Bluebonnet XTerra

First race/event of the season in the books...

A friend talked my husband and me into heading down to Austin to do an XTerra triathlon a few months ago... And, as I always say when it comes to "Kris adventures," it seemed like a good idea at the time. What could be better than heading down to Texas in April, where it would be nice and warm, for my first tri in about 8 years?? Ha.

After shoving four of us, three bikes, and all the necessary gear in the Element, we took off. We were driving about 28 hours for a 3-hour race. Great idea! Good thing we had two whole days in Austin to enjoy!

Friday way rainy and cold. So much for warm, sunny Texas. The boys pre-rode the course and I ran it. I figured if I was going to crash on my mountain bike, I'd leave it for race day. It was gorgeous, if slippery on all the exposed granite... 

I only fell once. It's not a trail run if I don't fall flat on my ass.... The views (and wildflowers!) were gorgeous. Glad I got to see it before I raced, when I could stop every five minutes to take pictures.

Race day dawned beautiful and sunny. Cold, though. The car was reading 37 degrees when we arrived at the park... Nice and warm for the swim! Luckily, the water was a balmy 67, which felt fabulous compared to the air temp. 

I was pleasantly surprised by the whole experience. I loved every second, to be honest. After 10 meters of the swim, I settled in and relaxed and enjoyed it, the bike portion was wonderfully ridable (which is rare, for me- I'm a terrible mountain biker), and I managed to pass a few people on the run...

In the end,there was still beer left when I finished.  I came on second in my age group. And there were more than two of us...

Commuters are Farmers

Bike commuters are farmers. Especially in the spring and especially in Colorado, where the weather can be 65 and sunny one day, or 30 and snowing the next.  Today is a high of 60, perfect for a commute before the snow forecasted tomorrow.

Friday's

If all Fridays are like last week (March 11th) you can pretty much assure this Bike Ambassador will be commuting! WOW what a day, right? Tooling along with elementary school kids is fun; I hear the "let's out do this racer!" as they pass me in the "zone" with their giggles and playful snickering all the way. Just wonderful being able to end a work week with the pleasure we get from two wheeling it.

Salida Amicas Saturday night pizza night

What a good time to strap on the lights and ride to dinner with friends! Roll up the jeans and throw on the helmet, and we were off! Super fun riding at night. I would like to start doing more of this!

Commute last Thursday to work....

This is a bit late but last Thursdays commute to work was great. I love the warm weather we have been having in the afternoons and have been taking the long way home.  Something I realize from commuting regularly even if it's only a 8-9 mile ride one way, (18 mile round trip) it has added to my fitness, those panniers stuffed with work gear, gives me a good leg workout! 

Boulder Bikeway

We had an amazing ride on the new Boulder Bikeway along US 36 this weekend. It was incredible how many people were out enjoying the new route between Boulder and Denver. The new Bikeway will definitely be added to my routes to and from work. I love that we live in a state that offers bike highways!

My 21 Day Challenge

It’s said that it takes at least 21 days to form a new habit. At just 17 days into my new bike commuting habit, I’ve clocked 16 commutes and learned quite a few things about how to #bikemoredriveless.
 

Get organized…but keep it simple. Stick to basic ingredients: your bike, a helmet, lights and a  travel bag. Keep a corner prepared at home and office where you can grab a puffy, tube, gloves or rain coat as needed. Resist the urge to overthink your commute and soon, you will be riding more and thinking less about what is missing.

 

 

 

Embrace the unexpected, and keep on commuting. It’s like that old saying, getting to the gym is the hardest part. As you build your habit, turn off your brain and just get on your bike. Keep lights on your bike in case a meeting runs late. As long as you are visible, riding at night adds an element of fun to wind down your day.

 

Details matter…but only as long as you actually ride. Clock in a few commutes before attempting to dial in a few little things that will make your ride more convenient. A co-worker recently surprised me with a pan of thank you brownies. I didn’t have a way to carry them home, so I taped the pan to my rear rack. Now, I’ll add a cargo net to my commuter rig. But that only matters as long as I ride.

 

 

Lastly, find your joy to keep commuting. What challenge would keep you commuting? Parking in Denver is ridiculous, so I like track the money I save by biking to work. I love the efficiency of running errands by human power. Find what makes bike commuting fun for you!

Happy commuting!
I Ling