One of the pleasures of biking to work is experiencing the seasons change. I could feel the first touch of Autumn in late August and today a taste of winter. This morning was gorgeous. Chilled and sunny to the point of stunning the car drivers into obedient drones. Perfect.

I am trying new roads and preparing longer rides to work. I am looking to add miles in prep for the STP and to avoid the Mercer Mess. A bonus is I am more aware because my body does not have the time to adapt.

It is outer-space exploration in my own city. I think when getting back in shape “resistance is futile; you will be assimilated” gives me that final feed to bike the next 7 months against the ease of petrol addiction.

I am troubled at the old Ivar’s sign – has it always been there or is this a new add campaign? Could I have been enjoying the view across Fremont Bridge to have never noticed this old sign the past four months?

NoHLA Teams = 10
Deaths = 0
Injuries = 0
Disqualifications = 0
I worry too much = 100%

There is no better way to celebrate the half century mark! The Kirkland Triathlon is an excellent introduction to the event. The courses are all well mark allowing full concentration on improving personal goals. All volunteers are knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. Kirkland is a quiet and scenic town outside of Seattle, a perfect location to experience this sunrise event.

What I learned about the Kirkland Triathlon Relays are teams can be 2 or 3 legs. They are very supportive of last minute subs (right up to the 6am cutoff). The relay transition area is roomy enough for 10 teams from an organization (NoHLA!) to gather and have a really great time.

The swimmers came out with smiles and tales of a wonderful early morning swim. The buoys where easy to line up to and the numbers of waves small enough not to get bumped. Wet suites were an option.

The runners reported a great run. The teams and spectators grumbled about trying to get to were the event ended from the transition areas. Do they do this every year? I missed my son and team mate finishing because the wait to cross was so long! I think next year I will scout an alternative route.

The bike route I completed with 3 months prep (being 30#s fat). In that time I learned how to gear (hearing the grinding and dropped chains of other bikers this was an important skill needed for this course), a rhythmic pedal cadence, and how to handle a short & long steep hills.

The bike course is hilly. Regardless of the rules I passed a few who needed to get off and walk, stopped on the side to catch their breath and 1 flat tire. I also did not see any disqualifications. I was passed on the left and right (a couple of times at the same moment) and watched as groups sailed by… I don’t think drafting was ever ‘noticed’. I was confused at switching from the correct side of the road to the wrong side but was politely spotted by an officle who, I would guess, experienced at spotting Noobs and set me straight. The only down side >>> I was 3 minutes off my goal of trying to break an hour (820/856).

But 3 months earlier I could not have biked the course at all so onto my next goal > Seattle to Portland! And the 2010 Kirkland Triathon I want to do the entire event!

30 minutes to work today! When I started in June it took me a bit over an hour to bike from the Needle to the U District (walking University way and Denny Way). And this time is on my Fat Tire Mnt. bike. There is so much room in the zipper area of my pants I feel drafty and keep checking to see if I’m unzipped. I also have quads! It is amazing how fast the body slides into death. The climb back into living is so worth it.

Kirkland Triathlon update - Looks like the rain will come the day before, not on race day! Monday the temperature will climb into the 80s but race day looks like a perfect 60s range. The rest is bad news. Z brought home the flu from school. Amazingly I seem to have fought it off with garlic, home made soup with veges and herbs fresh out of my P-Patch and getting to bed by 8pm. Here is another bonus getting back in shape – a healthy immune system! It is normal to ‘catch the flu’; it is a sign of a sick immune system when a body cannot easily fight the flu off. [Follow the money! Profit from weak immune systems: flu shots, over the counter cold remedies, secondary respiratory infections, accessories like tissues, creams, rubs, more drugs... BILLIONS of $$. Profit from a healthy immune system: 0. Just a thought]

So I was feeling healthy and hitting all green lights this morning on the way to work! The week was looking good when I got a call – my team lost the runner  :-(  I am so shocked. This was one obstacle I never thought of. I have been haunted by the possibility of team members catching the H1N1 virus or injuries, but not a member  just quitting. It is a shock that all the training through the summer, the work to make this an event, it is MY event and I may not be able to compete… Yes, I would rather compete and come in last than not show. I would compete the entire triathlon! Rather than not show.

The best scenario would be if I can do the run leg after my bike leg. I have a feeling this will disqualify my team, but I am hoping we can still do the event and get our times. So when was the last time I ran… 197something, track, the 440. It’s going to take me hours to dig my running shoes out of the closet.

Ideal Bite offers up tips, tricks, and the rewards of biking to work. Are You a Cycle-path? has pages of information on giving a bike-life a try, Prepping you and your bike & staying green, staying safe, and more.

While you’re at their site sign up for their daily tips on all things Green and check out the Seattle Bite!

I stayed late after work so biked home at 5 PM instead of 1:30. What a difference! The groups of bikes I pass in the morning passed again on their way home. I am usually a solo bike stopped at lights but that night I was quickly joined by small masses of bikers ranging from pros to beginners.

Even in this small group there is an energy that is as contagious as the H1N1 bug!

At one stop light I was quickly joined by a large group of bikers. As we waited for the light to go green this obese SUV driver and his chubby passenger yelled out “Hey, you morons are not cars and are not pedestrians!” There is nothing sweeter than the laughter of a dozen bikers as we biked away; and judging by the SUV driver’s multi-chinned scowl this was not the reaction he was expecting  (^_^)

This is the second time a SUV driver has tossed this statement at a bike. So to the SUV drivers out there — this is Seattle not Florida (read Miles from Nowhere: A Round the World Bicycle Adventure by Barbara Savage to see why you really NEVER want to visit Florida!). Due to Seattle’s crowded, abused, and neglected roads bikers are doing drivers a favor turning onto sidewalks until the road clears again. Along Westlake the Slut tracks force bikers onto the sidewalk. If the drivers want to spend millions in fixing the roads we will be happy to remain on them. If the drivers want us on the road all the time, fine — breath deep, seek peace, the traffic well slow to the level of the slowest biker… Until this — yes we are not cars or peds | we are bikers and have freedom in Seattle.

As the debate continues about health care in the USA the conflicting arguments are dividing between those who see human life as a business for profit and those who see human life as the foundation of this country. Life to be protected (fire/police), educated, even transportation (Metro/roads/highways/rails) and entertainment (sports and art). This is one of a small number of debates that can be seen in a simple yes/no format. Is life for profit?

On one side of the coin doctors and on the other their system of support. In this country that support is health insurance, pharmaceuticals, and food corporations. Any doctor to prescribe and strongly encourage simple changes in exercise and diet instead of drugs is committing career suicide.

A doctor’s ‘recommendation’ for tests, surgery, medical support equipment is sent to the insurance board that focuses on profit for stock holders. Each slip of paper is nothing but a numbered request form. It would be the most profit for Insurances to insist the doctors practice preventive measures before resorting to more invasive actions like drugs and surgery. Why don’t we see this?

Is it time alone? Time is money and in this debate time is money that ties to other money. The time it would take to go over the complete and physical activity diet of a patient then to discuss small changes for health. The time to point out YES these habits causes these illnesses and goes over the cost of not making the changes. The time needed to repeat the changes until the patient understands. The cost of hours instead of 15 minutes and no sales are rung up. On top of no profit would be the processed food corps lobbying against this move due to the impact to their profit. How strong is a country built on profit instead of health?

Follow the money. If we can be taught through advertisements and entertainment to live on processed foods and drugs we can self-learn how to question what we see and learn changes for health. Our lives are NOT for profit.