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June 2010
Should obese be a bad word?
Now that Texas ranks as the 13th most obese state in the country (egad!), we need to get serious about how we describe our body size.
In case you hadn’t heard, the adult obesity rate in Texas is 29 percent, according to the seventh annual “F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2010” report from the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (See the full report here.)
The Texas obesity rate among youth ages 10 to 17 is even worse — at 20.4 percent, we’re seventh out of the 50 states and Washington, D.C. And among Latinos, we’ve got the third highest rate at 34 percent.
That means we get to use the word “obese” a lot in these parts. Or should we?
All this horrifying news coincides with a report that the city council in Liverpool, England, wants to ban the words “obese” and “obesity” from all public health strategies aimed at improving child’s diets and health in fear the words might harm the self-esteem of obese kids. (Read the article here.)
Seriously.
According to a report in the Daily Telegraph, the council “believes the expression could stigmatize youngsters and wants to replace it with the phrase ‘unhealthy weight.’”
This is beyond stupid. Now is no time to sugar-coat (in more ways than one!) bad news. It’s time to face reality.
This doesn’t mean teasing a child, of course. It just means telling it like it is. Using a precise word like obese, which according to my Webster’s means “very fat, stout, corpulent,” just might instill enough alarm to inspire the kids — or their parents — to take needed action.
Isn’t our health worth it?
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Fund-raiser’s goal: High school mountain bike racing
Mountain biking as a high school sport? I wish they’d had it when I was in school …
It could happen in Texas, if the Texas High School Cycling League wins its bid to become a project league of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association in 2011. If that happens, the organization plans to start a racing league for Texas high school students in spring 2012.
To help in its efforts, the league will host a fund-raising screening of “Ride the Divide” at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Lake Creek Alamo Drafthouse, 13729 N. Highway 183. A question and answer session with the film’s executive producer and director will follow.
“Ride the Divide” is a documentary about The Tour Divide, dubbed the world’s toughest mountain bike race.
Riders climb more than 200,000 feet as they pedal more than 2,700 miles along the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains, from Canada to Mexico. (That’s like ascending Mount Everest from sea level seven times, in case you’re wondering.) And they do it with no support.
Ack!
The racers, who suffer everything from horrendous blisters to total fatigue, set an example for student athletes in Texas, says Vance McMurry, founding committee chair of the Texas League.
The event is sponsored by Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop, Bicycle Sport Shop and El Arroyo. Cycling gear and gift certificates will be raffled during the show.
For more information about the movie, go to www.ridethedividemovie.com.
For more information on the Texas High School Cycling League, go to http://www.texasmtb.org or call 512-586-9230.
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Age is just a number for cyclist John Perkins
Saturday, Chris and I headed to Bastrop to ride the park road between Bastrop and Buescher state parks.
It’s one of my favorite rides, especially in the summer. The route is about 12 miles each direction, it’s shady and there’s not much vehicle traffic. It’s also great practice for riding hills. While the hills aren’t exactly daunting, they’re enough to make my quad muscles scream - and they’re a good reminder of the importance of holding your speed down one hill so you keep your momentum going up the next.
Perfect!
We unloaded our bikes at the park and hit the pavement about 8:15 a.m. A few miles into the ride, a skinny guy whizzed past us.
When we arrived at Buescher, the halfway point of our ride, that same guy was catching his breath.
His name was John Perkins, and he’s 74 years old.
Perkins told me that he runs or cycles this road twice a week to stay in shape. His father died in his 50s of heart disease, and he was doing everything he could to avoid that fate.
So far, so good. Perkins is really fit, and he competes regularly in 5 and 10K races. Even when he’s just out for a bike ride, he likes to chase people down.
He definitely showed me and Chris that when it comes to cycling, age is no limit.
Way to go, John.
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Austin a test market for new Gatorade
Austin is a test market for a new version of Gatorade called G Natural and low-calorie G2 Natural.
The company sent me a couple of sample bottles to try.
Both have the same hydration and performance benefits of regular Gatorade, the company says, but are made with natural ingredients like sea salt and stevia, a natural sweetener.
Super sugary sports drinks have always made me cringe a little. But when you’re exercising for long periods of time and sweating out fluids, it’s important to replace electrolytes.
My verdict? They tasted less sweet, which is a good thing.
G Natural, which has 50 calories per serving (two servings per bottle), comes in blackberry raspberry, lemon berry and orange citrus. Lemon berry gets the thumbs up from me — not too sweet, not too tart. Refreshingly light.
G2 Natural, which has 20 calories, comes in berry, citrus mango and orange pomegranate. I tried berry, which tasted a little artificial to me. I want to try the orange pom next.
The drink is available in Austin only at Whole Foods and sells for $1.49 for a 16.9-ounce bottle.
What’s your favorite sports drink?
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Run/Drink/Repeat
Looking for a good reason to run on a hot night?
The monthly Run/Drink/Repeat benefit pub crawl, sponsored by Team Spiridon, starts at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
Team Spiridon started as a running group, but now trains runners who raise funds and awareness for local animal welfare organizations. The group, which is now recruiting runners for its fall training program, is one of the official charities of the Livestrong Austin Marathon and Half Marathon’s 26 Miles for 26 Charities program.
Runners are asked to bring a $3 donation and meet at 6:30 p.m. at the rock outside of Whole Foods Market, 6th Street at Lamar Boulevard. From there the group will run to Freddie’s Place, Doc’s, Zax Pints and Plates, the Cedar Door and the Gingerman. The total distance is 4.8 miles.
Here’s the estimated timetable:
- 7-7:35 p.m. — Freddie’s
- 7:40-8:15 p.m. — Doc’s
- 8:20-8:50 p.m. — Zax’s
- 9-9:30 p.m. — Cedar Door
- 9:35 p.m. — Gingerman
Here’s a map of the route.
Runners of all skill levels, paces and tolerances are invited.
“It’s neither race nor drunkfest, it’s just a good time for a great cause,” says Team Spiridon coach and spokesman Rob Hill. “The first leg can be shortened by a mile, if necessary, or, if you want, drive and meet us at one or more stops.”
Some runners also bring shelter dogs looking for permanent homes. (A dog that came out for the last run, Pinto, was adopted by a couple that met him at The Ginger Man.)
Proceeds from Thursday’s event will benefit EmanciPET, which provides free and low-cost spay and neuter services. Last month’s pub run raised $500 for Austin Pets Alive.
Next month’s Run/Drink/Repeat is scheduled for July 29.
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USA Triathlon adjusts wetsuit rule
I’ve always hated the wetsuit rule.
Under USA Triathlon regulations, competitors can wear wetsuits if the water temperature at a race is 78 degrees or cooler. (They can still wear wetsuits if the water is above 78, but if they do they’re not eligible for awards. Besides, they’ll probably pass out from heat exhaustion.)
The problem is this: Wetsuits provide flotation, and an unfair advantage to poor swimmers. Swimmers with bad form get more of an advantage — up to 15 percent — from the added buoyancy a wetsuit provides than swimmers who already have good form.
Wetsuits artificially level the playing field, and that’s unfair. A triathlon should be contested based on athletic skill, not equipment.
I say this as someone who wears a wetsuit while swimming maintenance laps at Barton Springs Pool because I get cold easily. But when I race, I don’t think about the cold. Or I ignore it.
I laughed the other morning when I read that USA Triathlon announced that starting in 2013, it wouldn’t allow wetsuits any thicker than 5 mm at its events.
Five millimeters? That’s like wearing a Michelin Man suit! Anything thicker than that and you might as well have helium balloons tethered to your body.
The rule, according to a press release from USA Triathlon, is designed to eliminate any competitive advantage gained by enhancements in wetsuit technology in recent years.
“Studies have shown there is a marked and measurable performance benefit to the use of certain wetsuits, specifically added buoyancy effectively reducing passive drag,” the release stated. “These performance benefits have led to an increased, and artificially induced, reduction in physical demand required during the swim leg of a triathlon and an increase in speed.”
It’s a step in the right direction, but USAT should go farther. Don’t allow wetsuits unless the water is 68 degrees or colder.
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Outside responds to Lance Armstrong’s complaint
Outside magazine has responded to Lance Armstrong’s complaint about the cover photo on the latest issue.
“We cop to it right there on the cover — see the line reading, ‘Note: Not Armstrong’s real T-shirt,’” Outside editors said in an item posted at http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=185528, a website dedicated to journalism issues.
“We wanted to create a provocative image and make a bold statement about the fact that, because of Armstrong’s age, many cycling fans are skeptical of his chances in this year’s Tour de France.”
Hmmmm.
In case you missed it, Outside printed a photo of the seven-time Tour de France winner wearing a Tshirt that said “38. BFD.”
Armstrong was actually wearing a plain Tshirt at the photo shoot and was angry when he saw the photoshopped cover.
I still think what the magazine did was wrong.
Why didn’t they just tell Armstrong what they wanted to do? Why not simply ask him to wear a real T-shirt printed with the message?
Maybe they knew he’d decline … for good reason.
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Fitness freebies!
It’s time for you to help me clear off my desk.
I’m giving away stuff. If you want any of the following items, post here telling me why you deserve it. Best answer wins.
I’ll pick winners next week. Here’s what’s up for grabs:
- ”Learn With Yoga: ABC Yoga Cards for Kids”: A pack of 26 cards, each with a picture describing a yoga move on one side and a description of the pose on the back side.
- ”Heart of my Heart: 365 Reflections on the Magnitude and Meaning of Motherhood,” by Kristin Armstrong. A devotional by Armstrong, who lives in Austin and writes an excellent blog for Runners World magazine. Here she focuses on the joys of raising her twin girls and son.
- ”The New Atkins for a New You: The Ultimate Diet for Shedding Weight and Feeling Great,” by Eric Westman, Stephen Phinney and Jeff Volek. An updated take on the low-carb eating plan, with new recipes and 24 weeks’ worth of meal plans.
- ”Framework for the Lower Back: A 6-Step Plan for a Healthy Lower Back,” by Nicholas DiNubile. A sports physician gives strategies for starting, maintaining and building a lifestyle and exercise program that promotes optimum muscle, bone and joint function.
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Attention bike commuters: Trail closure
Heads up, bike commuters.
The Stratford trail will be closed for two to three weeks starting Monday, June 21, for renovation of the trailhead at Barton Springs.
The photo above shows the scope of the work.
Nadia Barrera, bicycle/pedestrian project coordinator at the City of Austin, provided this information.
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Lance Armstrong ticked about magazine cover
Lance Armstrong is ticked off about his cover shot on the latest issue of Outside magazine.
The photo shows the Austin cyclist, who will start his bid for his eighth Tour de France victory on July 3, wearing a blue Tshirt that says “38. BFD.”
He’s 38 years old. You can probably figure out what BFD stands for.
Armstrong, it turns out, wasn’t wearing that shirt — the magazine altered the solid-colored shirt he was wearing, apparently without letting the cyclist know.
“Just saw the cover of the new Outside mag w/ yours truly on it. Nice photoshop on a plain t-shirt guys. That’s some lame (BS),” he Tweeted to his 2.5 million followers on Wednesday.
The magazine does explain in small print that the Tshirt text was added after the fact.
The headline was none too flattering, either. It says, “His age, new rival, the latest scandal: Is this the end for Lance?”
I don’t get it. Did the magazine think Armstrong wouldn’t notice? If they wanted to add the T-shirt text, why didn’t they tell him about it, or ask him to wear a pre-printed shirt so they didn’t have to cheat? They must have realized Armstrong wouldn’t have approved, or they’d have told him before going to press.
So, what do you think? Does Armstrong have a right to be mad? Or was the magazine within its rights?
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Unicyclist runs red light, gets ticket
AJ Greig might be the only guy in Austin who’s not angry about getting a ticket for running a red light.
Greig, 34, was riding his unicycle home at about 10:30 p.m. last Thursday when he succumbed to temptation and rolled through a red light at the intersection of South Congress Avenue and Elizabeth Street.
He knows what he did was wrong (and inherently dangerous). He’s been using a unicycle as his main mode of transportation for most of the past 10 years.
“I’ve been working very diligently on still stands, so if I come to a light I can rock back and forth until the light changes,” he says. “I know this sounds stupid, but that’s the only light I didn’t stop at.”
It turns out a police car was at the same intersection, just a few cars behind Greig. A block and a half later, Greig noticed flashing red lights.
“I looked behind me, thinking ‘That can’t be for me,’” Greig says.
He quickly realized it was.
“He nailed me,” Greig says. “I don’t know why I didn’t stop. I’m absolutely not mad at (the police); they were just doing their job.”
Greig says the police officer told him all traffic offenders have to be treated equally, whether they’re in cars or on bicycles — or even unicycles.
“When he said that, I was beaming,” Greig says. “I was so excited to be considered just another cyclist.”
That made the ticket — a moving violation with a penalty of $217 — sting a little less. He also says he’s annoyed with himself for not making a complete stop.
Greig says he is planning to take the new defensive cycling class offered by the Austin Cycling Association. Cyclists who take the class, created in partnership with the Austin Municipal Court, can qualify to have their traffic tickets waived.
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Taking the stink out of exercising
As a swimmer, runner and bicycle commuter, I sweat a lot. I also generate some seriously stinky clothing and wet, musty towels.
I’m testing a new product called Fresh Wave Pearl Packs. The “pearls” come in little pouches that look like tea bags filled with clear, rubbery beads.
I’ve tossed pouches in my bike “trunk,” which I use to haul clothing to and from work. I also dropped one in the duffle bag I use to stash my cycling clothes during the day.
I’m not sold yet, but I think they’re helping a little to keep the stink down.
Fresh Wave Pearl Packs are billed as eco-friendly, which makes me happy. They’re made with plant extracts like lime, pine needles, aniseed, clove and cedar wood — not a bunch of unpronounceable chemicals. They’re biodegradable and non-toxic, which also makes me happy.
The packs sell for $15.95 for a set of five sachets. Each one lasts about 25 days.
Now I’ve got to decide if it’s worth the cost…
In Austin, they are available at Bed Bath & Beyond (5400 Brodie Lane, 10225 Research Blvd., 11301 Lakeline Blvd.) and Eco-Shoppe, 10225 Research Blvd.
Anybody have any other suggestions for reducing odors in gym bags and lockers? Preferably inexpensive ones?
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Bike Snob at Mellow Johnny’s
Cycling’s most hilarious blogger is coming to Mellow Johnny’s Wednesday as part of a six-city tour promoting his book, “Bike Snob NYC: Systematically & Mercilessly Realigning the World of Cycling.”
Bike Snob, aka Eben Weiss, will lead a one-hour urban ride starting at 10:30 a.m. from the shop, 400 Nueces St.
At 6 p.m., he’ll return for a talk, book signing, drinks, music and a “Cycling Stereotype Pageant.” Bike Snob will pick winners in categories that include The Roadie, the Mountain Biker, the Cyclocrosser, the Triathlete, the Urban Cyclist, the Messenger, the Beautiful Godzilla, the Retro-Grouch, the Righteous Cyclist, the Lone Wolf and the Contraption Captain.
Need inspiration? Check Weiss’ blog here.
I love his bit about dressing as Floyd Landis, the cyclist who won the Tour de France a few years ago and then had his victory yanked when he tested positive for drugs. And the bit about buying used cycling shorts.
Ha!
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Want to burn calories? Go backpacking!
One of the reasons I’m looking forward to my late summer backpacking trip through Glacier National Park? (Besides the cool respite, that is.)
My body becomes a calorie-munching machine when I backpack.
I realized this a couple of years ago, when my husband and I spent a couple of days backpacking at Yellowstone National Park.
It seemed like I ate my weight in trail mix and freeze-dried meals and still couldn’t get enough calories into my body. By the time we were done, my hiking pants were drooping off my body.
Of course, the amount of calories you actually burn depends on how far you hike, how fast you move, how much you weigh, how much your backpack weighs, how much climbing is involved and the temperature. (I bet anxiety level due to fear of bears factors into the equation, too!)
Backpacker.com recently mentioned a formula to determine how many calories you need in the backcountry, based on whether you are having a rest day, or are moderately active, very active or extremely active.
On a long, strenuous day of hiking with a heavy pack, the number of calories used per day is equivalent to your body weight multiplied by 25 to 30 calories per pound. (Multiply by both numbers to get a range.)
If I weigh 130 pounds, for example, I’ll need 3,250 to 3,900 calories on a hard day of backpacking.
The calorie calculator comes from “Backcountry Nutrition” (Stackpole Books, 2008.) Go here to see Backpacker.com’s article.
For more tips on how many calories you can burn doing different activities, go here.
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International Surfing Day
Austin’s about 150 miles as the crow flies to the coast, but sometimes the city’s laid-back vibe makes it feel almost like a beach town.
Thus, a big celebration is in the works to mark International Surfing Day on Sunday, June 20.
Surfers and communities around the world team up every June 20 to clean and restore lakes, rivers, oceans and beaches. Here in Austin, a cleanup is scheduled for 9-11 a.m. at various locations around Lady Bird Lake.
To register for the cleanup, go here.
A party is planned for later that night.
At 6 p.m., racers on standup paddle boards, kayaks, surfboards or canoes will compete in a 1-mile and 5K Solstice Waterman’s Race on the lake. Registration is $20 for the 1-mile race or $40 for the 5K.
Afterward, the band 3 Balls of Fire will play surf tunes, and the movie “Step Into Liquid” will be screened. Local food vendors and representatives of area non-profits will be on hand.
General admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children. Doors open at 5 p.m. at Fiesta Gardens, just east of Interstate 35 on the north side of Lady Bird Lake.
No alcohol is allowed.
For more information go here.
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Two wheels and four paws
Some folks carry spare tire tubes and an air pump when they cycle. Mike Gaudion totes his toy poodle.
Oleta, a poofy white, 15-pound bundle of energy, rides on a specially rigged padded platform attached to the top tube of Gaudion’s bike, ears whipping in the breeze as her master pedals down country roads and gravel trails.
“She absolutely loves it,” Gaudion says.
Gaudion adopted the 7-year-old dog from his mother about a year ago and quickly realized the pup hated to be left alone. Oleta whined and cried so much when he wheeled away on his mountain bike that he tried taking her along. He tucked her in a sling, but she wriggled in annoyance.
Eventually he outfitted his bike with a padded platform and fashioned a safety harness that attaches to his body to hold his canine partner steady.
Team Oleta was born.
Oleta soon became a fixture on the hike-and-bike trail around Lady Bird Lake, where she watches for squirrels as Gaudion, 44, pedals away. (Gaudion, by the way, has lost 60 pounds since taking up cycling 3 years ago.)
Oleta loves speed, so Gaudion bought a lickety-split carbon fiber road bike and equipped it with a dog-friendly platform, too. When they’re going fast, Oleta puts her paws on the blue foam pads on top of the handlebars, in what Gaudion calls the “arrow dog” position.
“She does not like getting passed,” says Gaudion, a retired boat mechanic who now drives school buses. “Someone passes and she looks up at me like ‘Come on fat guy, let’s go!’”
Last October, Team Oleta entered its first official group bike ride, the Livestrong Challenge. They logged 20 miles.
Since then, they’ve participated in cycling events throughout Central Texas, including the LBJ 100 Bicycle Tour, the Pedal Power Wildflower Ride, the Red Poppy Ride, the Armadillo Hill Country Classic, the Atlas Ride and the Real Ale Ride.
Their longest ride to date has been 65 miles, but Gaudion says a century ride is in their future.
Soon Oleta will have her own helmet. A friend has carved a tiny prototype out of foam and plastic, but the design isn’t quite right yet.
Oleta, for the record, doesn’t wear Spandex shorts.
Team Oleta does, however, have its own FaceBook page, with a few dozen online admirers.
(Photo at top shows Gaudion and Oleta at the Real Ale Ride last month, where they rode 65 miles. Photo by Ami Larson. Smaller photo shows Team Oleta at the Armadillo Hill Country Ride and was taken by Mary Beer.)
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Plant-powered triathlete visits Austin
Former Austin firefighter Rip Esselstyn isn’t the only plant-powered triathlete trying to get you to spurn meat in the name of a healthier lifestyle.
Brendan Brazier, pro triathlete and author of “Thrive Fitness” (Penguin/Da Capo), is coming to Austin to talk about his plant-based training program and line of vegan snack bars and drinks.
The Ironman athlete and ultra marathon champion will make the following appearances:
- 1 p.m. Sunday, Whole Foods Market, 525 N. Lamar Blvd.
- 7 p.m. Sunday, Central Market, 4001 N. Lamar Blvd.
- 6 p.m. Monday, June 14, Sprouts, 10225 Research Blvd. No. 1000
- 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 16, Sprouts, 110 N. Interstate 35 No. 199, Round Rock
For more info about Brendan go here.
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State Parks Director to retire
Last November, I pedaled a mountain bike on a new trail at Big Bend Ranch State Park with Walt Dabney, state parks director for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
He left me in the dust as we wove our way up a ridge and through some sandy culverts near the park’s headquarters. Later that day, we set up camp at one of the park’s most gorgeous campsites, on a remote mesa overlooking a tumbling, cactus-studded vista. He was in his element, soaking up the outdoors, talking with friends, cooking over a campfire and scheming about the potential of that great West Texas park.
Dabney announced this week he is retiring after 11 years with the department. His last day will be Aug. 31.
Dabney, a 1969 Texas A&M graduate, came to Texas Parks and Wildlife after 30 years with the National Park Service. I’ve had the fun of hearing him and Dan Sholly, deputy director of state parks, talk about their days at Yosemite National Park.
During his tenure in Texas, Dabney, 64, worked to increase funding to a park system suffering from neglect, sagging morale and worn out facilities. In 2007 and 2009, the Texas Legislature approved new staff positions and increased park funding.
“Thanks to the Legislature, we’ve been able to build a programmatic infrastructure that supports a modern-day park system, providing natural and cultural resource management, comprehensive law enforcement and all those components that lead to a successful park system,” Dabney said in a press release from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Dabney also noted the recent implementation of a new centralized, electronic park reservation system and the revamping of interpretation, prescribed fire, natural and cultural resource management, and law enforcement programs during his tenure, according to the press release.
A nationwide search is planned to find a replacement.
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Texas Water Safari postponed
UPDATE 2:55 p.m.:
The Texas Water Safari has been rescheduled for July 10.
Teams will be allowed to substitute new paddlers in place of those who can’t race July 10, says race director Allen Spelce. No announcement has been made regarding refunds.
The race has been postponed before. It was delayed twice in 2004 due to high water, and once prior to that.
This year’s postponement was based on safety issues.
The Guadalupe River is expected to crest at 30 feet in Victoria, well over flood stage of 24 feet. Near Tivoli the river is expected to surge to 27 feet — 7 feet above flood stage.
The high water would make it impossible for team captains, rescue crews and race officials to access the river.
“The bay acts as a dam and backs all the water up so you get a huge lake below Victoria,” Spelce says. “There’s no place for the water to go. It just spreads out.”
Spelce says most of the teams he has talked with say they will be able to race July 10 instead.
“It’s extremely disappointing,” Spelce says. “I know the racers put a lot of time and effort into this. So do the volunteers.”
Texas Water Safari officials are reporting on their website that the 260-mile canoe race has been postponed until July 10 due to flooding on the lower Guadalupe River.
The race was scheduled to begin Saturday in San Marcos.
We’ll post details as they come in.
The Water Safari’s website is www.texaswatersafari.org.
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Shammies ‘N Koozies postponed due to flooding
The first-ever Shammies ‘N Koozies event, scheduled for Saturday, has been postponed due to flooding in Comal County.
Rockin’ R River Rides, which was to have been the finish venue for the event, lost much of its inventory and is partially under water.
“Shammies ‘N Koozies will happen - just not this weekend. We will regroup with all agencies and entities involved and schedule a date later in the summer,” says Lesley Smith of Cadence Sports. “If you have already registered, your registration will be credited towards the alternate date. If you have a conflict with the new date, please let us know via email and we’ll defer your registration to the 2011 Shammies ‘N Koozies.”
I love the concept of this event, by the way.
Participants pick a 45-mile or 65-mile fully-supported bike ride that starts in Wimberley and ends in New Braunfels. After a barbecue lunch, they grab innertubes and plunge into the Guadalupe River for the trip downstream.
For more information, go to www.shammiesnkoozies.com.
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Keep your pup cool when you run
It’s officially hot out there. As in burn-your-feet-on-the-pavement, work-twice-as-hard-to-run-three-times-as-slow, feels-like-we-live-in-an-incinerator hot.
As humans, most of us know when it’s time to slow down and drink water.
But I’ve seen a number of folks out on the hike-and-bike trail dragging along dogs that are clearly suffering. Even if you are in good enough shape to run 5 miles, your dog may not be.
Dogs aren’t like humans. They can sweat a little through the pads of their feet, but their main cooling system is their tongue. By panting, they use evaporative cooling to dissipate heat. When the humidity gets high, though, they can’t keep up.
Heat affects different dogs differently, too. Overweight or out-of-shape dogs are less able to cope with heat, as are pug-nosed dogs.
Excessive panting, pale or deep red gums and an elevated heart rate all are signs of heat stress. If you notice any of them, get your dog to a cool, breezy area. Rest and a sip of water can ease mild symptoms, says Dr. Paige Nilson of Griffith Small Animal Hospital.
Lethargy can signal more serious problems. Cool the animal with cool or tepid (but not cold) water and get it to a veterinarian.
Veterinarians at Griffith Small Animal Hospital saw their first case of heat stroke last week.
“It can be life threatening,” Nilson said. “Dogs absolutely die from this. We see it every summer.”
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Livestrong announces title sponsorship of Austin Marathon
The city’s biggest running event will take on a yellow hue starting next year.
Livestrong, the Austin-based non-profit founded by seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong and dedicated to providing support for people living with cancer, announced on Tuesday a three-year title sponsorship of the Austin Marathon & Half Marathon.
After initially putting a dollar number on the cost of the title sponsorship, Livestrong officials later retracted that number (which was reported in an earlier version of this post), saying it was incorrect.
“The figure is proprietary, but our partnership with the marathon - much of it in in-kind donations from our generous corporate partners - is just one way Livestrong is furthering awareness and building additional support in the fight against cancer,” said Livestrong president Doug Ulman. “We are also planning to expand Team Livestrong’s presence in the marathon, which will generate significant resources for our mission.”
Livestrong and the Austin Marathon share the goal of encouraging fitness and healthy lifestyles, and the collaboration between the two adds energy to the race, said race director John Conley. The event, which includes a 26.2-mile full marathon and 13.1-mile half marathon, will mark its 20th running on Feb. 20, 2011.
“Livestrong and the Austin Marathon are both in the business of changing peoples’ lives,” Conley said.
The sponsorship likely will mean a surge in participation in the race, which now ranks as the 23rd largest marathon in the United States. To date, some 130,000 runners from 50 states and more than 40 countries have crossed the finish line.
“When people think of Austin they think of UT and football, South by Southwest and Austin City Limits,” Conley said. “We want them to think of the marathon in the same way.”
In 2011, race organizers will cap entry at a combined 20,000 runners between the full and half marathon.
“From an awareness standpoint, this could be as big as the Livestrong Challenge,” Ulman said, referring to the organization’s signature event, a fund-raising bike ride held each October that draws cyclists to Austin from all over the country. “It’s an opportunity to reach 20,000 more people and their families and friends.”
Some 28 million people around the world are living with cancer today, according to Livestrong officials.
The marathon already serves as a fund-raising engine for local and national charities through its 26 Miles for 26 Charities program, which draws athletes to run for pledges and volunteers to man 26 water stops along the race route.
Organizers say the race has generated more than $90 million for the local Austin economy and $6 million for Austin non-profits since it was first staged in 1992.
“This marathon is an Austin institution, and Livestrong is an Austin institution,” Mayor Lee Leffingwell said at a press conference to announce the news.
Does the new partnership mean that Lance Armstrong will run the Austin Marathon? Livestrong Austin Marathon & Half Marathon organizers would love to think so, but that depends on whether or not the cyclist is still racing bikes.
Race registration is open at www.youraustinmarathon.com. For more information about Livestrong go to www.livestrong.org.
The above blog was re-edited to reflect a change in the amount Livestrong would pay for the sponsorship.
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Closing ceremonies of Austin Bike Month
The winners of the Austin Commuter Challenge basked in glory and claimed their impressive trophies at Sunday’s closing ceremonies of Austin Bike Month.
I rode my bike down for the festivities, which included food, music and free beer at the Rock Garden at Zilker Park. Thanks to Alvaro Bastidas, founder of Please Be Kind to Cyclists, who organized the event.
I enjoyed talking smack with the boys of Circle C Ranch Cycling Club, who claimed their second trophy in the 30-day team challenge by logging 1,409 trips for 4,494 miles. Second place went to Team Bike Mojo, and third place went to It’s Always Greener.
Turns out I wasn’t the only one who became obsessed with the team contest, which was based on how many trips cyclists took during the month of May.
Some folks plotted the location of all-night businesses, so they could take bike trips after hours, adding to their tallies. Others developed wicked coffee habits, cycling back and forth to get their daily caffeine fix. (Perhaps we can get Starbucks on board as a sponsor next year?) All of us begged our spouses to leave all the post office-hopping, grocery-grabbing errands to us.
It was tons of fun. Thanks to Chris Carter at Bicycle Sport Shop, who spearheaded the challenge.
Bill Simons, aka “The Ginger Sloth,” logged a whopping 580 miles and 280 trips to win the individual cup. He was so thrilled he promptly filled the shimmering vessel with free beer and partook. He’s a real inspiration!
Circle C Ranch Cycling Club also won the miles version of the contest, logging a total of 4,363 miles, and the Robinson Maulers won the Family Week contest. Special kudos to Bryker Woods Elementary, the only school that participated.
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Lance Armstrong Bikeway art dedication
Have you seen those yellow things out on the trail around Lady Bird Lake?
I have to confess. At first I thought some of them were random bits of construction materials.
Turns out it’s the latest public art project commissioned by the city of Austin Art in Public Places program for the Lance Armstrong Bikeway, an east-west, 6-mile bike route through downtown Austin.
The series of wide yellow steel loops come in different sizes and shapes. Some are as tall as a person; others are about thigh level. Some double as benches; two are sculptural “tunnels.” There’s also a painted gradient in several spots.
The artwork is designed to help people find and stay on the bikeway. Some of the pieces double as rest stop amenities along the way.
The 27 pieces are the creation of artist collective NextProject, made up of Leah Davis, Robert Gay and Jack Sanders. They’ll discuss the work and lead a guided tour of the bikeway at a dedication of the public art on Saturday, June 12.
I’m guessing the yellow signifies the yellow jersey local cyclist Armstrong claimed in his record seven Tour de France victories.
An early-bird art ride will kick off the event at 8:30 a.m., as part of the “Scout-A-Route” ride series by the Austin Cycling Association. That ride will start at Mellow Johnny’s, 400 Nueces St. The ride will include stops at various art installations along the route, with commentary from the artists.
At 10:30 a.m., the ride will stop at the MoPac Bridge along Veterans Drive for a formal dedication, ribbon cutting ceremony and performance by the Austin Bike Zoo.
Afterward, the group will ride 2 miles back to Mellow Johnny’s.
The entire 12-mile ride is open to the public. Helmets are required. The route includes on-street and off-street marked paths from Veterans Drive on the west to Shady Lane on the east.
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Your weekend fitness events
Lots of fitness activities happening this weekend in the ATX. Enjoy!
FRIDAY
- Eilers Park After Dark — The Friends of Eilers Park will show “Fantastic Mr. Fox” at 8:45 p.m. Friday, June 5 at the park, 400 Deep Eddy Ave. Tickets are $10 in advance here. Bring blankets. Concessions will be available for purchase.
SATURDAY
- Austin Pride Run — A 5K run starts at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Long Center as part of Austin Gay and Lesbian Pride weekend. The race includes a costume contest. All runners, regardless of sexual orientation, are invited. Registration is $33, including a finisher’s towel, here.
- National Trails Day — Volunteers are needed to clear invasive plants, regrade trail, improve drainage and remove trash along the Barton Creek Greenbelt from 9 a.m.-noon Saturday. Afterward, a picnic lunch and free swimming are planned at Barton Springs Pool. To see a complete list of projects, go here.
- Great Castell Kayak Race — A 12-mile kayak and canoe race along the Llano River from the Highway 87 Bridge to the town of Castell starts at 9 a.m. Saturday. The race benefits Chemo Sabe, a grass roots community group that helps patients and families deal with cancer and chemotherapy. Registration is $45 per person. For more information go here or call 512-217-4596.
- Freddie Frijole Fun Run — The Taco Shack Freddie Frijole Fun Run starts at 7 a.m. Saturday at Ramsey Park, 1400 W. 42nd St. A kid’s triathlon for ages 6 to 15 starts at 8 a.m. Registration for the run is $30; registration for the triathlon is $25. All proceeds benefit the Center for Child Protection. For more information go here.
SUNDAY
- Danskin Triathlon — The women’s half-mile swim, 12-mile bike and 3.1-mile run starts at 7 a.m. Sunday at Walter E. Long Park at Decker Lake, 6614 Blue Bluff Road. Packet pickup is from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday at the Austin Convention Center, 500 E. Cesar Chavez St. For more information go here.
- Walk-It Challenge — Tough Cookie Fitness and Weight Watchers team up for the Walk-It Challenge, which starts at 6 p.m. Sunday at the Williamson County Southwest Regional Park. Registration fee is $25. The event is open to men, women, children and running strollers and highlights walking as a way to stay in shape. This event is not timed, but awards will be given to the first 25 men and 25 women to cross the finish line. To register for the event, go here.
- Spikefest — A weekend of volleyball fun gets underway at Spikefest, a 3-on-3 and 5-on-5 grass volleyball tournament at Old Settlers Park, 3300 E. Palm Valley Blvd. in Round Rock. Registration starts at $25 per player and includes a t-shirt. For more information go here.
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Defensive Cycling Class lets bikers erase tickets
Coming soon — a defensive cycling class that gives bicyclists who have received traffic tickets a chance to have them erased.
The Austin Cycling Association has partnered with the Austin Municipal Court to offer the class, one of the nation’s first defensive cycling courses.
Cyclists who successfully complete the three-hour class, which costs $25, will receive a certificate that the court may honor to dismiss a traffic ticket.
“It’s one of the first in the country and, aside from the equal treatment aspect, I like that our court recognizes the benefit of allowing cyclists an opportunity to become educated about riding safely in cooperation with traffic instead of just paying a fine and continuing to do whatever it was that they were cited for doing,” says Wes Robinson, director of education for the Austin Cycling Association.
In Austin, cyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as motorists. That means they have the right to ride on any roadway unless prohibited by a specific local ordinance. They also must follow all the same traffic laws as motorists.
Instructors certified by the League of American Bicyclists will teach the classes, which will include safe cycling tips. They’ll take place at the BikeTexas offices, 1902 E. Sixth St.
Classes are scheduled for the following dates:
- 6 p.m. July 7
- 9 a.m. Aug. 7
- 6 p.m. Sept. 1
- 9 a.m. Oct. 2
- 6 p.m. Nov. 3
- 9 a.m. Dec. 4
To register, go to http://bit.ly/a3tTOp. The course can be taken once every 12 months.
Ticketed cyclists can also sign up to take the class at the clerk’s window at the Municipal Court starting June 1.
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Cancer survivor faces challenges - and Danskin Triathlon
Over the years I’ve heard hundreds of inspiring stories from women who participated in the Danskin Triathlon.
For many, the race marks their first athletic competition. Many finishers never thought of themselves as athletes until they crossed the Danskin finish line. The sense of accomplishment is huge.
This year’s race — a half-mile swim, 12-mile bike and 3.1-mile run — gets under way at 7 a.m. at Walter E. Long Park at Decker Lake, 6614 Blue Bluff Road.
Former Austin American-Statesman copy editor Kristin Harrison will be lining up for the third time this Sunday. (Go Kristin! You’re an inspiration to me!)
Here’s what the race means to her:
By Kristin Harrison
Me in a triathlon? Before cancer maybe. After cancer, it didn’t seem possible.
But thanks to training with Capital of Texas Team Survivor, I’ll be swimming, biking and running with a few thousand other women Sunday at the Danskin Triathlon in Walter E. Long Park on Decker Lake.
This sprint-distance triathlon will be my third in the six years I’ve been with exercising with Team Survivor. The first was in 2005, a year after I was diagnosed with breast cancer. My goal that year was to get moving again and work toward better health.
After 12 weeks of workouts, I felt good enough to join many of the other Team Survivor participants doing the Danskin Triathlon.
Team Survivor’s mission is to help women in every stage of cancer treatment and recovery get moving and regain normal lives. Their programs are free and open to female cancer survivors.
I’ll never forget standing at the swim start that first year with the other survivors and looking out over Decker Lake. In the pre-race excitement, I realized that just a year before, following one of many surgeries, I had hardly been able to walk a block.
I’m no athlete, and certainly not a triathlete. But standing at that swim start with the other survivors and our coaches, hearing the constant “you go girl” cheers throughout the event, and finishing the race were all very empowering. I had gotten my health back.
Each spring over the past few years, I’ve had other reasons for joining Team Survivor. Participants aren’t required to do a triathlon and many years I didn’t. The group’s workouts are fun and go by quickly. Some days I can’t believe I exercised for an hour.
And the inspiration goes beyond beating physical challenges. As we work out, many of the women tell their cancer stories. Their strength and perseverance as well as the time of the volunteer coaches have motivated me to keep pursing good health. Swimming, walking and spinning with the group have been an important part of my healing, from cancer, from life’s challenges and from loss.
Over the last two years, the workouts helped me through grief following the death of my husband. When I participated in the 2009 Trek triathlon, I needed to face and get over that finish line without him there, cheering me on.
This year, I signed up for Team Survivor and the Danskin to celebrate being six years cancer free. But I’m also attempting a career transition. And getting stronger and developing more endurance from exercise have helped me battle the fear and self-doubt that can come from such a change.
There’s a big hill on the bike portion of this race course. For me, that silly hill has been a metaphor for whatever is challenging me at the time. But I plan to get up that hill again, either on the bike or by walking. I’ll be thanking God the whole way for another year of good health.
As of this writing, I’m still a little scared of the bike, and if I do occasionally run, it’s more of a shuffle. I much prefer laps in a pool than in open water where you can’t see the bottom of the lake. It may take me hours to finish this race. But I plan to have a good time and enjoy cheering on the other women.
I’m so grateful to Team Survivor for getting me moving again. And who knows, I may get brave enough to join the group as they train for the Mamma Jamma Ride Against Breast Cancer on Sept. 25.
For more information on the triathlon go here. For more information on Capital of Texas Team Survivor, go here. For more information on the Mamma Jamma Ride Against Breast Cancer go here.
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Should runners be able to use Deep Eddy’s restroom for free?
Should Deep Eddy Pool allow runners to use the rest rooms for free?
Sherill A. Barron, the 51-year-old girls athletic coordinator at Hill Country Middle School in Westlake, stopped by the pool a few weeks ago, hoping to use the restroom before she set out on a run around Lady Bird Lake.
When Barron headed into the bathhouse, though, the cashier stopped her and told her she’d have to pay the $3 pool admission fee in order to use the bathroom.
Barron didn’t argue, and headed to the restrooms next to the tennis courts by Austin High School, about a half-mile away, instead. But the more she thought about it the madder she got.
“By the time I finished my run I was fuming,” says Barron, who managed Deep Eddy Pool in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
She went home and wrote a letter to the Austin American-Statesman.
“Never once did I deny a runner the use of the restroom facilities,” Barron wrote. “Maybe being a runner myself, I had more empathy! Is the city of Austin in such a financial crisis that this is a new form of revenue? What has happened to the friendly atmosphere that always exuded from Austin’s oldest and finest park facility?”
Barron notes that many runners start and end their runs on the hike and bike trail behind the pool. Having a restroom there is a convenience to the pool goers, as well as runners and people that enjoy adjacent Eilers Park, she wrote.
Tom Nelson, head of the aquatics department for the city of Austin’s Parks and Recreation Department, said the cashier was following city rules and the wishes of the Friends of Deep Eddy group, which raised money to fund renovation of the bathhouse.
“There is a fee established for the use that facility, the other municipal pools and Barton Springs. The bathrooms are a part of the facility and require a fee as well,” Nelson says. “When the restoration project occurred at Deep Eddy, the Friends of Deep Eddy expressed support for this point.”
Barron thinks runners and park visitors should be able to use the restrooms without paying.
“I’m 51 and I’ve got to use the potty before I get on the trail,” she said. “Are they going to tell a young mother swinging her 3-year-old son at Eilers Park they can’t use the restroom? I thought ‘Boy has this place lost its charm.’”
Barron, by the way, was Nelson’s first supervisor when he was a basket attendant at the pool in the early 1980s.
So, folks. What do you think? Should the city let runners use the facilities for free?
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10 things Commuter Challenge taught me
The Austin Commuter Challenge has officially ended, and I’m proud to report that Team Statesman recorded 517 trips and 2,086 miles.
That puts us unofficially in eighth place out of 58 teams, although we won’t know for sure until results are announced at the Austin Bike Month Closing Celebration.
It looks like Circle C Ranch Cycling Club took first place for the second year in a row, squeaking past Bryker Woods Elementary.
The contest is based on trips, not on miles, and Circle C logged 1,409 trips. But they also logged 4,494 miles — and that’s a whole lot.
I’m also impressed with Team Bike Mojo, which racked up 1,055 trips and 4,909 miles. That’s more miles than any other team! Way to go!
The closing party from 2-8 p.m. Sunday, June 6 at the Zilker Rock Garden in Zilker Park looks like fun. There will be free beer, food, live music, mountain bike demos, BMX trick demonstrations and more.
Congrats to everyone who participated in the contest, and see you at closing ceremonies!
Things I learned from doing the Austin Commuter Challenge:
- 1. I can get almost anywhere I need to go by bike.
- 2. It’s possible to transport a carton of eggs from downtown to Allendale by bike, without cracking a one.
- 3. It’s more fun to bike to happy hour!
- 4. Hills get easier after a few weeks.
- 5. Padded mountain biking shorts are tres chic (in my world.)
- 6. Eau de Sweat is an acquired taste.
- 7. Some people can run faster than I can pedal my bike.
- 8. Helmet hair is all the rage (in my office cubicle.)
- 9. You can inhale a cloud of gnats and live to tell about it.
- 10. I love to bike!
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