Two Wheel Blogs

Route: Around SIU-E
Time: About an hour

Okay, so this morning I wrapped up with every piece of heavyweight gear I had to do a Belk Park loop. And that was fine. If you go out to ride at 8:00 in the morning in March, it's going to be cold -- even if temperatures are headed for the upper 50s in the afternoon.

This afternoon was beautiful. Once I got back from my radio show, I headed out for a six-mile run, dressed only in a part of running shorts and a long-sleeve technicall shirt. And I'd considered running in short sleeves! Here's the funny part: I ran dead-even splits. I ran 24:59 out and 24:59 back, for a total run time of 49:58. I couldn't do that again if I tried.

After the run, I headed back home and changed into my riding gear, then headed out on my son's mountain bike. It's a Giant Rincon with front suspension. If the trails don't dry up enough before the 27th, I may have to ride it for the biathalon, so I thought I should start getting used to it. I rode out to SIU-E, where I found the trails still too sloppy to ride. So I rode around the campus for awhile, then headed home.

Riding the mountain bike is very different from the road bike and cyclocross bike. It feels a lot heavier -- because it is, I suppose -- and it's got those huge tires, by comparison. I really hope the trails dry out before the biathalon. I'd much rather ride my cyclocross bike than the mountain bike. Fortunately, I live two miles from the trails, so I can keep checking on their condition right up to race day.