The Bicycle

Hi!

It's Laura.

Very exciting news today! We won the lottery! Ok, not that exciting. Both The Husband and I were picked in the lottery for the Five Boro Bike Tour.

We received our email notifications yesterday. If you are unfamiliar with the tour, it is a forty mile jaunt around the five boros of New York City ending in Staten Island (yes, Staten Island is still one of our boros) on the first Sunday in May.  I know, I know, “What, the triathlon isn't enough?” I look at this way; it breaks up the training so I can focus on one aspect at a time. Besides this isn’t a race, it’s a tour so we can take our time and enjoy the day (pray for sun).

I know I don't talk about cycling very much. I reference it but it is not a big focus of my training mostly because not much happens on an indoor bike. Alright, there is spin class and the drama that goes on in there. Now I have changed up my training and use a stationary Livestrong bike (mostly because of the drama that goes on in spin class).  I do enjoy spin but, in addition to the drama, there is the schedule. Right now my gym does not offer a class that fits into my scheduling needs.

I walked away and thought about cycling while writing today’s blog and realized that I cannot remember the last time I did not own a bike. I remember my first:  a big brown 3 speed bike that my mom got me at Two Guys . I remember her telling me that it was too big for me but she got it for me anyway. What I also remember is it being a surprise (birthday maybe?). When she reads this, she totally will tell me I that I remembered it wrong.

I grew up down at the Jersey Shore (not the nonsense you see on TV but a sleepy little town that did not have full time residents until the 70's). I can remember riding along the ocean (but not on the board walk).

As a teenager (before the driver’s license), I used my bike as transportation to and from friends’ homes. When I moved to Manhattan , I rode all around the city exploring neighborhoods, When I moved to Brooklyn, I rode to Coney Island. When I moved to Manhattan, I bought a bike that cost me $500.

$500 is not a cheap bike but was definitely not the most expensive. I had done my research and found it was the perfect one. It was a red Schwinn hybrid.  I was so proud and road it EVERYWHERE. I thought I was the coolest and terrorized pedestrians on the West side promenade (I know you can't picture that).

One afternoon I was on a bicycle date and we stopped into Paragon Sports to buy me a new lock which turned out to be a Kryptonite. I had one but it was flimsy. When we exited the store, the bike was gone (along with my camera and apartment keys in the storage bag). My heart was broken. The date walked me across town to Metro and I bought the Raleigh bike that I have today.  It has been tried and true but it could never really replace the Schwinn. 

With the Five Boro and the triathlon approaching, I will be replacing the Raleigh  with a triathlon bike and hope to find a good home for it (hopefully under the husband's butt).

Bikes come in all shapes and sizes and have a lot less impact on your back and your knees than running or walking.  You may want to consider it for the warmer months. You can do it alone or with friends and you can enter a tour or a race or just cycle along the beach or promenade in your neighborhood.

Cycling has been a big part of my life as you can see. You do not need an expensive bike to get started. Make it a part of your life.

Play hard & keep pedaling!

Laura