On being an Athlete again

Over the past year, for various reasons (moving cross-country, fatigue, etc) I’ve spent less time on the bike. I went from doubling up in CX (SS and B race) every weekend to making it to one race. I still took my 29er out for the occasional morning on the trail. I dreamt up excuses (Northwest winter, lack of friends), and decided getting my life settled took precedence. However, I knew my fitness lapsed.

Recently, I’ve started training again. It feels great. I relish the challenge of training. I feel accomplished after doing intervals for the last 45 minutes of a 3:30 hour ride, and limping home. The hunger, the sleep, all feels better.

I paid for my time off on those first few long rides. The rides hurt mentally and physically; I’ve never biked so slowly, and felt so tired afterwards. However, the time off and the first few serious back to back to back days on the bike made me appreciate something I forgot – I was (am) an athlete.

• I trained with a plan.
• I trained with a team.
• I tracked my results.
• I worked on my weaknesses.
• I competed to win, not just finish.

When you’re constantly trying to get better, many of your friends are also cyclists, and winning seems a mile away, it’s easy to lose sight of your efforts and accomplishments. More importantly, you forget what you do is not normal.

I’ve created a list of to help me remember my progress.

Respect your on days – take time to celebrate days where you feel great on the bike, or the first to the line.

Respect your off days – there will be days where you’re tired, distracted, or slow for no reason. You can’t set a PR every day.

Respect other’s efforts – encourage your friends who are training for a charity ride, riding to a brewery, or commuting. Remember there was a time when 30 miles was a longer training ride. Not everyone wants to race, and that’s totally cool.

I can’t wait for cross season.

CX Season is Coming

Hurry grab your bikes. Cross season is coming.

Bike DC Photo Journal 2011

At registration

I took a day off from training and racing to do Bike DC with some friends and 3996 other people.

Bike DC is a causal ride through DC and Arlington on closed roads. The ride traversed several roads normally closed to bicycles including the E St expressway, 66, and the GW Parkway.

The weather cooperated with the event; it was warm and sunny. However, it increased the crowds a bit (not crowded). I also witnessed my first traffic jam caused by bicycles as the riders were funneled onto the GW Parkway.

I’ve written an adaptation of the 12 days of Christmas to describe what I saw throughout the ride:

• 12 Beach Cruisers
• 11 Folding bikes
• 10 Recumbents
• 9 Tandems
• 8 Aero-bars
• 7 Fanny packs
• 6 Helmet-less
• 5 PINK TOWNIES
• 4 Fixed gears
• 3 Cargo Bikes
• 2 Unicycles
• A dude on an Elliptigo

It doesn’t really fit in the song, but it’s notable. There were 0 cars and 0 rollerbladers. I had to make a serious mental adjustment to ride home with traffic.

Stray Observations:

It’s shocking how big the roads are without cars on them.

Crossing the Potomac on the 66 Bridge

My favorite crew from last year was there: TEAM USA!

TEAM USA!

Also, big thanks to the volunteers, WABA, Bike Arlington, goDCgo, NPS, and everyone else who helped make the ride possible.

Bike to Work Day 2011

I have the pleasure of biking to work most days. However, for many people bike to work day is the the first time they’ve ridden to work. For many of those people, bike to work day helps make cycle commuting a lasting habit.

Welcome new bike commuters.

Today was a great day to ride. I rode the whole 15 St cycle track, turned onto the Penn Ave bike lanes, and hit up the Freedom Plaza pit stop. It doesn’t get better than that.  See you out there again sometime.

Also, since it was such a nice day, I snapped some pictures. All of my pictures are on Picasa.

Rocking the 2011 BTWD Shirt in the Penn Ave Bike lane

Swag at the WABA tent

All smiles

Ride Your Bicycle to Nationals Stadium

Let's Go Nats

As of today, Spring is officially here. Not because the weatherman said so or that it’s actually going to stay warm out. Today is Opening Day.

Nationals’ games are a good way to spend an evening outside chatting and reminiscing about how the time you caught a foul ball. However, getting to and from the stadium can be a hassle.

Parking is expensive and the traffic can be bumper to bumper. The metro can be packed like a can of sardines.

Why not bike?

In fact, the Nationals make biking an easy option. In addition to the 250 bicycle racks near the stadium the Washington Nationals also have a free bike valet.

For the convenience of our bicycling fans, Nationals Park offers a FREE bike valet located in Red Garage C at the corner of N & 1st Street, SE. Access to the valet is on N Street just left of the entrance.

The valet will be accepting bikes two hours before game time and will close 1 hour after the last inning.

The tricky part of a route for most people will be crossing the Mall and the Southwest Freeway. I’d recommend 7th St to M St SW or 3rd St to Independence to New Jersey Ave SE.

If you need a route suggestion, let me know in the comments.

To Turn Left You Steer Right?

Yes. To turn your bike left, you steer right first. It’s a slight movement, but that quick turn in the opposite direction leans your body into the turn.

Counter steering is one of my favorite things about bicycles. This video uses motorcycles and bikes to explain the concept.

For a more in-depth explanation, read Bicycle Physics.

Mt Pleasant Bike Swap Photos

This weekend I learned you can only sell bicycle stuff while wearing a cycling cap.

And you have to purchase gear while rep-ing you team.

And this kid is a champion.

Found on Craigslist: Mt. Pleasant Bike Swap

It got cold again. I’m going to have to drag out some winter gear again. Also going on this weekend is the Mt. Pleasant bike swap on Saturday March 26 from 12 – 2 PM in Lamont Plaza.

From the listing on Craigslist:

DC Bike Swap 2011
Saturday March 26th, Noon till 2pm.
We will be setting up in Lamont Plaza in Mount Pleasant DC. (Mount Pleasant Street and Lamont Street across from Heller’s bakery)

There are no costs or overhead.

There will be mechanics and others to assist your shopping. Feel free to bring bikes, tools, parts, accessories, bike art, food, books, movies, BIKE ART,etc.

(Tables and blankets are great for display).

Tell your friends, come get brunch, volunteer for the Farmers Market Bike Clinic Coops (Bloomingdale, Glover Park, 14th and U, Mount Pleasant), The Bike House, DDOT’s Bike Ambassador or any other DC bike programs. Learn about Cabi, DC’s bikeshare (Biggest in the nation). Learn about local bike shops, great rides, etc.

Potholepalooza 2011 is On and DC Needs Your HELP!

During the winter, snow falls, snow melts, the water runs into the street and falls into the cracks of the asphalt, and then the water freezes at night. Combine this with plows pounding the streets, and you get potholes everywhere.

Potholes are a safety hazard for cyclists. They cause us to have to suddenly move side to side into traffic or other hazards. Potholes send vibrations through our spines. Potholes pop our tubes even when we’re late for work.

But now you can do something about it. Now through April 21^st is the DC government’s Potholepoolza. If you see a pothole, you can stop, take a picture of it, send the picture and location to DDOT, and they will try to fill the pothole in 48 hours. No joke. This is called getting stuff done.

There are four ways to report potholes:

• Online at http://311.dc.gov
• Call 311
• Email: potholepalooza@dc.gov
• Tweet @DDOTDC on Twitter

Instead of cursing as you ride by potholes, you can stop, click, and email.

Mini-potholepoolza contest: I’m going see how many potholes I can report. I can think of at least 7 off the top of my head. Can you beat me?

Sign of the Times: You’re Doing it Wrong

"You're doing it wrong!" says the sign near the Capital Riverfront

I wonder if this sign actually encourages people to ride with traffic on 1 st SE.

Authority figures can have a profound affect on people’s behavior. Stanley Milgram’s Obedience to Authority experiment measured people’s willingness to obey an authority figure. An authority figure (a guy in white lab coat) would tell them to shock people or perform other acts that conflicted with their conscience. Despite their personal reservations, the subjects carried out what the lab coat just told them to do.

This experiment has been repeated many times over. However, cyclists defy the results everyday.

• If you put up a sign that says “don’t bike here”, the cyclists scoffs and says “watch me.”
• If you put up a gate that says “Stop”, the cyclist scoffs and rides up on the curb, nearly hitting a pedestrian, and goes around the gate.
• If you put up a fence that says “No bikes”, cyclists portage over the fence with panniers et al. in tow.
• If you put up an electric fence, cyclists dig a hole and ride under the fence.

As long as it saves them 30 seconds, they’re going to do it.

In general, I don’t know what inspires people to salomon down the street, but they’re going to do it whether you put up this sign or not. If you’re not afraid of facing a 3000 lbs car head on but you follow the guidance of small sign off the side of the road, I’m not sure what’s going on inside your head.

If you don’t want people riding against traffic, maybe both sides of the street should have a bike lane.