In February of 2006 after attending my yearly physical my physician informed me that my blood tests showed that my triglyceride level was off the charts. Triglyceride level is one of the indicators for heart disease. My physician suggested that I should start exercising immediately, AND change my diet immediately, AND start taking medication immediately. He seemed a bit spooked by just how high my levels were. So being the kind of guy that I am, I figured that if I exercised A LOT, AND took the medication he prescribed, I could skip the diet change and keep eating what I wanted to when I wanted to. Hey, it has always worked for me in the past. I had also been struggling with a low grade depression for a few years. Nothing serious, but enough that I was not always the most entertaining person to be around.
So, I started running again, because I'm Runner Bob. Now when I say running, I mean jogging (there is a difference). I was at my heaviest weight with 180 pounds of belt stretching, belly bulging goodness. When I gain weight, it pretty much all goes to my belly (thanks for those genetics dad). With 40 pounds added over my college running weight, I was probably more affectionately known as Belly Bob. Anyways, I started running and ramped up the miles and pace quickly (moderation is not something I do well), while still carrying said belly along for the ride. A month later, I was having major knee pain. It took almost 2 months, one idiot doctor, and one much less idiotic doctor to determine that I had a major stress fracture in my left knee. To top that off, the Cholesterol lowering medication I was on was causing some muscle problems, and I had stopped taking it. I was stuck. Now what could I do? I still wanted to eat all the biscuits and gravy that I could handle, but I had no way to burn it off.
After reading about a local organization that was promoting a bike to work competition, I dusted off my bike, that had been sitting in my garage for quite a long time, and started riding to work. It was surprisingly fun and not nearly as scary as I thought it would be.
What followed was my typical quick progression into a new hobby (sans moderation) and then a slower realization that this wasn't so much a hobby as a lifestyle choice. Over the next year, I dropped 25 pounds, got involved with mountain bike racing, got a new commuter bike (my mountain bike was less than optimal for my 34 mile round trip commute), got involved with a local bike club, helped my commuting team at BHMI win the Bike Omaha Commuter Challenge (for our division), lowered my triglycerides levels, changed my diet a bit, got rid of my nagging low grade depression, and started feeling more healthy in every way. To top it off, I met a lot of very interesting people and started learning more about the city I lived in, and how to get around that city on a bike.
Over the following years, I competed (with some success) in mountain bike races, rode in the 2007 Bike Ride Across Nebraska, bought and sold several bikes, started a blog dedicated to bike advocacy, helped start a bicycle transportation advocacy group, became a member of the Mayor's Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory committee, stopped racing mountain bikes (My MTB is for sale...anyone...anyone?), gained back a bit of weight each winter, lost said weight each spring, biked over a mountain, spent lots of time with good friends, and have just all around started enjoying life more.
Thus, Runner Bob had become Belly Bob had become Biker Bob.
Which brings me to the topic of winter bike riding (hey, I'm not Segway Bob).
In an attempt to keep that weight off during the winter, I keep riding year round. But I also ride year round because I enjoy riding. Although, I ride a lot less in the winter. As you can see from some of the posts below, I've been riding in some rather adverse weather lately, and loving it.
But it's not like I'm the only one riding my bike in the snow.
Sorry about some of the lyrics in the audio track of the video above.
It's not that biking is all that much harder in the winter or even more dangerous than driving a 3000 pound hunk of steel that is designed to protect the driver from any awareness of the road beneath them (and the condition of said road). Mostly it just takes a bit longer and you have to wear a bit more clothing. What really throws people is that it's so abnormal to SEE somebody riding a bike in the winter. It's just so uncommon in the US.
Have you noticed that you are seeing more bikes riding around Omaha in the summer AND in the winter? Well, your right. Transportation cycling in Omaha is really starting to gain traction (yeah, pun intended).
Just for giggles, here's a thought. What if 36% of people commuting to and from work in Omaha were on bikes. Just think how much less congestion you would see on Omaha roads (less tax money spent expanding roads). Omaha wouldn't have to spend so much money to keep expanding roads, which just encourages more people to drive, which requires more expanding of roads. Oh, and just think how much healtheir the average Omaha citizen would be (lower healthcare costs). Oh, and just think how much safer our kids would be if people were more responsible about how they drive around "soft traffic". Some families would even be able to save money by not buying that extra car or owning a car at all (don't tell Veronica Moss I said that).
It's pretty simple economics in my Opinion. I know it's a pain to wait those few extra seconds to pass a cyclist on "YOUR" roads. But if it saves you money in the long run, wouldn't it be an acceptable trade-off?
All that being said, I just want to assure certain people (hi mom) that I am careful about WHEN and WHERE I ride my bike in the winter. However, just like so many other things we do every day, there will always be some risks (most of which we have no control over). I don't try to take excessive risks with my life, but I will also not live my life in fear. At least I'm not taking up sky-diving or learning to fly a plane, but Base Jumping sounds kind of fun. ;-)
6 comments:
I love the winter riding. I feel much safer, confident, and more aware on my bike than I do in my truck. I do sometimes worry about people not seeing me, or sliding into me, but being careful about the time of day and route helps mitigate that a bit.
There's nothing like the feeling of pedaling past people sitting in their cars waiting for them to warm up, or in passing cars going uphill because they are slipping.
My fattest was in 2001 when weighed 250 pounds. I drastically changed my diet to be vegan (it's second nature now) and lost about 50 pounds. I gained about 10 back when I started eating more vegan junk food.
Since I started cycling two years ago, I lost 20 pounds. I could stand to lost another 10-15 or so. I'm hoping my new bike trainer and treadmill workouts will help be get over that last hump.
Nice story, Bob.
Thanks for the write-up, Bob. The testimony you present here not only serves to document to your success but will undoubtedly inspire others who are contemplating making a lifestyle change and find your blog to read.
To the visitor who's reading this blog and is thinking about cycling as a lifestyle change: I wholeheartedly agree with Bob's statement that starting off ... "is surprisingly fun and not nearly as scary as I thought it would be."
You'll benefit in so many ways. But you won't know unless you see for yourself. Ride a bike. Any bike. Just get out there and give it a try. Like Scott and Bob before me, you won't be disappointed.
Thanks guys.
If this post encourages at least one person to give bike commuting a shot, it's time well spent.
If by chance you (the reader) are that person. Drop me a comment to let me know how your first bike commute went.
Bob: Very nice write-up on the progression from Runner Bob to Biker Bob. I didn't know you had a stress fracture of the knee.
But it is a Mother's right to worry a little bit about the risks of sharing the road with auto's where there driver's are not paying close attention, talking on their cells, or even texting. Just be careful out there. Love, Mom
Hey mom. ;-)
I understand that you worry. I'm the same way when B&B are doing things that they COULD get hurt doing. I always try to be as careful as I can be.
But that brings up a good point. Should I avoid doing anything where another person's mistake could cost me my life? That rules out almost everything we do every day.
I look at biking as a trade-off. It may be slightly more dangerous than driving to work (that's an assumption that may not be true either), but the health benefits of a non-sedentary lifestyle help to offset that increased risk. Plus, it's just so much more enjoyable than driving a car to work.
When was the last time you did any of the following on the way to or from work?
- raced a bunny
- hopped over a squirrel instead of crushing it
- talked to a nice lady out walking her dog who happened to be rolling around in the snow (the dog, not the lady)
- stopped to watch the sun rise/set
- laughed at yourself when you were caught riding in the rain (and found that you liked it)
- saw a mother goose walking around with her goslings
- watched a river overflow after a heavy storm
- chatted with the person in the car next to you at a stoplight
- waved at a mother walking her kids to school
- took a short nap on a park bench on a sunny afternoon
- met an old friend and spent some time chatting while you rode together
- went the long way home so you could spend more time outside on a gorgeous day
Bob - finally getting caught up on checking some blogs. Better late than never? :)
Great story. We need to chat more sometime about your running days, too.
You guys totally inspire me. I may not be riding to work in the sub-zero weather, but I have made more than a few shorter trips this winter via bike (and bus/bike) that I never would have considered before.
My entre into running and riding is a long, drawn out story involving a lot of medical drama. Best left for another time...
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