Ghetto Marketing for a Good Cause

So most of you know that I haven't owned a car in almost 3 years now, and am now a bona fide cycling activist. A couple of months ago, my friend Tim challenged me to create a business that was related to this passion but also made a difference in a tangible way.

After much thought and a lot of research I had some t-shirts made up with a fat polar bear riding a bike that say's Burn Fat not Ice Caps. I then decided to give 10% of all sales to an organization called Bikes to Rwanda, which as the name implies, gives Rwandans bikes.My first approach was to wholesale them off to local bike shops. However, the recession has hit them particularly hard and it couldn't be worked out. They were however very enthusiastic about the idea, and wanted me to succeed, so they told me to try to get into the 3 State 3 Mountain Expo.

Through my friend Phil, the Outdoor Chattanooga Aficionado, I got hooked up, and actually got a booth there. My wife was a tremendous help throughout the whole process and even designed a poster for me.

The expo was quite the adventure. I still had to work Friday, so my dad maned the booth and when I got there around 5:00, much to my dismay he didn't have any sales. However, over the next couple of hours I was entertained to the fullest, with the vast majority of people very excited about the idea of advocating cycling as transportation and helping out a good cause. Let me back up a bit. I described the people as entertaining because when people heard about the project I got responses from: That t-shirt is "FU*#@&G AWESOME! I have to have one" to "What is an ice cap?"

Anyway, I sold some t-shirts for a great cause and hopefully in a couple of weeks I'll be blogging about the fat check I just sent to help out Rwandans. The biggest drawback I had was that people just don't carry cash around anymore. To which, yours truly is definitely guilty of. Therefore, I created a paypal link for anyone wanting a t-shirt.

My current inventory is 3 large blue and 2 large green american apparel shirts:2 medium and 1 small light blue women's rugged hype shirt and 3 medium and 3 large mens rugged hype shirts with worn in look on edges.So that is why this post is labeled ghetto marketing. Because to me you can't get anymore ghetto than posting a paypal button on your blog. But, it's for a good cause and I'll swallow a humility pill and hit "publish post"

Bike 2 Work

Don’t Forget…

This Friday BIKE2WORK 2008

Bike2Work is the First Friday of each month.

Ride Your Bike & Join Us for Free Breakfast at our location on the

Walnut Street Square - South End of the Walnut Street Bridge.

7:00-8:30 am!

Another Tuesday

I had a good workout yesterday, swimming a mile and then hoping on the bike. My friend Bill wasn't in the parking lot when I got there so I took off with the fast group (or so I thought). After a couple of miles I figured out that wasn't "the fast group" that I had heard so much about and saw a rider several miles away. I broke away to chase him. And in classic Jimmy fashion - got lost. I turned around and was then wondering around for at least a mile trying to find the right road. The great thing about being lost here, is the fact that the area is absolutely gorgeous. So I was sipping on my custom cocktail of over-concentrated Gatorade, when all of a sudden I heard some screaming coming from behind me. The type of screaming that wasn't some high school girls yelling for fun, but from a bunch of guy's that were about to seemingly run over me. It seems the notorious "fast group" skipped the first loop and passed me going around 30 mph - up a hill! I didn't stand a chance, and it was too late for me to move to the side, so I just tucked in and prayed that I didn't get run over. Within a couple of miles I tried to chase them, to no avail. However, another group passed me, and I stayed with them for awhile. Then a guy bumped into me going into a curve. I'm not going to lie - I was TICKED - I chased after him, and then the guy quits! Are you serious? You have the gut's to try to knock me off my bike while we are racing and then you quit when we get into a dead-on sprint? I looked over at him, and he looked like he was about to call an ambulance to come pick him up. He had clearly just sprinted out of the gate with no endurance backbone (or manners). Anyway, from then on it was back and forth, from then on. Much to my chagrin, I still did not get the chance to climb Mowbry Mountain as I wasn't riding with a group and I was worried about sunlight. O well, I got some good riding in and was able to make it back in-time to go to Wallie World with my little girl and wife. It should be noted that I probably looked a little out of place, even in Wal-Mart, since my lips were turning blue and I was shivering due to the fact that I was still wet from swimming/cycling and I was drinking blue Gatorade.

Some Good News and Some Bad News

This weekend was packed with events. As usual, my training was seriously interrupted by a seriously erroneous weather report that called for a 90% chance of rain on Saturday and bright and sunny on Sunday. This is what I read on Friday night. Of course the opposite happened, as it was fairly nice weather on Saturday and thunderstorms on Sunday.

Nevertheless, the weather didn't stop my friends from kicking some tail out there as my friends Bill, Brian and Michael ran the Country Music 1/2 Marathon and Kevin completed the Scenic City Triathlon. Although I was in Nashville on Saturday, I didn't brave the 50,000+ fans and runners to enjoy the race. On a personal note, I'm glad all of my friends did the 1/2 marathon as the full marathon was not every enjoyable for me and lacks the support that the 1/2 marathon does.

I did wake up early and watch my friend Kevin compete in the Scenic City Triathlon. It was cold and wet, but it seemed everybody had a good time as there was a short swim, a slippery bike course and a rolling, but fast run set-up. Congrats again.

On a more morbid note, my prayers and thoughts go out to the friends and family of Dave Martin, the triathlete in San Diego that was recently killed by a shark.

Is it time to consider vegetarianism?

This is a great post from the Clif Blog site that I thought I would copy here. I was actually a vegetarian in high school for 2 years. It's actually a long story as to why I made the switch, but I will tell you that I ran my fastest times and felt the best nutrition wise, while I was a vegetarian. Unfortunately, living in the South, it is very inconvenient, however like most things, I think it's worth it.

It's actually interesting that I read this now. Two days ago at an Earth Day Festival I met a great guy that is highly involved in the Slow Food Movement. And starting June 1, there will be a challenge in Chattanooga to only eat local foods. The challenge is a part of Rock Point's book club and partly based on Barbara Kingsolver's newest book: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life. Most of you will probably know her as the author of the Poisonwood Bible.

It should be noted however that all vegetables and foods derived from vegetables are great. If you don't believe me, watch this movie!

===================================================================

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote on the FDA's assessment of cloning and the beef recall. Well, it got some folks talking (just read the comments). So, to follow up, I thought there might be some interest in checking out what the USDA and the FDA are up to since...

Just to clarify, the FDA regulates food labeling of prepared foods i.e. breads, cereals, canned and frozen foods, snacks, desserts, drinks. Frankly, their position on cloning, doesn’t interest me as much as the position the USDA might take on cloning. Ranching and meat regulation is, after all, the area of the USDA.

You can comment on the FDA's actions regarding food labeling on their website. The best time to get involved is during their open public comment period. They make sure to address every comment—an added bonus!

The USDA oversees agriculture and food policy, and food safety as related to farming and ranching. To me, the USDA is the more appropriate agency to evaluate and provide regulatory guidelines for something like cloning. The fact that they don't agree with the FDA's position says a lot.

Keep tabs on the USDA, and all that they're up to on their website.

Both of these websites are behemoths and if you dig you will find lots of intriguing and informative facts. You may learn more than you ever wanted to know, but you will be an informed consumer, which is what we need more of to advocate for our food supply!

Killer Training Ride

Like most people, my schedule has just exploded. I feel like spring just got here, yet summer is about to be over. Anyway, I wanted to do 3-state, 3-mountain, but other than doing a fairly long ride last weekend, I didn't think I had prepared enough. Additionally, my schedule is already full until 3-state. But yesterday, after-work I fixed the problem, with by climbing Lookout Mountain - TWICE!

The second time was definitely the heart-pumper I needed. I even made it back in-time for bible study.

So today, I signed-up, and god-willing, I WILL FINISH one of the hardest centuries out there.

I hope everyone out there is enjoying the nice weather we are having in Chattanooga.

Have a great weekend!

Follow Up to Saturday's Ride

Thank you to Rich Smith Photography for the great pictures! Go to his site to see other photos from the day.

Running with the Kid

Endurance Planet has a great podcast of Michael Wardian.

Although I'm not as competitive as him, I resonated with him talking about how when you get married everybody tells you you will stop running and enjoying your hobbies, then when you have kids everyone says the same thing. I think I have gotten in better shape since I got married and had a kid.

I'm looking forward to buying a chariot once our tax-refund comes in!

Innovate or Die Winner

The Aquaduct won this year’s Specialized/Google Innovate or Die contest’s grand prize. A five-person design team from Menlo Park, California designed this pedal-powered water filtration device to improve (and save) lives in developing countries. Watch the video or read more at www.treehugger.com.

Those of you that know me, know that I am particularly happy with the fact that this innovation is related to water and will help end the needless deaths that occur ever year because of polluted drinking water.

101year-old smoking marathon runner

This is awesome 101 year old marathon runner that doesn't drink water, opting for beer and cigarettes instead!

Sequatchie County Run/Ride

I had some pretty fun training on Saturday, albeit, cold and windy training it was. I started out at 8:00 an ran 6 miles into downtown to pick-up my bike. I then proceeded up Signal Mountain and then down through the Sequatchie Valley. I was pretty happy with my run time and climbing up the mountain, but I was disappointed once I got on top of the mountain due to the significant (30-40 mph) headwind. In any sense, it was a gorgeous ride. I plan on doing a hard day tomorrow.

Focus of a Tiger

I'm not a big Tiger Woods fan as I only play golf a couple of times a year. However, I think this is a great interview with Scott Van Pelt for the ESPN Sports Center.

SVP: “So there’s no point when you can sort of put the feet up on a Tuesday afternoon and say ‘Today I’m not going to the gym’.?

Tiger: “No. Because the next…that’s…I look at life as: the greatest thing about tomorrow is that I will be better than I am today. And that’s the way I’ve always lived my life. So I have no understanding why people do hit the snooze button because you have a chance to become a better person, become - for me - a better athlete…all the different things you can do to become better for tomorrow. Why wouldn’t you take advantage of that?”

You can check out the full interview on the video below:

Thanks for the link Adam

Bad Week / Good Week

Last week wasn't the best of weeks. I won't get into the details, but it wasn't that great. I was determined to make this a good week and so far, so good. On Sunday, my wife and daughter did their first 5K. I was the proud supporter on the sideline as well as a VERY CRITICAL VOLUNTEER.

I was the back-up timer for the back-up timer. Everybody kept asking me: "why don't you run in it" to which I would reply - "but then who would be the back-up timer for the back-up timer?"

Monday, I had a great ride up the mountain which was preceded my a great mile swim, then another ride, then a full 2 hours of lawn mowing and yard work - condo fee's don't seem that high after I think about it.

Tuesday, I met with a friend who has done several Ironman's. It was extremely helpful - not one of those let me share my painful stories with you meetings but a meeting that I think will really help me come race day. I had another great swim with my friend I affectionately call Irish (who can swim faster with 1 arm than I can with 2) who gave me a couple of quick pointers, which helped my time and efficiency tremendously and then I was off to the Tuesday night ride. I'm either late or early and after multiple failed attempts I hadn't found a good group to ride with, but last night was a different story. I found my group and had a blast! I did interval work all through the beautiful rolling hills in the Tennessee Valley. In all, I biked over 40 miles yesterday after swimming my measly mile.

Then a great friend of mine who I rode with introduced me to the best Japanese food that has ever touched my tongue. Much to the chagrin of my friends, I shunned the white sauce, but nevertheless, it was awesome!

Hope everyone has a great hump day!

Interesting Photography

National Geographic Best Photo Awards Nature

From: spiderweb99, 2 weeks ago

| View | Upload your own

Award Winning Photos From National Geographic


SlideShare Link

Olympic Torch Extinguished

CNN.com is reporting today that the Olympic Torch has been extinguished during the Paris leg of it's around-the-world relay, as protestors lined the streets to demonstrate against the Chinese Government's recent actions in Tibet.

According to the story, the Torch was extinguished and relit three times before along the route. The first time protestors near the River Seine forced Olympic officials to put out the flame, and then board a bus. Later, an athlete in a wheelchair was forced to douse the flame when demonstrators shouted at her along the route. The third and final incident came when officials saw the flame approaching a bridge where protestors were waiting for it's arrival.

Back-up flames accompany the Torch on it's ritual relay, and the word is that the relay has once again resumed and was back on schedule. Todays demonstrations follow an equally challenging leg through London yesterday. The article notes that it is difficult to know for sure how many protestors were along the route, but their numbers were in the thousands. Some of those are believed to be Chinese supporters of the Olympics however.

While I don't believe in violence for change, I am glad that there will now be more news on the oppression of Tibet. Hopefully, the country will truly be a free country in my lifetime.

Fast Ridin' in Happy Valley

Yesterday I went on my first lunch time ride. I was a bit resentful, due to the fact that I have to change 4 times at work, if I want to workout during my lunch hour. But the weather was GREAT, and I know the only way I'll get faster on my bike is if I start riding with a group.

I had an awesome time. I went out with some pretty fast guys and they showed me a new route, with rolling hills at the foot of Lookout Mountain, GA and through Happy Valley (yea, weird name, huh?). The good thing about these guy's is they are older and wanted to make good use of a measly one hour lunch break, so there wasn't really any talking, we were riding pretty fast.

We covered 21 miles and it took right at an hour, which is a great pace for me, especially considering the rolling hills and traffic. Climbing Lookout Mountain has helped me considerably, just as running up Signal Mountain has helped me with my running. I once had a professor who claimed he qualified for the Boston Marathon by strictly running hills. I definitely think there is something to it.

Popov Swim Technique

So far this is the best swim technique video out there. If anyone has any other suggestions leave a comment or email me.

Exhausting

I was looking up some free swim technique videos on YouTube and found this. I love the end!

Rock Creek River Gorge Trail Run 2008

Trippin' on Acid...

Lactic Acid that is! What were you thinking?

I had my first organized trail run this weekend and it was the epitome of everything an organized trail run should be. Everything I worried about didn't happen, and everything I didn't think about happened.

Let's first start off with the fact that there was a draconian downpour of rain, all through the night. Clearly God thought we were all going to be thirsty during this race.

I had a great position at the start, right in the upper quartile of runners. After the gun went off, I was quickly passed by a good third of the field as they all sprinted up a hill. Then came my favorite part, we all stopped for several minutes, as this was a single-track trail run, so everybody had to wait in-line. Everybody who just passed me was now out of breath, gasping for air, and I wasn't even warmed up, much less out of air. I got in with a good group. Some older gents, who I could tell had a solid pace and this wasn't their first trail run. Surprisingly enough we all finished within a couple of minutes of each other, which is extremely surprising. Slow and steady may not win the race, but it helps finish it in a fairly respectable time.

The first 3 miles flew by. Under normal conditions, you have views of the river on your left, but under these conditions, you were doing good to see 20 ft in-front of yourself. Seeing the 6-milers split off, I secretly wanted to join them, knowing they had a long, steep hill and then a speedy downhill to the finish.

But like a moth to a flame, I was attracted to the coming pain. The next couple of miles had practiced several times, so it wasn't bad at all. Then came the next check point which read "5.5 miles completed 4.5 miles to go" Of course, if you aren't a runner this doesn't sound like a big deal, but trust me, after running up and down "hills" and through at least 20 creeks, I thought the checkpoint was supposed to mark the 5 or 6 mile mark -arrggghhhh. Then came this torturous hill, that I even saw some elite runners walking. This is when I started to feel my left foot pulsate like it had developed it's own heart. I knew at this point the blister I developed around mile 3 was now quickly filling up with vampire juice, or blood, whatever you choose to call it.
After this arduous hill, it was an easy couple of miles. But then came the crucible. The "rock garden" This was the make or break point of the race - no pun intended. I failed miserably or I passed with flying colors, depending on your views of life in general. What the heck does this mean?

Well, the rock garden is "impossible" to run through. At-best you will hop through it. But it is only to be hoped through by the first handful of elite runners in the race. Anyways, I was passed by A LOT of people - so I failed in this sense (one small detail worth noting, EVERY single person that passed me fell - or seriously slipped). I passed with flying colors in the sense that I didn't break my ankle and I had an awesome time, finishing it up with my friends.
On a final note, I was originally going to ride my bike up there, but considering the thunderstorm, I backed down thinking it wouldn't be that good of an idea, and rode up there with my buddy Jon who is the founder and CEO of iMultisport, which provides insurance to people the insurance companies don't like (e.g. you sky-dive, you swim with Barracuda in the Caribbean, one of your life's biggest dreams is to run with the bulls, even though you used to ride bulls - ok enough about me). Anyway's I think it's a grand idea and Jon's a nice guy if you have any insurance questions.

Have a great week!

Lookout Mountain Cycling

On Thursday (yea I know I'm behind) I had a great ride up Lookout Mountain. I took the "European route" which is up Ochs Highway, then took the extension over to Rock City and down the mountain. The reason it is called the European route, is during the extension ride you pass several waterfalls on top of the mountain that gives it a little European flare. It's my favorite loop after work. After this I sprint up a couple of "hill" in North Chattanooga and I'm home free to start running with my dog.

I was a bit disappointed at how the video below turned out, as it didn't even come close to capturing the views up there, but hopefully you get the idea. And I think it's ok considering it's my first video.

Endurance Events and the Outdoors

Last night was an adventure in it-self. For details, you can check out my wife's blog.

We met a great couple and hit it off big time. The guy's main forte was mountain biking but he liked everything from climbing, to hiking, cycling, you get the idea. Oh yea, not an unimportant point - he's climbed Mt. Rainer, didn't summit, but he was there and climbed it!

It struck me as in conventional sports, most guy's only like one sport such as baseball, but dislike another one (or all the rest) like football. But all of the triathletes I have met and other endurance athletes I have met seem to just love the outdoors. This love transpires into many different activities and forms a common bond between friends.

On a different note, here is a pretty inspirational story:

In 2004 he made history, now Ben Saunders, the youngest polar explorer ever to conquer the North Pole is heading back again, this time to break the speed record set back in 1909 with dogs. The difference, however, is Ben is on foot and without a crew! What an unbelievably inspiring endeavor...


Ben Saunders from Ben Saunders on Vimeo.

And on another different note:

Interesting article in the NY Times on a runner's high

Swimming

First, let me state the obvious: Swimming is really inconvenient. Running is easy to pick up, cycling is just too fun not to do and worth the hassle and gear, but swimming is just really inconvenient. I was going to get up early and be at the pool by 6:30 A.M. , strangely enough my wife woke up and told me it was really cold outside and just swim in the afternoon. As you all know, at 5:45 A.M. I was looking for any excuse possible, and that one seemed perfect. At 7:00 when I stepped outside, I saw and felt exactly what she meant. There was frost outside! It would have been a very cold morning.

So I swam in the afternoon and met a guy who was training for the Sand Diego Half Ironman. I told him that I swam out there under forced conditions once (Marine Corps Boot Camp) and the water was pretty cold. He said he was more worried about the 9 ft. swells! I guess I won't have to worry about that in the river.

Anyway, I swam for 30 minutes straight and felt good about it. I then did a sprint home in the hardest gears I could find. Today, I plan on enjoying the mountain on the bike and then running with my dog.

Running into Work in Perspective

The below story is from Dan Miller, author of the book 48 days (see sidebar). I thought the story was too good not to pass along. It was particularly interesting to me since everyone thinks I have it so hard running 6 miles into work (when I run).

Lornah Kiplagat learned to run because she did not want to be late for school. Each morning, this little Kenyan girl would help her father milk the family cows as soon as there was enough light from the rising sun. Then she would run the 14 miles from her home to school – where she was an eager student, knowing education was her best option for a better future. At the time she did not realize that her running was laying the foundation for her world-class status as a long-distance runner. She ran because she was poor – but in the process she developed the discipline and stamina to rise above all competition in running. Could it be that there is an opportunity in something you consider a hardship right now? Most inventions, great books, and leadership skills emerge from those tough times in our lives when we needed a solution or the fortitude to just survive. As I look back on my own early farming days – yes, those days of just looking forward to leaving the farm – I now realize the value of having significant carpentry, plumbing, electrical and mechanical skills. Those insights have saved me thousands of dollars over the years and also opened my eyes to innovative solutions in business. My writing draws from the challenges I’ve faced myself in career and business. Is the “running” in your own life just a means to an end or is it teaching you and preparing you for something great? Maybe that long commute is giving you time to learn a new language or better parenting skills. Maybe the broken machinery at work is providing you the opportunity for the next great invention. Perhaps your constant struggle with fatigue is positioning you to discover a nutritional breakthrough. Lornah, that little Kenyan girl is now 33 years old. She holds four world records. She has also established an academic foundation for other little girls in Kenya. They are trained in athletics but also in academics and personal development. Lornah is committed to putting an end to the enduring tradition of female subservience in Kenya and recognizes that her running has given her the opportunity to be that force for change.

A great weekend

I had a great run on Saturday. I think I ran about half of the trail and then another couple of miles. It was definitely dreadful climbing some of the hills, as my heart was screaming, but considering I was running with some very experienced trail runners, and I hung in-there, (and I biked to the meet-up point, and back) I was proud of myself.

After I got home I got to hang with my daughter while my wife went cycling with her family, so it was a great Saturday. This week, I hope to really step-it up training wise so we will see how that goes. I hope everyone had a Happy Easter...

Getting Away...Sort of..

One of the best things about working out is freeing your mind from the clutter. BUT, sometimes it is nice to be available for emergencies.

I predict in the next couple of years technology will continue to have a major effect on endurance sports.

I found this from Springwise which is a weblog of innovative products.

Back in 2006 we wrote about the Nike+iPod Sport Kit as an example of the growing number of branded brands—smart partnerships between brands —and now adidas and Samsung have launched an offering along similar lines.

miCoach, which was unveiled just last week, is an adidas-branded Samsung music cell phone equipped with stride sensor and heart rate monitor to provide on-the-go personal training. With one click, users can connect to the fitness features and begin a workout. On their first use, the system assesses their fitness level and places them in one of three categories. Users can then set their own goals, or let the system's personal coach—backed by more than 200 workout plans—guide them. Either way, miCoach provides instruction to encourage and motivate users along the way, such as advising runners to “speed up to power zone” or telling them that “15 minutes is completed.” Tapping the slider phone twice produces instant updates on the workout, and the 2-inch LCD shows a real-time visual display of time, heart rate, distance, speed and calories burned. Users can arrange workout music on the phone according to tempo or motivational value, while a 2-megapixel camera and 1GB memory capacity let them capture their workout milestones. The miCoach also features USB and Bluetooth connectivity for fast file transfers and seamless sync with the miCoach web portal.

The miCoach phone will be available in Europe starting in mid-March, with delivery in the US next year. European pricing will start at about EUR 195, according to the Associated Press. For more on branded brands, check out our sister site trendwatching.com's briefing on the topic. In the meantime, keep your eyes open for more of them!

Website: www.micoach.com
Contact: wos.info@adidas.com

Spotted by: Bjarke Svendsen

Sprint Triathlon Completed

First a little history is needed on how I got into triathlons. I was training for a marathon when a friend of mine invited me and my lovely wife down to Hilton Head for a long weekend. He said he was going to do a triathlon. I thought this would be good cross training for my marathon and an ever better reason to go to Hilton Head, South Carolina. So long story, short I had so much fun training for the triathlon I completely stopped training for my marathon (VERY BAD IDEA!).

Once or twice a week my friend and I would do a sprint triathlon after work. It was a blast. He's a great swimmer, we are both strong on the bike, and we are both strong runners but I've got a bit more endurance for the long runs, so it works out well.

Yesterday, for the first time in 2008, I did this. After work I swam in my old University pool. (for those of you out there that need some boredom in your life- you really need to check out swimming) I was feeling pretty good honestly. I did a quick warm-up and then went into some drills). At this point I'm thinking , "surely I haven't been in here for 30 minutes, but at least 15 minutes" Does anybody want to guess how long it had been?

Anyone?

Yea, a whopping 5 minutes! So more drills and such and I eventually cranked out a little over 1/2 mile.

Then onto the bike. Question: Why is it so hard to bike after the swim, even though I really don't use my legs when I swim? Please email me or leave a comment regarding this. I was planning on tackling my favorite mountain, but got caught in a dust-storm of 30 mph winds and figured that probably wouldn't be the best environment for going down a mountain at 50 mph on a 15 lb bike. So, I cut it a little short and went home and grabbed the dog for my favorite short-run.

In my neighborhood there is a run that truly defies common sense it is only about 2 miles but it takes around 15 minutes and 90% of the time you are going up-hill. So I give myself a little break on the distance since the whole thing is uphill. My 85 lb weimeraner used to literally lay-down and refuse to do it. But now she loves it and I think it is her favorite route as well.

Since I started this with a story about a great friendship I should probably end it with one as well. This morning around 6:30 I got to a local coffee shop for my usual Wednesday morning bible study. I get there a little early to go over my notes and for quite time. This morning I couldn't help but overhear another bible study that hadn't started yet. All the guy's were talking about how the NCAA tournament and how the brackets are wrong, the placing is wrong, the odds are wrong, etc... The whole time I was thinking "if I was over there I would have nothing to say" So when all of my friends showed up we immediately all started talking about the big trail race in two weeks, we were all giddy about it, talking non-stop about our favorite adventure race we have done, and this Saturday we are going to run it together for practice.

In summary, I think the triathlon/endurance racing community is filled with great people and if you aren't involved in some way, you are really missing out on some great fun!

Cheers!

Great Transition Talk

Hopefully, I will be able to master this in 2008

Training has started.

This is the week I'm officially starting my swimming training. I had a great run into work today. The weather was so good I actually wore shorts! As for my Nike+iPod it continues to be a Love/Hate relationship. This morning it said I only ran 5.1 miles when other mornings it usually say's something like 5.9 miles. Hopefully, I can get to a track this week and calibrate it.

I'm pretty stoked that I'm going to be using my old college pool and saving around $40/month. I hope it pans out.

This weekend I took a break from my usual trail running as Saturday there was a downpour and on Sunday (knowing the trail would be soaked) I took the day off and spent the entire day at the park with my wife and daughter and some friends and family. It was great!

This one is for you

I had a great ride yesterday. My wife called at 5:00 and wanted to meet friends downtown, so I needed to make this a quick ride. I went up Lookout Mountain and had some great riding, enjoying both the weather and the views. The real excitement came after though, when I saw a fellow rider in my sights.

Now this rider was no normal cyclist - he was THAT GUY. You know who I'm talking about, because every city has at least one. He was sponsored (or a pro, depending on who you listen to) and he had his matching $250 cycling shorts and jersey on, with his $150 sunglasses and iPod and $200 helmet and $200 shoes. When I saw him, I immediately sped up and was on the chase. As I passed him I asked: "did you just do Lookout Mountain" he said: "Na, just staying flat today"

I want to be clear I didn't pass him to feed my ego, as I know there are and will always be a massive amount of people faster than me. But I passed him for YOU. If you are like me and have some cycling shorts that have holes in them and a jersey that kind-of stinks but you wear it anyway since they are so freaking expensive and got your shoes on clearance because the cleats are missing some screws, and wear a mountain biking helmet while you ride your road bike because, you don't want to buy two helmets, and well o.k., you get my drift.

Normally , the stuff doesn't bother me, but I make it a point to wave or something to everyone I pass. Unfortunately, there is a fair amount of arrogance in the cycling community - for reasons I am much too poor to understand. Nevertheless, I can guarantee I have more fun than anyone I know.

I raced home passing a couple of more cyclist and then went out and enjoyed a smoothie with my wife and friends.

Hope everyone has a GREAT WEEKEND!

Biking in the Bible Belt

From BikePortland.ORG

Posted by Jonathan Maus (Editor) on March 12th, 2008 at 2:33 pm

(Photo sent in by a reader.)

According to an article published last Sunday by the Associated Press, a group of Southern Baptist leaders have signed a declaration stating that, “current evidence of global warming is “substantial,” and that the threat is too grave to wait for perfect knowledge about whether, or how much, people contribute to the trend.”

The group represents 16.3 million members and is the largest Protestant group in the U.S. That’s a pretty big constituency — imagine if just a fraction of them started riding a bike to church…

Here in Portland, Hinson Baptist Church (not affiliated with any other Baptist group) is doing their part to encourage bike use.

The marquee at Hinson Baptist
Church on SE Salmon and 20th.
(Photo: Elly Blue)

Community Outreach coordinator Jim Evernden recently put, “Ride your bike to church” on their marquee and he says, “It’s just part of trying to get people thinking about how they get to church. It’s something we’re working on.”

Evernden says a lot of Christians used to not take climate very seriously, but now, “they’re realizing it’s part of our world, and we’ve got to do something about it.”

Hinson has partnered up with the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) and the Community Cycling Center (CCC) for a series of events this spring. The BTA will hold a bike safety workshop at the church in May and the CCC will show up in April to help with a free bike tune-up day.

When they held the free bike tune-up day last year, Evernden says over 100 people showed up. He adds that the events are open to anyone in the community, not just church-goers.

Evernden also says he’d like to partner with the BTA to hold a friendly competition with other churches to see who has the highest number of bike commuters in the congregation. Maybe the BTA’s Bike Commute Challenge should add a “Church” category to their contest next year!

Update

Well, I was definitely planning on starting my official swim training this week but the pool is closed for spring break. So instead I have been "roughing it" in this gorgeous spring weather of mid-60 degrees. It's the perfect temp I think for running and cycling. I'm climbing a mountain after work and probably will do some trail running this weekend.

The picture below is what the trails look like that I have been running on the past couple of weekends. So it's pretty easy to see why I prefer this over asphalt!

Success

"Success seems to be largely a matter of
hanging on after others have let go."
- William Feather

Please read this Post

This week is the National Bike Summit. Please read the following and hopefully something will motivate each and everyone of you to bike more!

This Morning
Well this morning I was officially named a "hard-core enthusiast" as we had a turantial downpour of rain and yes I was out there riding my bike to work. This is the third time this week I have rode in some pretty hard rain. People always look at me like I'm some sort of freak, but I believe in relativity.

Sure in relation to their nice warm and dry car, it sounds pretty crazy that I ride in the rain, snow, hail and freezing temperatures. But considering for the past 2 years and 6 months I have had ZERO expenses related to an automobile - who is crazy now?

Also, I'm not really as tough as people make it out to seem. I simply have forced myself into this scenario where I will either succeed in a major way or fail. I have managed to succeed. Another point on relativity is that I tend to read a lot of high adventure books. The last book I read was about Shakelton. When he wrote in his memoir: "the weather was nice as it warmed up to negative 50" How could I ever complain about the weather in Chattanooga relative to that?



The Daily Press (Virginia) ran an article today that asks, “Will the high price of oil help make 2008 the Year of the Bicycle?”

Copenhagen’s Two-Wheeled Congestion

March 7th, 2008

The video below is from the Knippels Bridge in Copenhagen during rush hour. Is it any wonder than Danes make up the happiest nation?

Note that a dedicated bus (and tulip truck) lane provides some separation between the cars and bikes.

Imagine how many more lanes of roadway would need to be built if these cyclists were in their own individual cars.

Thanks to the Copenhagen Cycle Chic blog for originally posting this video — “bike advocacy in heels.”

The best coverage of the National Bike Summit can be found here.

Crazy Cyclist can be found here.

A National Bike Route announced a the Bike Summit this Week

Fartleks

This morning I did fartleks - speed play - for you non-Swedish folks. I am already feeling sore, so I know by Saturday I'll be really feeling the burn. First mile was a warm-up, then I sprinted for 2 miles, then I coasted downhill for a little bit, and then I sprinted the last mile, then I cooled down for a mile. The last mile really stunk. I thought I was going to put-up a good time, needless to say it wasn't. But I am excited about this weekend - I think the weather is going to be good and I am running with semi-pro friend Matt. He is a very accomplished trail runner, in my humble opinion, and I can't wait to get any secrets I can from him.

iPod or no iPod?

I have a great feeling that this is going to be one of my most controversial posts yet. First and foremost, I want everyone's opinion so of the 100 or so folks who visit everyday - I want to see your thoughts on this issue in my comments section.

So here it is. I was having this great run on Saturday, flying through the woods, I even came up on 2 whitetail deer. I was still enjoying the epic views and awesome waterfalls, but I was really running fast for me while still enjoying nature to the fullest. Then towards the end of my run, at the last mile, I ran past somebody. This somebody, wasn't just anybody, but the owner of a local outdoor apparel store, who basically has a monopoly on the local market where I reside. This is a another issue I will blog about another day.

What bugged me, was that this guy was trail running with his iPod! Isn't the point of getting out there and being in the woods is to get a way from it all?

I have never ran a marathon with an iPod because I have always felt I wanted to get the full experience and I just thought music would somewhat hinder that experience. All of the non-marathoners I know, kid me on this issue, saying this is why I run marathons so slow. But I run marathons for me not for the clock.

Now for full disclosure, I do run into work with an iPod every now and then when I need something to take my mind of the mid-teens weather or the humidity or whatever else - but this is in the city! NOT the woods!

So does it bother you when you see others out in the woods with their iPods or does it just add to the experience?

Sweet video from our friends across the pond

Bike Commuter Act may pass

Bike Commuter Act, “Hummer tax loophole” up for House vote tomorrow

Posted by Jonathan Maus (Editor) on February 26th, 2008 at 1:03 pm

Blumenauer, shown here at the National Bike
Summit last year, hopes his Bike Commuter
Act will finally fly with lawmakers.
(Photo © J. Maus)

On the heels of record profits by the big five oil companies, U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Portland) will once again try to enact a tax benefit for bike commuters and close the “Hummer tax loophole.”

The bike commuter tax benefit (a.k.a. the Bike Commuter Act and the Conserve By Bike provision) would amend the IRS code to include “bicycles” in the definition of transportation covered by fringe benefits. The Hummer tax loophole would fix what Blumenauer refers to as “a serious mistake” in the tax code that provides an additional tax break for business purchases of luxury SUVs weighing over 6,000 lbs.

According to a statement from Blumenauer’s office announcing vote, several weeks ago Exxon Mobil reported earning $40.6 billion in 2007 — the largest corporate profit in American history — equal to $132 for every U.S. resident (or $1,287 of profit for every second of 2007).

The bike commuter and Hummer loophole provisions are two of four provisions introduced by Blumenauer that are part of the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act (H.R.5351) that the House will vote on tomorrow.

Both provisions were part of an Energy Plan that passed the House back in August, but were later stripped by the Senate before passage of the Plan.

What happens to your body if you stop smoking right now?

CBS Early Show features Chattanooga as a Green Vacation Spot

The report noted that “Memphis loves to sing the blues, but in Chattanooga, the tune is ‘Go Green.’ The river town has come a long way since being designated America's most polluted city in 1969. Today, 22 miles of once inaccessible riverfront have been reclaimed for public use, and revitalization projects have made the city a model eco town and tourist hotspot.”



Thanks businesschatt

Bottled Water Is the Enemy

I've heard this argument before, but it appears it's gaining significant traction making it to the NY Times. Basically, it takes a SIGNIFICANT amount of petroleum to make the plastic for water bottles and then they fill up the land-fills. Exacerbating the environmental impact is the fact that these water bottles are carried around and distributed by large gas (or diesel) guzzling trucks.

Here is the article:

By Freakonomics

Mayor Ken Livingstone of London is urging his citizens to forego bottled water in light of the drag it puts on the environment. Mayor Mike Bloomberg of New York has done the same. Others, meanwhile, have taken the further step of an outright ban on bottled water. Your thoughts?

I loved some of the comments so I'll post them here:

We’re calling on people to stop drinking exhorbitantly over priced bottled water and donating the money saved to finance clean water infrastructure in undevelopped and developping areas of Africa. We’ve only been around about a year but we’ve already started making a difference and we continue to expand the area we are serving.

Municipal water supplies in this part of the world (North America, I’m referring to) are under far more scrutiny than any water bottling company. Municipal resources fall under strict government controls that do not apply to private industry.

In any case, all the information you need is on the website. http://www.Thewaterproject.com

— Posted by Alex W

More idiotic enviro-fascist lunacy. It does seem to bother these dolts that things like the London congestion charge are expensive and useless.

Then again…these twits are making it far easier to be rebellious. Be a rebel…drink bottled water.

— Posted by Andrew Ian Dodge

“Similarly, public water systems are required to test for chemical water contaminants four times as often as bottled water companies. In addition, loopholes in the FDA’s testing policy do not require the same standards for water that is bottled and sold in the same state, meaning that a significant number of bottles have undergone almost no regulation or testing.”
http://www.allaboutwater.org/regulations.html

— Posted by Phil

Prentice Cooper...Mullins Cove Trail Run

This isn't my photo, but it is a photo of the trail I ran on Sunday. It was one of the best runs I have had in a long time. My friends kept telling me about all this fun they were having running trails, and I honestly didn't think it would be that different.

I was pleasantly surprised. I would compare running to trail running like I would compare climbing on the top of my roof every year to clean the gutters to climbing El Capital in Yosemite. It didn't feel like I was running at all. It just felt like a great day in the woods. It was mid-60's and I found some great views.

The only bad thing about the day was that I couldn't bike there and had to borrow my wife's car. (arrggghhhh) To make matters worse I had to climb one of my favorite mountains in a nasty pollution machine instead of a nice bike. The reason I couldn't was that there is a 6-mile gravel dirt trail that I had to use to get to the trail. Last weekend I climbed the mountain on my bike, with my running shoes slapped on my back and thought I would just hump my bike 6 miles to the trail. I would have done this, but I was constrained by time.

So on Monday, I plan on registering for the Rock Creek River Gorge Trail Run which benefits the Cumberland Trail Conference.

Progress...

My biggest goal for this year is for people to know what I am about and what I'm not about. I absolutely love Tom Peter's books and blog. The one thing he constantly talks about is "Brand You"

First and foremostI definitely do not hide from "hot issues" like national health care, taxes, and the economy, but I also respect everyone's educated opinions and embrace them as well.

Who am I? A question I constantly ask myself on long runs, bike rides and infinite laps in the pool.
I care about my spiritual growth. I have a solid foundation, but I am definitely still growing and evolving, and hope I always am.

I care about my family. Nothing comes before my wife and kids. Period.

I care about my body. Whether it be the fresh air (or lack there-of) that I breath, or the food that I eat. So I guess you could call me an environmentalist that is also very worried about the obesity epidemic in America, particularly with kids.

I believe being accountable to others is the best way to live a joyful life, surrounded with caring and loving friends.

So to leave on something that I don't believe in or that offends me: Macaroni and Cheese at Macaroni Grill on the Kids Menu!

1210 Calories
62g Fat
40g Saturated Fat (200% daily recommendation for an ADULT)

Daughter of a Runner

Daughter of a Runner
Originally uploaded by moncrief.brittany

So I haven't been out there enjoying the weather like I hoped but I have the excuse of excuses - My wife and I just had our first baby!

I know I'm partial but I really do think she is the most beautiful little baby I have ever seen.

And talk about being a proud dad - she came out 1)doing the breast stroke (note - I worked with her while she was in the womb on her freestyle, which definitely says something about my coaching abilities), 2) with RUNNERS FEET! 3) Triathletes Body long legs, long arms, long toes and long fingers, and 4) showing off some fiery red hair and gorgeous blue eyes like her mother.

Have a Great Weekend

The weather looks AWESOME again for cycling and running so I'll be out there and I think you should be too! Have a GREAT WEEKEND!

Funny Politics

You have to laugh! If not, you would end up manically depressed if you took a serious evaluation of American Politics. For full disclaimer, I don't "lean" left or right, I'm just a middle of the road American.

We have Republicans spending more than any other politicians in the history of America and now they are putting bills forward that would make it illegal for restaurants to serve fat people. Aren't they supposed to be the small government, power to the people party?

We have Democrats campaigning on cutting spending

And as for local politics, we have a mayor who want all young professionals to move to downtown in-between two chicken plants and next to the new homeless shelter. This is funny enough, but a couple of days ago the sheriff just got caught with 5 kilos of cocaine.

Oil Spill off South Korea

Click here to view high-resolution version (5.1MB)

In this image, the dark oil covers the coastal waters of the Yellow Sea southwest of Seoul, South Korea. More than 10,000 tons of oil from the tanker were reported to have leaked into the sea after the ship collided with another vessel on Friday, December 7, 2007. As the image shows, the oil washed onto the beaches. The South Korean government declared the coastal regions shown here disaster areas.

Image and interpretation courtesy the European Space Agency.

This has nothing to do with triathlons but I just thought everyone would be interested in what an oil spill actually looks like. I would definitely recommend for everyone to check out the high-resolution image.

1962 Bike Safety Film

This is very odd stuff...

Note, I got this from BoingBoing.net

Roger says: "Here's a review of an extremely weird vintage bicycle safety film from 1962 in which a group of kids show us the dangers of disobeying bicycle safety rules - all while wearing some of the creepiest monkey masks you'll ever see."

The typeface used in the title is excellent.

Link | Link to YouTube video

Metabolic Syndrome is tied to Diet Soda

I found this article today in the NY Times and I have to honestly say it scared the crap out of me given the number of friends I have that are addicted to this dirty water.

Researchers have found a correlation between drinking diet soda and metabolic syndrome — the collection of risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes that include abdominal obesity, high cholesterol and blood glucose levels — and elevated blood pressure.

The scientists gathered dietary information on more than 9,500 men and women ages 45 to 64 and tracked their health for nine years.

Over all, a Western dietary pattern — high intakes of refined grains, fried foods and red meat — was associated with an 18 percent increased risk for metabolic syndrome, while a “prudent” diet dominated by fruits, vegetables, fish and poultry correlated with neither an increased nor a decreased risk.

But the one-third who ate the most fried food increased their risk by 25 percent compared with the one-third who ate the least, and surprisingly, the risk of developing metabolic syndrome was 34 percent higher among those who drank one can of diet soda a day compared with those who drank none.

“This is interesting,” said Lyn M. Steffen, an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Minnesota and a co-author of the paper, which was posted online in the journal Circulation on Jan. 22. “Why is it happening? Is it some kind of chemical in the diet soda, or something about the behavior of diet soda drinkers?”

Motivation for Ironman Louisville 2008

A good Ride, a good Run, and some Inspiration...

I had a great ride on Saturday up Suck Creek Mountain. I was going to do some trail running at Prentice Cooper but it was a pretty muddy trail to get there so I opted out and got some work done around the house.

This morning I did intervals, my total time was slightly slower but I definitely felt like I had a harder work-out. Hopefully, I can get some speed work done later in the week.

I finished Eiger Dreams last night and I think it was a great book that offers a little perspective on a lot of different facets on life. I highly recommend it and for those of you in Chattanooga, I will have it back at the main library soon.

Motivation for cycling in the winter

This guy is really making me look like a wuss in bike short and a short-sleeve bike jersey.

Overall, it hasn't been very bad this winter except for early last week when it dipped into the low teens.

This weekend I'm going cycling and then for the first time ever doing some trail running. So I'm pretty excited. Chattanooga has some great trails for running, and hopefully I will utilize them more to escape the streets and save my knees.

Have a great weekend!!!

Bike 2 Work this Friday

Bike2Work 2008 Continues Friday, February 1!

***Special Location***
Development Resource Center, 1250 Market Street

Extra Bike Parking in Rear off of King Street
Ride Your Bike & Join Us for Free Breakfast 7:00-8:30 am!

Come visit even if you aren’t riding, we are on the CARTA Free Shuttle.

On a separate note

Latest figures show that 28.7 million Americans now telecommute. And these are not just with the hippest, coolest companies leading the way. No – one of the biggest users of telecommuters is the U.S. government. In the U.S Patent and Trademark Office alone, 3.609 employees participate in some form of telecommuting. USPTO Director Margaret Peterlin recently told Congress they will encourage more employees to telecommute. She said their experience shows teleworking results in “greater employee productivity, higher levels of sustained performance, reduced traffic congestion and air pollution, and reduced real estate costs.” She added that the USPTO employees who telework collectively save more than 613,000 gallons of gas per year and save more than $1.8 million annually in fuel costs.

A great ride...

Sunday is usually reserved for a day off from everything and just chilling out. But on Saturday, I spent a good deal of time at the library and as such, was caught up on my reading. So when Sunday came and it was a very nice 55 degrees after church, I headed up the mountain for a quick climb.

Strangely enough, this is the first time I have ever biked up Signal Mountain. It was a fun, quick ride only taking around 1.5 hours but I did abs afterward and felt rejuvenated afterwards.

On a separate note, I'm reading some great books and thought I would recommend them to those interested:

The China Study

Eiger Dreams

If anyone has any other book recommendations, please leave them in the comments section.

Born to Run

A great article in Discover magazine that essentially explains that humans are actually more efficient runners than horses, or gazelles, or even cheetahs. While all of these animals are faster than we are, humans have evolved to be able to run for longer periods of time at slower speeds. We can run for days apparently. This made us good at running our food down even though it might have been faster than we were. Quite a bit of scientific evidence goes into this but even things like our spines come into play allowing our heads to counter balance the movement of our arms. And our skin is one huge cooling system supplementing our cardiovascular systems ability to shunt heat from our core to our skin via the blood while our sweat and air flow carries the heat away from our bodies. It is a really good article.