Finding Peace--and Better Health--through Pedaling

 Sheriff's Cpl. Chuck Russell headed home from work at the County Administration Center on a recent day. He rides his lightweight carbon fiber-framed bicycle from home in San Marcos to work and back a few days a week.

Chuck Russell hadn’t ridden a bike in decades. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Cpl. didn’t even own one anymore.

But he knew he needed to get in shape.

Running for exercise had gotten harder on his middle-aged frame, and his doctor had ordered him to lose weight and get healthy.

“He said, ‘I’ll be surprised if you make it to 60 (years old),” Russell said. “He told me I was going to have a stroke or a heart attack.”

Over the years, Russell had whittled down his waist size by running and eating less.

But four years ago, at age 56, he decided he needed to do more. He figured he would revisit one of his passions as a young man: cycling. Decades earlier during college, Russell had trained with a cycling club and even competed in some cycling races.

He started out slow, first buying a used mountain bike and riding just a few miles at night and on the weekends.

Now, he makes the 36-mile bicycle trek between his home in San Marcos and work at the County Administration Center downtown a few times a week. His compelling story fits with the goals of the County’s Employee Wellness program, which encourages employees to develop healthy choices.

What pushes Russell to pedal so far? The endorphins and the peace of mind he said he gets from riding.

Riding along the coastline, next to the ocean waves, helps him clear his head.

The exercise doesn’t hurt either. He’s almost down to his high school-age pant size, after dropping about 30 lbs. since he started to riding again. His blood pressure and cholesterol are at healthy levels now. Russell said he hopes to lose at least another 10 lbs. with help too from a protein, vegetable and fruit rich diet.

Over the years, Russell said his weight had ballooned due to what he described as his lack of discretion over his eating, combined with a lack of exercise. A star athlete growing up, he’d become obese and developed the common health problems that come with it: high blood pressure, high cholesterol.

“I would eat anything,” he said. “Cheeseburgers. Donuts. Cupcakes. Candy. Soda. Whatever was sitting around…I’m lucky I’m still alive because I was so overweight.”

He started feeling dizzy, depressed--terrible, he said.

When he first started biking again, Russell said he could barely ride uphill. He would ride maybe three, four miles at a time.

He built enough strength and confidence to try the 10 mile ride each way from home to the Coaster train station in Encinitas, where he would catch the train to work in downtown San Diego. Russell works as a supervisor, overseeing the Sheriff’s department staff at the County Administration Center. 

Eventually, he decided he’d try to ride the whole way to work. He navigated a route south on the Coast Highway, past Torrey Pines State Reserve and through the UCSD campus, then through Rose Canyon, around Mission Bay and along Pacific Highway.

The 36 mile ride each way between home and the CAC takes him about two hours and 20 min. total. Sometimes he shortens his ride a bit, driving his car from home to the Encinitas Coaster station, then riding on bike the next 26 miles to the CAC, or taking the Coaster to Encinitas, then riding the final 10 miles home. He squeezes in more riding on the weekends.

One way or another, “I’m riding a bike every day,” he said.

Last month, he said he rode a total of 982 miles.

On the days he rides to work, Russell carries everything he needs in a bag over his shoulder. He stores his Sheriff’s department uniform in a locker at work. For his commute, he dons bike pants, a cycling jersey, cycling shoes that lock into the pedals and a helmet. Over the years, he upgraded from a used mountain bike to a lightweight, carbon fiber-framed bicycle with thin wheels.

In addition to the health benefits, Russell said he’s made a lot of friends bicycling. He meets up with several other cyclists who also commute from North County to ride segments together. Turns out there’s a whole group who used to ride the Coaster and now bike to work instead.

There have been several close calls with cars, and one minor crash. But Russell was OK. He tries to be as careful as he can.

He plans to commute well into the future.

“It’s a passion,” he said. “It makes me young.”