bollards, oh bollocks!

bollard:  (n) a pole or structure erected to direct traffic or obstruct access to certain road users (cars).

bollocks:  (n) literal meaning:  testicles.  common use:  an expletive uttered after a misfortune.

One of my coaching clients recently crashed his bike and suffered some pretty serious injuries.  He was commuting to work on the SF Bay Trail as part of a group ride.  The route was detoured to a narrow section of trail with a bollard at the entrance.  He didn't see the bollard and hit it.

This crash has prompted heated discussion on the local bicycle advocacy email list.  The debate had focused on the illegality of the bollards and how dangerous that type of structure could be for trail users.  The debate transitioned into a discussion of the intended use of that trail with respect to large fast-paced group rides.

I don't typically participate in debate on email groups or on-line forums.  We all know how they end up.  But I felt strongly that there was another message that should be considered and perhaps some learning to be done.  Yeah, I was the person who mentioned that the speed limit at that high-use section of trail was only 5mph and that a change in rider/group behavior might have prevented the crash.  And the personal attacks flew -- good stuff.

I know that section of trail very well.  For 12 years I lived just a mile from there.  The intersection in question is very busy -- with lots of kids, joggers, older adults, and folks visiting the dog park.  The speed limit there is reduced for that very reason.  I also led a fast-paced, early-morning group ride on the SF Bail Trail for a number of years, until the numbers grew so large that I felt it was no longer safe for us to share the trail with other trail users.

For more than a year, I commuted by bicycle from San Mateo to San Francisco -- long before commuting became popular and a group activity.  I also commuted for a year from San Mateo to Los Altos Hills.  I understand commuting.  I get it.  Your goal is to get from point A to point B with as few transitions (red lights, stop signs, turns) as possible.  You might go slow or fast, flat or hilly, short or long, but in the end, your goal is to get there.

So, back to last week's crash.  While I agree that bollards create unnecessary hazards for road users and that there are other alternatives, I would also challenge riders to think about how their behavior could prevent something like this in the future.  Is a multi-use path the best place for a large, fast-paced group ride (even in the early morning hours)?  Are there alternative routes that still offer a good, solid commute but would be more appropriate for a large group?  Can we remind participants to call out hazards, leave more space between riders, and slow down a bit as the group encounters bollards, and then soft pedal to re-group after the entire group has passed through?

Many of the folks who participate in this particular ride are relatively new to cycling, commuting, and/or group riding.  They trust the de facto leaders of the group (whether it's a cycling club, an employer, or just a group of friends).  They trust that those leaders will lead them on routes that are safe and hazard-free.  They trust that other riders in the group will communicate obstacles/hazards, changes in pace, and changes in direction.  They trust that we're all in this sport together and that we'll look out for each other.  After all, isn't that one of the reasons we choose to ride with others?

cycling symphonic

Little-known fact: I was a pretty darn good musician in a former life. I attended Ithaca College on a full music scholarship. My major was the oboe, but I played all the woodwinds, French horn, mallets, keyboards, and sang. Music was my life -- my everything. I had planned to be a professional oboist with a symphony orchestra. It was a crazy-risky career choice for a girl from a poor, working-class family. But somehow, my parents were very supportive of this goal.

By an odd twist of fate, coupled with a healthy dose of performance anxiety and a case of cold feet, I changed my degree program a couple of times and graduated with a BFA in Theatre Management. That was career #1 for me and I managed professional theatres for the first 13 years of my career. That was also the career that brought me to California back in 1997.

Music is still a HUGE part of my life. I have more than 12,000 songs of all genres in my iTunes library and that doesn't include all the cassette tapes I've never converted or replaced. I listen to music from the moment I awake until the moment I go to sleep. I listen in my home, in my car, in my office, and while I'm sitting on my roof-top deck. It's the soundtrack of my life. But the one place I DON'T listen to music is while I'm riding my bicycle.

When I ride my bike, I want to connect fully with my environment. I want to see, hear, and smell the world around me. I want to unplug from the technology that pervades every waking moment of my life. I want to take myself off the grid, without distractions of phone, text, email, or facebook. I want to immerse myself into the sensory experience of riding my bicycle in the great big wide open world.

The debate of whether or not cyclists should listen to music while riding is in the same league as the Campy/Shimano debate, the Hatfields and the McCoys, or Democrat versus Republican. Cyclists get pretty emotional and passionate in their opinion about this. I'll just suffice to say that in California, the vehicle code (which also governs bicycles) states that you can wear one earbud when riding a bicycle.

When I listen to music, I listen with every part of my brain.....with every part of my being. It actually makes it challenging to focus on certain types of work (like reading and writing) so I have to be very careful how loudly I'm listening to my music and what types of music I listen to. I have a mix called "mindless music" that is comprised of jazz, classical, and other types of music that I won't find myself really listening to (or trying to sing along with). But even then, I realize that I'm easily distracted by the music in the background.

I was listening to a new download tonight -- Peter Gabriel's New Blood (Special Edition) which is superb and you should check it out. I allowed myself the luxury (and distraction) of playing it on my Apple TV through the sound bar on my television (which has phenomenal sound quality). I felt myself being transported into a place of familiarity (with lyrics I remember from 20 years ago) and emotion (with the orchestral + operatic qualities). It was an all-encompassing experience and I wasn't able to keep working.

And, in that moment, I realized that because I get so focused and involved with the music I listen to, it wouldn't be prudent of me to ride while I listen. I can lose myself in music. When I ride I need to focus 100% of my attention on my environment. I need to think about other road users, the terrain, and my own state of physical being. When listening to music, using every bit of gray matter I've got, there's nothing left to be alert and aware when I'm riding.

So yeah, I've always thought I just wanted to escape technology (and that's true), but the reality is that music is such a complete sensory experience for me that there would be nothing left to pedal my bicycle safely.

How about you? Do you listen to music while you ride?

ps -- this image has nothing to do with this blog post but I was searching for related images about music and cycling and the brain and happened upon this happy guy and wanted to share it!

the long way home

who doesn't like a little challenge? after a month off the bike in October, doing nothing but physical therapy and coaching clinics, I wanted to get back on the bike, add in some yoga (more on that in another post), and just find some consistency in my riding, my energy levels, and my mood. during October I'd also been focused on weight-loss and my caloric deficits, combined with the end of Daylight Saving Time, seemed to be affecting my sleep patterns. I needed balance. I needed energy. I needed a goal -- something that was consistent and achievable and that would motivate me.

so I gave myself the goal of riding at least one hour every day in November and December. I set no parameters besides time -- I could go long or short, flat or hilly, road or dirt. I would listen to my body, vary my intensity, and keep it fun.

I started a day early, with a challenging mountain bike ride with Team Velo Girls at Waterdog on October 31st. it hurt -- mentally and physically. in the 12 years I've been riding, I've had some extended periods of time off the bike, but usually due to illness, not injury. when you return to the bike from illness, you expect to be winded and to feel weak. I didn't expect this after my hiatus in October. this first ride was a wake-up call for me.

so, November 1st came and I rolled. pretty easy at first. road + dirt. 7 days in a row for a modest total of 10 hours. and on the 8th day it rained. and I was tired. really tired. I ramped up a little quickly, I think, with 10 hours on the bike that week as well as 2.5 hours of yoga and swing dance. so I gave myself permission to take a nap instead of a bike ride. it was the correct decision.

week #2 went well, but again, I had one day that I was just completely exhausted. so I gave myself permission to nap instead of ride. I decided that I hadn't failed at my goal by missing 2 days. I was still out there riding and being consistent, and that was the intention of my goal. in those 6 days I was able to ride 10 hours and also danced for 1.5 hours. I was learning how to manage my time to add in the riding and yoga. I was making time for myself!

week #3 and my body was happy (as was my mind). I was sleeping well, the weight-loss continued, and with the exception of one significant bonk, I was having great rides! I started doing some more challenging rides. most of my rides have been solo. I was having fun riding by myself, something I haven't done in years. I was listening to my body and going easy on days I needed recovery and hard on days I wanted challenge. and I was mountain biking a lot. all is good.

week #4 and I planned to ramp up my yoga. I finally found the time of day and styles of yoga that really worked in my life. my goal was to practice 5 days this week. life is good and I'm finding balance. I'm really happy. I'm smiling so much that I'm starting to annoy myself. unfortunately, a silly sleeping injury (seriously) kept me off the bike and out of the yoga studio for 3 days. on Thanksgiving day I got back out on the road for 3 hours in freezing cold. and I'm proud that I was able to maintain my caloric deficit in the face of Thanksgiving dinner. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday included more rides (road and mountain) and my first ever double-header yoga day.

November was a good month. I got on the bike 24 of 30 days. I rode almost 40 hours for a total of more than 400 miles, including 5 mountain bike rides. I practiced yoga 6 times and took 4 dance classes. I feel consistent. and happy. and very mobile. my head is in a really good space. I promised myself at least an hour a day -- just for me -- and I was able to achieve that.

one of the ways I've been able to fit this all into my schedule is to combine my bike + yoga time. no, I'm not stretching on the bike, but rather I'm riding my bicycle to yoga class. I have this silly 5-mile rule -- I don't drive my car if I'm going somewhere that's within 5 miles, so this fits right in with yoga class. I can ride the short way (only about 15 minutes), take class, and then take the long way home, the scenic route. the road less travelled. I've enjoyed riding through the hills and canyons of Hillsborough and Burlingame. I'm rediscovering roads I haven't ridden in years. I'm swearing under my breath at the 15-20% grades that pop up out of nowhere and then applauding myself at the top of those hills. I'm admiring the mansions. I'm noticing the subtle changes of fall: golden and red leaves transitioning from tree to ground. and I'm enjoying every single moment on the bike.

how often do you go out of your way to discover a new road, climb a new hill, or check out a new vista? too often in the past, I found myself "training" and forgetting what it is that I really love about the bike -- the same thing that I loved as a child -- the freedom! I was so concerned with the destination that I missed the journey. so I'll encourage you to give yourself the gift today of freedom. and fun. and cycling. go ahead, take the long way home!

bikes-giving

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! whether you celebrate this day in a traditional manner with friends + family or in a less traditional way (for me, on the bike), I hope you'll each take some time to reflect on the blessings we have and the opportunities we've been given. since this is technically a bicycle-related blog, I'll share some of my bicycle-related thanks.

I'm thankful that I ride a bicycle. yeah, that pretty much sums up my life, so if you have a short attention span, you can stop reading now.

I'm thankful for all the amazing places throughout the world I've visited while riding my bicycle. I've been fortunate to ride in New Zealand, Australia, and Spain, but even more fortunate to explore every nook + cranny of the amazing state of California, as well as Colorado, Oregon, Washington, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Alaska. there's no better way to really experience the country than on the seat of a bicycle.

I'm thankful for all the really cool people I've met while riding my bicycle. my life has been filled with folks who've shared a few miles or many years with me.

I'm thankful for the personal challenges I've experienced while riding my bicycle. I've ridden up mountains, in the dark, snow, cold, and rain. I've ridden on the dirt and on highways. I've done things I never would have thought possible -- all on a bicycle.

I'm thankful for all the extra yummy + delicious guilt-free calories I've been able to consume while riding my bicycle.

I'm thankful that I've been able to build a career riding my bicycle, and that in doing so, I've enabled lots of other folks to share in the benefits of riding a bicycle.

I'm thankful (and hopeful) that I love a sport that I can continue to participate in long after most folks have resigned themselves to the couch. I plan to be that little old lady you see with the long silver ponytail under her helmet.

yes, I'm thankful for riding a bicycle!

put a little bang in your yin yang

energy. it's an amazing thing, right? we've got it, we don't have it, we want more of it, we have too much of it.

I have observed that the more energy I expend, the more energy I have. funny, isn't it? when I'm active, riding my bicycle, I feel energized and alive and ready to conquer the world. I'm on a roll and there's no stopping me. when I'm inactive, not riding my bicycle, I feel tired and sluggish and depressed. yeah, there's something to this energy thing.

so, I've returned to practicing yoga. my objective is to balance my physical being -- all the years of high-volume riding coupled with poor posture and bad ergonomics in my office, as well as a couple of serious past injuries. what I didn't expect was to balance my emotional being as well.

in the past, I've practiced Bikram yoga, an intense, athletic form of yoga that's practiced in a heated room. Bikram is Yang.* Bicycle riding is Yang. participating in both has created some interesting imbalances in both my physical and mental self. Bikram is physically challenging for me. there's no half-way for me in Bikram. being a wee bit competitive in nature, I push too hard, I stretch too far, and I end up sore, tired and potentially injured. and then I quit.

my favorite yoga studio, Being Yoga in Burlingame, offers 40+ classes a week. most of these classes are Bikram, but a handful are other styles of yoga. so I've decided to check out some other styles. interestingly enough, these non-Bikram classes are offered in the middle of the day, a time when my energy starts to flag and I find I need some activity to push me through the afternoon.

enter Yin yoga. wow! it's a form of deep yoga with poses that are held for a long time (some of them 10-15 minutes in duration). instead of focusing on our muscles, Yin goes deep into the connective tissue -- ligaments and tendons -- exactly where my broken + abused body really needs some focus. let's see, Yin yoga + Yang cycling = balance. that makes sense to me.

the other interesting concept behind Yin yoga is that it's very meditative. being a wired, ADD, hyper personality, I've never felt comfortable with meditation. yeah, I think a lot on the bike, but mostly my mind is pinging and ponging between a gazillion ideas at the same time. so for me to actually shut off my mind and focus on just one thought, one mantra, for an extended period of time seemed challenging. but I found that it was actually quite easy to be in the moment. and I also found that it helped my mental focus at other times, too.

balance. it's a funny thing. oil + vinegar. sonny + cher. yin + yang. it's all starting to make sense to me now.



*If you want to learn more about Yin + Yang and the theory of contrary but interdependent forces, start here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yin_and_yang

Why I REALLY want to be President of the NCNCA

Everybody knows that The President gets to do some really cool things. And gets some neet new toys. The perks are endless (or so I've been told). So here are the reasons I REALLY wnat to be President of the NCNCA.

1) someone recently said that I've got big shoes to fill and that I get to wear size 99 shoes. since your feet are the lever on the bike, the bigger the better, right? I'm just a little worried about toe-overlap.

2) The President always gets mysterious-looking (yet handsome) body guards. what girl wouldn't want to surround herself with mysterious + handsome men?

3) The President is a diplomat and gets to travel to exotic and distant lands. I see trips to Copperopolis, Weed, Snelling, Bakersfield, Challenge, and maybe even Henleyville in my future! who needs to be a world traveller when the best of the best is right here in rural CA thanks to Velo Promo?

4) The President (or is it the First Lady) always redecorates the White House. I think this means I'll have to finish re-painting my condo before taking office in January!

5) everybody makes fun of The President. I foresee a media whirlwind of cartoons, p-shopped photos, and essays poking fun at my dog, my bikes, and my hairstyle. kinda like high school but on a global level. maybe I'll even get an invitation to host SNL!

6) people give The President free stuff! I can't wait to get a chicken from the cluckers' council, a happy cow from the moo brigade, and an avocado tree from the pit plants coalition.

7) everybody celebrates The President's birthday! I love birthdays and next year will be a special one for me, so mark July 29th on your calendar as a presidential day of wanton recklessness.

8) The President gets chauffeured around in a big shiny black car. I already have a 10-year old black (not-so-shiny) Subaru with dings + scratches from bikes leaning on it, so all I need now is a driver. some might agree that the way I drive, that would be a good thing.

9) The President gets to wear a big sparkly crown for formal occasions (oh yeah, maybe that's the king). I have a closet full of tiaras just waiting for the right opportunity to be worn! don't be surprised if you see me wearing one at the NCNCA meeting, the NorCal Cyclefest, or the SFBC Winter Party.

10) legions of heralding trumpets and firing muskets greet The President wherever he goes. after years as the drum major of my high school marching band, I can't wait to stand in front of the celebratory ranks again!


in all seriousness, I look forward to the challenge of serving the NCNCA as The President in 2010. you can read my candidate's statement, as well as those of the other candidates, here: http://wordpress.ncncaracing.com/?p=1361

Benefits of a Bicycle

I bet you could add an item or two to this list, now can't you?

a mole, a possum, and.......

you tell me. actually there are two of them. can you find them?



I love this warm weather. one of the things I miss most about NY summers is the warm evenings. I miss sleeping with the windows open. so since tonight was a warm one, I opened up the windows and doors.

I have a fabulous patio that runs the entire length of my condo. I have dozens of plants -- flowers, herbs, trees, vines, veggies, good stuff. and I have a little fountain outside my bedroom window that drowns out the city/highway/airport noises (or so I fool myself).

as I was sitting in bed tonight, half watching a movie, half working on the laptop, I heard a rustling outside my window and the fountain was making a strange noise. I muted the DVD but couldn't tell what it was. so I turned on the light, went out onto the patio and what did I see?

of course, Julie, the vicious guard dog, didn't hear or smell a thing at the time, but now she's out there rustling in the plants trying to find our visitors. I think they were fishing for salmon in the fountain. I'm certain they're long gone.

sometimes you just have to coast

a number of years ago, my dear friend Teresa Callen, shared some sage advice with me. as two small businesswomen, we were talking about the demands of the business cycle and the need to always be pushing forward or risk falling back. now Teresa has been in business for herself a long time. she's seen ups and downs and in-betweens. and she told me that even though it feels like you're always working hard, sometimes you just have to coast.

how fitting, given I work in the bike industry, no?

I think about that analogy often.

there are times in life when we have to pedal hard and we're huffing and puffing and sweating to make it up that hill.

there are times when we let the group pull us along.

there are times when we get to enjoy a nice tailwind on our own.

and there are times when we can just coast.

the past two months have been trying for me. I've been sick and feel that I've lost fitness. I feel this has compromised my ability to do my job. we've suffered great tragedy in the cycling community, which also made me question my career choice. and I've had some personal challenges to contend with as well.

but rather than stress about all of this, I'm trying to remember Teresa's advice: sometimes you just have to coast.

I'm allowing myself to mentally coast right now -- not to over-think life or love or career.

I hope you can allow yourself to coast when needed from time to time as well.

Lorri

how the other half lives

I've been down for the count all week, suffering from a serious bout of the flu. my 102+ fever finally broke and today is the first day since Monday that I've put clothes on and ventured out of the house. my adventure was pretty simple -- groceries at the store next to my condo complex -- but on the walk I was able to soak in some fabulous sunshine and observe how the rest of the world (ie those who don't ride bikes) spend a sunny Saturday morning. you see, for the better part of the last decade, I've ridden my bike every weekend day, rain or shine, year-round. I think I've forgotten how the other half lives.

but as I was contemplating this, I realized I wouldn't trade my past decade for anything in the world. I've met my best friends riding my bike. I've travelled on my best vacations to exotic countries riding my bike. I've had fabulous romances riding my bike. I've seen parts of California I'd never see if I hadn't been riding my bike. I've challenged myself in ways unimaginable, riding my bike. and I've done all this as a healthier, happier person.

so, instead of stressing about being sick and losing a week or more on the bike, I'll sit on my patio, enjoy the sunshine, and reflect on what a wonderful life I've got.....riding my bike!

60 million fatties

on the biggest loser tonight, host, Ali Sweeney, reported that over 32% of Americans are overweight. a third of us! I also recall hearing at one point that 30% of us will suffer from cancer at some point in our lives. there has to be some correlation between what we put in our mouths, our lack of physical activities, and our bodies' inability to purge cancerous cells.

as bike racers, we're hyper-sensitive about our weight. what is fit and healthy to the general population is considered FAT to a bike racer. our success is related on so many levels to our thinness and our ability to climb hills.

I relate to the folks on The Biggest Loser. when the show first come out, I was struggling with a significant weight gain due to my thyroid issues. knowing my own struggle, I've always been moved by the folks who can't walk a mile, can't fit into a normal-sized chair, can't be fit, because they are dying of obesity. to look at them, you know their bodies aren't normal. and they work hard and struggle and then lose the weight.

I somehow gained some of my weight back late summer/fall. I'm not sure what happened, but I've had a heck of a time dropping pounds again. my body (and my mind) are unhappy. I've resolved to be more disciplined, cut out the excess calories, move my body everyday, and regain my healthy weight.