Saturday, January 12, 2013

January Update

There's been so much happening on the biking front in the last few weeks that I've been too busy to blog. Sorry about that, dear reader! Here's a quick list of highlights:

  • After establishing a one-day-per-week private practice not far from our house, I've been commuting by bike every week and loving it -- even in frigid cold.
  • The commuting has necessitated lots of interesting purchases such as fenders, lights, a rack, a pannier, good pants clips, etc. Tons of research and development, lots of fun.
  • Over the holiday break, I rode every single place I had to go -- to meet friends, shop, go to the library, etc. -- using my new rack and pannier. I had a blast and retained much of my late-season fitness from 2012.
  • Also over the break, it snowed a fair amount over two days, and I cross-country skiied five separate times. I was a bit burned out by the end of the break, but I was in great shape. Turns out skiing is every bit as good for bike cross-training as people say. I've been scooting up the hills the last couple weeks on the bike.
  • A New Year's resolution: to lose enough weight so that I come in at maximum 160 pounds -- with a second goal of 158. I'll try that for a while and see how hard it is to maintain. Meantime, I'm eating like a ballerina -- tons of vegetables and fruits, lean meats, and then near-daily doses of healthy cholesterol, like eggs or cheese or red meat. Seems to be working -- I actually lost a few pounds in December, of all months.
  • Just back from 27 miles and 1600', and feeling spry. Though the wet, 40-degree headwind was annoyingly cold, it just makes hot chocolate afterward that much more yum.
  • Researching a good handlebar bag. I have a goal to ride longer distances in 2013, and this is part of it. Also, a great winter asset for holding that extra layer I need to don before those frigid descents.
Keep 'em turning, folks. Talk soon.