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October 2009
Fitness Freebies!
I’ve got some stuff to give away. Just post what you want and why you should win it here, and I’ll pick winners next week.
- ”Thrive Fitness, The Vegan Based Training Program for Maximum Strength, Health and Fitness,” by Brendan Brazier. What? Vegan and athlete aren’t mutually exclusive terms? No way. This book, by a professional Ironman triathlete, explains how a vegan diet can help enhance performance at any level.
- ”The Mayo Clinic Diet,” by the weight-loss experts at Mayo Clinic. Tired of fad diets? This book is packed with meal plans, tips for overcoming challenges and help in starting an exercise plan.
- ”Personal Training with Jackie,” a DVD featuring five power circuit training workout options led by Jackie Warner.
- ”Dance Your Ass Off, The Workout,” a DVD featuring three calorie burning routines — hip hop, Latin and disco.
- Susan G. Komen Austin Race for the Cure: The 12th annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5K kicks off at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1 at the Domain shopping area, corner of Braker Lane and Burnet Road. Race day registration is $40 for adults or $30 for children. For more information go here www.komenaustin.org.
- Tour de Gruene Bicycle Classic: A recreational bike ride of 14, 30 or 45 miles begins at 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 31 at Gruene Hall in Gruene, Texas. An individual time trial starts at 2 p.m. Saturday at Camp Huaco Springs. Team time trials begin at 8 a.m. Sunday. Free live music at Gruene Hall both days. Proceeds benefit The New Braunfels Chapter of the American Red Cross and the Sally M. Kingsbury Sarcoma Research Foundation. For more information, go here http://www.tourdegruene.com/
- Spooky Spin: An hour-long, Halloween-themed indoor cycling class starts at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 31 at Castle Hill Fitness, 1112 N. Lamar Blvd. DJ Louie Bee spins live. Free to members, $16 non-members. All levels welcome. For more information go here http://www.castlehillfitness.com/fitness-pilates-schedule-fall-2009.php?day=6
- Charity boot camp: A charity boot camp to benefit the Austin Affiliate of Susan G Komen for the Cure runs from 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Oct. 31 outside of Kirkwerks Studio, Burnet Road at Adams Avenue. Recommended donation $20. For more information go here www.scareawaybreastcancer.com.
- Caballo Blanco: Caballo Blanco will speak about his experience running with the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4 at RunTex Riverside, 422 W. Riverside Dr. For more information go here www.runtex.com.
- Helmets for Kids: A benefit show for Helmets for Kids starts at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5 at Shangri La, 1016 E. Sixth St. Live music by Margo Valiante and The Lost Pines. Suggested donation $5.
- Wurst Ride in Texas: This 26 or 62-mile ride starts at 8 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 at the LCRA Service Center, 3505 Montopolis, and finishes at the Comal County Fairgrounds in New Braunfels. Participants get a ticket to Wurstfest, long-sleeved T-shirt, beer and sausage at the finish line, and five well-stocked rest stops between Austin and New Braunfels. Benefits the Bob Woodruff Foundation. For more information go here http://www.wurstride.com/registration.html.
- Tennis clinic: The Capital Area Professional Tennis Association hosts an open tennis event starting at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7. Includes clinics led by pros, a tennis show by Henri Bijou Elkins and Fernando Velasco, and a tennis exhibition by area pros. Cost is $4 plus $3 registration fee. For more information call 301-8685.
- Holiday Boot Camp: Title Nine Austin offers a six-week boot camp starting Monday, Nov. 9, coached by Sarah Stewart. Fit tests and body fat analysis are optional. All levels are welcome. Sessions are 6:15 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at Title Nine - Austin, 500 N. Lamar Blvd. Cost is $250. RSVP at ppape@titlenine.com or call 512-322-9902.
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Your (Halloween) weekend fitness events!
Run, pedal, swing or sweat profusely, there’s plenty on tap for fitness minded folks this weekend. Here’s a sampling … And if you’ve got an event you’d like to see listed, post it in the comments here.
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Yuppie 911
Here’s an alarming trend: Pack a personal locator beacon, head out on an adventure you’re ill-prepared for, then press the panic button when you think you need a rescue.
Foxnews.com reported on the phenomenon in a recent article. Read it here.
Just last month, two men and their sons attempted a difficult hike in the Grand Canyon. When they couldn’t find water, they called for help, mobilizing rescue helicopters that flew into the steep canyon to save them. By the time they arrived, though, the hikers had already found water and sent their would-be rescuers home. The next night, they buzzed again, when the water they found tasted salty.
It happens with enough regularity that emergency responders have a name for it — Yuppie 911.
Ridiculous. Rescuers risk their lives trying to help people with legitimate problems. They’ve got enough to deal with without worrying about people whose problems aren’t serious — or people who have undertaken adventures they never should have.
In this case, technology has made people feel safe — too safe.
What do you think?
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Book chronicles receding water of Lake Powell
Glen Canyon and its 200 or so side canyons were drowned when Lake Powell was created in 1963, buried under water and hidden, presumably, forever.
Only they weren’t, and thanks to a decade-long drought and increased water demands, the lake has shrunk to half its size.
As that water level inches downward, the reservoir is giving back what it took so many years ago — incredible hiking terrain that includes beautiful slot canyons, forgotten waterfalls and archeologically significant sites.
Annette McGivney, an environmental writer living in Flagstaff, Ariz., chronicles the canyon’s recovery — and writes about the bigger issues of water use and unchecked development — in her book, “Resurrection: Glen Canyon and a New Vision for the American West.”
The book is packed with stunning photos by James Kay: Land cracked and parched like an alligator’s hide, narrow gravel-scrubbed stone crevasses, the telling “bath tub ring” that marks the dramatic drop in the reservoir’s depth.
McGivney, a University of Texas graduate who spent a decade here writing about the environment, speaks at the Texas Book Festival this weekend. She shares the stage with Laurence Parent and David Baxter during an 11:30 a.m. Saturday session titled “Parched: Water in the West.” She’ll also make an appearance at 3 p.m. Saturday at Patagonia, 316 Congress Ave.
Although her book focuses on a reservoir hundreds of miles from Austin, it has relevance here in Texas, where we’re facing a drought and water supply issues of our own.
“What has happened with Glen Canyon and Lake Powell is such a wonderful example of the consequences of short-term thinking that basically has been driving the economic machine for the last 50 years in the west,” McGivney says.
For decades, most people assumed Lake Powell would stay full. Slowly, the water disappeared.
“In Texas, reservoirs go down and fill up again,” McGivney says. “It still shows the vulnerability of the water supply and it doesn’t take much to be near disaster levels.”
McGivney, the southwest editor for Backpacker Magazine and a journalism teacher, got interested in Glen Canyon after researching an article in 2002. She realized then the shrinking lake revealed more than new hiking terrain — it exposed serious sustainability issues.
Lake Powell will probably never be more than half full again, she says, but will stay between 30 and 50 percent full.
As the water recedes, revealing nature’s treasures, it also reveals a need for study.
“Federal funds need to be dedicated to doing an inventory of the biological and archeological resources there. Instead we’re using tax payer dollars to extend boat ramps.”
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Are slow pokes ruining marathons?
Are slow runners ruining marathons?
A New York Times article last week raised the question, pointing out that some hard-core runners say slow pokes are zapping the marathon of its prestige. Once, only the best runners finished marathons; now scores of mediocre athletes (and non-athletes) are getting out there and pounding out 26.2 miles.
Read the entire article here.
I say fast runners should just get over it.
At a time when 34 percent of U.S. adults aged 20 and over are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, encouraging regular folks to exercise is a good thing.
I’m not condoning getting off the couch on a Friday and running a marathon on a Saturday. Proper training is important to prevent injury. But making an effort to lead a healthy lifestyle is important, and having a goal like a marathon — whether you run it all or walk part of it — can help.
Do ultra slow marathon runners really interfere with the speedy folks? They’re in the back, out of the way. The fast runners are done with their race long before the slow pokes.
Does it matter if marathon runners aren’t part of an elite club anymore?
Besides, without all the slow folks signing up and paying registration fees, some marathons couldn’t afford the costs of putting on a race. The regular folks are keeping them in business.
Sure, the median finishing time for completing a marathon has dropped significantly. In 1980, according to the New York Times article, that time was 3 hours 32 minutes and 17 seconds for men and 4 hours 3 minutes and 39 seconds for women. In 2008, it was 4 hours 16 minutes for men and 4 hours 43 minutes 32 seconds for women.
I should point out here that I ran my first marathon last year in 4 hours 42 minutes. Pretty average!
It’s not that elite runners are running slower, it’s that more slow runners are tackling the 26.2 miles. And I think it’s a good thing.
What do you think?
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Win a free heavyweight yoga DVD
Abby Lentz wants you to know that yoga isn’t only for the pretzel thin.
Lentz, 61 and plus-sized herself, teaches heavyweight yoga here in Austin. She’s just released her second instructional DVD, “Change the Image of Yoga.”
She sent over three copies of the DVD for me to give away. Want one? Post here and I’ll pick three winners in a few days.
The new DVD features Lentz plus eight of her Austin students on the mat, demonstrating their yoga practice and sharing inspirational stories. Among them are Marie, an 82-year-old cancer survivor; Chris, a 47-year-old who’s had five knee surgeries; and Sharon, a 39-year-old woman who is super-sized.
Lentz’s message? Anyone can be fit and flexible, regardless of shape or size.
Lentz weighs 232 pounds and teaches a modified style of yoga aimed at other people of size or those with limited flexibility and mobility. The moves are slower paced and sometimes use props. With the DVD, they can be done in a safe, non-judgmental environment.
“It’s about giving people a way to recover their health, regardless of their size or circumstance,” Lentz says.
The DVD sells for $16.95 and is available at http://www.HeavyWeightYoga.com or on Amazon. For more information about Lentz, go here.
And remember. To win a copy of the DVD, post a comment on this blog.
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LiveStrong shadow ride in Baghdad
Check out these photos from Army Major Scott LaRonde, who is stationed in Baghdad, Iraq, and recently organized a bike ride there to raise money for the Austin-based Lance Armstrong Foundation. He’s also organized a 5K run this weekend to shadow the LiveStrong events taking place here.
LaRonde says 23 cyclists participated in the 50-mile ride through Victory Base Camp. He organized the events to honor his father-in-law, who died of cancer earlier this year.
“(We had) only one crash, very minor, a bit of road rash, no one got lost, lots of us got tired and we took a ton of pictures and some video,” LaRonde wrote by email after the ride. “Coming in to work today … was hard.”
The cyclists rode as group most of the way, but broke up for several hill sprints and a 4-kilometer time trial.
“We had all skill levels, several who were competing to win the above mentioned events, and several who biked 50 miles for the first time in their lives,” LaRonde wrote.
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Your weekend fitness events
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Good news cyclists: Safe passing ordinance approved
The Austin City Council has approved an ordinance requiring motorists to give 3 feet of clearance when passing a bicyclist or other vulnerable road user.
That’s great news for Austin cyclists, who have long believed that existing laws don’t have enough teeth to help keep them safe. Police rarely cite motorists who injure or kill cyclists, and cycling proponents say the new ordinance could help turn that around.
Gov. Rick Perry vetoed a similar statewide bill earlier this year, saying that motorists already are subject to penalties when they are at fault for causing a collision or operating recklessly, whether it is against a vulnerable user or not.
As a regular bicycle commuter, I’m all for any legislation that makes motorists more aware that cyclists have a legal right to the road. (Yes, we’re considered vehicles, and as such have every right to be there.)
I know, I know. Cyclists break the law. They run red lights, they cruise through stop signs, they hog the road and slow down traffic, they bully people off sidewalks. I’m exhausted by these arguments.
Yes, some cyclists break the law. But motorists also break the law. Every time I ride my bike to work I see motorists rolling through four-way stops, speeding down neighborhood streets and making illegal turns.
Both sides are guilty. All we can do to improve the situation is obey the law ourselves.
Now, thankfully, that will mean motorists giving a reasonable berth to folks on two wheels.
I’m also tired of the argument that cyclists don’t deserve to be on our streets because they don’t pay taxes. That’s flat wrong. I ride my bike and I certainly pay the taxes used to maintain our city streets.
What cyclists don’t fund, at least on days they don’t drive their cars, is the gas tax. But that money goes to state and federal highway funding, not to city streets, so it’s a moot point.
Besides, most cyclists also have motor vehicles, so most of us do buy gas and fund those systems too.
The new city ordinance takes effect Nov. 2.
And motorists, relax. The law won’t protect cyclists who are injured or killed while doing something illegal, like blasting through stoplights or veering into oncoming traffic. If a vulnerable road user is breaking the law, that’s a defense for the motorist.
I’m all for enforcement of the law — whether it affects motorists or bicyclists.
Buck up everyone. Take responsibility!
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City installing experimental street markings
Coming soon to a road near you: Painted street markings and signs designed to help cyclists and motorists co-exist more peacefully.
Based on the response from an earlier blog about the city’s proposed 3-foot passing ordinance, we could use a little cooperation.
The City of Austin and the University of Texas Center for Transportation Research are partnering to study four experimental bicycle transportation devices — shared lane markings called “sharrows,” colored bicycle lanes, signs and bicycle boxes.
Installation of the devices begins today (weather permitting) and should be finished by the end of October.
The signs and markings should remind motorists they are driving on routes heavily used by bicycles.
They include:
- Bicycles May Take Full Travel Lane signs: Northbound Lamar Boulevard, from Lamar Square to Barton Springs Road; and southbound Pleasant Valley Road, from Lakeshore Boulevard to 7th Street.
- Bicycle boxes: Southbound Shoal Creek Boulevard at Anderson Lane; and northbound and southbound lanes of Speedway at 38th Street.
- Colored bicycle lanes: Northbound San Jacinto Boulevard and Duval Road; and westbound Dean Keaton Street at Interstate 35.
- Shared Lane markings (“Sharrows”): Guadalupe Street and Lavaca Street, between Cesar Chavez Boulevard and MLK Jr. Boulevard.; 51st Street from Interstate 35 to Airport Boulevard; eastbound and westbound Dean Keaton Street at Interstate 35 and between San Jacinto and Guadalupe Street.
The Mayor’s 2007 Street Smarts Task Force and the 2009 City of Austin Bicycle Master Plan recommended the study. Depending on results, the City of Austin may keep the devices in place beyond the current experimental timeline.
For more information on the City of Austin Bicycle Program, go here.
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Lance Armstrong talks Leadville on the big screen
Brace yourselves, cycling fans. It’ll be all Lance Armstrong all the time around here for the next few days.
Besides the LiveStrong Challenge and all that entails this weekend, you can watch Lance on the big screen Thursday when a panel discussion of the Leadville Trail 100 bike race airs at area movie theaters.
The seven-time Tour de France champion, along with six-time defending Leadville Trail 100 champion Dave Wiens, cycling coach Chris Carmichael, and other elite and amateur cyclists, will discuss training, conditioning tips and the personal challenges they faced in the grueling race in the documentary “Race Across the Sky.”
Armstrong won the race this year, despite a flat tire in the final 10 miles of the race.
The Leadville Trail 100 began as a running race 27 years ago to draw tourism to Leadville, Colo. A mountain bike race was added in 1994 and now draws some 1,000 cyclists. The course includes 14,000 vertical feet of climbing on dirt trails, mining roads and Forest Service roads.
The discussion was recorded in Durango, Colo., on Oct. 20. It airs at 7 p.m. Thursday at Tinseltown USA Pflugerville, 15436 FM 1825; Cinemark Hill Country Galleria, 12800 W Highway 71, Bee Cave; Cinemark Southpark Meadows, 9900 S. Interstate 35; Cinemark Cedar Park, 1335 E. Whitestone Blvd, Cedar Park; and Metropolitan 14, 901 Little Texas Lane. Tickets are $12.50 and are available at the box office or online at www.FathomEvents.com.
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Council votes Thursday on safe passing ordinance
UPDATE 2:59 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22
Austin City Council just passed the 3-foot safe passing ordinance.
Gov. Rick Perry vetoed a statewide Safe Passing Bill earlier this year, but Austin could adopt its own version of the law this week.
On Thursday, the Austin City Council will vote on an ordinance to require motorists to give 3 feet clearance when passing a bicyclist or other vulnerable road user, such as a motorcyclist, pedestrian, tow truck operator or emergency worker.
Cyclists (and non-cyclists) can register their support (or non-support) for the ordinance now at any of the kiosks in the atrium of Austin City Hall, 301 W. 2nd St. The ordinance is item number 30 on the agenda; it likely will be heard between 10 a.m. and noon Thursday.
“Just like the police officers feel safer and are safer because of the Move Over Bill, the Safe Passing Bill in time will make it safer for vulnerable road users,” says Robin Stallings, head of BikeTexas, a non-profit organization that supports all things cycling. “Right now, 1,000 vulnerable road users per year are killed in Texas. About 950 of those are split between pedestrians and motorcyclists. About 50 are bicyclists.”
Now, Stallings says, laws are vague, and few motorists who kill or injure cyclists are indicted. “If motorists can’t be prosecuted, then officers don’t want to write the tickets,” he says.
No charges were filed recently when a car hit a tandem bicycle from behind, killing two riders outside of San Antonio.
The law won’t protect cyclists who blast through stoplights or veer into oncoming traffic, either. If a vulnerable road user is breaking the law, that’s a defense for the motorist, Stallings says.
“This isn’t that the motorist has all the responsibility, but they have to take some responsibility, just like if you’re a gun owner you have to take responsibility to keep that gun away from children,” Stallings says. “If you’re going to drive a car, that’s a dangerous weapon if used improperly.”
“Bills like this remind us that we can become way too cavalier … we’re eating breakfast, texting, changing the radio station while we drive, and it’s just not OK to do that.”
The language in the Austin ordinance is nearly identical to language of the bill that passed almost unanimously in the Texas legislature, before Gov. Rick Perry vetoed it. “It’s a really solid piece of legislation that has been vetted through the most conservative legislators in the state,” Stallings says.
Perry’s reason for the veto? “An operator of a motor vehicle is already subject to penalties when he or she is at fault for causing a collision or operating recklessly, whether it is against a ‘vulnerable user’ or not,” he said in a statement.
The states of Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee and Colorado all have passed similar bills requiring at least 3 feet of clearance.
“It’s unfortunate. I believe Gov. Perry was poorly advised when he vetoed this bill and it wasn’t in the best interest of Texans,” Stallings says.
Between now and the next legislative session, BikeTexas will push for safe passing ordinances in as many Texas cities as possible, in hopes of improving chances for passage of a statewide law during the 2011 Texas legislative session.
For more information, call BikeTexas at 512-476-7433 or mail@biketexas.org. Read the text of the Austin ordinance here.
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Out of Control Fat Roll bikini shots posted!
They’re up! And the photos of Kristine Gloria, the “loser” of the recent Out of Control FatRoll challenge, are gorgeous. (Photos by Shadee of www.joyfulportraits.com.)
Gloria lost the smallest percentage of body weight in the 18-week weight-loss challenge between four friends.
She wasn’t happy when she found out she’d lost — by a fraction of a percentage point. She’d worked so hard to get back into her jeans!
Truth is, Kristine doesn’t need to lose any more weight. She’s at a weight that’s appropriate for her height. She looks fantastic in a bikini — strong, fit and healthy!
You can check out the Out of Control FatRoll blog (and another gorgeous bikini photo) here.
The four women now begin the maintenance phase of their challenge. Whoever loses more than 2 percent of their body weight between now and Jan. 14 has to pose for bikini photos.
Good luck ladies!
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Your weekend fitness lineup…
On tap this weekend…
- Vern’s No Frills 5k: It’s race number seven in the Vern’s No Frills 5K series, hosted by the Georgetown Running Club. Start time is 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17 at Berry Springs Park and Preserve in Georgetown. Cost is $1. For more information email nofrills5K@yahoo.com.
- 2009 Austin Start! Heart Walk: This 5K non-competitive walking event starts at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17 at the south grounds of the Texas State Capitol, 1100 Congress Ave. Free to participate, but awards for raising funds for the American Heart Association. For more information go here.
- Tour de Fat: New Belgium Brewing’s celebration of all things biking gears up with a costumed bike parade at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. Bicycle performances, a funeral procession for a car, and other bike-centric activities to follow. Admission free, but beer and merchandise proceeds benefit Yellow Bike Project, Austin Cycling Association and Austin Ridge Riders. For more information go here.
And from the looks of things, next weekend is one of the biggest fitness weekends of the entire year. Check it out:
- The Tex Robertson Highland Lakes Challenge: Swim five lakes in five days, from Oct. 21 to Oct. 25, in the third annual open water swimming stage race held in the Upper Highland Lakes. For more information go here.
- Breast Cancer Resource Centers Golf Classic: The inaugural BCRC Golf Classic starts at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21 at Twin Creeks Country Club, 3201 Twin Creeks Club Dr. in Cedar Park. Registration is $250 per person. Proceeds support free services to help women diagnosed with breast cancer. For more information go here.
- Marathon Kids Fund-Raiser: The Marathon Kids Fund-Raiser, “Heroes for Health,” featuring Senator Kirk Watson, starts at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22 at Whole Foods Market, 525 N. Lamar. Includes live music and silent auction. Proceeds benefit the 70,000 Austin area Marathon Kids who run or walk 26.2 miles over six months. Tickets are $75. For more information go here.
- LiveStrong Challenge: The Lance Armstrong Foundation’s signature fundraising event, the LiveStrong Challenge, takes place Oct. 24-25. Events include a 5K walk/run and a 10, 20, 45, 65 or 90-mile bike ride. Registration is $50 per person. Cyclists also must raise a minimum of $250 for the foundation. For more information, go here.
- Tree Wheelin’: Tree Folks hosts a bicycle tour of the city’s notable trees from 9 until noon Saturday, Oct. 24. Tour begins at Pease Park. Cost is $25 per person or $40 per family. To register go here.
- NatureFest: Enjoy kayaking, hiking, scavenger hunts, rock wall climbing, archery, food, music and more at NatureFest, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 on the banks of the Colorado River at Fisherman’s Park in Bastrop. With a $3 donation, adults receive a reusable bag; children 12 and under free. For more information go here or call 512-303-0904.
- J-Mazing Race: The Dell Jewish Community Campus, 7300 Hart Lane, will host the J-Mazing Race from 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25. Teams of four will compete in a decathlon of physical and mental challenges including disc golf, geocaching, relays, football, trivia and basketball. Registration is $125 per team here or by calling 735-8206.
- Climbing: Central Texas Mountaineers will host a climbing competition at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 on the Barton Creek Greenbelt to raise money and collect canned food for the Capital Area Food Bank. Includes speed-climbing events for beginner and advanced climbers at New Wall, accessible from the Spyglass entrance to the Greenbelt. New climbers welcome; harnesses available for those who want to try climbing. For more information, go here.
- Colin’s Hope Kid’s Triathlon: A triathlon to benefit Colin’s Hope, a non-profit agency whose mission is to prevent childhood drowning, begins at 9 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 25 at Willow Bend Pool, 2801 Sauls Drive in Austin. Registration is closed. For more information, go here.
- “Race Across the Sky”: Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong and other cyclists will participate in a panel discussion about the Leadville Trail 100 bike race that will be aired at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22 at area movie theaters. “Race Across the Sky - Leadville Trail 100,” recorded Oct. 20 in Durango, Colo., will feature panelists discussing training, conditioning tips and personal challenges, including Armstrong’s flat tire in the final 10 miles of the race. Airs at Tinseltown USA Pflugerville, 15436 Fm 1825; Cinemark Hill Country Galleria, 12800 W Highway 71, Bee Cave; Cinemark Southpark Meadows, 9900 S. Interstate 35; Cinemark Cedar Park, 1335 E. Whitestone Blvd, Cedar Park; and Metropolitan 14, 901 Little Texas Lane. Tickets are $12.50.
- Boo Run: Wear a costume and raise money to help cognitively and developmentally disable children and young adults in Georgetown at the Boo Run on Saturday, Oct. 24 at Rivery Park in Georgetown. A 1K Family Fun Run starts at 5 p.m.; the 5K starts at 6 p.m. Trick or treating, movies and games will follow. Entry is $25 for adults; $8 for children. To register online, go here.
- ”My Run”: “My Run,” a documentary about Terry Hitchcock, who ran 75 marathons in 75 days to bring attention to the struggle of single parent families after his wife died of breast cancer, will be screened at 9:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23 and 9:15 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26 at the Rollins Theater in the Long Center of Performing Arts as part of the 16th annual Austin Film Festival. Tickets available at the venue 30 minutes prior to show time.
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Memorial service for Austin runner
Competitors in the Dallas White Rock Marathon will be reminded of an Austin runner as they pass the spot where she collapsed and died during last December’s race.
A plaque honoring Erin Lahr will be placed in a garden outside the Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation, 909 N. Washington Ave., during a memorial service at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16.
Lahr, 29 at the time of her death, collapsed without warning at the intersection of Swiss and Washington avenues, the 23-mile point of the race.
She had been keeping a brisk 8:20 pace and hadn’t shown any signs of distress before she fell, according to a friend who was running with her earlier in the race. The death saddened and shocked the Austin running community.
The plaque, which reads “May the footprint she left keep her spirit running on,” is meant to honor Lahr and inspire future runners as they finish the last few miles of the marathon.
Lahr graduated from Louisiana State University, where she played clarinet in the marching band. She lived in Austin with her husband Jeff and worked as an engineer with PBS&J, an environmental engineering firm.
Friday’s service is being organized with the support of the White Rock Marathon Board, including Phil Baker and Marcus Grunewald, as well as Lahr’s friends. For more information about it, call Olivia Zokai at 214-820-8697.
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Austin cyclist killed in Miss.
Once again, an Austin cyclist has been killed while riding.
This time, 48-year-old David B. Allison Sr., a Mississippi native living in Austin, died after he was struck by a car on the Natchez Trace Parkway in Booneville, Miss. The scenic road is popular with cyclists.
Authorities say the vehicle hit Allison from behind while trying to pass him. How does this happen? It’s another illustration of why we need a 3-foot safe passing law. (You’ll recall that Gov. Rick Perry vetoed such legislation earlier this year.)
Allison, who graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1985, had two sons, Patrick and David Jr., and one daughter, Gwyndolyn.
My thoughts go out to his family. Be careful out there!
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The Runner’s Rule Book
I’m laughing my (running) socks off here.
A copy of “The Runner’s Rule Book, Everything a Runner Needs to Know — and Then Some,” by Mark Remy and the Editors of Runner’s World, has landed on my desk, and it’s full of wise little blisters of wisdom that everyone who’s ever thrown it down at a community 5K needs to know.
There’s info on passing gas during a group run (“It’s fun to pretend that the gas you have just expelled is helping to propel you forward, like a little booster rocket”), proper attire (“Wearing the official race shirt during the race is like wearing a U2 T-shirt to a U2 concert. Not cool. Don’t do it.”) and posting your training plan on the refrigerator (“Remove a child’s artwork to make room, if need be.)
Remy loves to run; that much is clear. He’s executive editor of RunnersWorld.com.
Best yet, he’ll give you permission to skip the ice bath.
Other jewels?
“Do whatever it takes to finish ahead of a costumed finisher. Because being outkicked by Elmo is too much to bear.”
Don’t Tweet while running. Be careful whom you ask for body lubricant. Acknowledge fellow runners in public, but be cool about it.
What are your tips?
Best (and most hilarious) one posted on this blog gets my copy of this cool new book, which sells for $17.99. (BOOK HAS NOW BEEN GIVEN AWAY.)
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Fund-raiser planned for RunTex employee in coma
The Austin running community is rallying around RunTex employee Justin Gabriel, who suffered a head injury after falling 20 feet into a creekbed near his apartment on Sept. 16.
No one realized Gabriel had fallen until he was found 14 hours later.
Gabriel, 26, remains in a coma, but has shown a few signs of recovery, like opening his eyes for a few minutes and squeezing his hand. He has been moved from Brackenridge Hospital to Texas NeuroRehab Center.
His co-workers and friends miss him, and have organized a fund-raiser to help defray his living and long-term medical costs.
The “Run for Justin” fund-raiser starts at 9 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 25 at RunTex, 422 W. Riverside Dr. A concert by Gary Clark Jr., one of Gabriel’s favorite musicians, will follow the untimed 2-mile walk/run around Lady Bird Lake. Items from some of Gabriel’s favorite businesses, including Magnolia Cafe, Jack and Adam’s, and RunTex, will be raffled.
Register here. Cost is $26.99 but more can be donated.
Nearly all of the money raised will go directly to Gabriel’s family. RunFAR will make a $2 donation for every online registration.
“Justin lived for running,” says RunTex owner Paul Carrozza. “He also cares so much about the running community and loves to cover it with his videos. He will return.”
Packet pickup is 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, or 7 to 9 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 25 at RunTex.
Gabriel ran at Hays High School in Buda and at Adams State College in Colorado. He won the Texas Roundup 5K in April, with a time of 15:46.
Richard Martinez Jr., a co-worker at RunTex who helped organize the fund-raiser, says Gabriel got him interested in running years ago. “If you wanted to get involved in running, he was guy to go to because he’d keep you motivated and keep pushing you.”
Sarah Mark, another RunTex co-worker, says Gabriel likes live music, writing and being the center of attention. “He’s just really outgoing,” she says. He recently got interested in cycling, too.
A website has been set up with updates on Gabriel’s condition here.
Speedy recovery, Justin!
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Fitness freebies!
Got some freebies for you!
To win, post here which prize you prefer and why you deserve it. I’ll pick winners early next week.
Up for grabs this time? A slew of exercise DVDs:
- ”Dances of India, Urban Bhangra Bounce.” Meera guides viewers through a cardio driven workout designed to raise the heart rate and burn calories while teaching some basic Indian hip-hop moves.
- ”10 Minute Solution: 5 Day Get Fit Mix.” A selection of five quick workouts, from cardio kickboxing and fat blasting intervals to power yoga, belly fat burning and lean body sculpting.
- Slim & Tone Pilates.” A dynamic pilates workout that includes both standard mat exercises and apparatus mat exercises.
- Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga.” Two yoga sequences, one designed to strengthen and tone during pregnancy, the other to restore energy and help you reconnect to your own wellness.
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Your weekend fitness events
Bike station: REI will man the Bike Safety Check/Trail Etiquette Station from 7-9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15 on the Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge. Shop employees will help bicycle commuters make basic adjustments to their lights, tires, chains, brakes and shifters, plus provide information about bicycle laws and safety, bike theft and trail etiquette.
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7-year-old loses parents in cycling accident
See this photo?
That little girl, 7-year-old Kylie Bruehler, lost both her parents in a cycling accident last week. A truck hit Gregory and Alexandra Bruehler from behind as they pedaled their tandem bicycle on the shoulder of Highway 16 north of Helotes.
Now Kylie is an orphan.
San Antonio Express-News photographer Tom Reel took the photo at a memorial service held for the Bruehlers. You can see a gallery here.
The paper’s metro columnist, Veronica Flores, wrote about the impact the Bruehlers’ deaths have had on the local cycling community and the inconsistency of how police handle auto-bike accidents. She rightfully criticized Gov. Rick Perry, who vetoed a proposed “3-foot law” that would have required cars to give vulnerable road users a wide berth.
Read her excellent column here.
The clincher?
This line: “Some bicycling enthusiasts darkly joke that, when it comes to how bicyclists are treated on the road, they may as well be deer. But deer don’t leave little girls as orphans.”
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Austin athletes gear up for Ironman championship
A few of Austin’s best athletes are headed to Hawaii for the all-day sufferfest known as the Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona.
Paul Terranova, Todd Sazenski, Meghan Browne, Sierra Snyder, Joe Thorne, Shellie Oroshiba and Jason McMillian will swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and 26.2 miles on Saturday.
Exhausting!
Each one has his or her own reasons for tackling the course, known for its intense heat and brutal winds.
Sazenski, 40, had heart surgery to correct a rapid heart rate after competing in Ironman Lake Placid in 2006. Five weeks and six days later, he competed in the Ford Ironman Wisconsin.
“I have never found a single event or accomplishment that better defines one’s character and perseverance than Ironman,” he wrote in his race application. “To get the opportunity to compete with the world’s best is an amazing honor.”
Browne, 24, a former University of Arizona swimmer, has had a good year so far, finishing first at a half Ironman in California. She missed last year’s championship because it fell just two weeks before her wedding.
“I always thought I’d do the big race in Hawaii after growing up watching Paul and Paula compete,” she wrote in her application. “Last year the timing just wasn’t right, but this year I’m excited to realize the dream!”
Snyder, 32, another collegiate swimmer, is a physician and an advisor to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She qualified for Hawaii through the St. Croix 70.3.
Oroshiba, 39, signed up looking for “the ultimate opportunity to lay it all on the line.” She’s a single mom working three jobs (including pedicabber!), and finding time to train has been a struggle.
Best of luck to the Austin contingent! Post your well wishes here.
(The photo above, provided by the Ironman folks, shows Terranova.)
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What’s your toughest workout?
Robert says my postings have been lame lately, that it’s time to pump ‘em up.
In Robert’s honor (I’m pretty sure he’s CO2 Creator who posts here sometimes, but he refuses to ‘fess up), I’d like everyone to tell me what they do when they want a really tough workout.
What class, what routine, what run, what bootcamp do you turn to when you feel the need to push your body to the limits? What’s the hardest workout around?
I’ve already gotten in my daily swim practice (thanks TeamTexas!), so I’m gonna just sit here at my computer and relax while y’all duke it out. And maybe go for an easy run later…
Robert, what’s your toughest workout? Eating enchiladas?
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50 Years of Birding
I’m a sucker for the sound of an owl hooting, so this sounds incredible to me. Check out all the activities marking 50 years of birding at Hornsby Bend, 2210 South FM 973, this week:
The Austin Water Utility Center for Environmental Research and the Travis Audubon Society are celebrating 50 years of their birding partnership at the Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Facility with four days of birding, workshops, presentations and art, October 8-11.
- Owl workshop by Rob Fergus: Two nights of Central Texas owl biology, nest box management and “owl prowl” excursions, 7-10 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Oct. 8-9 at the Center for Environmental Research at Hornsby Bend, 2210 South FM 973. Cost is $60. Go here to register.
- Hornsby Bend’s 50 Years of Birding Celebration, 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, Center for Environmental Research at Hornsby Bend, 2210 South FM 973. Day-long activities include birding field trips, a “super” bird survey, educational displays and a silent auction. Public field trips with a bird expert at 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 4:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. Presentations on bird monitoring and wildlife photography, noon to 4 p.m. Program on “50 years of birds and birding at Hornsby Bend,” 7-10 p.m.
- The “Big Sit” Annual Bird Count: Sunrise to sunset Sunday, Oct. 11 at Hornsby Bend, 2210 South FM 973. Go here to register.
It’s sounds odd: A biosolids treatment plant that doubles as a prime birding location. But the environmentally-sound way that wastewater is treated there has created a popular resting spot for migrating birds and a home for many native species.
Water from the treatment process is stored in several large ponds that draw birds and other wildlife to the area, according to a press release from Austin Water Utility Center for Environmental Research.
Hornsby Bend is nationally known as one of the best birding sites in Texas — harboring over 370 species of birds and an abundance of other wildlife. It is listed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as an ecotourism destination on its Heart of Texas Wildlife Trail.
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Scuba diving the Cayman Islands
I took off my shoes Sept. 26 and didn’t put them on again until the day before yesterday.
That’s what happens on live-aboard scuba trips — along with a lot of underwater time. I spent last week chasing sea turtles, exploring sunken ships, looking for sharks, checking out gigantic lobsters and plunging into the ocean after dark during a scuba diving trip aboard the Cayman Aggressor IV.
It was just me and Chris, my sister Angie and her husband John, and five other passengers on board the boat, which floats between dive sites. There’s no time for anything but diving, sleeping and eating. Pure bliss!
We dove four or five times a day, mostly around Little Cayman. Highlights? An octopus changing colors as it moved along the coral during a night dive. A 3-foot grouper that liked being scratched under the chin. Stingrays galore! Tiny, ruffled worms called lettuce nudibranchs. Spotted drums, trumpetfish, eagle rays, puffers, moray eels, sailfin blennies, pipefish, neon gobies, scrawled filefish, honeycomb cowfish, channel crabs …
I’ve got nearly 200 dives under my weight belt and can’t get enough. I’ll be writing about this trip soon. And I’ve already got the next one planned — diving the Galapagos Islands next May!
Who out there’s a diver? What’s your favorite place to scuba dive?
I took the photo above (of a friendly grouper) off of Little Cayman Island.
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I’m under the sea
If you’ve been trying to reach me to no avail, it’s because I’ve been exploring the underwater environs around the Cayman Islands for an upcoming travel article.
We’re on a live-aboard boat, floating between dive sites. On the agenda? Four dives a day. I haven’t had shoes on my feet for days.
I love to scuba dive! How about you? What’s the best diving you’ve ever done?
I’ll tell you all about my latest trip when I get back.
(That’s me, above, diving in Kona last year. We saw lots of manta rays there.)
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Your weekend fitness events
What’s up this weekend? A lot! Check it out:
- Track stars at Wild Basin Fitness: Trey Hardee, University of Texas graduate and reigning world gold medal champion in decathlon, and Chelsea Johnson, silver medalist in pole vault, will make an appearance from 8-10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 2, at Wild Basin Fitness, 300 Beardsley Lane, Building B, Suite 101, from 8-10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 2. The athletes will demonstrate 10 different exercises and then invite participants to try. For more information call (512) 306-7376.
- Donkey Dash 5K and Doggy Dash: Run with your canine training partner at the inaugural Sunset Valley Donkey Dash 5k and Doggy Dash. The race kicks off at 8 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 4 at Doc’s Backyard, 5207 Brodie Lane. All aid stations will have water bowls and dog treats; owners must carry a “doggy disposal bag.” A post-race doggy party will include dog ice cream and other treats compliments of Banfield and Petsmart. For the adults? Free beer! Registration is $20 for individuals and $5 for canines; $30 and $10 after Sept. 30. Race proceeds benefit the Sunset Valley Elementary School. To volunteer, contact race director Andrea Fisher at ironmanfishy@hotmail.com. For more information go here.
- Parkinson’s 5K: The Pick Up Your Feet for Parkinson’s 5K Run/Walk kicks off at 8 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 4 at Williamson County Regional Park, 3005 CR 175 in Leander. The race honors long-time runner and Sun City resident John Carchedi, who has Parkinson’s. Registration is $25 ($10 per additional family member). A portion of proceeds will benefit the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. To register go here.
And more on the horizon:
- Lake Travis Relay: The “Best Dam Open Water Swim Around” gets under way at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 at Mansfield Dam Park on Lake Travis. The six-person relay finishes at The Pier on Lake Travis. Each person swims a 20-minute leg, then a 15-minute leg, then 10-minute legs until their team has completed the 12-mile course. Entry is $60 per swimmer ($20 for alternates) by Oct. 1; fees increase by $10 after Oct. 1. Swimmers may race solo for $110. Race is on drought or no drought. For information, call 512-327-2260 or go here.
- Texas Mamma Jamma Ride: Chose from 10, 25, 45, 65 or 100-mile routes in this inaugural ride against breast cancer, which starts at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 at Reunion Ranch, 850 County Road 255 in Georgetown. The ride aims to raise $400,000 for 10 local non-profit organizations that provide services to Central Texans with breast cancer. Routes go through Williamson County and the towns of Liberty Hill and Bertram. All routes are fully supported. For more information, go here or call 512-371-7433.
- Austin Oyster Urban Adventure Race: Teams run, bike, paddle, climb and perform other crazy athletic stunts as they race 30 to 40 miles around the city in a combination triathlon/scavenger hunt. Start time is 8 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 11 at RunTex, 422 W. Riverside Dr. Registration is $75 per person for the full race; $65 per person for the half. Each team also must raise $100 in donations, which benefit the Austin Parks Foundation. For more information go here.
- Run Austin Run Half Marathon, 5K and 10K: The Run Austin Run events kick off at 7 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 11 at The Triangle, 45th and Guadalupe Streets. Registration is $70 for the half marathon, $40 for the 10K and $30 for the 5K. Online registration closes Oct. 9. A portion of proceeds benefits the Capital Area Food Bank. Packet pickup is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 at The Triangle Park, 4700 N. Lamar Blvd. For more information, go here.
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