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February 2010
Fitness fashion show
Athletes have to look good, too.
That’s why Bettysport has teamed up with Red Licorice Events for a fashion show featuring fitness clothing.
The free show, starring local age group triathletes as models, starts at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Lanai Rooftop Lounge, 422 Congress Ave. The models will show outfits for all body types.
A short seminar for local businesses looking for ways to market to athletes will precede the fashion show at 4:30 p.m.
Red Licorice Events produces local races including the Sweet & Twisted Tri and the Cougar Country Classic 5K.
Bettysport is located at 916 W. 12th and sells really cute athletic wear, from cycling jackets to running shorts.
To attend the seminar, please RSVP to joey@redlicoriceevents.com.
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Meet mountain bike guru Gary Fisher
Meet the man behind the bike!
Gary Fisher, who is considered one of the inventors of the modern bike, is coming to Austin.
He’ll be at Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop, 400 Nueces St., for team presentations, a bike talk and question and answer session, food and music from 7-9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26. At 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 27, he’ll lead a 35-40 mile rolling bike ride departing from the bike shop.
Fisher’s known for wearing some pretty rad clothes at times. I wonder what he’ll be wearing?
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Participants needed for weight management study
Researchers at the University of Texas are need help in a study they are conducting about how people talk to each other about weight management.
By weight management, they mean how people manage their weight through diet, exercise and nutrition. You don’t have to want to lose weight — you could want to tone up, gain weight, exercise more (or get started on a program) or make some changes to your diets.
Here are the details:
Are you or your spouse (or you or your teen) looking to make changes to your eating habits or fitness? Are you trying to accomplish your New Year’s exercise or diet goals? If so, please participate in a UT study on conversations about diet and exercise.
To participate, couples need to have been together at least 1 year and be living together (there are no marriage or sexual orientation restrictions). Parents and teens need to be living together and the teen must be 13-17 years old (at least one parent must participate). At least one person has to want to make some change in their weight management, and both people need to occasionally talk about these issues.
In return for filling out written, confidential surveys (that will not be shown to the other person taking the survey), each participant will receive a $15 Amazon or HEB gift card. The surveys take between 30-60 minutes to complete.
We will be administering the surveys from 2-5:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28, at the Carver Library, 1161 Angelina Street. Feel free to drop by when you can. Or if you can’t attend that day but would like to participate (or if you have any questions), email rdailey@mail.utexas.edu.
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Girls, get ready for Zooma Half Marathon!
I’m slowly building up my running distance in preparation for the ZOOMA Austin Half Marathon on March 27.
The race caters to women — with silver necklaces for half marathon finishers and a post-race party with massages, shopping, a light breakfast, wine tastings, live music and a post-race pool party. (Men are allowed, but trust me, this one is all about girls.)
There’s also a 5K and 20K for those who don’t want to run 13.1 miles.
The official charity partner for ZOOMA Austin is LifeWorks, an Austin-based social services non-profit that transitions youths and families in crisis to safety and success. For more information on LifeWorks go here.
All three distances start at 7:30 a.m. at the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort and Spa in Bastrop.
Register here.
Sign up before Feb. 28 and ZOOMA Austin will donate to LifeWorks’ pregnancy prevention programs on your behalf. You will also be entered in a drawing to receive an $80 gift certificate from Austin’s Pizza.
Use the following codes when you enter to make the donation — LOVEAUSHALF10 for a $10 donation or LOVEAUS5K10 for a $5 donation.
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How a 3:51 marathon becomes a 7:01 marathon
Need a reminder about the importance of staying hydrated? Listen up.
Kurt Wilkin had just run past mile 24 in the Austin Marathon. He was on track for a 3 hour and 51 minute race.
He’d been feeling a little funny for a mile or two, but didn’t realize anything was wrong.
He remembers walking a bit. Then remembers falling at the end of the race, and arguing with officials about whether or not he’d crossed the finish line.
Turns out that last part never happened.
In reality, Wilkin passed out at mile 25.5. He woke up to people pouring water on him. Medics put him in an ambulance and administered an IV. He was dehydrated and taken to the hospital.
(Wilkin notes that he ate seven Gus and drank water at every water stop along the way, in addition to hydrating in the days leading to the race.)
When he was hydrated again, doctors gave him permission to go back and finish that last mile and a half.
Crazy? Maybe.
What is understandable is Wilkin’s desire to finish. He’d completed every race in the seven-race Distance Challenge Series.
Adding to his motivation?
In 2006, almost the same thing happened. He and a buddy were doing the Distance Challenge. A half mile from the finish of the RunTex 20 Miler, the second to last race in the series, he became dehydrated and had to be given fluids. He didn’t finish the race — or the Distance Challenge.
“My friends gave me endless grief,” Wilkin says. “This year I decided to finally mark it off my list.”
He had to go back and knock out the next mile and a half.
His official finish time? Seven hours and 1 minute.
A little off his pace. But he earned his Distance Challenge finishers jacket fair and square.
Thank goodness!
(The photos above show Wilkin at the beginning of the race, left, and walking across the finish after his hospital visit.)
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Win free camping book
Need some tips on where to find the best tent camping in Texas?
I’ve got a signed copy of Wendel Withrow’s great book, “The Best in Tent Camping Texas: A Guide for Car Campers who Hate RVs, Concrete Slabs, and Loud Portable Stereos,” to give away.
The book includes maps of 60 campgrounds, plus information about fees, restrictions, dates of operation and facilities. Included are some of the state’s most popular parks, such as Garner State Park, Big Bend National Park, Palo Duro Canyon State Park and Bastrop State Park. Also included are some you might not know about, including Canyon of the Eagles, Palmetto State Park, Purtis Creek State Park, and Goose Island State Park.
Withrow is a University of Texas graduate and chair of the Dallas group of the Sierra Club.
I’d love to see this book in the hands of someone who loves to camp. Why do you deserve it? Best answer posted here wins the book.
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Mike Davis hand cycles Austin Marathon
I met Mike Davis two years ago, when I wrote an article about how the U.S. Army veteran stays fit despite being paralyzed from the waist down.
Davis, 48, was crushed by a military Range Rover during a training exercise in New Mexico 15 years ago. That never changed his need for daily exercise, and now he gets it through swimming and racing his hand cycle.
Davis competed in the Austin Marathon on Sunday, and for the second time in two years he was the first person to cross the finish line.
His time? Two hours, 17 minutes and 54 seconds. That’s 26.2 miles — all by propelling his wheelchair with the hand cranks. (Yes, his arms are big!)
Davis doesn’t have much competition in Austin, so now he’s looking for nearby races that attract more hand-crank athletes. He still has the competitive athletic spirit he had before the injury.
He just signed up for the Big D Texas Marathon in Dallas in April.
Davis was cycling with his girlfriend on Saturday when a car pulled up alongside them and the driver rolled down his window. The driver yelled to Davis how he had inspired him to get off the couch and get on his own bike.
Davis has that affect on people.
Here’s a picture of Davis with Gov. Rick Perry before Sunday’s race.
Way to go Mike!
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Work out with the Biggest Losers
Want to work out with some of the stars of the TV show Biggest Losers?
Texas Fit Body Bootcamp will host a special workout with a group of the show’s alumni at 5:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 19 at the Plum Creek Golf Course Pavilion in Kyle.
Anyone may join the workout for $5. Proceeds will benefit the Hope and Love 4 Kids charity in Kyle.
Among the Biggest Loser contestants joining the workout will be Lisa Andreone from season one; Pete Thomas, Ryan Kelley and Andrea Overstreet from season two; David Griffin from season four; Sione Fa from season seven; and Liz Young and Tracey Yukich from season eight.
For more information go here or here.
*UPDATE** A related event will take place Saturday, Feb. 20 at Jack C. Hays High School in Kyle/Buda.
Body Interiors, in partnership with Hays Consolidated Independent School District, will present a Burn & Learn-Workout like a Loser event
The all day event is designed for teens and adults of all weights, shapes and sizes. It will include group new workouts, motivational sessions, and a Q&A with Biggest Loser stars during lunch. Participants will also get an official event shirt, healthy snacks, lunch, photo ops and workouts with the Biggest Losers. Tickets are $59 for adults and $19 for teens and can be purchased online at www.workoutlikealoser.com.
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A romantic Austin Marathon story
Lots of great stories out of the Austin Marathon this year!
Did you run? Or watch the race?
I did a little of both. I walked a few blocks from my house to the intersection of Shoal Creek and RM2222 and watched the runners stream by. Then I ran over to Mile 20, where I waited for my friend Raj Randeri, who was running his first full marathon. I ran the last 6 miles in with him for moral support.
He did great!
Along the way, I saw a guy running in a kilt and sash, a woman running barefoot, a bare-bellied pregnant runner, and two men dressed as cupids, complete with fluffy faux wings and “Free Kisses” and “Free Hugs” signs.
It made me want to run the marathon again! (It’s funny how you forget the pain but remember the joy!)
I saw several people who, at mile 20, looked like they might not finish the race. One pulled off the course, rubbed his calf for a few minutes, put his hands in his face and cried.
After a few minutes, he hobbled on. I don’t know if he made it or not.
Running a marathon is not an easy thing to do.
The race was particularly rewarding for Victoria Gomez, who finished her first marathon Sunday. (That’s her in the photo above). Her boyfriend, who is in the military and currently stationed in Iraq, coordinated with race organizers to have a bouquet of red roses and a personal note presented to her at the finish line.
Now that’s a good Valentine’s Day!
How did your race go?
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West Texas travel secrets
Looking for the best hiking, biking and birding spots in West Texas?
Beth Nobles, executive director of Texas Mountain Trail, will speak about “Undiscovered West Texas Adventures” at 7 p.m. Monday at REI Austin Downtown, 601 N. Lamar Boulevard.
The session is free.
From the national parks at Big Bend, Guadalupe Mountains and Fort Davis, to the state parks at the Franklin Mountains, Big Bend Ranch and the Davis Mountains, Nobles knows all the secrets of travel in the far west corner of the state.
The Texas Mountain Trail is a non-profit organization and part of the Texas Historical Commission’s Texas Heritage Trails Program.
For more information on Noble’s talk, call REI at (512) 482-3357 or go here. For more information about the Texas Mountain Trail, go here.
(That’s me looking over the edge of the South Rim at Big Bend National Park, above, and a desert scene below.)
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Marathon course maps
Austin Marathon is Sunday! Here are two route maps:
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Running for Blue Dog Rescue
Jacqueline Tame swears she’s not really a runner, but she’s running the Austin Half Marathon on Sunday anyway. (If she can get out of Washington, D.C., where she’s been snowed in, that is.)
Once in Austin, she plans to present Blue Dog Rescue with a check for $1,000. Then she’ll take off on her 13.1-mile, foot-powered jaunt through the city.
Members of Blue Dog, which finds permanent owners for homeless dogs, will man a water stop at mile 14.5 of the marathon. It’s part of the Austin Marathon’s 26 Miles for 26 Charities program.
What’s interesting is how Tame, who grew up in Austin, raised the money. She and her husband, Jonathan, got married Jan. 17.
“When my husband and I got married, we decided I was doing the half marathon. I wanted to be able to give Blue Dog a donation, but didn’t feel like we could ask people already flying out for our wedding to sponsor me as well,” Tame says.
Instead, she and her husband Jonathan decided not to buy wedding favors, and to use that money as a donation to Blue Dog instead.
Tame has her own rescue dog, a shepherd mix named Chandler, who she’s had for six years.
“The number of homeless animals in this country is staggering,” she says. “A lot of people are really not knowledgeable about breeders and the type of lifestyle those dogs are used to and the health problems that can come with them while so many dogs are being euthanized.”
Tame is running with her friend Meredith Lupa, who is also raising money for Blue Dog Rescue.
Go Jacqueline! (That’s her and Jonathan at the Cherry Blossom, above, and with Chandler, below.)
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Last-minute Austin Marathon news
We’re just a few days away from marathon day!
It’s the 19th year of the Austin Marathon and Half Marathon, which kicks off at 7 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 14 at 2nd Street and Congress Avenue.
The race is sold out. About 4,500 runners are registered for the full marathon; another 9,000 are signed up for the half.
To see a course map, go here.
I’m not running this year (I did it for the first time last year) but I’ll be standing at the intersection of RM2222 and Shoal Creek Boulevard, cheering on runners. Look for me! I’m also planning to jump in for a few miles near the end, to help a friend through those nasty last few miles.
Here are some last minute tidbits:
- Packet pickup: All packets must be picked up at the Health & Fitness Expo at the Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Spring Road. Expo hours are 3 p.m.-7 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday. Expo parking is $7 (spend $100 and parking is free), so carpooling or public transit is recommended. There is no day of race packet pickup, so all packets must be picked up at the Expo, which is free and open to the public. More than 100 vendors, experts and panelists will be on hand, and nonprofits in the 26 Miles for 26 Charities program share information on their causes.
- “Unplugged at the Paramount” Kick-off Concert - Austin favorites Joe Ely, Billy Joe Shaver, Slaid Cleaves and Amy Cook in a live acoustic performance Friday at the Paramount Theatre to start off race weekend; benefits the Paramount and Lance Armstrong Foundation. Doors open 7 p.m.; show starts 8 p.m. Tickets$13 to $50 here.
- Paramount Break-A-Leg 5K — Race starts at 7:30 a.m. Sunday at 10th Street and Congress Avenue.
- Parking — Parking in the downtown area within walking distance of the start and finish-lines is plentiful. There are numerous free and paid parking garages and surface lots as well as free on-street parking downtown. Also, going northbound on Trinity off the I35 11th Street exit; parking will be available on 12th, 13th, and 14th streets. Race organizers strongly encourage the use of public transit.
- Post-Race Massages! — A team of more than 25 licensed massage therapists, sponsored by Twenty-Six Two Marathon Club and ThriveAustin, will be available after the Austin Marathon for table massages for a special price of $1 per minute, with options for a 20-minute or 30-minute massage.
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Marathon tips from Outside Magazine
I ran my first marathon last year. Lots of folks will be running their first on Sunday, when the Austin Marathon winds its way around the city.
My number one suggestion? Start easy! Conserve your energy for those grueling last 5 miles.
And have fun!
Here are some other tips from our friends at Outside Magazine:
- MILE 0: Take energy bars and a sports drink to the starting line for the long wait.
- MILE 1-2: Start really slow.
- MILE 3: Bring a bottle.
- MILE 6: Soak up the great crowd support.
- MILE 8: When there’s no center divide, run in the middle of the road - it’s flatter.
- MILE 15: Keep your heart rate in check, take in the view.
- MILE 16.5: Pump your fists, smile for the cameras, just don’t start sprinting yet or stop for autographs.
- MILE 18: Gel station! Eat one. You’ll need the boost.
- MILE 20: The real work starts here. Trust your training.
- MILE 23: Stay positive: it won’t break you.
- MILE 24-25: Power through.
- MILE 26.2: No matter how you really feel, raise your arms at the finish, you deserve it.
- 7:30 p.m.: Kick-off party at Bicycle Sport Shop, 517 South Lamar Blvd.
- 9 a.m.: Trailbuilding School classroom session at the Sunset Valley City Hall, 3205 Jones Road.
- Noon: Lunch provide by The Hill Country Conservancy, co-sponsor of the event 1-4 p.m.: Trailbuilding School field session
- 10 a.m.: Group ride at Pace Bend Park at the East Trailhead (across from bathroom 11 on map)
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Stolen Livestrong team bike returned to Mellow Johnny’s
A bicycle stolen from the Trek Livestong U23 Cycling Team, a development team sponsored by Lance Armstrong, has been recovered and returned to Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop.
The team issue time trial bike was stolen from the shop in November and discovered at a flea market in Mexico in early January. It finally made it back to Austin on Tuesday.
Thieves had smashed a glass back door at Mellow Johnny’s to get the bike, ridden by team member Ryan Baumann, according to Craig Staley, general manager of Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop.
The high-end racing bike is valued at more than $10,000.
The bike, bearing Bauman’s name, traveled south through Texas and eventually landed at a flea market in Guanajuato, Mexico.
A cyclist purchased it for a bargain, but it was recognized by his local Trek dealer when he brought it in for service.
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On the road with the Weinermobile
Hot dog, that was fun!
I just stepped off the Weinermobile, after a franktastic, hour-long cruise around town.
The 27-foot long hotdog-shaped vehicle is in Austin recruiting future “hotdoggers,” the perky, hotdog-pun spewing drivers who travel around the country handing out Weiner whistles and making people smile.
They’ll be in Room 220 of Burdine Hall at the University of Texas at 5:30 p.m. next Tuesday, Feb. 16, looking for recruits.
It’s a job to be relished! Do you cut the mustard? (Help me, I can’t stop!)
We motored up and down Congress Avenue, then spun through the UT campus. I’ve never seen so many people whip out their cell phones to snap pictures.
The Weinermobile’s drivers, Laura Moller and Alison Kwong, know every hotdog pun in the book. (There are wurst things to know, I suppose.)
What does the interior look like, you ask? It’s drenched in yellow, with little embroidered Weinermobiles on the seatbacks. The carpet looks like someone squirted mustard on it. And there’s a pop-up “bunroof.” It’s got six bucket seats, a hotdog-shaped glovebox, cruise control and a GPS unit.
It gets pretty good smileage, but I doubt the mileage is all that great.
Ketchup with you later!
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Free women’s workout Saturday at CTC
An Austin fitness center is offering a free open workout for women at 9 a.m. Saturday.
Expect a challenging workout that focuses on improving overall strength and mobility through functional strength training. All you need is a willingness to work hard and try new exercises.
Bring a water bottle and small towel.
CTC is located at 9185 Research Blvd. For more information go to www.ctcaustin.com or call 330-4269
RSVP by calling 330-4269 at least 24 hours in advance. Arrive 15 minutes before class for a warm up.
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Win copy of cyclist Saul Raisin’s book
In April 2006, young American cycling phenomenon Saul Raisin crashed while racing in France.
At first, his biggest worries were broken bones and road rash. But a few days later, he suffered swelling in the brain and slipped into a coma. He underwent emergency brain surgery and spent months recovering.
A doctor told him he might never walk again, and that he would have to adapt to a new life, one where he might need a wheelchair.
“I told him that I would run one day,” Raisin says. “And do you know what? Run I did. I ran all 26.2 miles of the New York City Marathon and I’ll keep running.”
Raisin’s fight back to health is an inspiring story, told in his book “Tour de Life: From Coma to Competition,” co-written by Dave Shields.
“When I was in the hospital I told my friends and family if I was to ever live a normal life again that I wanted to give back and help people like me,” Raisin said by phone recently. “That is why I wrote ‘Tour de Life,’ to share my story with others to let them know that they are not alone … Even in the worst of times, never give up hope and fight to the finish. Take your given talents and use them to the max. Do not take no for a answer.”
“My book is about the power of hope and miracles do happen.”
Raisin lives in Dalton, Ga., where he’s now preparing to run the ING Georgia marathon on March 21.
He’s been to Austin several times. “I love Austin,” he says. “The cycling community is one of the best in the country.”
For more information about the Raisin Hope Foundation, which advocates for people with traumatic brain injuries, go here. For more information about his book, go here.
I’ve got a signed copy of “Tour de Life” to give away. Just post here why you need the book. I’ll pick a winner later this week.
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Sign up for trail building school
Want to learn to build a sustainable mountain biking trail?
The International Mountain Biking Association is sending a team of trail experts to Austin next week to teach volunteers how to build trails that last a long time and require minimal maintenance. That helps reduce trail damage, protect the environment and make the trails more enjoyable. Besides leading the Trailbuilding School, Chris and Leslie Kehmeier of the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew will meet with land managers and work with IMBA-affiliated clubs and members to improve mountain biking opportunities.
Here’s the schedule:
Thursday
Saturday
Sunday
Please RSVP for Saturday’s Trailbuilding School here https://www.imba.com/civicrm/event/info?id=4&reset=1.
For more information, contact Hill Abell at hill@bicyclesportshop.com.
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Is Sports Illustrated cover of Lindsey Vonn provocative?
I’m a little baffled by the controversy surrounding the latest cover of Sports Illustrated, which stars downhill skiing star Lindsey Vonn.
Vonn, in case you haven’t heard, is the first American woman to snag consecutive overall World Cup championships. And that’s just the beginning. She’s got 31 World Cup victories total, divvied up among the downhill, Super G, slalom and super combined disciplines. She’s expected to do well at the Vancouver Olympics, which start in a week.
She deserves an SI cover, right?
It’s extremely rare for a woman to land that spot. If she does, she’s more than likely part of the bikini edition. (Now if you’re looking for something to complain about, there’s a legitimate cause.)
Still, some folks are up in arms, saying the SI cover objectifies Vonn.
What?
This website says the pose, with Vonn’s rear in the air (normal downhill pose, by the way), is provocative.
Read more of the hype here.
I think it’s ridiculous. It’s not like Vonn’s in a thong or half naked or blowing kisses at the camera. She’s crouched over, posed as if she’s rocketing downhill, which is what she does when she’s racing. She’s wearing a one-piece, Spandex racing suit that covers everything but her face.
She also happens to be beautiful and she’s got a gorgeous figure. Nothing wrong with that.
What do critics think would be better? Putting her in a puffy, insulated jacket and posing her standing upright at the bottom of the hill?
What do you think?
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Austin ranks as 5th drunkest city
What? Austin is drunker than New Orleans and Las Vegas? Is that even possible?
Men’s Health magazine just released its list of drunkest cities, which ranks 100 major U.S. cities in terms of sobriety, and Austin ranks fifth.
Fresno, Calif., came in No. 1. Reno, Nev., was second, followed by Billings, Mont., third; and Riverside, Calif., fourth.
Two other Texas cities made the top 10 — San Antonio was No. 6 and Lubbock was No. 7. Houston came in 47th and Dallas was 77th.
The magazine considered death rates from alcoholic liver disease, alcohol-related car crashes, reported binge-drinking rates, number of DUI arrests, and severity of DUI penalties in calculating its list.
Men’s Health also gave each city a letter grade based on its score. Austin got an F.
I think the University of Texas, Sixth Street and, possibly, those purple margaritas at Baby Acapulco’s may be to blame.
Somehow, Vegas came in 11th and New Orleans 21st. Isn’t drinking a national pasttime in those cities? Ever hear of The Strip or the French Quarter?
Boston fared best (or worst, depending on how you look at it, I suppose), at number 100.
It’s not that I don’t drink. I love a margarita or a glass of wine! But for a city that purports to be as fit as Austin, I’m pretty flabbergasted.
What do you think?
To see the entire list, go here.
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Slaughter Creek Trail dedication set for Friday
Pull out your hiking boots, we’ve officially got a new trail to hike!
The 5-mile pathway along Slaughter Creek, which is open to hikers, bicyclists and horses, will be dedicated at 1 p.m. Friday. (NOTE: The ribbon cutting is still planned, but because of the rain the actual trail may be closed.)
Parking near the trail entrance at 9901 FM 1826 is limited, so organizers are asking everyone to carpool. The event will happen rain or shine. (Yay rain!)
The trail is beginner to intermediate level, with slight elevation changes and some short ledges. There is also a quarter-mile trail designed for the mobility and visually impaired.
The trail is located on lands managed by the city of Austin’s Water Quality Protection Lands Program.
Recreational groups including the Austin Ridge Riders, the Texas Equestrian Trail Riders Association and the Hill Country Foundation built the trail and will manage and maintain it. They will use social media to alert trail-goers if the trail is opened or closed.
The trail has its own Facebook page — and its own motto, “Just say no to mud!”
It’s on public land set aside as habitat for eight endangered species and 27 species of concern, and to protect the quality and quantity of water recharging the Barton Spring segment of the Edwards Aquifer.
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Glen Canyon book discussion
It’s a long drive to Glen Canyon from Austin, but the lessons it tells are just as pertinent here, where drought and population growth make water an ever-important issue.
Learn more about what happened when the canyon was flooded to create Lake Powell, which borders Arizona and Utah, in 1963, and what’s happening now, as the a decade-long drought and increased water demands have shrunk the lake to roughly half its size.
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.”
She’ll read from her book and sign copies of it during an event hosted by the Save Our Springs Alliance starting at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Alamo Drafthouse South. A video that accompanies the book also will be shown, and McGivney will lead a discussion.
A $10 donation is suggested.
McGivney is a University of Texas graduate who spent a decade here writing about the environment. She now writes for Backpacker Magazine.
For more information, email pat@sosalliance.org or call 477-2320. Go to www.SOSAlliance.org or www.AnnetteMcGivney.com for more information.
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Swimming in the rain
The skies were pouring this morning as I headed to the pool for swim practice.
As I pulled on my goggles and headed out the locker room door, someone looked at me incredulously.
“You’re not going to swim in this, are you?”
Huh? Like what, I might get wet out there?
Cracks me up.
Swimming in the rain is glorious!
I train three or four times a week with Team Texas Swim Team at Dell Jewish Community Center. I’ve been swimming with the group for nine years now, and love it. (That’s one of our coaches, Sandy Neilson-Bell, above.)
Part of the fun is swimming in the outdoor pool in all conditions.
The only thing that’s better than swimming in pouring rain is swimming in sleet, which I’ve also experienced. It melts just as it hits the water.
Bitter cold is pretty cool, too. During the cold snap a few weeks ago, my flippers froze to my kickboard on the edge of the pool. My pool slides were iced over by the time practice was over, too.
Winter mornings sometimes bring fog and steam, too, which hovers over the water in a wispy puffs as the sun rises.
What kind of weather is best for your workouts?
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Can fitness, cruise ships mix?
I’ve always wondered what would happen if you put a super-active outdoorsy person on a cruise ship. Would her head explode?
I got my answer this week, when I hopped about the Carnival Ecstasy for the shortest, least expensive cruise available out of Galveston. (Find out more about Carnival’s Galveston cruises here).
Inexpensive cruises, it turns out, are a lot like Las Vegas. Most folks are there to party, gamble and eat. A lot.
Me? I have a hard time staying indoors very long, and I like nature. I go to bed early and I don’t like pouring my money down a drain.
I stayed in a cheap room (about $450 for a four-night excursion with a stop in Cozumel) in the belly of the ship. I took the stairs everywhere I went. I sniffed out the exercise room and ran on the treadmill. I found a jogging track on the top deck. Eleven laps equaled one mile.
But treadmill work and running on a tiny circuit aren’t like running outdoors. The swimming pool was tiny; far too small to swim laps. And the palm trees on the lido deck were fake.
Egad!
My head didn’t technically explode, and I didn’t completely hate it. I had a blast in Cozumel, where I rented a car, drove to the less developed side of the island and swam in the surf. I spent some time reading and relaxing and contemplating the ocean.
Onboard the ship, I did enjoy some of the entertainment, including a pretty good comedian and a music and dance show in the theater. But I could definitely do without the hairy chest contest.
Cruising is just not my thing. At least not yet. And not in the Caribbean, where many of the passengers are there to drink tequila, play Black Jack and scream really loudly.
Give me 20 years and I’ll be lining up for the buffet … Maybe.
What are your thoughts on cruising?
You can read more about my trip in a few weeks, in an article I’m planning for the travel section of the Austin American-Statesman.
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