Run, Bike, Run

A week down and I have some stat’s for my training.
Total time of exercise: 3:54:39
Time on Bike: 1:24:10
Mileage on Bike:16.49 mi
Time Running :1:56:50
Miles Run: 8.12 mi
Time Walking: 0:33:39
Miles Walking: 2.29 mi

With the up comming trip to Florida, I was a bit worried about being able to run in the heat. But Sunday’s run the temperatures were running around 86 degrees and I felt pretty good. So early morning runs should be okay while we are away. While on Gowagon.com I got some real good advise about running in Florida this time of year, avoid the trails too many snakes. . . YIKES! On that note, I will leave my trail running shoes at home

After two surgeries this year (First one a left  knee scope with repair and the second the end of May removing a neuroma in my left foot) I have done what every fat man would think of doing, competing in a duathlon. When I had my first surgery & laying on the couch recovering,  I started looking for a fittness  goal. Then I found it, a true sign if I had ever seen it, a run that is collecting food for the Ronald McDonald House. Just in case you are wondering it’s not MY house, but a charity that provides a place for families and children to stay while receiving treatment at hospitals such as Seattle’s Childrens Hospital.

The event that I have chosen is the 3rd Annual Lake Easton Duathlon put on by AdventureWorks, LLC. It will be a 2 mile trail run followed by a 8 mile mountain bike ride then finishing up with another 2 mile run. I’m going to have my work cut out for me. I currently run 5-6 days a week and try to throw in a couple of bike rides on top of it.  You can follow my training on Training Peaks , Go Wagon as user themickeyd and on my twitter account “recumbent_clyde”.

I can’t help buying cool gadets, and today I picked up a garmin Forerunner 305. I chose this over the Edge models since I would be able to use it with my bicycle as well as hiking. Along with a map my walk  membership I’ll be able to better track my fittness progress. Today I did a lap around the Fort Steilacoom Park here in Lakewood, it’s 1/3 paved and the rest being gravel trails. It’s a nice walk with a bit of hills.

It’s May, that means it’s National Bike Month.  Check out these links for activities around the sound,

King County – Cascade Bicycle Club http://www.cbcef.org/btw/btwschedule.html

Pierce County – Tacoma Wheelmen Bicycle Club – http://www.twbc.org/

Snohomish County – Community Transit – http://www.communitytransit.org/Programs/BikeToWork.cfm

Thurston County – Thurston County Bicycle Commuter Contest -http://thurstonbcc.blogspot.com/

Whatcom County – Mt Baker Bicycle Club – http://www.mtbakerbikeclub.org/BTWS/BTWS.htm

Wow, the trees are having a grand time. So much pollen is flying through the air that it looks as if it’s snowing. Well, if snow was yellowish green, but let’s not go there.  The day after running sag in my truck, my hood looked like had a new paint job.

With all this stuff falling, the ride to and from work is leaving my eyes feeling as if there is a bucket of sand in them. Even after my short 4 mile commute my Knogg light was covered. Let’s face it, that’s a small target to hit too. So with any luck and maybe a little rain (god, can’t believe I’m saying that) will help keep the clouds of pollen down.  Not only that, I’m starting to feel a little defiled

The morning of April 19th turned out the nicest day of year so far, also made a great day for the Tacoma WheelmenBicycle Club’s Daffodil Classic. With expected high temperatures to be near 70, the 500-600 pre registered riders were joined nearly 1000 more riders signing up the day of the ride. 

Not having voluntered for a while I signed up for driving Sag. I was one of 2 drivers on the 60 mile Eatonville Loop. This loop amount, with 3,341 feet of climbing, was going to be a good early season challange.

While driving I was able to stop and help 6 riders having  problems with flats. Due to the amount of snow this area got this year and the amount of shoulder debris, I think most did pretty well. But I’ll let you know, nothing makes a rider smile more than having some one walk up with a floor pump after they had been  trying to use a micro pump to get a tire up 120 psi.

While at the rest stop in Eatonville I did see the first recumbent of the day, a couple riding a Rans Tandem Recumbent.

Along with the assistance with the flats, I also ended up with a few  passengers, 2 with leg cramps and 2 more with mechanical problems. I was able to drop off the rider who taco’ed his rim sending him flying, at the local bike store. The owner didn’t have any rims in stock but he was going to really try and get the wheel straight enough for him to finish the ride. Big thanks for the guys at the Eatonville Outdoor center for giving the rider a hand.

 Back at the rest stop, at the end of my shift, it was 1pm and riders were still coming in droves. I needed to head back to the start and ended up taking a rider back with me, same story as my first passenger, having leg cramps. Prior to arriving in Orting, I stopped and picked up another rider that had his 2nd flat in 5 miles and just wanted to call it quits. All in all it was an awsome day for the ride and judging by all the smiles I think many would agree.

Cell phones have been identified as a distraction for drivers. But who’s to say if you ban one distraction, another one won’t  appear?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090413/ts_afp/norwaysexoffbeat_20090413122247

There was some question about the sign in the “Sometimes 3 feet may not be enough” was a photoshop job. So figuring that if this was going to be found it would probably be Everglades National Park. So I entered a question on the web site and few days later this delightful response came.

Dear Ron,

There can be signs like that in the park system, and parks like us due have
a number of alligators clustered in different areas. So…yes your picture
is a likely sight. Funny as it may seem, with todays drivers I’ll take my
chances with the gators. : – )

Thank you for your interest in Everglades & Dry Tortugas National Park.

Regards,
S. P.

Reception Desk,
Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks
Try us at: www.nps.gov/ever or www.nps.gov/drto

The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American
people so that all may experience our heritage.

EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA!

Weather was great for my evening commute home, sunny and in the lower 70’s. After I worked my way though the back roads and on to the main road on my commute, I came up a ways behind another cyclist. As we came up to a stop light the other cyclist takes the lane in left turn lane.  And without hesitation the rider dove across the opposing traffic lane and road against the traffic waiting for the light. After passing the 3 cars the rider took a quick look over their shoulder and slid across the 3 lanes of the road. To top things off, when they had taken the turn lane, the rider activated the light and could have crossed safely after waiting about 5 seconds.

I know how busy the rider must be, but I just can’t get it into my mind what makes anybody who does this to save less than 10 seconds of time and in danger their own life. And this coupled with all the the drivers that are now talking about those damned cyclists that don’t follow the rules, makes even less sense.

Not totally unexpected but still really sad news today is that Dorel Industries is closing down the US manufactering of Cannondale Bicycles. I first heard the report on a Tweet by Bike Biz’s Carlton Reid. I have a real soft spot for Cannondale since it was what I consider my first “real” bicycle. My T-700 took me on many rides including several self contained tours carrying my large butt and all my camping equipment through the Northwest and Canada. The name might still be going on, but to me at least the spirit is dead.