Bike shops. Even saying those words makes my lips curl and my eyes narrow. Now, I love shopping (I sort of do it for a living!) and I really love geeking out about things I am interested in. You would think a bike shop would be a veritable candy store, full of treats and fun. Not so much. It is actually a torture that I continually put myself through and regret.
Here is how it normally goes:
I pull up in my little car, excited and hopeful. Maybe this time will be fun!
Walk in and hear the little bell ding, see the person coming running. Then watch their eyes fill with disappointment at a girl dressed in (gasp!) a skirt and boots. She must be here to look at bikes for her son or husband. Nothing interesting here, but probably an easy sell.
The rest of the experience involved my asking for things that I need, in non bike-tech terms, and the disdainful looks and short answers. So I don't know exactly what the name of the thingy I need is-isn't that what they are here for? Apparently not. If I walked in covered in spandex and clicking around on the tiled floor, I venture a guess that things would go differently.
Most bike shops talk of wanting a more cycling friendly city. I agree wholeheartedly. I also think that encouraging and supporting new riders is one step in making Birmingham more rider friendly. Bike shop snobbery only proves the stereotype that cycling is an elite sport that takes special skills and equipment. Doesn't feel like the way to promote cycling for transportation or fun.
I love supporting local businesses. There are great cycling shops in Birmingham (Cahaba Cycles is one of them), and I will continue to support them. For the ones that treat new riders and woman as an afterthought, well...
see you on the roads. I'll be the one in the skirt riding a bike I didn't buy from you, hoping for change.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
Book Report: Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner
After he quit high school track because of a bad coach, Dean Karnazes didn't run again until the night of his thirtieth birthday. In the grip of an early midlife crisis, he ran all night — and covered thirty miles. This whim left him pretty incapacitated for a few months. It also created a hunger for more ultramarathons (defined as any distance longer than 26.2 miles).
After recovering, Karnazes performed some incredible feats, like running a marathon at the South Pole, running Badwater (100 miles in heat that actually toasts bread) and running TWO HUNDRED miles in a race designed as a 12-person relay (he ran the entire race solo).
Seems like he'd be kind of arrogant. Nope. Throughout the book, he remains humble, maintaining that there's nothing superior about him, and that the key to doing what he does is just putting one foot in front of the other. He (or an editor) made an excellent choice to include just a few race stories instead of an exhaustive list, keeping the book engaging and easy to read (I meant to just thumb through it and ending up finishing it the same day).
It includes some helpful tips, like Which Pizza Chain Delivers to Some Running Guy without an Address AND How to Pee without Stopping at All (although I'm not sure how well his method would work for a girl).
I don't run ultramarathons (I barely run 5Ks), but I can relate to taking challenges other people think are crazy. Triathablog has a lot of fans, but most of my friends think it's pointless. Same with my previous blog adventure, Cheap Women. And hardly anyone understands my desire to write an entire novel every November (nanowrimo) with no hope of publishing it. In the view of many of my logical friends and family, I'm not winning prizes and I'm not making money, so why do I devote so much time to these hobbies?
I could relate to Karnazes' drive to test his own limits. He says repeatedly that he doesn't know WHY he takes on these challenges, although he does speculate. The bottom line is, he loves them. They help give him purpose and discipline that translates to other important parts of his life, like his family and his career.
I don't know why I create crazy blog contests or write month-long novels any more than Karnazes knows why he runs 200 mile races. What I do know is, they're important to me. They make me feel alive.
Lots of my friends don't support me, and lots don't understand. That's okay. What I loved about this book was hearing from someone who does. And it doesn't hurt that I get Triathablog points for reading it.
You can get Ultramarathon Man from the Homewood Library ... just as soon as I return it.
After recovering, Karnazes performed some incredible feats, like running a marathon at the South Pole, running Badwater (100 miles in heat that actually toasts bread) and running TWO HUNDRED miles in a race designed as a 12-person relay (he ran the entire race solo).
Seems like he'd be kind of arrogant. Nope. Throughout the book, he remains humble, maintaining that there's nothing superior about him, and that the key to doing what he does is just putting one foot in front of the other. He (or an editor) made an excellent choice to include just a few race stories instead of an exhaustive list, keeping the book engaging and easy to read (I meant to just thumb through it and ending up finishing it the same day).
It includes some helpful tips, like Which Pizza Chain Delivers to Some Running Guy without an Address AND How to Pee without Stopping at All (although I'm not sure how well his method would work for a girl).
I don't run ultramarathons (I barely run 5Ks), but I can relate to taking challenges other people think are crazy. Triathablog has a lot of fans, but most of my friends think it's pointless. Same with my previous blog adventure, Cheap Women. And hardly anyone understands my desire to write an entire novel every November (nanowrimo) with no hope of publishing it. In the view of many of my logical friends and family, I'm not winning prizes and I'm not making money, so why do I devote so much time to these hobbies?
I could relate to Karnazes' drive to test his own limits. He says repeatedly that he doesn't know WHY he takes on these challenges, although he does speculate. The bottom line is, he loves them. They help give him purpose and discipline that translates to other important parts of his life, like his family and his career.
I don't know why I create crazy blog contests or write month-long novels any more than Karnazes knows why he runs 200 mile races. What I do know is, they're important to me. They make me feel alive.
Lots of my friends don't support me, and lots don't understand. That's okay. What I loved about this book was hearing from someone who does. And it doesn't hurt that I get Triathablog points for reading it.
You can get Ultramarathon Man from the Homewood Library ... just as soon as I return it.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
turkey trottin'
First of all, if you're reading this you should be eating turkey instead. Or napping. Or mentally preparing yourself for all the shopping you're going to do tomorrow.
That said, I am thankful today for my fellow triathabloggers who are allowing me to participate in their sports this week, due to the holiday closings at the gym(s). I am also thankful for what seems to be a healthy knee, or at least one that is almost back to normal. My roommate and I woke up this fine Thanksgiving morning and went for a run. Okay, more like a slow jog. It was my first time to run outdoors since my last race, and it felt so right. Don't get me wrong, I love swimming ... but I loved running first. It was good to be out there this morning, no matter how far or how fast I was. Thanks, Carrie, for being a compassionate competitor.
Tomorrow its on to biking as I take my mom's Schwinn for a spin in my parent's ridiculously hilly neighborhood, which also does not have a leash law. Wish me luck, internets.
That said, I am thankful today for my fellow triathabloggers who are allowing me to participate in their sports this week, due to the holiday closings at the gym(s). I am also thankful for what seems to be a healthy knee, or at least one that is almost back to normal. My roommate and I woke up this fine Thanksgiving morning and went for a run. Okay, more like a slow jog. It was my first time to run outdoors since my last race, and it felt so right. Don't get me wrong, I love swimming ... but I loved running first. It was good to be out there this morning, no matter how far or how fast I was. Thanks, Carrie, for being a compassionate competitor.
Tomorrow its on to biking as I take my mom's Schwinn for a spin in my parent's ridiculously hilly neighborhood, which also does not have a leash law. Wish me luck, internets.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
The little cyclist who...could
We said that we were going to be honest on this blog. Well, honestly...I hate it right now. I don't want to ride and I hate that I have to. I know that I would feel better if I did ride, but the days keep passing and Mick stays in the garage. I now have to ride every day for the rest of the week to get my points in (I also hate to give up!).
What do you do when you just can't get motivated? Any pointers or words of wisdom? Anyone want to go on a ride (it is always more fun with friends)?
Sigh.
On another note, I have been having many heated discussions lately about Alabama's Bike Laws. If you want to know what they are, go here. For bike laws in other states, you can find them at Bikecommuters.com (about 1/2 down the page on the right is a drop down box)
What do you do when you just can't get motivated? Any pointers or words of wisdom? Anyone want to go on a ride (it is always more fun with friends)?
Sigh.
On another note, I have been having many heated discussions lately about Alabama's Bike Laws. If you want to know what they are, go here. For bike laws in other states, you can find them at Bikecommuters.com (about 1/2 down the page on the right is a drop down box)
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Carrie Goes Baywatch: Running on the Beach
Once upon a time, an evil witch used her candy house to lure Hansel and Gretel into the forest, trying to get them lost so she could cook them in her stove. Luckily, H & G had some breadcrumbs on them, which they used to find their way home. A triumph for carbs! **
If a witch wanted to get me lost, she wouldn't need a candy house. I lose my way ridiculously easily. Once, when I was a Junior in high school, I tried to drive from my house to my school and I ended up in another state. Seriously.
For this and other reasons, I've always dreaded running while on vacation. I'm insecure enough when I'm running without worrying about unfamiliar hills, dangerous parts of town, and the disaster of my directional "skills."
Skipping workouts can be murder on my running schedule — when I miss a week of running, I tend to give up altogether. In an effort to break this trend, I've issued a personal challenge to myself to try to run every time I go to a new town, even if it's just for a day or two.
So far, it's going well. When I went to Lake Martin for work, I discovered that I actually like running on hills. When I go to see my parents, I enjoy running in the neighborhood where I spent a couple formative years. But my favorite challenge has been running on the beach, which I did last weekend when I went to Jacksonville, Florida, to celebrate my sister's birthday.
There are few things better than running on the beach as the sun rises. Besides being tremendously beautiful, it was something I never thought I could do (just walking on the beach is hard enough sometimes). I had an amazing morning, and I even set a personal best for the mile (according to Lance Armstrong on my Nike Plus). I think there was something about the challenge of doing something new, plus the overwhelming beauty of the ocean, that helped me push myself further without even realizing it.
Of course, I also got lost ... I forgot to pay attention to which boardwalk I started from. I made it back by listening to my Nike Plus (when I realized I was lost, I turned and ran exactly that distance back), and by following my own footsteps (I was lucky the tide wasn't coming in). It's no breadcrumbs in the forest, but it'll do.
** Note: I'm pretty sure I did not tell this story accurately. But it works for my own purposes, so I'll leave it. Please don't fault me for my Fairy Tale reconstructionism.
If a witch wanted to get me lost, she wouldn't need a candy house. I lose my way ridiculously easily. Once, when I was a Junior in high school, I tried to drive from my house to my school and I ended up in another state. Seriously.
For this and other reasons, I've always dreaded running while on vacation. I'm insecure enough when I'm running without worrying about unfamiliar hills, dangerous parts of town, and the disaster of my directional "skills."
Skipping workouts can be murder on my running schedule — when I miss a week of running, I tend to give up altogether. In an effort to break this trend, I've issued a personal challenge to myself to try to run every time I go to a new town, even if it's just for a day or two.
So far, it's going well. When I went to Lake Martin for work, I discovered that I actually like running on hills. When I go to see my parents, I enjoy running in the neighborhood where I spent a couple formative years. But my favorite challenge has been running on the beach, which I did last weekend when I went to Jacksonville, Florida, to celebrate my sister's birthday.
There are few things better than running on the beach as the sun rises. Besides being tremendously beautiful, it was something I never thought I could do (just walking on the beach is hard enough sometimes). I had an amazing morning, and I even set a personal best for the mile (according to Lance Armstrong on my Nike Plus). I think there was something about the challenge of doing something new, plus the overwhelming beauty of the ocean, that helped me push myself further without even realizing it.
Of course, I also got lost ... I forgot to pay attention to which boardwalk I started from. I made it back by listening to my Nike Plus (when I realized I was lost, I turned and ran exactly that distance back), and by following my own footsteps (I was lucky the tide wasn't coming in). It's no breadcrumbs in the forest, but it'll do.
** Note: I'm pretty sure I did not tell this story accurately. But it works for my own purposes, so I'll leave it. Please don't fault me for my Fairy Tale reconstructionism.
Monday, November 24, 2008
the danger of mind games
“Oh my gosh, I’m going to die. I’m not going to get a breath in time, my oxygen will run out, and then I’m going to die. That poor lifeguard is going to have to actually do his job, haul my ass out of the water, try to revive me, and ultimately fail. This is not how I want to go.”
Ever since I introduced the flip turn into my workouts, these are my constant and irrational thoughts. Especially coming out of the turn and going back down the lane, I start to have mini panic attacks under water, freaking out as if I am neither in control of my own body, nor realize that I am only in four feet of water. At any point I can stop, lift my head, and not drown. I guess it’s the Type A in me that makes me breathe on every fourth stroke. And the fact that I can’t seem to maintain a straight line when I breath on every other stroke, and end up with heaping helpings of drag and inefficient swimming (I am learning something from my stupid book, even if I failed in finishing it for the challenge).
I am unsure why I like to torture myself, and push to limits that I really shouldn’t. I hope none of you have to read my obituary any time soon, telling of how I died of stupidity and being too competitive with myself. That has to be some sort of mental disorder.
On another note, getting weekly swims in is going to be challenging when gyms are closed for 2-4 days (my gym for two, the one where I am spending Thanksgiving for four). Awesome.
Ever since I introduced the flip turn into my workouts, these are my constant and irrational thoughts. Especially coming out of the turn and going back down the lane, I start to have mini panic attacks under water, freaking out as if I am neither in control of my own body, nor realize that I am only in four feet of water. At any point I can stop, lift my head, and not drown. I guess it’s the Type A in me that makes me breathe on every fourth stroke. And the fact that I can’t seem to maintain a straight line when I breath on every other stroke, and end up with heaping helpings of drag and inefficient swimming (I am learning something from my stupid book, even if I failed in finishing it for the challenge).
I am unsure why I like to torture myself, and push to limits that I really shouldn’t. I hope none of you have to read my obituary any time soon, telling of how I died of stupidity and being too competitive with myself. That has to be some sort of mental disorder.
On another note, getting weekly swims in is going to be challenging when gyms are closed for 2-4 days (my gym for two, the one where I am spending Thanksgiving for four). Awesome.
Weekly Totals = Amanda 74, Carrie 78, Elisa 75
Thanksgiving is about to get ugly. We're sure Carrie's thankful for her small lead, but what does that even mean in a contest that's only barely half over? While the rest of you slackers enjoy your turkey and tryptophan, we'll be battling it out in the pool and on the trail. Black Friday indeed.
"What's a Physical Challenge," you ask? Check out Contest Rules in the sidebar to the right for details.
AMANDA: 6 points (74 Cumulative)
5 points = Weekly Swims
1 point = Copycat Challenge (Running)
CARRIE: 9 points (78 Cumulative)
5 points = Weekly Runs
3 points = This Week's Bookworm Challenge
1 point = Flux Capacitor (Different Places)
ELISA: 10 points (75 Cumulative)
5 points = Weekly Rides
3 points = This Week's Bookworm Challenge
1 point = Audience Choice Challenge (Mentor)
1 point = Santa Challenge (Frisbee)
"What's a Physical Challenge," you ask? Check out Contest Rules in the sidebar to the right for details.
AMANDA: 6 points (74 Cumulative)
5 points = Weekly Swims
1 point = Copycat Challenge (Running)
CARRIE: 9 points (78 Cumulative)
5 points = Weekly Runs
3 points = This Week's Bookworm Challenge
1 point = Flux Capacitor (Different Places)
ELISA: 10 points (75 Cumulative)
5 points = Weekly Rides
3 points = This Week's Bookworm Challenge
1 point = Audience Choice Challenge (Mentor)
1 point = Santa Challenge (Frisbee)
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