commuterDude: Cold rain in town

November 10, 2008

Cold rain in town

It's my "favorite" weather for commuting and riding in general. After acclimating pretty quickly late last month, this seems almost to oeasy -- until it rains. Thick, fat, everything-is-flipping-COLD, rain. It wasn't so bad this morning, except for the east headwind in the morning, and I'm out of coffee at the house. I tell ya, that makes all the difference: a hot cup at easy reach, it speeds away the chills and brings a warm smile to my midsection as it trickles down into my gut - and then, seemingly, into my legs. Lately, I haven't had that comfort. Man, that stinks: I gotta get to the store, stat.

Tomorrow, it will be tougher as I'll be starting out into the cold rain, which will proably stick around until afternoon at least. It's wool time!

Permanent this weekend, and I'm pleased to see the forecast shaping up a little. After these first three days riding to work, this weekend will be cake. Partly sunny skies! Upper 40's! Dry! I'm trying to ignore the NW headwind that I'll likely be facing on the return ... my only goal for this November edition is to finish the 217 kilometers. No rush, enjoy the float down to Pleasanton - push back.

I'm ready... probably more ready than I was in June, oddly.

The cross training is helping, and while the scale doesn't agree QUITE yet, I'm feeling the differences from pushing it more at the fitness center lately. No more complacency! I feel results!

More to come... Let's see how this rainy winter preview ride tomorrow goes...

((Good thoughts Noah's way, by the way, officially))

1 comment:

Noah said...: Thanks, buddy. You know, whenever I start a fat-burning phase, I seem to put on a few pounds. I stopped caring about weight. How GOOD you feel is really the superior metric.; November 11, 2008 8:34 AM

What is bicycle commuting?

Simply put, bicycle commuting is the act of travelling to a place of work or education by bicycle. In many areas it is common to combine bicycle commuting with public transport. Worldwide, the bicycle remains the most common commuter vehicle, and bicycle riding the second most common form of commuting, second only to walking. While the absolute number of bicycles in existence globally is unknown, it is clear that significantly more bicycles are manufactured than automobiles. In the United States about 40% of automobile trips are two miles or less; using a bicycle for these short trips can reduce your emissions and expenses. If you live within ten miles of work, you could save thousands of dollars in fuel, insurance and automotive maintenance costs each year. This webpage seeks to highlight bicycling as a viable transportation platform and a fun, exciting, healthful way to improve your life! Visit the commuting links below and get started today!

What is Randonneuring?

The French term "randonnée" loosely translates as a long tour or ramble along a defined route, and persons embarking as such are dubbed "randonneurs". In cycling, the term defines a hard-riding enthusiast attempting a long-distance randonnée (called a "brevet", usually 200 kilometers or greater) within a certain time allotment. Non-competitive by design, randonneuring encourages camaraderie: riders test themselves against the clock, the weather, and a challenging route - but not each other. Randonneuring's ethos embodies self-sufficiency and mental toughness; support vehicles are not allowed and brevets are held regardless of weather. Randonneurs USA (RUSA) organizes brevets in the United States under the auspices of the Audax Club Parisien (ACP) and the Randonneurs Mondiaux (RM), and rider's results are recognized world-wide. This website seeks to highlight the excitement and challenge of long-distance bicycle riding by sharing personal ride accounts, with the hope of growing the sport. If this type of bicycle riding interests you and you'd like to find out more, visit the RUSA webpage to find rides in your area!

For ride announcements and discussions on randonneuring in the greater Kansas City area, visit KC Ultra Cycling, and join the KC Ultra-Cycling Email List:

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Courtesy Randonneurs USA

What is Ultra-Marathon Cycling?

Just as the 26.2-mile marathon represents a benchmark for runners, bicyclists generally consider the "century", riding 100-miles, a worthy endurance challenge. Ultra-marathon cycling involves exceeding that benchmark, often several times over, offering the long-distance challenge of randonnuering with a more competitive flavor. This is the world of 24-hour races, double-centuries, and beyond. Where randonneuring rewards all finishers equally and emphasizes self-sufficiency, ultra-racers compete for time and placing, maximizing speed by utilizing support crews for hand-ups and fast repairs. Event courses can be long and scenic, but may take the form of many laps of a looped course. Winning ultra-distance events requires the rare combination of endurance and a high average speed. Randonneuring and Ultra-Marathon often complement one another: brevets can offer base-training to prepare for racing, and fast randonneurs often enter ultra events for a new challenge. Visit the World Ultra Cycling Association's website for more information.

Courtesy World Ultra Cycling Association

November 10, 2008

Cold rain in town

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