It’s all about the lifestyle. Some people would ague that we ride and run for the thrill of competition, seeking those perfect moments when we get called up on the podium to receive an award. I disagree … what we do isn’t just about racing. Instead, we’ve found that workouts and the camaraderie with others who share our athletic interests constitute a major part of “who we are”. We live for the simple satisfaction of a trail run, the thrill of a fast road ride, and the sheer excitement of bouncing through a technical section during an off road cycling adventure. Running shoes outnumber dress clothes in our closets, and the garage is a big storage cubicle for bikes and related equipment. We're active ... we're healthy ... we're athletes.

The 2009 Spillway Duathlon took place on May 2nd. This event personifies all that is good related to friendly and fun local events. Unlike larger events where everyone is a stranger and the porta potty lines stretch out forever, Spillway is the type of race where you recognize most people’s car as they arrive. People bring their kids, dogs, and after the event someone cranks up a grill and throws on hot dogs and bratwurst. Today’s event winners were Kathy Rakel (Overall female) and Brian Tillman (Overall Male), with the geriatric duo of Mike Buck and Bill Cullins demonstrating their 109 combined years of experience by winning the Team category.

Have you ever wondered “What If There Were No Cars? Given the current obesity crisis in the United States, that might not be such a bad thing. Click this link to read more: http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2009/may/02/bill-cullins-what-if-there-were-no-cars/

The next big event in San Angelo will be Run in the Sun, scheduled for May 16. This event is a “don’t miss” – it’s the 2009 Texas 8K State Championship and will start/finish downtown on historic Block One of Concho Ave. An event flyer is posted at www.roadlizards.org, and you can pre-register on-line at active.com.

Faculty, staff, and students at Angelo State University just completed a 108 day Walking Challenge. This event, organized by ASUFit, had 31 teams with over 350 members. Participants in the Walking Challenge racked up some amazing statistics, covering approximately 150,000 miles and burning estimated 11 million calories. That number of calories would equate to about 3,230 pounds, or the equivalent of losing an average 9 pounds per participant.

Speaking of challenges, the 2009 Lake Nasworthy Triathlon will take place on July 12. The event will be a 300 yard swim, 10 mile bike, and 2 mile run. This is the perfect event for both beginners and experienced racers who simply want a good workout. Beginning next week, each blog update will include a weekly training plan to help you prepare for the July 12 triathlon. If you can currently swim 100 yards, ride a bike for 5 miles, and walk/jog one mile, the training plan will help you get ready to complete the triathlon.

If you're looking for a long group ride over memorial Day weekend, the upcoming Tour de Fort might just be the event. This tour, scheduled for May 23-24, will include rides of 20, 40 or 100 miles on the Western edge of the Hill Country in Kimble and Menard Counties. The routes will begin in Junction and circle through Menard, Fort McKavett, and back to Junction. Visit http://www.cthrr.org/biketour.htm for full details.

Upcoming Events:

May 7, CATCH A Fit Life

May 7, Mountain Bike Time Trial

May 9, Aids Foundation 5K

May 14, Road Bike Time Trial

May 16, Run in the Sun

May 24-25, Tour de Forts

There’s a saying that goes something like “the more I’m around people the more I like my dogs”. That pretty well describes how I feel about the (lack of) collaboration on the part of San Angelo’s cycling community over the past couple of years. Unlike the local runners (who are laid back, cooperative, and friendly) the cyclists seem to always be bickering over something. Wake up, folks … we do this for fun! Just ride the dammed bike.

On a more positive note, Desiree Ficker came to town last week and gave a really good presentation to an enthusiastic crown at Angelo State University. She talks about issues such as nutrition, being active, and how all of the pieces fit tighter into a healthy lifestyle. Desiree is a down to earth class act, and she made a big impression on the people who attended.

Three San Angelo residents ran the Boston Marathon this past Monday. Rita Grafton finished in an outstanding time of 3:38, Mike Buck powered through the 26.2 miles in 3:19, and 62 year old Bill Rogers did the race in 4:37. Great job, folks - you represented San Angelo well!

Goodfellow triathlete Kathy Rakel raced the Twenty-12 Talent ID triathlon this pask weekend in Lubbock, finishing 2nd overall in a time of 1:10. Kathy came out of the water in 4th place, but bridged up and posted the fastest bike split of the ladies race. This event was a draft legal Olympic style race, and part of a USA triathlon initiative to identify and develop triathletes leading up to the 2012 Olympics. I think we'll hear more about this outstanding young athlete in the years ahead.

Cyclists and runners from all over Texas and several surrounding states gathered in San Angelo this past weekend to race the 16th annual Striders Duathlon. Full results are posted here, pictures are up on Photobucket, and the the race report is on the Standard Times web site at this link. The Picture of the Day was of Shane Plymel finishing the long course event -maybe a caption like "Daddy, Daddy, we thought you got lost!"

The local time trial season is in full swing, with three events completed. On the road, both the Burma TT and the first of the road TT series are in the books. These two races took place in very strong winds. On the dirt side, the first race of the mountain bike TT series had a good turnout, with masters racer Tony S. blazing the course in a time of 24:50. Contrary to some rumors that are floating around, the TT series is taking place this year with the local YMCA providing race management and timing services. The next two races are May 7 (Mountain TT #2) and may 14 (road TT #2).

We have agood success story to pass along related to the ASUFit program. A student called last week to tell me that the Walking Challenge and brown Bag presentations have motivated her to the point that she's lost 20 pounds and now want s to train for a marathon and a triathlon. Looks like we have another athlete in our ranks ...

Upcoming events:

* UREC 5K, Angelo State University, April 25

*Colorado River Bike Tour in Ballinger, April 25

*Ballinger 5K, April 25

*Spillway off road duathlon, May 2

Mountain bike TT #2, May 7

*Aids Foundation 5K, May 9

Road bike TT #2, May 14

*Run in the Sun (State Championship 8K), May 16

Equipment for Sale: http://forum.cvmconline.com/index.php?topic=65.msg218#new

I don't understand why more people don't do their own bike work. For me, part of the fun is building up my bikes and doing my own maintenance. The picture on the left is my latest bike project - a carbon fiber Kuota K-Factor time trial frame that I built up as a combination road/TT bike. Thus far, the parts are what I moved over from my Specialized Allez road bike, but I'll upgrade them as time goes on. The bike probably won't make me any faster, but .... it's been a fun project.

For those of you who are dedicated runners, I hope you never get injured. I tweaked a knee back in mid January and have done very little running since then. It's amazing how bad it feels when 50% of your weekly workouts are taken away. I love cycling, but ... it's hard to replace the after work or noon run with a bike ride in windy conditions. The good news is that I'm getting more saddle time in, so my TT times should be better this year. We'll see ....

The local road TT series kicks off on Thursday, April 16 (revised date). Word is that the start may be moved to get away from the traffic at the Loop 306 intersection. The weather is looking good, so come out and see how fast (or slow?) you are. Time trials are the ultimate test of how much pain you can tolerate, or - to quote Fast Lady Christina Templin - "the pain of hard cycling is very cathartic” (hmmm, hope she was using cathartic as an adjective!).

Speaking of fast ladies, my cycling column that will appear in the April 18 Standard Times discusses the local female hammerheads. Check it out in the Saturday sports section at http://www.sastandardtimes.com/. Here's a little teaser from the column: "San Angelo has a long tradition related to Fast Ladies, but … I’m not talking about the girls from Miss Hattie’s. The ladies I’m referring to can hammer on a bike, tough out bad riding conditions, and get extra style points for looking good while doing so."

Striders Duathlon is coming up this weekend (April 19). This is a good event; in fact, it's the oldest duathlon in Texas. Jack the Promoter can be a bit abrasive at times, but he's a professional and puts on a dammed good event. If you're racing, make sure that you have gotten the mandatory bike and helmet inspection done (go to Randy's Bike and Run shop).

Registration is now open for the 2009 Run in the Sun event, scheduled for May 16. This will be the 2009 Texas 8K State Championship race. We're expecting 200-300 runners, so be smart, pre-register, and avoid the long lines on race day. Full information is posted at http://www.roadlizards.org/Upcoming%20Races/RIS.2009.flyer.pdf, or you can sign up on-line at http://www.active.com/page/Event_Details.htm?event_id=1712378&assetId=BCA2AFEF-164B-4EE7-807B-797654F3F757.

Given the windy conditions that we've had for the last few weeks, here are the words of wisdom for this week: "Vir prudens non contra ventum mingit ".

UPCOMING EVENTS

*MTB TT series, begins April 2*

*Road TT series, begins April 16 (rescheduled date for 1st race)

*ASU PT Run, April 18

*Striders Duathlon, April 19

* UREC 5K, Angelo State University, April 25

*Colorado River Bike Tour in Ballinger, April 25

*Ballinger 5K, April 25

*Spillway off road duathlon, May 2

*Aids Foundation 5K, May 9

*Run in the Sun (State Championship 8K), May 16Bikes for sale: http://forum.cvmconline.com/index.php?topic=65.msg218#new

I did some mounntain biking this past week with an eight year old. It's amazing what he was able to "teach" me during a single one-hour ride. Here are a few high points from the class:

• All gears must me used. Shifting every 20-30 seconds is the best strategy.
• Constant chatter is good ... apparently, a cyclist goes much faster when talking non-stop.
• Hydration is important. The best way to do this is to stop every couple of minutes for a drink (Note: This is the only time you're not required to talk).
• Loose dirt sections of trail are good - this is where you go fast, lock up the brakes, and slide.
• Snakes, mountain lions, and other assorted wild animals exist behind every bush. Apparently kids have much better eyesight than I do, since he saw animals everywhere that I missed.

The Desiree Ficker presentation is scheduled for next week (April 17, 12:00, in ASU's CJ Davidson center. This is a Brown Bag luncheon presentation, so you may want to grab a bite of lunch in the Food Court which is just down the hall from the Davidson Center. I suggest arriving a little early so that you can find a parking place and get a good seat.

Speaking of Fast Ladies, San Angelo has a long tradition related to Fast Ladies, but … I’m not talking about the girls from Miss Hatties. The ones I’m talking about are ladies who can hammer on a bike, tough out bad riding conditions, and get extra style points for looking good while doing so. Come join in on the next group ride or time trial and see if you can keep up with local fast ladies such as Kathy, Christina, September, Christy, or Tamra. Hint ... if you're male, then either be prepared to ride really hard or leave your ego at home!

The first of two Burma Road time trials was held last Sunday. Great conditions ... a nice breeze to keep the temp pleasent and a tailwind coming back to the finish. The turnout wasn't big, but the fun factor was off the scale. Results are posted on the San Angelo Bicycle web site (results).

The first road TT of the year has been re-scheduled for next Thursday due to the high winds today. The new date is April 16, first rider off at 6:30 pm. Visit the cycling club web site for details.

The Striders and Spillway duathlon events are both coming up soon. Striders will take place on April 19, with the Spillway Hill off road event scheduled for May 2. Spillway will include a kid's duathlon after the main event. If you plan to race Spillway, please pre-register soon.

The new Get Healthy San Angelo initiativehas kicked off with the launch of the web site at http://www.gethealthysanangelo.com/. The first major activity for this initiative will be a Get Heathly weight loss challenge.

Registration is now open for the 2009 Run in the Sun event, scheduled for May 16. This will be the 2009 Texas 8K State Championship race. We're expecting 200-300 runners, so be smart, pre-register, and avoid the long lines on race day. Full information is posted at http://www.roadlizards.org/Upcoming%20Races/RIS.2009.flyer.pdf, or you can sign up on-line at http://www.active.com/page/Event_Details.htm?event_id=1712378&assetId=BCA2AFEF-164B-4EE7-807B-797654F3F757.

UPCOMING EVENTS
*MTB TT series, begins, April 2
*Road TT series, begins, April 9
*HOT ride in Brady, April 11
*ASU PT Run, April 18
*Striders Duathlon, April 19
*Colorado River Bike Tour in Ballinger, April 25
*Ballinger 5K, April 25
*Spillway off road duathlon, May 2
*Aids Foundation 5K, May 9
*Run in the Sun (State Championship 8K), May 16

Bikes for sale: http://forum.cvmconline.com/index.php?topic=65.msg218#new

My son returned home this past weekend from his second tour of duty in Iraq. Every time I start complaining about windy, dusty, and hot conditions here in San Angelo, I think about his descriptions of the conditions over there. The picture on the left tells it all.

Speaking of weather, there are only 184 more days until cyclocross season starts! To pass the time between now and then, there’s a lot going on within the regional bike-run-multisport scene. Over the next three months, endorphin junkies can choose from (get this) at least 18 different events. In addition, there are umpteen group rides and runs to choose from each week. Take a look at the events listing at the end of this post to see the events, and visit the Road Lizards and San Angelo Bicycle web sites for a full listing.

Goodfellow triathlete Kathy Rakel did a great presentation at last week’s ASUFit Brown Bag luncheon. If you missed her session and need some motivation, click on this link. It’s a video that Kathy used …. and we think that “just training” is hard! Kathy also went through a couple of VO2 max testing sessions recently – read about her experience in her blog.

Speaking of presentations, we’re ramping up for April 17 when triathlon and running superstar Desiree Ficker will be speaking at ASU. It sounds like there will be a big crowd coming to hear her speak, so make plans to leave work early and get a good seat. She will speak at 12:00 in ASU’s CJ Davidson Center (in the west end of the university center building).

I was asked a question this week related to the history of the cycling club. It was originally formed as the San Angelo Wheelmen in 1892 (there’s no truth to the rumor that I was one of the founding members!). If San Angelo cycling history is of interest to you, click this link for an S-T column that I wrote on the subject back in 2007.

The flyer for Spillway Hill off road duathlon has been released and pre-registration is open on Active.com. This year’s Spillway event will include the adult race at 8:00, a kid’s duathlon at 10:00, and a joint cycling club-running club social and food fest afterwards. Sounds like a good day to bring the family or troll for singles (select whichever option applies).

September Summers and the team at Shannon Wellness will be putting on a kid’s fitness celebration on Thursday, May 7^th, 4:00-7:00 pm. The event, “CATCH a FIT Life”, will take place on the ASU campus at the pavilion between Dena Drive and Vanderventer Ave. It’s open to the public, so bring your kids and join in. FMI contact SeptemberSummers@shannonhealth.org.

Upcoming Events

*MTB TT series, begins, April 2
*Burma Road TT, April 5
*Road TT series, begins, April 9
*HOT ride in Brady, April 11
*ASU PT Run, April 18
*Striders Duathlon, April 19
*Colorado River Bike Tour in Ballinger, April 25
*Ballinger 5K, April 25
*Spillway off road duathlon, May 2
*Aids Foundation 5K, May 9
*Run in the Sun (State Championship 8K), May 16

Bikes for sale: http://forum.cvmconline.com/index.php?topic=65.msg218#new

Cycling, running, and multisport links

Angelo State University Fitness and Wellness program
Cycling columns in the Standard Times newspaper
Cycling News
Cyclocross Magazine
Permian Basin Bicycling Association (PBBA)
Randy's Bike and Run shopSan Angelo Bicycling Association
San Angelo Road Lizards running club
Slowtwitch multisport web site
Texas Bicycle Racing Association
Texas Mountain Bike Racing Association
Velonews

There’s a lot going in right now related to cycling, running, multisport, fitness, and health. We all need to retire early so we can concentrate on these “important” things instead of work. The real question, however, is how does everything fit together?

As you look around San Angelo, you see multiple groups that are working hard to expand and improve fitness events. There are approximately 22 running events on the 2009 Road Lizards calendar, the cycling club has a ton of group rides, tours, and time trials scheduled, and there will be four multisport events in out community this year. San Angelo is hosting a State Championship running event for the 3^rd straight year, and both the university and the community have wellness initiatives underway. This is all great stuff.

The problem is that we have to engage the folks who are not currently active. This is the key … we need to all become grass roots mentors who are willing to go the extra mile and become disciples for fitness. To paraphrase what Lance Armstrong said, “It's Not About The (bike, or race, or how many miles) … it’s about the experiences and the lifestyle.

Speaking of lifestyle, I‘m getting to experience an injury affected change in the sports that I do. I’ve been a cyclist and runner for a long time, with only a few injuries on my resume. In January I injured a knee (no trauma, something just popped), and ever since I’ve been unable to do much running. You don’t know how much you miss a specific activity until it’s taken away. Even worse, I’m currently progressing through the “Mis-managed Health Care” process (athletic trainer – primary care doc – referral to specialist – X-ray – referral for an MRI – specialist again) … you get the picture. If the doc decides to drill holes in the knee, the goal will be to have all rehab completed in time to train for cyclocross season this fall.

To help pass the time while on injured reserve, I’m building up a new Kuota K-Factor carbon TT frame. The final product will (I hope) be a logical compromise between a dedicated TT bike and a road bike that has aero bars. I took it out on a maiden voyage yesterday afternoon, and pictures will be posted when the de-bugging process is complete.

In addition to all of the normal cycling club and running club events on the schedule, there are some upcoming events that you don’t want to miss. Check the club calendars for listings of all events, but here’s my “A” list:

April 2: Mountain bike TT series begins

April 5: Burma Road TT

April 9: Road bike TT series begins

April 11: HOT ride in Brady

April 17: Desiree Ficker presentation, 12-1 CJ Davidson Center, Angelo State Univeristy

April 18: ASU PT Run (individual or relay)

April 19: Striders Duathlon

April 25: Ballinger Bikefest

April 25: YMCA Kidz triathlon

May 2: Spillway Hill Duathlon

May 16: Run in the Sun (State 8K Championship)

July 12: Lake Nasworthy Sprint Triathlon (flyer coming soon!)

Bikes for sale:
2006 Specialized Transition Multisport, like new condition, 52 cm, 105 components, $500

2006 Specialized Allez Comp, 54 cm, full Ultegra parts, showroom condition with almost zero miles, $550.

Cycling, running, and multisport links

Angelo State University Fitness and Wellness program

Cycling columns in the Standard Times newspaper

Cycling News

Cyclocross Magazine

Permian Basin Bicycling Association (PBBA)

Randy's Bike and Run shopSan Angelo Bicycling Association

San Angelo Road Lizards running club

Slowtwitch multisport web site

Texas Bicycle Racing Association

Texas Mountain Bike Racing Association

Velonews

The term "Wellness" has been around for years, but I don't like the message that it conveys. I think it's too soft, in that it encourages people to avoid the real issue of obesity and related health issues. We need stronger programs that pragmatically address how we get the general population (all ages) to eat less and exercise more.

What I'm talking about here is a Skinny Stimulus Bill ... a bail out program for overweight folks who don't want to get off the couch and burn calories. Somehow, we need to convince the overweight majority that healthy exercise is fun. The picture on the left conveys what I mean - no fancy equipment or attitudes needed ... just go exercise and enjoy.

With the weather warming up, cyclists and runners are starting to come of of their winter hibernation. There are multiple group rides each week and a group run/re-hydrate session each Friday evening. On the event calendar, there is a running event almost every weekend and the cycling time trials start up on April 2(mountain) and April 9 (road). Come out and demonstrate how fast you are.

Two of the biggest running events on the schedule are the Shannon Shamrock Run 1/2 marathon on March 21 and the Vita Sports Run in the Sun State Championship 8K event on May 16. On the multisport side, Striders Duathlon will take pace on April 17 and then the Spillway Hill off road duathlon on May 2nd. A flyer for Spillway will be posted soon. There will also be a (free) duathlon clinic on March 28.

The first of two really good ASUFit Brown Bag luncheon presentations will take place next Friday (March 27). Kathy Rakel will be the speaker, and she'll talk about fitting training into a busy career. On April 17, we'll be hosting triathlon superstar Desiree Ficker at the luncheon. These events are free and open to the public - visit http://calendar.angelo.edu/ViewCal.html?calendar_id=17 for details.

Bikes for sale:

2006 Specialized Transition Multisport, like new condition, 52 cm, 105 components, $500
2006 Specialized Allez Comp, 54 cm, full Ultegra parts, showroom condition with almost zero miles, $550.

Cycling, running, and multisport links
Angelo State University Fitness and Wellness program
Cycling columns in the Standard Times newspaper
Cycling News
Cyclocross Magazine
Permian Basin Bicycling Association (PBBA)
Randy's Bike and Run shop
San Angelo Bicycling Association
San Angelo Road Lizards running club
Slowtwitch multisport web site
Texas Bicycle Racing Association
Texas Mountain Bike Racing Association
Velonews