Year End Bike Ride

Last ride of the year 2008. Andrea and I took the same route as earlier this week. We covered the same distance 9-minutes faster than previously. Plus, we both finished without incident! LOL

Bike:
20.26 miles
1:24:11
14.44 mph

The year-end numbers are weak and somewhat inaccurate, because I don't always log all my small activities which include walking, running less than 0.50 mile, and biking with the kids. My log spits out a lot of data, but here is some of the basic stuff:

2008:
RUN:
216.78 miles
48:24:16
Ran 90 of 366 days
Average Distance: 2.36 miles
Average pace : 13:25 (yuck!)

BIKE:
442.33 miles
37:05:29
Biked 43 of 366 days
Average Distance: 10.29 miles

In 2009 I'd like to double my running mileage and cover a minimum of 3,000 miles on the bike.

Book of Life

I'm currently working a 24-hour shift at my part-time job. Whew, this has been a looooong day!!!

This station is great... it has a LARGE weight room AND a cardio room with lots of cool equipment. To sweeten the deal, the cardio equipment is in front of a TV!

Since I'm already here once a week, it's time I start taking advantage of the amenities this job has to offer.

Today I worked out my upper body. I finished the workout with a 15-minute cool down walk on the treadmill. I feel really good.

Earlier today I heard a phrase, which is common and I hear from time-to-time. It goes something like this:
If your life was a book, would anyone want to read it?
I'm not sure if anyone would read mine, but it sure does make me think. I spend a lot of time with my head down, reminiscing about what I use to do or what I use to look like. So, here's a small list of things that could easily be chapters in the book of Bill:
I've never broken a bone
I've never been arrested
I've never smoked a cigarette
I've never done any drugs, not even weed
I graduated high school without ever studying (my mom still talks about how she has never seen a book in my hand)
I obtained my A.A.S. as an adult with a young baby
I hunt and camp, therefore I assume I know what it takes to "live off the land"
I have two WONDERFUL kids
I was happily married for 7-years
I've lost 72 pounds, once before
I have a profession, which the average person respects
I'm a smoke diver instructor
I'm an arson investigator
I have made peace with myself twice, thinking I was within seconds of a sure death
I've endured critical injuries to save the life of another man
I've watched numerous people die in front of me
I've saved just as many life's as I've seen pass
I've delivered three babies (not my own)
I've had an active and adventurous s-life (hehehe)
I've owned a motorcycle
I've boxed in front of 3,000 people
I've caught a blue marlin and a sail fish
I've been stranded alone 40-miles offshore in a boat that wouldn't start
I've run a marathon
I'm a certified running coach
I've cycled 100 miles
I've cried
I've loved
I've been loved... I think
Most people who know me, think I am funny
I'm just me 24/7.

Leisure Ride

Andrea and I took her daughter, Taylor, for a 5-mile bike ride. Taylor has never cycled more than a couple miles... as far as I know. This was a test to see how she would hold up. We were both pleasantly surprised that she did as well as she did and with a minimal amount of complaining.

Bike:
5.62 miles
35:30
9.45 mph

Great article in yesterdays Houston Chronicle. Link below:
New interstate road map takes shape for bicyclists

Bike Ride

Seems that 'Let Me Out' isn't the only dormant blog out there. Lots of my daily readers are lacking any recent post. Blogging comes-and-goes with me. I just don't always have the extra time. Between two jobs and two kids, my schedule stays booked. Not much to talk about with a sports theme either. The right knee is quite bothersome and it has restricted me to walking and biking. I'm hoping to have it looked at within the next month. It feels exactly like my other knee problem (2007), which required arthroscopic surgery.

Speaking of biking, I bought Andrea a road bike for Christmas, in hopes that she will become a consistent riding buddy. Today we took her bike out for its maiden voyage. Cycled 20 miles a little over 13 mph. We had a fierce wind to deal with, but were able to dodge the isolated rain storms.

Andrea also experienced her first crash... compliments of ME. We could hear a noise coming from the front of her bike. After closer inspection I noticed her right brake pad on the front was rubbing. In the past I've had the same problem. Usually I simply reach down and fix the issue without losing any speed. Without thinking it out, I told her to reach down and move the brake arm slightly. Well she grabbed the brake arm and when she went to pull it away from the wheel she lost her balance. Everything happened in a flash of an eye. She bent down, then POOF... she was gone. I looked back and all I saw was a pile of human & bike debris in the middle of the road. Thankfully she was wearing her helmet. Andrea said she smacked the side of her head really hard. She escaped without any serious injury. A little road rash on her left forearm was about the worst of it. Two or three minutes later she was on her bike again and laughing about the mishap. Needless to say... I felt horrible about giving a brand-spanking-new rider such bad advice.

We rode around the grass farms in Crosby. Nice long straight roads with very few cars. We talked a lot about "rules of the road", while enjoying a nice easy ride.

BIKE:
1:33:00
20.26 miles
13.02 mph