On My Triathlon Bike Again

One of the challenges with my heavy travel schedule – you can read about it on my other blog worldbanktraveller – is the effect it has on my cycling. Not only do I not always have a bike with me, but when I do it is not my triathlon bike. Now, there is nothing wrong with non-triathlon bikes. They are great. I have two road bikes which I love to ride, and my fixed gear bike is a real blast. But my triathlon bike is something special … it is fast. And I mean really fast. It also has a fundamental different riding position from other bikes so my body needs to get ‘dialled in’ to the aerodynamic position. With the Boston marathon behind me it was time to focus on cycling again, so my Cervelo P3 was tuned up and taken out for the first time in at least six months.

Bicycle Ballet

I have a fixed gear bike which I use for commuting to work. It’s my favourite bike to ride because it is so simple – no gears to change and the pedals turn constantly so no coasting either. I’m still working on my ‘track stand’ where I can hold myself stationary without falling over. It really isn’t very easy. Which makes me all the more impressed with the cyclist in the video below. The fellow is a pure magician – I’ve never seen a bike ridden along a fence or up trees before!

2009 Boston Marathon – It’s in the Execution

Last year I ran the Boston Marathon and managed a 3:40. I was very pleased with this effort since I was jet lagged and also stopped a few times for photos with Lis and Sharon. I wanted to enjoy the Boston ‘experience’ and it was a great race. Afterwards I resolved to return and do it again and try for a better time so  Lis and I found ourselves back in Boston with some 26,000+ others for the 113th running of the Boston Marathon on Patriot’s Day weekend. I managed a 3:27 which I was very pleased with, as you can see from the post-race photo to the right.

Back in the Pool

With the Boston marathon less than a week away, I am tapering for the race. I was also starting on my training program towards Ironman Louisville so I figured it was a good time to get back in the pool again.  As I’ve written elsewhere it is the weakest of my three sports so I always need to work on it!