Ground Zero, Swine Flu

Please practice common sense personal hygiene.

AND DON'T LICK A PIG!

Bike Commute Wonderings of My Mind

I set off on my 15 mile bike commute to work this morning and it was 42 degrees, sunny and WINDY! Gusting up to 30 mph.
The extra 12-15 pound pack on my back did not help. No Aerodynamics. I could not get above 16 mph.
So that left me with a cool one hour commute. It was nice. I saw only 2 other bikers on the commuter trail and 4 runners. Now that's what I call "No traffic jams."



Since I was only pumping along at a moderate pace, my mind began to contemplate words and phrases. I don't know why. Some things that just don't make sense and thus...bug me.

Birth Control Pill. The 'pill' doesn't control birth, it controls menstruation and hormones. Right?

Boneless ribs. No such thing.

Seriously funny. Which is it? Serious or funny.

At the end of the day. It's the end of the day, duh.

Racist and Racism. These words have been overused and thrown around so much they no longer have meaning.

Somali gangs are shooting each other 3 miles form my house. How long do I have before they're in my neighborhood? Can I shoot back?

Embrace diversity. Please explain. Is this a command? A suggestion? Can I decide what I'll embrace?

A car turned into my designated bike lane, near the University, and stopped. I locked up, skidded, and stopped 3 inches from the back bumper. Lots of witnesses heard me curse loudly. Apparently the driver thought the bike lane was also a turning/stopping lane.

I'd like to nicely ask with sugar on top...please take your ear buds out and "embrace" your environment. Maybe even talk to the person near you. I feel like I get the cold shoulder more often. I'm saddened by the growing number of people at the fitness center (YMCA) who have blocked out their surroundings (me) with ear buds. No problem with rocking out on the dread mill or other stationary cardio equipment. Sometimes that's just a necessary survival tool, but I miss interacting and making eye contact with people in the weight room/fitness center. Even a simple acknowledgment to them with a nod, a hello, or a smile has waned away. Too many of them, some are long time friends, are now drones. Always looking down. Focused only on themselves, their shoes, the floor. Gazing down as if having had a lobotomy.
"Excuse me, are you using this?" Long pause. "Are you done here?"...
"Can I work in with you?"...
"You have something gooey stuck on your back."
(tapping on their shoulder) "Excuse me, are you done with this?"
PLUCK (sound of ear bud being removed) "What?"
"Are you done with this?"
"Oh...uh...yeah. Go ahead."
"Thanks. Would you mind..." PLUG (sound of ear bud being re-inserted)
"Would you mind spotting me on this bench press?"
PLUCK. "What?"
"Could you spot me on this bench press?"
"Uh...sure."
"Thanks. I think I can do..." PLUG.
"Never mind. I hope I don't drop this on my neck."
PLUCK. "What?"
"Thanks."
PLUG
She was probably a very nice and talkative woman anywhere else but I'll never know.
Maybe I'm overly social but pointless chit chat and chatter I used to have with people before ear buds was good for me.
Maybe I should learn sign language.

Joke Friday

The Pedestrian and the Cyclist

A pedestrian stepped off the curb and into the road without looking one day and promptly gets knocked flat by a passing cyclist.

"You were really lucky there," said the cyclist.

"What on earth are you talking about! That really hurt!" said the pedestrian, still on the pavement, rubbing his head.

"Well, usually I drive a bus!" the cyclist replied.



be careful out there and wear your helmet.

I just had to mention this

Granada, Spain 2010.

I sent in my deposit for Strong Like Bull training camp in Spain, Feb. 2010.

Why?

I need this. Something to look forward to and train/rehab for. I need some light.
I don't have plans to race this season because of my knee-hab.
My knee is coming along pretty well with weight training, spinning, and swimming but it's slow going. No running but lots of walking = boring. I really want to run and staving off that craving is a real mental battle. I'm forcing my mental discipline to new levels in that regard. It's tough. "Make your weakness your strength."

Even my dog is getting a little antsy to run more. I've been taking her to the dog park so she can run and chase with other dogs while I walk around watching from a distance. Envious. She is so beautiful when she runs her heart out. Her Border Collie instincts take over and she starts to heard all the other dogs by circling them and nipping at their heels. Man, I wish I could run like that.
In due time.

Catching some Z's

There are no awards for being sleep deprived.
Bragging about how little sleep I've had makes me sound stupid...cause it's just dumb to not get enough sleep. "oh, look at me, I got 6 hours of sleep and my energy levels are down so I'm a zombie at work and walking dead during my workouts." Yay for the dumbass (me).

I'm a slave to proper sleep. I need 8 hours minimum. I prefer 8.5 to 9 so I sometimes get a little selfish when it comes to MY time.
It's easy for me to go to bed early because TV shows have gotten very dumbed-down and the evening news is mostly bad..."more layoffs, the economy is still flagging, and the weather is..."

Lately, I've not been setting my alarm clock to see how long I'd sleep naturally. Most nights it's 8 hours and some have been 9 hours. I feel better all day.

Sleep for Optimal Recovery
By Jason Gootman, USAT Certified Coach

Sleep is a critical aspect of health and one of the most important aspect of recovery from your workouts. Aim for as much sleep as you can get. Six hours is the minimum effective amount of sleep for an endurance athlete in heavy training. Eight to nine hours is ideal for most athletes.



Are you getting enough?