If you are cruising by this site on your first virtual trip into Houston, Welcome! It's Super Here! We've put our smile on! :-)
As for training, did spinning on Monday, step aerobics on Wednesday, and signed up for the West U Warmup and the YMCA of Baytown's Gator Ride. Will try to get out this weekend for riding around the neighborhoods, get some miles in. The Gator will be interesting because the route I signed up for goes over the Fred Hartman Bridge and Lynchburg Ferry. If I can manage to ride up the bridge and not fall off the ferry I'll do great!
Peddlin',
Dustin
Friday, January 30, 2004
Sunday, January 25, 2004
Biking in Georgetown; SU Class of '79 Reunion Planning Started!
Over the weekend I attended a Reunion Planning Workshop at Southwestern University (I graduated from SU in 1979). We are coming up on our 25th reunion in October and I volunteered to be on the planning committee. It was great to see several of my classmates again! Our reunion will be a lot of fun, and I am looking forward to teaming up with my fellow committee members to get it planned.
Since the topography of Georgetown is very similar to the hills of Bastrop and Austin through which we will be riding at the end of the MS 150, I took my bike on its first road trip. I don't have a bike rack yet, so I hauled my bike in the back of our Honda CR-V, which worked pretty well since it rained most of the way there. I didn't have to worry about the seat and handle bar tape getting soaked. I was busy with the workshop all day Saturday, but this morning broke sunny and clear so I hauled the bike out, dressed up in my biking clothes, and rode around San Gabriel Park. I climbed a pretty minor small hill. Reality hit! Boy, is that ride into Bastrop going to be tough! I managed 5 miles total distance. I probably could have ridden more but I needed to get back to the hotel to check out and drive home.
Go Pirates!
Dustin
Since the topography of Georgetown is very similar to the hills of Bastrop and Austin through which we will be riding at the end of the MS 150, I took my bike on its first road trip. I don't have a bike rack yet, so I hauled my bike in the back of our Honda CR-V, which worked pretty well since it rained most of the way there. I didn't have to worry about the seat and handle bar tape getting soaked. I was busy with the workshop all day Saturday, but this morning broke sunny and clear so I hauled the bike out, dressed up in my biking clothes, and rode around San Gabriel Park. I climbed a pretty minor small hill. Reality hit! Boy, is that ride into Bastrop going to be tough! I managed 5 miles total distance. I probably could have ridden more but I needed to get back to the hotel to check out and drive home.
Go Pirates!
Dustin
Thursday, January 22, 2004
"It will be a pedestrian-friendly venue -- something you don't see a lot around here,"
HoustonChronicle.com - Free four-day street party leading up to Super Bowl
It is true that in the past Houston has not been pedestrian friendly, something that was confirmed for me when I was almost killed walking across Main Street from the Rice U Metro stop recently. Last Friday I needed to pick up our race packets for the Houston Press/Metro 5K race the following Sunday (see previous post). I decided that I should ride the Metro Light Rail train from the Rice U stop to downtown since I had advocated the construction of the light rail line but I had yet to ride it. This seemed like a perfect opportunity to "put my money where my mouth is."
We had drizzle and rain off-and-on Friday afternoon as I accomplished my errand. The train ride was smooth and uneventful, and walking from the Main Street Plaza stop over to the George R. Brown Convention Center was quick and easy. It grew dark as I returned to Rice, and the rain continued with its sputtering. I got off the train, walked across Fannin, and waited for the signal at Main and Sunset to change so I could cross. It was 6:25 p.m. (I looked at my watch so I would know how long the errand had taken). The "WALK" light came on, and I started across all six lanes of Main, three northbound, and three southbound, with a seventh left turn lane in the middle. As usually occurs with "WALK" lights, it started flashing about 5 milliseconds after I started across, telling me "you better hurry up and get across or you're going to be flattened by an SUV going 50 mph". It was raining and dark, and I was walking carefully so as to not slip.
I then looked over at the line of vehicles waiting to turn right onto southbound Main from Sunset and noticed that a large garbage or dump truck was waiting for me to complete my journey across the road so that he could turn. People in cars behind him were honking their horns. I started to walk faster diagonally across the southbound road so that he could turn around me once I had advanced far enough across. I could not see into the truck, and so could not tell if the driver was motioning for me to cross or what. He started revving his engine, turning his wheels, and accelerated into the street, turning much more quickly into my path than I anticipated. As I stared into the radiator of the advancing behemoth, I realized I would be killed if I did not take corrective action. I moved quickly to my right, and put out my right arm to straight-arm the fender of the truck, as if I could stop a few tons of rolling steel. That action accomplished my goal of getting out of the way of the truck. He drove most of the way past me and stopped. I was totally pissed off and I yelled at him "hey buddy, I was in the crosswalk!" He yelled back something like "you weren't crossing fast enough" and I replied rather obviously "you could have killed me!"
I looked around and realized I was standing in the middle of Main St. in front of three lanes of southbound traffic waiting for the light to turn green. There were some people looking out of their cars at me from the northbound lanes and left-turn lane, but I could not be sure that anyone else could see me, given how the corner is not well lit, and the pavement and trees suck up the light when its raining like that. So I muttered and continued to walk across the street. The truck driver drove away. I didn't even get his license plate even though I was probably standing about 2 feet away from the rear of his truck. I was so pissed off and jazzed up that I didn't think about it. I made it to the corner, and I muttered to another pedestrian "what do you have to do around here?" to get across the street safely.
As I made my way across the Rice campus, I noticed groups of students headed over to the street corner, probably to ride the Metro train, and I began to worry that one of them would get hit by a car or truck trying to cross the street in the dark.
My right arm began to hurt on my way home, so I stopped in at the Rice Police Station to report the incident. But it was not on Rice property and without a license plate no one could do anything anyway. I was upset that I had forgotten to get the plate number. Since I had my cell phone with me, I could have called the police right from the street, and I didn't even think about that until later.
All sorts of things rolled through my mind as I thought about my brush with injury. I was not hurt (my arm was fine the next day), and it is unclear whether the truck driver really saw me or not as he moved into the turn. I would have had to spend a lot of time with police and lawyers and such, and for what end? To get a guy fired from his job driving a truck? So I probably did the right thing in not getting all torqued out of shape about the whole thing. Who can be sure?
I have not ridden my bike since Sunday before last, about 10 days. I did manage to work out a couple of time since then (and of course I walked 3.1 miles on Sunday). Today I bought new pedals with toe clips for my bike and a bottle and bottle rack from West U. Cycles on Rice Blvd. in the Village. Great store; they have answered a lot of questions for me when I've been in there. Still trying to decide what type of bike rack to buy for my car--trunk mount, like a Saris Bones rack, or roof mount, like a Thule? I don't have a trailer hitch mount, so I can't do a hitch-mounted bike rack. I'm leaning toward a Sarie Bones rack.
It is true that in the past Houston has not been pedestrian friendly, something that was confirmed for me when I was almost killed walking across Main Street from the Rice U Metro stop recently. Last Friday I needed to pick up our race packets for the Houston Press/Metro 5K race the following Sunday (see previous post). I decided that I should ride the Metro Light Rail train from the Rice U stop to downtown since I had advocated the construction of the light rail line but I had yet to ride it. This seemed like a perfect opportunity to "put my money where my mouth is."
We had drizzle and rain off-and-on Friday afternoon as I accomplished my errand. The train ride was smooth and uneventful, and walking from the Main Street Plaza stop over to the George R. Brown Convention Center was quick and easy. It grew dark as I returned to Rice, and the rain continued with its sputtering. I got off the train, walked across Fannin, and waited for the signal at Main and Sunset to change so I could cross. It was 6:25 p.m. (I looked at my watch so I would know how long the errand had taken). The "WALK" light came on, and I started across all six lanes of Main, three northbound, and three southbound, with a seventh left turn lane in the middle. As usually occurs with "WALK" lights, it started flashing about 5 milliseconds after I started across, telling me "you better hurry up and get across or you're going to be flattened by an SUV going 50 mph". It was raining and dark, and I was walking carefully so as to not slip.
I then looked over at the line of vehicles waiting to turn right onto southbound Main from Sunset and noticed that a large garbage or dump truck was waiting for me to complete my journey across the road so that he could turn. People in cars behind him were honking their horns. I started to walk faster diagonally across the southbound road so that he could turn around me once I had advanced far enough across. I could not see into the truck, and so could not tell if the driver was motioning for me to cross or what. He started revving his engine, turning his wheels, and accelerated into the street, turning much more quickly into my path than I anticipated. As I stared into the radiator of the advancing behemoth, I realized I would be killed if I did not take corrective action. I moved quickly to my right, and put out my right arm to straight-arm the fender of the truck, as if I could stop a few tons of rolling steel. That action accomplished my goal of getting out of the way of the truck. He drove most of the way past me and stopped. I was totally pissed off and I yelled at him "hey buddy, I was in the crosswalk!" He yelled back something like "you weren't crossing fast enough" and I replied rather obviously "you could have killed me!"
I looked around and realized I was standing in the middle of Main St. in front of three lanes of southbound traffic waiting for the light to turn green. There were some people looking out of their cars at me from the northbound lanes and left-turn lane, but I could not be sure that anyone else could see me, given how the corner is not well lit, and the pavement and trees suck up the light when its raining like that. So I muttered and continued to walk across the street. The truck driver drove away. I didn't even get his license plate even though I was probably standing about 2 feet away from the rear of his truck. I was so pissed off and jazzed up that I didn't think about it. I made it to the corner, and I muttered to another pedestrian "what do you have to do around here?" to get across the street safely.
As I made my way across the Rice campus, I noticed groups of students headed over to the street corner, probably to ride the Metro train, and I began to worry that one of them would get hit by a car or truck trying to cross the street in the dark.
My right arm began to hurt on my way home, so I stopped in at the Rice Police Station to report the incident. But it was not on Rice property and without a license plate no one could do anything anyway. I was upset that I had forgotten to get the plate number. Since I had my cell phone with me, I could have called the police right from the street, and I didn't even think about that until later.
All sorts of things rolled through my mind as I thought about my brush with injury. I was not hurt (my arm was fine the next day), and it is unclear whether the truck driver really saw me or not as he moved into the turn. I would have had to spend a lot of time with police and lawyers and such, and for what end? To get a guy fired from his job driving a truck? So I probably did the right thing in not getting all torqued out of shape about the whole thing. Who can be sure?
I have not ridden my bike since Sunday before last, about 10 days. I did manage to work out a couple of time since then (and of course I walked 3.1 miles on Sunday). Today I bought new pedals with toe clips for my bike and a bottle and bottle rack from West U. Cycles on Rice Blvd. in the Village. Great store; they have answered a lot of questions for me when I've been in there. Still trying to decide what type of bike rack to buy for my car--trunk mount, like a Saris Bones rack, or roof mount, like a Thule? I don't have a trailer hitch mount, so I can't do a hitch-mounted bike rack. I'm leaning toward a Sarie Bones rack.
Monday, January 19, 2004
Finished the Houston Press/METRO 5K Yesterday!
So we got up at 4:30 a.m. Sunday morning to get dressed for the Houston Press/METRO 5K run/walk. We drove into Houston, parked before 6:00 a.m. in a covered garage, hung out for a while, then walked over to the George R. Brown Convention Center to see the sights. It was the first Houston Marathon scene for both of us. Pretty cool! The main problem was standing in line for the restroom before the race. The guy's line moved fast; my wife had to wait a lot longer.
We walked out toward the start line and waited for the Marathon and Half Marathon runners to start (wow, there were a lot of people, and that start cannon was LOUD!). While they were clearing out from the start line, we listened to the UH pep band (or a portion thereof) entertain the crowd. As we lined up for the start, we found out the band was lining up too. It looked like there were about 1,500--2,000 participants in the 5K; the band had about 20 members. They were good, loud, and enthusiactic, which helped us feel better, being on the street in downtown Houston at 7:25 in the morning.
The cannon blasted and we started walking. It seemed like it was a lot farther than 3.1 miles. It took quite a while to get to mile 1. There were groups from various high schools entertaining us along the way. The participants thinned out as we went under 59 to the east side of downtown. We walked into an underpass and saw the runners coming the other way on the other side of the street. We wound through warehouses and manufacturing sites as we headed back toward the convention center.
As we got closer to the finish line, we saw that half-marathoners were already finishing. So, people could run 13.1 miles faster than we could walk 3.1 miles; a little humbling, but we weren't there to win any races, we were there to raise money for the Lupus Foundation (together we raised over $200, mostly by my wife). I finished in 1 h 3 min 29 s; overall I was 1,439; I was the 646th male, and 84th in my age division, whatever that is. We went in the convention center, got our finisher medals, had our timing chips clipped off, and had some breakfast dished up by HEB.
Over all, it was a fun experience. We knew quite a few people who were running or walking the marathon. I don't think I'll ever be a marathon runner because my knees would not take it. But I can see myself doing the 5K again.
Walking,
Dustin
We walked out toward the start line and waited for the Marathon and Half Marathon runners to start (wow, there were a lot of people, and that start cannon was LOUD!). While they were clearing out from the start line, we listened to the UH pep band (or a portion thereof) entertain the crowd. As we lined up for the start, we found out the band was lining up too. It looked like there were about 1,500--2,000 participants in the 5K; the band had about 20 members. They were good, loud, and enthusiactic, which helped us feel better, being on the street in downtown Houston at 7:25 in the morning.
The cannon blasted and we started walking. It seemed like it was a lot farther than 3.1 miles. It took quite a while to get to mile 1. There were groups from various high schools entertaining us along the way. The participants thinned out as we went under 59 to the east side of downtown. We walked into an underpass and saw the runners coming the other way on the other side of the street. We wound through warehouses and manufacturing sites as we headed back toward the convention center.
As we got closer to the finish line, we saw that half-marathoners were already finishing. So, people could run 13.1 miles faster than we could walk 3.1 miles; a little humbling, but we weren't there to win any races, we were there to raise money for the Lupus Foundation (together we raised over $200, mostly by my wife). I finished in 1 h 3 min 29 s; overall I was 1,439; I was the 646th male, and 84th in my age division, whatever that is. We went in the convention center, got our finisher medals, had our timing chips clipped off, and had some breakfast dished up by HEB.
Over all, it was a fun experience. We knew quite a few people who were running or walking the marathon. I don't think I'll ever be a marathon runner because my knees would not take it. But I can see myself doing the 5K again.
Walking,
Dustin
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
Clemens's Decision Doesn't Annoy Jeter
Clemens's Decision Doesn't Annoy JeterAs an Astros fan from way back (when I learned to ride my first bike, I used to circle around the yard with a transistor radio ear plug in my ear, aimlessly meandering while listening to games called by Gene Elston, one of the legends of sports radio, and Loel Passe, an Astro's fan if I ever heard one), I am really excited about having Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens on the team. I get the feeling that this will be the best chance ever for Biggio and Bagwell to be on a World-Series winning team. Too bad for the Yankees; they seem to be whining a bit, except for Derek Jeter.
Houston--with the 2004 Super Bowl, the 2004 All Star Game, three new sports arenas, and the MS 150! It's a great year win it all in every sport (give the Texans another year or two).
Play Ball!
Dustin
Houston--with the 2004 Super Bowl, the 2004 All Star Game, three new sports arenas, and the MS 150! It's a great year win it all in every sport (give the Texans another year or two).
Play Ball!
Dustin
The City Life: Rounding the Island, on Wheels
The City Life: Rounding the Island, on Wheels This is a great Op-Ed in the New York Times (registration required) about a biker's ride around the city. You definitely get a different view of your surroundings when you walk or ride a bike versus speeding by in your car, encapsulated in your own little world. There are so many houses, yards, streets, and neighborhoods that I would not have seen had I not gotten on my bike and toured them. As my training progresses, I hope to meet more residents of the community of bikers, or cyclers, whatever they want to call themselves. It'll be fun!
See ya,
Dustin
See ya,
Dustin
Sunday, January 11, 2004
Please Donate to the Lupus Foundation
In the list of links to the left you'll find one to make a donation to the Lupus Foundation. I'll be participating on the Houston Press/Metro 5K on Sunday the 18th of January. The pledges I get will all go to the South Coast Texas Chapter of the Lupus Foudation of American. Please make a donation.
After 5 days of bitter cold (on a Houston scale) and rainy days we got some great weather this weekend and I went out riding yesterday afternoon. It was absolutely gorgeous and I put in 15.8 miles on the bike, the most I've done in one ride so far! Whew! Top speed 21 mph on the park track. The odometer on my bike now reads 65 total miles. Not very far yet, but I'm getting there.
Welcome to H-Town Bloggers! I've asked to join the H-Town Bloggers; as part of joining, I've placed a link to the H-Town Bloggers Web page to the left. Please cruise on over and take a look. If you came over from there, thanks!
Biking is a pretty expensive hobby/pastime/vocation/routine. I've got to buy pedals with toe clips, and a bike rack for my car, so I can take the bike to all these rides I'm going to be signing up for. I even need a bottle cage to hold a water bottle on my bike--no I didn't get one of those when I bought the bike originally. After all, if you're going to let your bike sit in the garage for 5 years and never ride it, who needs a water bottle? ;-)
I've been watching the new episode of Alias while I've been writing this. It's one of my favorite shows in TV. Our son has been in college and missed the first two seasons, so he bought them on DVD and watched them during his break.
It's getting to the climax, gotta go!
Dustin
After 5 days of bitter cold (on a Houston scale) and rainy days we got some great weather this weekend and I went out riding yesterday afternoon. It was absolutely gorgeous and I put in 15.8 miles on the bike, the most I've done in one ride so far! Whew! Top speed 21 mph on the park track. The odometer on my bike now reads 65 total miles. Not very far yet, but I'm getting there.
Welcome to H-Town Bloggers! I've asked to join the H-Town Bloggers; as part of joining, I've placed a link to the H-Town Bloggers Web page to the left. Please cruise on over and take a look. If you came over from there, thanks!
Biking is a pretty expensive hobby/pastime/vocation/routine. I've got to buy pedals with toe clips, and a bike rack for my car, so I can take the bike to all these rides I'm going to be signing up for. I even need a bottle cage to hold a water bottle on my bike--no I didn't get one of those when I bought the bike originally. After all, if you're going to let your bike sit in the garage for 5 years and never ride it, who needs a water bottle? ;-)
I've been watching the new episode of Alias while I've been writing this. It's one of my favorite shows in TV. Our son has been in college and missed the first two seasons, so he bought them on DVD and watched them during his break.
It's getting to the climax, gotta go!
Dustin
Wednesday, January 07, 2004
New Year, New Step Class Routine
Going home in the evening from work, I pass by the Ernest & Co. Gym at the corner of Greenbriar and Holcombe, where the aerobics class participants are on display in the first-floor store front windows. I can usually tell what steps they are doing since I've been doing step for a long time, but I wonder what the other drivers think as they drive by. Do they think the steppers look goofy? Do they think "I should be working out"? I wonder what it's like to be in that class and have the cars pass by and watch you while you sweat in your spandex and old t-shirt. I'm used to watching myself and others in the mirror while doing aerobics, and having club members pass by the windows and watching us. But not a whole street full of people.
Since September we had been doing triple step in advanced step class, with Fernanda's great instruction. Triple step was a nice change from the single step routines before, but Fernanda promised a new routine come January. Today was the first day of the new class and the new routine was wonderful, although I kept getting tied up directionally. I like the variety of doing a step class on Wednesday after a spinning class on Monday.
So that was my training for the day; no miles on the bike.
Steppin',
Dustin
Since September we had been doing triple step in advanced step class, with Fernanda's great instruction. Triple step was a nice change from the single step routines before, but Fernanda promised a new routine come January. Today was the first day of the new class and the new routine was wonderful, although I kept getting tied up directionally. I like the variety of doing a step class on Wednesday after a spinning class on Monday.
So that was my training for the day; no miles on the bike.
Steppin',
Dustin
Tuesday, January 06, 2004
Baby, it's COLD Out There! I'm "Houstonized"!
A year after we moved to Houston, we put a pool in our backyard during the summer. We swam in the pool through the month of December, thinking nothing of swimming in sub-80°F water (maybe even below 75°F). Since then, we've gradually gotten spoiled by the warm weather, and find that it's difficult to swim in the pool unless the temperature is at least 80°F. preferably higher. We joke that we've become "Houstonized". I am definitely Houstonized, and am not looking forward to riding my bike with biting cold wind running through my body.
Over the weekend of 3-4 January, we were wearing shorts outside it was so warm and humid. Come Sunday night, a cold front moved in; Monday morning it was absolutely FREEZING, even though the temperature was not below 32°F. I'm glad I had a spinning class to go to instead of trying to ride my bike outside in that chill (I don't have a stand for riding inside yet; haven't gotten that fancy).
It was a great class Monday morning. Kim led us through several sprints downhill and uphill. For those of you not familiar with the bikes we use in spinning, they have one wheel in front, a solid flywheel. The heights of the handle bar and seat are adjustable by loosening and tightening set-screws; the bar and seat can also be moved forward and backward to fit your trunk and leg length. The flywheel is moved using a set of bicycle pedals, attached to the flywheel by a rubber belt. The pedals have toe clips to fit the front of your shoe into, so you can put energy into the pedals on both the up and the down strokes; on most bikes the flat side of the pedal will fit a clip-less shoe, for those that have clip-less biking shoes. A set-screw with a knob is positioned on the frame so that you can adjust the tension on the flywheel. Turning the knob clockwise applies more pressure on the flywheel, making it more difficult to pedal; turning the know counterclockwise releases the tension, making it easier to pedal. In class "1" is no tension and "10" is the most tension you can apply and still get the pedals to move. We usually start off at 5 and vary up from there. The numbers are self relative; there are no markings on the bike that indicate whether you are at 5, 6, or 10. So you have to use your judgement and set it according to your own fitness and preferences. I've found that each bike is slightly different, and a 5 on one is an 8 on the other.
In spinning, as in aerobics, the instructor brings a disk full of music to play. Monday Kim had a couple of new tunes, including "Hey Ya" by OutKast. That song is all over the airwaves, on pop, rock, hip-hop, and stations in-between. Anyway, it was a great song to spin by. That's one thing about the early morning class that really gets you going; besides the exercise, the music energizes you and stays with you during the work day.
The class usually starts with music having a slower beat. You warm up and stretch out at 5. Then, depending on Kim's plan, the music speeds up or slows down. One number might be a sprint at 5; another might be an uphill climb at 10. Sometimes we sit, sometimes we stand in the pedals, sometimes we stand with our bodies low. There is usually a break of 15-30 seconds in between numbers to rest, get a drink of water (I keep forgetting to bring my bottle, so I have to get up and get a drink at the fountain), stretch, keep going, whatever. The variation of music with difficulty and objective makes the class interesting. It's a wonderful way to train.
Had a good class, and a good first day back to work. I estimate that I went 5-7 miles on the stationary bike; have no real idea since there is no odometer.
No, I didn't train today; too dang cold! :-(
Stay warm,
Dustin
Over the weekend of 3-4 January, we were wearing shorts outside it was so warm and humid. Come Sunday night, a cold front moved in; Monday morning it was absolutely FREEZING, even though the temperature was not below 32°F. I'm glad I had a spinning class to go to instead of trying to ride my bike outside in that chill (I don't have a stand for riding inside yet; haven't gotten that fancy).
It was a great class Monday morning. Kim led us through several sprints downhill and uphill. For those of you not familiar with the bikes we use in spinning, they have one wheel in front, a solid flywheel. The heights of the handle bar and seat are adjustable by loosening and tightening set-screws; the bar and seat can also be moved forward and backward to fit your trunk and leg length. The flywheel is moved using a set of bicycle pedals, attached to the flywheel by a rubber belt. The pedals have toe clips to fit the front of your shoe into, so you can put energy into the pedals on both the up and the down strokes; on most bikes the flat side of the pedal will fit a clip-less shoe, for those that have clip-less biking shoes. A set-screw with a knob is positioned on the frame so that you can adjust the tension on the flywheel. Turning the knob clockwise applies more pressure on the flywheel, making it more difficult to pedal; turning the know counterclockwise releases the tension, making it easier to pedal. In class "1" is no tension and "10" is the most tension you can apply and still get the pedals to move. We usually start off at 5 and vary up from there. The numbers are self relative; there are no markings on the bike that indicate whether you are at 5, 6, or 10. So you have to use your judgement and set it according to your own fitness and preferences. I've found that each bike is slightly different, and a 5 on one is an 8 on the other.
In spinning, as in aerobics, the instructor brings a disk full of music to play. Monday Kim had a couple of new tunes, including "Hey Ya" by OutKast. That song is all over the airwaves, on pop, rock, hip-hop, and stations in-between. Anyway, it was a great song to spin by. That's one thing about the early morning class that really gets you going; besides the exercise, the music energizes you and stays with you during the work day.
The class usually starts with music having a slower beat. You warm up and stretch out at 5. Then, depending on Kim's plan, the music speeds up or slows down. One number might be a sprint at 5; another might be an uphill climb at 10. Sometimes we sit, sometimes we stand in the pedals, sometimes we stand with our bodies low. There is usually a break of 15-30 seconds in between numbers to rest, get a drink of water (I keep forgetting to bring my bottle, so I have to get up and get a drink at the fountain), stretch, keep going, whatever. The variation of music with difficulty and objective makes the class interesting. It's a wonderful way to train.
Had a good class, and a good first day back to work. I estimate that I went 5-7 miles on the stationary bike; have no real idea since there is no odometer.
No, I didn't train today; too dang cold! :-(
Stay warm,
Dustin
Sunday, January 04, 2004
Time to Get Back to Work
Tomorrow I head back to work after two weeks off. It will be interesting to see how my training progresses. I don't think I'll be riding at night; I don't have all the night gear and I'm not that eager to run into cars that won't see me. I'll go to spinning on Monday mornings and aerobics on Wednesday mornings. I'll find out if I can get up early enough to ride a few miles on the other mornings before I have to take my daughter to school and then head to work. I think January and most of February will be spent getting up to the 15 and 20 mile range on weekends, then I'll probably sign up for my first races in late February and March. I've been looking at several bicycle club pages, and I don't think I'm fast enough for some. Others are too far away. There is one near me that sounds interesting; I'll try it after a few more weeks of training.
I've enjoyed reading Steve Sievert's Thursday cycling column in the Houston Chronicle. It's been a good introduction to the sport for me. One link he pointed out is http://www.bicycletexas.com/bike_links.htm for finding links to bike clubs and rides.
One problem with the MS-150 warm-up rides is that most seem to occur on Sunday mornings. I assume the vehicular traffic is less on Sunday mornings, but it sure does make it hard on those of us who attend church regularly to get training. Since I'm an usher captain at my church, I need to be there on a regular basis to fulfill my volunteer obligations. I'm sure that with prayer and planning, I can both train for the MS 150 and practice my God-given gift of hosting.
Oh yeah, I did ride this afternoon, 9.15 miles. It has been really humid in Houston this weekend. Humid and warm. It felt like it might rain at any time, but I never felt any drops. I looped through several neighborhoods and rode the path at the nearby park. I still avoid riding on major roads--I take the sidewalk instead. I'm just not up to riding the curb to avoid fenders yet. I'll get there soon. Anyway, it was a good ride.
Happy New Year!
Dustin
I've enjoyed reading Steve Sievert's Thursday cycling column in the Houston Chronicle. It's been a good introduction to the sport for me. One link he pointed out is http://www.bicycletexas.com/bike_links.htm for finding links to bike clubs and rides.
One problem with the MS-150 warm-up rides is that most seem to occur on Sunday mornings. I assume the vehicular traffic is less on Sunday mornings, but it sure does make it hard on those of us who attend church regularly to get training. Since I'm an usher captain at my church, I need to be there on a regular basis to fulfill my volunteer obligations. I'm sure that with prayer and planning, I can both train for the MS 150 and practice my God-given gift of hosting.
Oh yeah, I did ride this afternoon, 9.15 miles. It has been really humid in Houston this weekend. Humid and warm. It felt like it might rain at any time, but I never felt any drops. I looped through several neighborhoods and rode the path at the nearby park. I still avoid riding on major roads--I take the sidewalk instead. I'm just not up to riding the curb to avoid fenders yet. I'll get there soon. Anyway, it was a good ride.
Happy New Year!
Dustin
Friday, January 02, 2004
5:00 a.m. on New Year's Eve? Ya' Gotta Be Kiddin'!
Kim had promised that she would lead a spinning class at 6:00 a.m. on New Year's Eve, even though it was not on the schedule, she was going to show up so we could burn all those Christmas treat calories off.
Dutifully, I set my alarm for 5:00 a.m. Wednesday morning so I could get up and drive in to do my spinning. After all, it would count as my training for that day, and if Kim was going to go to the trouble of leading a class, I should be there. Us 6:00 a.m.'ers have a weird loyalty to our instructors. Don't know if that is true for classes during other parts of the day because I never go except in the early weekday mornings at 6:00 a.m. But, come hell or high water, I almost always make it to those classes. When I find an instructor I like, I go.
I had to be in Houston to get my allergy shots anyway, so I planned the day in my head. First, to spinning class. After class I would shower and dress, drop into Rice Epicurean for my breakfast (a diet peach Snapple and a Yoplait no-fat, no sugar yogurt) and say "hi" to Bea, the cashier who's worked there at least as long as I've being going in for breakfast (about 5 years); then off to the allergist's office for my shots; drop by Just Brakes to have my 4,000 mile check-up; and finally get my Honda's oil and filter changed at Mister Car Wash, along with a car wash. A pretty good plan, if I do say so myself (and I did)! I figured I could do all that and probably be home before many were even out of bed. That's the beauty of getting up at 5:00 a.m. to exercise, it starts your day off right.
My intention was not as good as my plan. Yes, the alarm went off at 5:00 a.m., and yes, I turned it off and rolled over back to sleep with no feelings of guilt. I was just too darn tired, and it's hard to get back in the swing of things when you've been sleeping late for days. When I got up, the "plan" was screwed. I still had to get my allergy shots so I wouldn't get two weeks behind, and still I needed to get my brakes checked before the 4,000 mile warranty was up. So I did those errands. By the time I got to Mister Car Wash around noon, there were too many SUVs already in line, so I gave up and went home.
I ended up grocery shopping that afternoon (HEB was packed to the gills), and not getting any training done. New Year's Eve was uneventful--we ended up watching TV, reading our books, and smooching as the clock struck midnight.
BUT, I did manage to get in 7.4 miles on New Year's Day! We slept late, and relaxed most of the day. I kept thinking "I need to get out on my bike, gotta train!" but the opportunity didn't arise until that afternoon. Then it started raining pretty hard, and I almost gave up on it. Luckily, the rain let up and I got out on my bike and had a great ride. My legs felt really powerful, and I was able to push into the 15-20 mph range some of the route. When I got back home, there was a streak of black dirt up my back from the water that had been tossed up by the tread. Biker's stripe! Kewl!
Alas, no training today. A friend drove down from Austin and we went to see the exhibit "The Heroic Century: The Museum of Modern Art Masterpieces, 200 Paintings and Sculptures" at the Houston Museum of Fine Art. It was great to see light rail running down the streets of Houston! When is Austin going to get light rail?
Happy New Year!
Dustin
Dutifully, I set my alarm for 5:00 a.m. Wednesday morning so I could get up and drive in to do my spinning. After all, it would count as my training for that day, and if Kim was going to go to the trouble of leading a class, I should be there. Us 6:00 a.m.'ers have a weird loyalty to our instructors. Don't know if that is true for classes during other parts of the day because I never go except in the early weekday mornings at 6:00 a.m. But, come hell or high water, I almost always make it to those classes. When I find an instructor I like, I go.
I had to be in Houston to get my allergy shots anyway, so I planned the day in my head. First, to spinning class. After class I would shower and dress, drop into Rice Epicurean for my breakfast (a diet peach Snapple and a Yoplait no-fat, no sugar yogurt) and say "hi" to Bea, the cashier who's worked there at least as long as I've being going in for breakfast (about 5 years); then off to the allergist's office for my shots; drop by Just Brakes to have my 4,000 mile check-up; and finally get my Honda's oil and filter changed at Mister Car Wash, along with a car wash. A pretty good plan, if I do say so myself (and I did)! I figured I could do all that and probably be home before many were even out of bed. That's the beauty of getting up at 5:00 a.m. to exercise, it starts your day off right.
My intention was not as good as my plan. Yes, the alarm went off at 5:00 a.m., and yes, I turned it off and rolled over back to sleep with no feelings of guilt. I was just too darn tired, and it's hard to get back in the swing of things when you've been sleeping late for days. When I got up, the "plan" was screwed. I still had to get my allergy shots so I wouldn't get two weeks behind, and still I needed to get my brakes checked before the 4,000 mile warranty was up. So I did those errands. By the time I got to Mister Car Wash around noon, there were too many SUVs already in line, so I gave up and went home.
I ended up grocery shopping that afternoon (HEB was packed to the gills), and not getting any training done. New Year's Eve was uneventful--we ended up watching TV, reading our books, and smooching as the clock struck midnight.
BUT, I did manage to get in 7.4 miles on New Year's Day! We slept late, and relaxed most of the day. I kept thinking "I need to get out on my bike, gotta train!" but the opportunity didn't arise until that afternoon. Then it started raining pretty hard, and I almost gave up on it. Luckily, the rain let up and I got out on my bike and had a great ride. My legs felt really powerful, and I was able to push into the 15-20 mph range some of the route. When I got back home, there was a streak of black dirt up my back from the water that had been tossed up by the tread. Biker's stripe! Kewl!
Alas, no training today. A friend drove down from Austin and we went to see the exhibit "The Heroic Century: The Museum of Modern Art Masterpieces, 200 Paintings and Sculptures" at the Houston Museum of Fine Art. It was great to see light rail running down the streets of Houston! When is Austin going to get light rail?
Happy New Year!
Dustin
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