Shop ride Sundays: Time to ride

My favorite scene from Blade Runner was the one at the end that has become known as Tears in the Rain. To paraphrase, there's a time to ride and a time to make procrastinate. It's time to ride.

We had a good turnout for Steiner last week, and the weather has been great in the last few days, it looks like rain overnight tonight, but should be clear by ride time. So, unless its actually raining at ridetime, 8:30 sharp, we'll ride. Best bring a waterproof top if you have one, and maybe overshoes.

No more cabin fever, come on out, time to ride!

Shop ride Sundays: Time to ride

***New Flavor*** First Endurance EFS Gel

First Endurance just launched a new flavor of EFS Gel...Wild Berry. Stop by the shop and get some. Now available in flask form or jug.

***New Flavor*** First Endurance EFS Gel

Shop ride Sundays: Oh, no, not again

Heads up! Shop ride sundays... yep, for the first time ever, we are calling the shop ride for the morning off. This is the 4th year for the shop ride, the first time we've called off two consecutive shop rides! I'll be sitting on my trainer between 8-10:00 am. with some banging dance music beats! If you want to come along, post here or send me a FB message, I'll send you the address.I've got room for 8! Mark Cathcart

Shop ride Sundays: Oh, no, not again

Shop ride Sundays: No we didn't, do over!

So, last Sunday we didn't ride after all. The combination of near freezing temps and heavy rain would have made it a dangerous option, plus be honest, how many would have shown up?

That Sunday has currently a 30% chance of rain, and the low is almost as high as last weeks high. So, game on unless it is indeed raining come the 8:15-8:30 time period. You can always check the weather here on weather.com

Dr. Laurie Buob from Austin Family and Sports Chiropractic says she'd like a do-over and will be along after the ride

.

So, last week, after cancelling on the ride, I eventually got out into the garage and for the first time since I moved to Austin, rode on my trainer. I bought one of the brand new LemOnd Revolution trainers. Although it's a wind rather than fluid trainer, which makes it the noisier sort, it's fantastic. You don't use a back wheel at all, and no riser needed for the front wheel. Just take off you rear wheel and drop the frame unto the trainer. The shop had one in stock when I was there the other day, and if you'd like one make sure you talked to Drew.

One tip if you are planning on using it with your old bike, don't order it with the rear cassette. My old 'Dale is really just my beater bike, it's a frankenstein bike despite the carbon frame. It's got a Shimano 9-speed group, with Shimano 105 parts, and some odd shifters. The cassette the Revoution came with was a 10-speed. Whoops, good job I had a spare.

Finally, January 23rd is our next Steiner ride, put it in your diary!

Shop ride Sundays: No we didn't, do over!

Shop ride Sundays: Yes we are

So we are planning to ride Sunday, although as of today the rain originally forecast for Saturday seems to have shifted to Sunday, and it's 50% for the morning. Remember, if it's raining at 8:30 the official ride is off. Also this week we will have free Chiro evals and massage by Dr. Laurie Buob from Austin Family and Sports Chiropractic.

Your intrepid ride leaders will be there and we've nothing special planned this week, but thats no reason not to come out and ride. A few people asked for some tips on dealing with the cold. Cycling is always about layers, more so in Texas because the temps can swing so wildly during a 2-3 hour ride.

In the winter thats more true than ever. You might be tempted to buy that huge pair of thick gloves that are nice and snug, don't. Buy a good pair of waterproof outer gloves that have some spare room and go to a craft store a buy a few pairs of cheap cotton based gloves for craft, glass work, jewelry etc. Wear the cotton gloves inside the outer gloves. Two layers are better than one, your fingers will also still be able to bend easier than a thicker pair. Also, since the inner gloves are replaceable and cheap you can replace as needed.

Same thing for socks, especially if you are like me. I mostly ride with no socks, heck I'm a triathlete afterall. But when it gets cold even I resort to socks. Again, don't buy one big thick pair that will fill your shoes, get a size up from normal, then get a thin pair of regular socks and wear them underneath. In both cases you have a double layer for warmth, you also have a layer of trapped air between the layers. This works just the same way as water in a wetsuit does. So, it's important to put your double layers on early, get them warmed up, don't just put the top layer on 5-mins before the ride.

That also explains why I've been riding down to the start lately.

My final winter warmth tip is sunblock. There are two reasons, the obvious one, to help protect against the suns rays; but then there is the non-obvious, protect against the cold. A layer of good sunblock will not only add to the covering on your skin, it actually gets in amongst the tiny dimples in your skin and smooths them over. When you are cycling this is a key aid since the wind is more likely to glide over rather than get caught in the dimples... Really, as Baz Luhrmann said, "wear sunscreen" - which coincidental contains the triathletes lament "The race is long, but in the end, it's only with yourself!".

Shop ride Sundays: Yes we are

Mid Morning Moms Workout Group

Do any of your remember a couple years back when the blonde girl from the shop was the substitute teacher for core class?


What ever happened to her???






That's right... she left in the summer of 2009 to have a baby girl.




After a couple months off for recovery from childbirth she was busy getting herself back into shape. It was a lot of work but she managed to impress herself with her regained fitness in 2010. I should know, because I am that blonde girl who used to greet you when you walked into the shop (the one in the picture above).




This year, it's time to help some other moms reach the fitness level they are hoping to achieve this year. Next week I'm starting a core strength and run/walk group in North Austin.


Here's a little bit more information about my awesome new workout group. Although many of the blog readers won't be available to attend my mid-morning workouts I hope you can spread the word to some of your favorite moms around town!

-- Mid Morning Moms --

The Mid Morning Moms workout group is a new North Austin Workout group with the goal of helping stay at home moms get into better shape. We’ll focus on core and running workouts that are geared towards all levels of fitness and incorporate kids (if you choose to bring them along for the workout).

The coached workouts will be held on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at parks in North Austin. All workouts will be lead by Michelle Garel, a local triathlete with a Masters in Biomechanics, and mother of Leah.

The group will begin to meet on 1/11/11.

What:

(1) 2 core + run/walk workouts per week lead by Michelle Garel. Workouts will be held at Parks to allow for flexibility to moms who might be bringing their kids. The workouts will be kid friendly; core activities that kids can join, run routes that are baby jogger friendly, relays to share kid watching, etc.

(2) Monthly newsletter which discusses group happenings, tips on ways to stay healthy as a mom, etc

When: Tues & Thurs mornings at 9:30 AM (30-45 min core followed by 30-45 min run).

Where: Tues = Wells Branch Park, Thurs = Northwest Park. Meet at the parking lot, look for the MMM sign.

Cost: $10/class

January 2011 will be used to assess interest in the time and location, as well as the possibility of adding additional workouts, training programs, or nutrition aspects to the group. If there is sufficient interest, the pay structure will most likely switch to a punch card and/or monthly format.

For additional information or questions about the group please contact:

Michelle Garel: mich_garel@sbcglobal.net

and see our Facebook Group
"Mid Morning Moms (Austin Workout Group)"

Mid Morning Moms Workout Group