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Your weekend fitness events!
Plenty of sweaty fun on tap this weekend in the ATX. If your event is not listed, please post it in the comments section below.
And yes, what you see above gets my vote for best event T-shirt of the year. Awesome!
- 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 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 at Circle C Tennis Club. 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.
- Fitness DVD Launch Party: Core fitness and nutrition specialist Christine Tusa will launch her new DVD, “Tusa Fitness Core Workout,” from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 at Workshop Fitness Studio, 2210 S. First St. Fitness instructors will provide free circuit style workout sessions from 3 to 4 p.m. and prizes will be given away. For more information go here www.TusaFitness.com.
- Run for the Water: The Gazelle Foundation presents the Run for the Water 10-miler, 5K and Kids K at 7 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 8 at the First Street bridge over Lady Bird Lake. Packet Pickup is 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7; and 6-7 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 8 at RunTex Riverside, 420 W. Riverside Drive. Proceeds help provide fresh drinking water for people in Burundi.
And more on the horizon:
- 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.
- Inline Hockey Tournament: The Southern Collegiate Hockey League inline hockey tournament runs from 3 p.m. until 1 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8 at Austin Sports Arena, 3918 Gattis School Road. The tournament will feature nine college teams, including the University of Texas, Texas A&M, University of North Texas, Texas Tech University and Louisiana State University. Admission is $2 per person. For more information go here www.AustinSortsArena.com.
- Chris McDougall: Barefoot runner Chris McDougall, author of “Born to Run,” will speak and sign books at Rogue Equipment, 500 San Marcos St., from 2-4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11. For more information go here www.roguequipment.com.
- Cyclist Davis Phinney: Olympic cyclist Davis Phinney will talk about his diagnosis with early-onset Parkinson’s disease and how he has coped with it during the Capital Area Parkinson’s Society’s Daily Victories educational seminar from 9 a.m. until noon Saturday, Nov.14 at the Renaissance Austin Hotel, 9721 Arboretum Blvd. For more information go here http://capitalareaparkinsons.org/documents/celebratedailyvictories-brochure11-14-09.pdf.
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Win “The 10-Minute Total Body Breakthrough”
Think you don’t have time for fitness? Wrong.
Sean Foy outlines in simple terms just how to go from excuses to hill repeats (or something like that) in “The 10-Minute Total Body Breakthrough.”
The spiral-bound book is geared toward fitness newbies, with explanations of Body Mass Index, fitness tests that let you compare your fitness level to others, places to record your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, stories about real people who have whipped themselves into shape and lots of illustrated, easy-to-follow instructions on how to do basic exercises.
My favorite feature? The “create your own workout” section in the back. You put together your own 10-minute sweat fest by picking one each from the selection of 4-minute, 3-minute, 2-minute and 1-minute suggested exercises. You might end up with, say, 4 minutes of mountain climbers, followed by 3 minutes of chair push-ups, 2 minutes of crunches and 1 minute of seated side bends.
Do you need this book? Tell me why. Best answer gets my copy.
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LA doctor convicted of assaulting cyclists
Cyclists are paying close attention to a road rage case in Los Angeles, where a former emergency room doctor was accused this week of assaulting two cyclists by driving his car in front of them and slamming on the brakes.
One of the cyclists crashed through the car’s rear window, breaking his nose and shattering several teeth. The other suffered a shoulder separation and road rash, according to coverage by Velo News.
Christopher Thomas Thompson was convicted of six felonies and faces up to 10 years in prison in the case. The doctor, who has no prior criminal record, will be sentenced Dec. 3, Velo News reports.
The case stems from a July 4, 2008 incident in which the cyclists were riding up a two-lane, dead-end street in the Brentwood subdivision of Los Angeles where Thompson lives. Thompson and the cyclists exchanged words before he stopped his car in front of them.
Thompson was charged with two counts each of assault with a deadly weapon and battery with serious bodily injury as well as reckless driving causing specified injury and mayhem, according to Velo News. He was also convicted of misdemeanor reckless driving in another case.
Thompson’s argument? He said the cyclists were belligerent and bikes are inherently unstable.
Bikes unstable? What about the doctor? (That’s him above, in an Associated Press photo taken by Mel Melcon.)
Thoughts anybody?
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Radio jock JB’s on a mission to get ripped
You know those infomercials for a series of workout videos called P90X?
Disc jockey JB Hager got sucked in by them, and he’s now two weeks into what’s call the “90 day transformation.”
Hager, 42, half of the JB & Sandy Show on radio station Mix 94.7, competes around the state as a Category 3 amateur bike racer. But it’s off-season now, and he needed motivation to stay fit.
The collection of DVDs, led by buff trainer Tony Horton, promises that you can “get absolutely ripped in just 90 days.” All you need is a pair of dumbbells and a pull-up bar. The rest you can do in your living room.
“I was looking for something inexpensive that I could do on my schedule, so I bought this stupid thing,” Hager says. “Even my 7-year-old harassed me. She said, ‘You’re never going to look like those people.’”
That’s probably a good thing, JB.
“They talk about muscle confusion — I need muscle confusion,” Hager says.
Hager spends an hour a day working out to the videos, a series of 12 different workouts.
Day 1, chest and arms. Day 2, plyometrics. Then abdominal muscles, back and shoulder, etc.
And yoga. Woe the yoga.
“I thought, ‘Oh I have yoga today, how nice. That’ll be nothing,’” Hager says. “It had me reeling in pain.”
In fact, the whole experience has been humbling. “I get on a bike and I have strong legs and heart and lungs. Who’d have thought doing yoga I’d be winded and panting for air?”
“It’s so cheesy and silly and the guy that does the workouts, he’s that guy you hate, he’s the rah-rah gym guy talking about his guns and doing shout outs to his peeps, and he’s shiny and I hate the guy …” Hager say.
We’ll check back after the 90-day period.
That’s JB, in the photo above, getting after it. Think he’ll wind up looking like the happy P90X customer below?
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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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I don’t need the book but I vote for Rob.
... read the full comment by Fawn | Comment on Win "The 10-Minute Total Body Breakthrough" Read Win "The 10-Minute Total Body Breakthrough"
I should get this book because right now I have 10 minutes free and I’m wasting it:)
... read the full comment by John | Comment on Win "The 10-Minute Total Body Breakthrough" Read Win "The 10-Minute Total Body Breakthrough"
I run a company. I don’t have more than 10 minutes!
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I’m a single working mother. I started riding my bike to and from my baby’s daycare to save on gas and parking fees and to feed him his lunch when I came back to work, but as the weather’s getting cooler and wetter, I’m not able
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