Cold Weather Workouts

Its been freezing and snowing here in Portland for the last 2 weeks and its driving me crazy. One of the things I love about Portland is that I can run and bike outside pretty much year around with the right equipment. However you just can't defeat 2 feet of snow and ice. There was about a 2 hour window last Thursday where there was no ice on the ground so I bundled up and went for a nice brisk run.

For cycling I've been inside on my trainer or at indoor group rides with Portland Velo.

At least my swimming is still the same, God bless indoor pools.

And a final note, the treadmill helps keep my heart rate consistent.

Snow in Portland/Stuck in Starbucks

Its been snowing off and on in Portland since last Sunday. I love snow but its really cramping my style. I can't run outside in the snow and ice, I can't ride outside either.

This morning I went out to the car to drive to work and my drivers side rear tire was super low. Not totally flat on the rim yet but close. So I drove to Les Schwab, dropped the car there and went to work from Starbucks across the street.

I'm not a big fan of the starbucks but it was the only place close and I didn't feel like walking 5 blocks to one of my favorite coffee places. So here I am at Starbucks waiting for my car to get fixed so that I can go to the office.

A bunch of blonds just walked in and I heard the best quote from one of them, "when I was in high-school for the second time...". Wow, just wow.

Wheel's Back and its Winter

Well I got my wheel back from Sellwood Cycle Repair yesterday. Here's the lovely loaner wheel

and here is my super sexy Renyolds areo training wheel with a completely new axle and freewheel.

If I had a different hub it would have been $20 labor and $5 for parts but Renyolds has decided to not sell the freehub body pals separately. Instead you have to buy a whole $60 axle kit. Gerrr.

Winter has come to Portland this weekend. It might snow Saturday and Sunday. The temperature is supposed to be sub freezing all day Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. So I'll be doing an indoor trainer group ride with Portland Velo Saturday, swimming and try to run on Sunday even though I hate treadmills with a passion.

USGP Cyclocross Portland

I went to watch part of the Cyclocross Grand Prix in Portland yesterday. I missed a most of the early morning racing but I heard that Heidi took a helmet cam video. Which is pretty impressive since she ran into a tree during her pre-ride Saturday. Tree's are out to get people let me tell you.

The primary purpose was to cheer Drew on. And so Drew just for you here are a few pics.

Ready!


Set!



Go!!!!!

(for those of you who don't get it, here and here)

Sorry for the grainy pics there are from my Blackberry's crappy camera.

Broken x2 (Sunglasses and Bike)

I've got 2 broken things, well probably more but that's besides the point. Last Friday I went riding with drew. We climbed a ton of hills and it was a blast. However afterward I left my Smith Reactor glasses on top of my car. The next day I arrived at the Saturday Portland Velo and went to get my glasses out and couldn't find them. Later that day I called up Drew asking if he had seen my sunglasses. "Yeah I found them in the road this morning". Here's what they look like:


See how the lenses is bent in half!


Some car (probably mine) ran them over! The frames are still in tack so I'm getting a new nose piece and set of clear lenses.

The second Broken thing is my Bike. Thursday I went hill climbing. I found a huge hill in SW. Take SW Cardinell Dr up from Downtown to 16th. Take a left on 16th and keep going up. It climbs 600ft in 1.2 miles. Unfortunately all the torque from climbing the hill completely stripped out the pals on the inside of my free hub body. For you non-bikers that means when I peddled the back wheel wouldn't turn. Good thing it was all down hill from there to home and I was able to coast all the way.

Friday I ran around looking for a new free hub body to fit my Reynolds hub. I finally found one at Sellwood Cycle Repair. After work I dashed down there. But the axle size was different. They were awesome there and gave me a loaner wheel so that I could ride with Portland Velo this morning. Even though the wheel has about 100 spokes and no tension and looks like it was built in the late 80's :) They are getting the parts and fixing it for me. Hopefully I'll have it back for next weekend.