. Darla, like so many other Ocean Reef Members, is dedicated to keeping fit winter and summer. No surprise that in their new house in Lexington, KY she and Larry have installed a mini version of the Fitness Center.
“My exercise,” said Darla, “is on my treadmill, lifting weights and getting on my ‘shake machine.’” (Note: it is a Pulser 2 from Vmax Fitness.)
“I can burn 197 calories in 10 minutes by just standing on the platform and letting it shake me from top to bottom!”
Note: I know that Darla’s count of 197 is accurate because she is one of the 23 million exercise addicts worldwide and one of the 20 regulars at my favorite Zumba classes at the OR Member Fitness Center, who wears a Fitbit.
Fitbits, as most of you know, look like wrist watches. But in addition to telling time, they keep track of how many steps you’ve taken (8000 is the recommended daily goal) and calories you’ve burned. Most models also monitor your heart rate and some check on the quality of your sleep.
Two years ago, Martha Johnston, Lori Grasso and Patti Baker were among the first to wear a Fitbit to Zumba. Others in the class were quick to follow.
So far, I’ve been resisting Zumba peer pressure and sticking to my Timex.
Aquatic Dance Party
Where: My Ocean Reef pool, When: Anytime, day or night. Guest list: Just one VIP – me.
Yep! Arthur and I are summering over at Ocean Reef and my exercise program consistsof “dancing” in our small pool with only a noodle as my partner.
For an hour (maybe 45 minutes) I submerge myself in our somewhat warmish pool. I have my Alexa speaker close enough to take orders and I command whatever music I’m in the mood for. Sometimes I pretend I’m 14 years old dancing to Big Band at the local Teen Town. Sometimes it’s Swan Lake, and I’m the Black Swan (very easy to stand on your toes in the water). And sometimes I have the lead in A Chorus Line. Or I pretend I’m in a Zumba or Spin Class at the Fitness Center.
End result: I’m having fun and so far, I have avoided the dreaded Covid19 pounds. A poor second in the Dread Dept. to the virus itself.
Last Word
I’ve “re-wristed”! I just broke down and bought a waterproof Fitbit.