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Setting Goals

10.07.2010 by Ray Niekamp // 5 Comments

Guest poster Don Blount sets goals for his biking.  Do you?

How goal oriented are you?

What are your biking goals?

And how committed are you to reaching those goals?

After returning to the bike at the end of July, I set a few biking goals.

1) Ride 100 miles a week.

2) Ride 400 miles a month.

I chose those figures after talking to my doctor, who is also a cyclist and has encouraged me to ride.

I am active but was not getting regular aerobic activity. My riding was irregular depending on the demands of my job and family commitments. As a result I had some suspicious health indicators. My blood pressure was a bit elevated (stress) and tests showed that my glucose levels were high, meaning I had a sign of becoming pre-diabetic. A history of high blood pressure and diabetes runs in my family and I wanted to stay as far away as possible from any health problems that could be avoided with proper management.

It was time to take my exercising a bit further and lose that nagging 10-12 extra pounds and get in better shape.

So I turned to the bike.

In August I rode 402 miles and in September I rode 425 miles. My mantra became “every little bit helps.” I rode metric centuries, I rode short recovery rides. But I rode whenever I could and I also managed to get to the gym.

I only fell short of the 100 mile weekly goal just once in two months.

I am riding more often, farther and harder than I had before I committed to those goals.

As the weather cools and the days get shorter, I may have to adjust. But for now I am leaving my goals unchanged, instead I have been preparing my warmers, rain gear and rollers.

I enjoy the satisfaction of texting my doctor at the end of the week to let him know my totals. He is always encouraging. For me, I learned how committing to a fitness goal motivated me and helped me. More importantly, my bike fitness is improving, my weight is dropping and I am having fun.

What about you?

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Categories // guest post, Mental Tags // motivation

Webinar Invitation

10.05.2010 by Ray Niekamp // 1 Comment

I get occasional emails inviting me to one function or another, or asking me to plug a product.  Generally, I turn these requests down.  But here’s something that might be of interest to a lot of Bike Noob readers.

It’s an upcoming webinar hosted by a biking enthusiast and physician, Dr. Eric France. Dr. France is a pediatrician as well as the Chief of Population and Prevention Services at Kaiser Permanente Colorado  Dr. France is passionate about the health benefits of biking and is a bike commuter.  He recently spent a sabbatical in Portland, Ore., learning about how the city has been transformed into the largest bike-friendly city in the United States.

Dr. France is a national advocate for healthy eating and active living. He is the co-chair of the Mayor’s Living Streets Initiative Task Force for the city of Denver (www.denverlivingstreets.com). He is also a board member for the Bike Depot and has been an active supporter since 2007.

You can register for the webinar, sponsored by LiveWell Colorado, online at: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/568959099. The webinar will be held on Monday, October 11th and it will run from 12-1 pm MDT. It is open to everyone and there is no charge to register.

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Categories // Odds 'n ends Tags // webinar

Flat Tires, New Tires

10.03.2010 by Ray Niekamp // 5 Comments

Guest poster Don Blount on flats, tires, and prudence.

When I received the first flat to my rear tire (below), while out on a Saturday ride, I didn’t think too much of it. I just changed it and went on my way.

A week later, while on my way home from a 20-mile ride, I heard a sudden clanging from my rear tire.  A curved tree branch had sliced through the sidewall and bottom of the tire. The tire wouldn’t hold a tube, even with a boot, and I called for pickup. The branch also stripped paint off the seat tube of my bike (below). That was the source of the clanging sound.

I later checked the mileage on the tires – more than 2,600. Yikes! I ordered a new set of Michelin Krylions and installed a spare rear tire so I could continue riding until the new ones arrived.

With all of the junk on the road this time of the year, I feel more comfortable with new tires on my ride. I won’t wait so long to change them next time around either.

Ed. note: Any thoughts about how long you should keep tires until replacing them?

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Categories // tires Tags // flat tire

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