The Beginning of Your Pedal Stroke

Throughout my blog this year, I have talked about every part of the bike an gear, expect for the part that is the thing that allows you to move forward! How could I forget to talk about such a thing??? Well I guess its now or never. So as you might expect I am talking of pedals and biking shoes. To get started there are two different large categories for pedals including flats and clips, and particular shoes that compliment each area. For the most part these pedal differences are based on preference and riding style.

Flats have been the most commonly seen pedal to the general public and are very easy to use. To most the flat pedal is just a regular bike pedal. A flat bike pedal has many upsides and applications. A flat pedal can be used by anyone, and is easy to ride on. A flat pedal gives a stable support for the foot and are used by most recreational riders. Along with these recreational riders, many mtn bikers and bmx riders use the this type of pedal, for increased surface area and maneuverability. These bmx and mtn bike pedals, usually are a little larger than the standard pedal and have gripers that look like metal spikes that rise around .5cm off the pedal to ensure stability and control for the rider. Shoes that are used for flat pedals are usually just tennis shoes or mtn biking and bmx shoes which have a flat sole and increased amount of traction a stability that comes from its higher rise.

Clip pedals also can be used by anyone, but are usually used for those that are more serious about cycling. Clip pedals increase performance, because they allow one to put pressure on the pedals longer as they can not only push down on the pedal, but also pull up. This action increases speed and efficiency while riding. Clip pedals are used throughout most areas of cycling including most areas of professional cycling excluding most bmx riding. One down side to clip pedals is that, one must usually wear particular cycling shoes because they need to have cleats to clip into the pedal. One option that has been transformed is the pedal that appears to be a flat pedal, but actually has a clip also which allows for a person to ride this pedal with either a biking shoe or a tennis shoe.

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The Ideal College Bike

Like I have talked about in my previous blog, transportation can be one thing that you are overlooking in the college planning process. I car can be a good form of transportation for applications of a greater distance than a mile or so. But what are your ideas for getting to class each day, when your classes are across campus and a car cant be used? Do you really want to have to walk a whole mile or more in the frigid, blustery cold, or the rainy, windy, and cold, or the hot, humid days? For most the answer is no. One form of transportation that can be very good in this type application, that would actually give you some exercise is biking.

Biking throughout the campus can be a very good and healthy way of transporting your self to your classes. Not only does biking give you a little work out, but it also can decrease the amount of use of the buses, which decreases the pollution into the environment.

Another reason that biking is a good way to get across your college area, is because it can actually be on of the fastest ways of transportation in a college town. Okay, so obviously it is faster than just walking or even jogging, but in many situation it can be faster than driving or even taking a bus. Many College towns are very busy places, which can a pose a problem in traffic for those cars and buses. Unlike a bus or car, while biking one can take the side walks across the campus to make a direct route across the campus, while avoiding all traffic.

Now if I have you convinced that biking could be a great way for you to get to your classes you might have no clue what kind of bike to purchase. Most campuses offer an abundance of trails and sidewalks, which means that you probably do not need a heavy duty mountain bike. Although these trails and sidewalks do offer a smoother surface they can be plagued, by snow, ice, rain, leaves, and cracks so the ideal bike would be a hybrid with no suspension and a little tread on the tires. A cheaper bike would be the best because it might be left outside a lot of the time. So anything under 750 dollars, would probably be the way to go. Another thing that you might need is a bike chain to protect your bike from theft. And one last thing that might be useful is a bike rack or bag to carry any extra supplies.

Hopefully these tips will help you roll through college with ease.

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The Ideal College Car

Many of you reading this blog, are individuals who are in your waning years of high school, with the glare of college stooping down upon you. As you think about college, you might be preparing for financial costs, housing and books, but one thing that is considered as much as it probably needs to be is transportation. How are you going to get to and from college? And how are you going to transport your self across the campus, and even the metro area? Some people overlook the idea of having a car with you on campus, because they believe that it is unneeded with the busing systems, and suspected little distance that one must need to travel. Although this may be true in some sanitations, a car is usually a very useful item to have during your college years.

A car can be very helpful throughout your college years for many reasons. One reason a car can be useful, is when you would like to go out for the night on the town with your friends. A car allows you more freedom than just the ordinary busing system, that is implemented in most towns. With a car you don’t have to wait for the bus to come at a certain scheduled time.

Another way that a car can be very good at college, is it allows much more freedom and ability to visit home over the weekends. Without a car, ones parents must pick them up from the campus which can be a large hassle. Along with these very useful applications, a car can also be a pleasurable item that a college student can obtain and use while at college.

Now if you/you parents are convinced that a car would be a good thing to have while your at college you may be wondering what kind of car would be the best for the college atmosphere and for a college student. The most well suited car for a college student and campus is one that is efficient, cost effective, safe, and small. A small efficient car will keep the costs of gas down. The particular car that I will most likely get for college is a Subaru WRX, which also gives a fun factor to the equitation.

A car could be one thing that you could be forgetting to consider on your college planning and check list, so take the time to consider this idea.

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Trail/Road Riding Edequate

I’m coming to the base of a large hill, looking into the distance at the large hill that haunts my near future, as I am coming upon the 27^th mile of my 35 mile ride on a nice spring afternoon. As my tires are gliding on the white line and my mind wonders, my attention is suddenly directed at a streak of blue coming straight for me. I take a glance to my left and see a small Dodge truck, coming right at me. I cant do anything now but hope that this guy doesn’t hit me. Me going at a clip of 26mph, and the truck pushing 45, I know that this cant be good. As the truck gets closer I hear a loud rumble of his engine as he accelerates in direction of me. Foot by foot the truck nears me. Its done for me, I think. But then at the last second the truck pulls a hard right and accelerates off into the distance. I take a deep breath, and let my brain recapture what just had happened. As I organize my thoughts I become consumed with anger, at the ignorance and stupidity of this driver.

This like many situations are the unneeded actions, that drivers undergo on desolate country roads, in aggressions to innocent bikers. These types of actions are the actions, are those that cause catastrophic endings. One mistake of calculation by myself or the driver would have left me dead on the side of the road, due to the stupidity and aggression that the driver hazardley had expressed. Road rage is an unneeded action that causes an assortment of crashes and accidents every year, that could otherwise be avoided. The release of ones anger, is not worth someone’s life. So next time share the road and respect the bikers on your streets.

Road etiquette is very important just like that of a bike trail. The sharing of the road between the bikers, or recreational users should be given equal respect from the drivers, because actually bikers have the right of way to cars. Passing slowly with a reasonable distance is ideal for safety on the trails and roads that bikers inhabit. A “on your left”, can be a simple action that helps avoid any accidents on the trails. So next time your either biking or driving remember that these ideas and put them into practice.



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Triathlon Work Outs 101

Are you an experienced triathlete, looking to get an edge on your competitions by working smarter and not harder? Or are you a person who is just looking to get in shape to complete their first triathlon? Well if you said yes to either of these questions… then I have some answers. Without any guidance or coaching, it can be very difficult to know how much, when, and where to train. Some people believe that if they just train for one particular part of the triathlon that this will improve every part of there triathlon. And to some extent this belief is true, but not fully true. One must work all of the muscles through the various exercise, and gain the technique for each.

Swimming can be one of the hardest areas to know how to train for. You will not benefit from just going to your local pool and swimming for an hour straight at a moderate pace. This method does not get your heart rate up, and causes one to loose focus on technique easily. Instead of these long, meaningless swims, it is better to break up your workout into different sets, that vary in distance, speed, and muscle focus. One can access these particular sets from pre made work outs, focused on their particular swim distance.

Bike training like swimming and running needs to have a focus for each work out, even if one day is an easy over distance ride. Bike work outs obviously need to be altered around the particular distance that one is training for. But some general work outs, include, hill repeats with active rest, speed intervals with active rest, recovery days, over distance rides, and time trials. All of these work outs can, also be done indoors on a trainer. A trainer can be very useful, because many times it could be an inconvenience for you to ride while its still light, or the weather could plague you. The trainers then allows you to still get your work out in for the day.

The run portion can be related strongly to bike training with its proportional distances, of its varying work out types. One tip for running, that varies from the other portions of the triathlon is, not to overdue your mileage and hard days. Its good to have frequent recovery days for running that come after a interval day.

For the best results, these work outs should increase in length, frequency, and difficulty very gradually.

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Needs and Wants for Bikes

Everyone has needs, and wants, and for many bike enthusiasts, bike accessories can be the next thing that gets you excited to ride your bike more. Not only can bike accessories, aren’t what some people may say, are just flashy things that aren’t needed. Most bike accessories and rider accessories are items that are needed, for reasons including safety, performance, and functionality. Some of the most basic things on a bike are considered an accessory and are a highly needed item.

            Accessories, now can be broken up into both mechanical and cosmetic needs. Mechanical needs are those that will help one in performing the task of biking. Some mechanical accessories, increase speed, while others create endless hours of joy. One main mechanical accessory, that can even change your whole aspect of your biking experience, is the seat that you are riding on. It would seem obvious that your seat should be suited to your riding type, because I mean that’s where the majority of you weight is held while riding. Seats can vary from narrow, wide, squishy, firm, suspended, and non-suspended, depending on your preferences, and riding style. Throughout the bike other changes can be made including upgrades to your fork, grips, handle bar, wheels, tires, pedals and derailleurs. These can have drastic effect on the bikes performance, and ridibility. I believe that two of the largest upgrades that you can make to your bike include, your wheels, and shifting derailleurs. You may notice that these to accessories/upgrades, are two of the four things that move on your bike, but are the only two things that allow you to move forward. Decreased weight, fluidity, rolling resistance, and increased precision are the factors that you will experience after upgrading these two items.

            Along with mechanical add ons, you may also be intrigued to purchase, cosmetic items including, lights, clothes, hydration options, and packs/racks. Clothing can bring you the next fashion, along with increased comfort ability. Lights can be used for the purpose of lighting a dark path, or just simply increasing your visibility to drivers on the road that you may be riding on, both of which are very important. Hydration is essential during strenuous activity, and can be seen as bottle cages, or camel backs. Finally if you are traveling on long trips, you might need to carry lots of clothes and items, which packs and racks come in handy, which come in various options and sizes that can be placed all across your bike.

            So go out there and enjoy your ride to the fullest, with the consideration of all of these accessories.

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Sports Nutrition (Triathlons)

Nutrition, just to the general public is important, but is especially important for those consistently using their bodies to their full potentials. The science and technology of nutrition and just food in general has been drastically changed not just within the last century, but also the last ten years.

Nutrition and hydration are very important within the sporting world and could be what gets you the next level of performance. Different types of foods and drinks should be consumed before , during, and after committing long and strenuous exercise and physical exertion. For the purpose of my particular interests and my challenging decisions that I am presently making I am going to focus on nutrition during , before, and after a triathlon workout or race.

Before one can start and maintain any exerting activity one most be adequately hydrated. Hydration can and should be consumed through a variety of different drinks that all exemplify different characteristics that allow for one to maintain a balanced diet. One most maintain a good level of calcium, electrolytes, protein, and vitamins in their drinks. So just water will not qualify. Now for the leading hours into a work out one should be gradually consuming a good amount of fluids which should be mostly water with something similar to/or Gatorade. This gives your body the hydration, electrolytes, sugars, and sodium to prep one for an activity after eating a supplementary meal prior to a work out.

During a race one must maintain the sugars, salts, and electrolytes to replenish the body. These nutrients can come from energy packs (with or with out caffeine) (GU), energy chews, or drinks such as Gatorade or what ever preference you may have. All foods surrounding and during the time that you are working out should be tested before the race, in order to ensure that they sit well with you.

Finally following a work out it is vital that all levels of electrolytes, sugars, and salts must be reached through hydration and eating a good snack such as a protein bar. A protein bar not only feeds your cravings but it will also help you rebuild muscle.

So to recap: One must eat a good meal, and hydrate well before, maintain energy during the race by eating sugars, caffeine, and salts, while still hydrating, then after one must replenish any lost nutrients along with consuming high levels of protein in order to build muscle.

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Summmerize Your Car

Are you a person that lives in an area that has both hot summers and cold and snowy winters, like we do here in Iowa? Well if you do, and participate in transportation involving any type vehicle such as a car, than you have probably heard of the process of winterizing your car. But what you may not have heard, or may not have thought that it was as important is called summarizing your car. Yes, yes that’s not a misspelling on my part, I actually did mean summarizing.

So if you have winterized your car before you may have changed your oil, changed tires, changed tire pressure, and added accessories inside of your car to fend the ordeals of winter with, but have you had the same approach to your car, as the waning weeks of March and April are upon you? Well if you haven’t considered these ideas, it might be useful if you did, for not only your but also you and your wallet.

Some things that people do in the winter to prep their cars include getting beefier tires, heavier oil, and raised tire pressure. Well as one might expect, to summarize your car, many of these processing given for winterization can just be reversed. First of all if you are interested in saving more money in the long run, than it would be strongly advisable to replace your large winter tires and wheels, with lighter and smaller tires with less tread. These highway tires can be bought at your local car dealer. Another changed that could benefit you in the summer is a lighter and thinner oil. A thicker oil is used in the winter in order to decrease freezing and create a better greaser fluidity. Well this excess thickness could actually hinder your cars driving efficiency, as for in the summer a thinner oil is a much better lubricant. This thinner oil can be used faster and does not clog up in hot weather. One last change to increase your cars driving performance in the winter is to increase your tire pressure. In the winter sometimes people will run their tires at a lower pressure due to the snowy roads, but in the summer the least amount of rubber surface area touching the road the better. This less surface area and harder tire will greatly increase your gas mileage, which yet again will cushion your wallet.

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Bike Transportation

As the times of the last few generations have changed and the migration of peoples from city from rural areas has been in transformation, so has the accessibility for bikers across the United States. For millions across America the ability to just step out of your door and go on a nice and peaceful bike ride has greatly diminished. Most people now live in an area where a busy road way poses a hazardous blockade to their favorite set of trails, paths, or open country road. If this is you, and you feel like you are missing out on the cycling action, then a form of bike transportation may be needed.

Some adequate options for bike transportation include just throwing your bike into the bed of a truck to even strapping it on like a gigantic star on small Christmas tree to your tiny little compact car. Although some people have formulated ways to fit their bikes inside the cabin of their small cars, one option that could alleviate the headaches that come with this ordeal is called a bike rack.

Bike racks come in a large array of options that are sure to be compatible to your car and liking. Car racks have been constructed by various companies over the years that are aimed at all car types, including SUVs, trucks, and even, yes, your small compact car. A SUV and truck hitch rack usually sits uprights and is probably the easiest way to carry a number of bikes. Most of these racks have the capacity to carry up to 4 bikes with safety. Hitch racks are also, in my point of view, the easiest type of rack to maneuver and user friendly. Not only are these racks easy to use, but they are the sturdiest kind of bike rack that one could purchase.

Another type of car rack that has been built and used over the years is aimed for the smaller cars. These racks usually only carry up to 2 bikes, and are less sturdy and user friendly. These types of racks strap onto the trunk of ones car. These types of racks are cheaper though.

If you are a person that is a little more mechanically able, then a roof rack also is a great option for a bike rack, which is very sturdy, but less user friendly. With a roof rack, one most hoist the bike onto the roof after removing the front wheel from the frame, and setting it onto its strap holds.

One last rack type that has been recently made is used for trucks. These racks use a small front wheel holder in the bed of the truck in order to secure the bike while it is standing up, instead of laying it down.

So after hearing these various options it might be useful to consider paying a few hundred dollars to make your life a little easier, and giving you the capability to go ride anywhere that your heart desires.

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Cars That Dont Makle Sense (Pontiac Grand Prix GXP)

So as I have talked about in a couple of my previous blogs, some people love to really enjoy their cars, by pushing them to the limits. Not only do people like to push their cars to the limit, by going off the concrete, but others like to push the speed and agilities limits of their vehicles on the road. For many these types of cars that are meant to be pushed on the roads, are called sports cars. Most sports cars are either all wheel drive or rear wheel drive and exhibit a low profile along with a large amounts of power and speed. One very central concept to a sports car is being only two doors. Now knowing all of these qualifications you should have a better understanding of why I just don’t really understand the formation of the Pontiac Grand Prix GXP.

The Pontiac Grand Prix has been in development since the 1970s and has been known for its stylish looks and speed. Up until the 2000s the Grand Prix had been rear wheel drive accompanied with a powerful v8 engine. At this turning point of the century Pontiac came up with a newer idea of making a cheaper sports car. This new idea might have been the deciding factor in their down fall in 2010.

Although the exterior of the Grand Prix GXP is pretty presentable with its sleek look and 20 inch aluminum wheels, the mechanical side of the car really puts the whole car down. To start off, the GXP has been designed to compete in the sports car class but doesn’t have the technology to compete with cars, such as the Camero or Mustang. Although the GXP has the fire power to get it across the track with its large V8 that produces 304hp, it doesn’t have the body geometry and drive train to complement this power. TO begin the GXP is front wheel drive which provides a large obstacle in handling due to over steering. Along with that, the GXP is a four door beast that is very heavy and difficult to maneuver. So in a sense all of the power that this fairly good engine makes is being absolutely wasted. This car like many that I have talked about it my blog doesn’t really have an exact purpose in mind which therefore appeals to a very select crowd of people in the car world.

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Cars That Dont Make Sense Pt 2 (Hyundai Santa Fe)

Yes, cars have been a great invention, that was helped man kind get to where it is today, but sometimes I just wonder why some certain cars where even made. I mean some cars JUST DON’T MAKE SENSE. I am not just ranting about these types of cars, just to fulfill my inner anger, but more as to give you some “friendly” advice on what cars NOT to buy.

One car that I can not stand, is the Hyundai Santa Fe (2001-2006). This SUV like the Pontiac Aztec has really no purpose. The Santa Fe is designed as an SUV. Ill reiterate the fact that a SUV stands for Sports Utility Vehicle, which means it is made to be able to conquer any condition or terrain thrown at it. Like the Aztec, the Santa Fe faces both cosmetic and mechanical hardships that pull away from its value and off roading ability.

To begin, a car must have an appealing look or most people will be surely turned away before they even set foot in a vehicle. And this unappealing look is exactly what the Santa Fe exemplifies. I really don’t know if anyone could make a more ugly SUV. I mean this car has lines that just don’t make sense along with a very “bubbly” and irregular shape. An SUV is also supposed to be able to hold large amounts of cargo, which yet again the Santa Fe fails to do.

Now if the ugly exterior and inadequate interior hasn’t turned you away from this horrific SUV, than the mechanical design surely will. Between the years 2001 and 2006 the Santa Fe only offered all wheel drive for a select amount of cars, with the others given only front wheel drive. Along with its confusing drive train this car produces very little horsepower with its weak V6. And even if this vehicle were to have a larger engine it would have much difficulty going anywhere past the open road due to its, stock highway tires, and limited ground clearance for an SUV.

So after viewing these mechanical difficulties, it can be concluded that the Santa Fe is a very weak, dysfunctional, cheap, and ugly SUV in m point of view. Why not buy a SUV, that will actually do the job that it was intended to do? That is the real question, that the Santa Fe, does not have an answer to.

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Best of the Off Roading Vehicles

As cars have devolved over history they have made some very large bounds in technology, which has urged many to push cars to there limits and conquer some amazing feats. Cars have been pushed to their limits in a variety of categories including speed, agility, and off roading ability. For many the freedom of off roading has caused a increased amount of interest in off roading vehicles and the sport of off roading.

Off roading consists of driving through all types of conditions including, rain, mud, sand, snow, water, and rocks. Along with this variety of conditions presented an of roading vehicle has to be able to withstand a lot of beating and needs to be able to ascend the steepest inclines.

When people first think of off roading they think of only a jeep right? Well if this explains you, I can inform you that there are many other SUVs and trucks that have been strictly been produced with those off road enthusiasts in mind. The Jeep as although the first off roading vehicle that was mass produced. The Jeep made its first appearance on the market in World War 2. The Jeep was made to transport soldiers across large distances through any conditions. The Jeep was small and agile and had the ability to carry many soldiers and supplies across the must rugged terrain. After World War 2 ended many of the soldiers were in love with their experiences on a Jeep. With this large amount of interest in these vehicles, Jeep began to produce these cars for the everyday driver. Since the production of the Jeep other SUVs and trucks have walked in its path with increased technology and off roading abilities.

Some of these vehicles that have descended from the Jeep have been, the Ford Bronco, Ford Raptor, Land Rover models, and the Mercedes 6x6. Although this is only a few of the many SUVs and trucks that have been produced within the last few decades these give a very good representation of what has come after the first building of the Jeep.

The Ford Bronco was first produced in the late 1900s, and was a very rugged and simple looking SUV that sat very high off the ground. The Ford Raptor has been produced for around 10 years now and is probably the most well known off roading truck with its very large v8 engine. The Land Rover now not only represents its off roading characteristics but also its luxury. Because I mean who wouldn’t want both luxury and off roading abilities? Although these SUVs are very capable none of these can match the Mercedes 6x6. I mean it just makes sense this SUV with 6 wheels turning is obviously better than just 4. And not only is this SUV off road ready but its Mercedes interior engineering gives it the technology and luxury that could satisfy anyone.

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Car Park

Car park. What does that mean to you. For most of you, you are probably thinking something along the lines of a car being parked. To me and to many other car enthusiasts it means something totally different.

Car park to me means, a recreational area in which individuals can come to have fun with their cars, by driving through many different tracks, courses, trails, and other challenging obstacles, that push not only the cars abilities but also the persons driving skills.

This is one thing that I as a car advocate believe that Cedar Rapids should build. Although there are many areas in which cars have the ability to drive fast and test their cars on off road trials and drifting roads, most of the times is either bothersome to the area or population, or is unsafe. As a person who likes to drive fast and drift, I know that Seminal Valley in Cedar Rapids is about the only public area that is somewhat suitable for such driving. But even Seminal Valley poses many problems, because it is park where families go to have picnics along with many other activities. These types of activities can cause a problem with both the safety of a driver and the person but also the contentment between such actions. This is why I believe that Cedar Rapids should build a Car Park. Not only would this construction benefit people who enjoy driving cars, but it would benefit the entire community. See, if a car park was built it would decrease the amount of obnoxiously fast driving that goes on, on the road ways of Cedar Rapids which would increase the safety of Cedar Rapids. Another way in which this type of attraction would benefit the community would be because it would provide income to the city, due to the charge that could be given to use the park.

This type of car park, should exemplify things such as a 1 mile long drag strip, a circuit, a oval, a dirt/gravel circuit, and rugged off road trails with many obstacles including rocks, mud, water, logs, and sand.

So start the movement. Bring a car park to Cedar Rapids. It would benefit the entire community and make Cedar Rapids roads safer, and more peaceful. Its time for change this would be a very very very great addition to the Cedar Rapids Metro community in Iowa.

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Endurance Sports Injury Prevention and Treatment

Being a good athlete whether you a cyclist or not is very dependent on many factors. One of these factors is health. Now I am not only meaning health as in sickness, but also health as in injury. I think everyone can say that being injured sucks. It hurts, and it can take one away from what her or she loves to do. I for one can speak to this statement, due to many different instances. I am here to share with you some experiences which have helped me to learn how to avoid injury.

As a very active and busy person I have come into conflict with injury in many different situations including, running, baseball, and biking. I have had injuries that range from tendonitis, sprained ankle, bursitis, broken arms, legs, collar bone, along with many other pains that have slowed my progression of improving in sports down. Now one might expect that I have learned something about how to stay injury free, and I sure have.

To keep injury to come and haunt your life as a endurance athlete it is very important to first work into you intense work outs gradually with less mileage. If one were to jump into something that their body isn’t ready for to early, one could suffer things such as tendonitis, pulled muscles, bursitis, and stress fractures. As I am writing this blog post, I can give you a first hand example of how things such as stress fractures can happen. After coming off of 2 surgeries on my tibia and broken fibula I went through 2 seasons of running with limited to running due to leg pains including shin splints. After starting track this spring about a month and half ago I thought that this season was going to be different as my legs felt strong and pain free. But after the beginning of March my hypothesis was very wrong. I began to feel a strong pain just below my knee, and after a couple weeks of resting and nothing getting better I was diagnosed with a stress fracture to my right tibia. I believe my injury like many other peoples, came from compensation from another injury. One shouldn’t start their workouts until they can complete the task in a normal manner.

Okay so that’s what you should know before you begin your endurance sport. But once you have began doing your workouts its vital to stretch a couple times a day, along with rolling out and getting massages, as tightness of muscles can cause a wide variety of injuries. If an onset of pain occurs, one should ice and decrease the intensity of a work out to decrease inflammation. If the pain doesn’t get any better an appointment with a doctor is necessary. I hope this helped a little. Good luck with your next season.

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The Pontaic Aztec (POS)

Some cars just don’t make sense. Whether its mechanically or cosmetic some cars just don’t do it for me. Many car companies across the world have tried new things in cars that should just never be seen again on the road.

One car that I really don’t like is the Pontiac Aztec. I mean okay, I give Pontiac props for trying to produce an SUV, but they really went in the wrong direction with this car. To start off with this car is supposed to be an SUV, but exemplifies little characteristics of an actual SUV. As the word SUV means (sports utility vehicle), it is meant to be able to do about anything you ask it to with whatever the road…or not road has in store, whether it be rain, snow, ice, dirt, gravel, mud, or steep inclines. Alright now that you know what an SUV is actually supposed to do I will go on with the flaws that this car poses. First an SUV should have the option of 4 wheel drive, which the Aztec does not have. Not only does the Aztec not have 4 wheel drive, but it actually has front wheel drive, which is in my point of view the worst drive train that an SUV could have. Another mechanical problem the Aztec poses is its very little technology and very low end parts. Along with these many implications the Aztec also doesn’t have anything more than a V6 that makes its wheels turn. So not only does this car have the worst drive train but it is moved by a very weak and cheap engine.

Okay now that I have gotten over the mechanical issues with this car its time to start talking cosmetic characteristics. So if this car obviously has now SUV capabilities, one might expect for this car to have some head turning looks, but that person would be very wrong. I mean this car is one of the ugliest cars I think a car company could produce. Along with its boxy frame, it has a large window placed in the back which not only looks bad, but also poses many safety problems. I see this car as having no useful purpose or stunning looks, and is probably one of my least favorite cars I have ever seen. This is just one example for the reason that the company of Pontiac has been ran out of business.



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Share the Road

Life is a largely valued thing in this world. So why put someone else’s life in threat for your stupidity? This is a common question for many people who ride their bikes on roads for transportation and recreation. Like cars cyclists have the right to use the public roads for transportation. Some motorists don’t seem to understand this simple concept. Road rage haunts the minds of motorists who become frustrated to see a cyclist that is biking on a road at a speed that doesn’t meet the speed limit for a car. After this particular kinds of people begin to get flustered they often partake in aggressive actions towards cyclists that include, yelling with vulgar content, driving very fast, and driving very close to the cyclist to scare them. When this type of aggressive behavior is exhibited to intimidate the rider, accidents can occur which is the main cause for cyclist to vehicle accidents.

As a cyclist myself I have personally seen many of these actions. Some personal account that I have include, getting yelled at, honked at, and driven by at high speeds that come within 2 feet of my handle bars. This type of action just seems totally un needed to me.

Things like bike lanes are being created and promoted by many city officials, but even with this type of alternative, some roads will not be compatible to bike lanes which leaves the need for bikers to ride along with cars. A better cooperation needs to be made between riders and motorists as to prevent future accidents that can result in injury and even death.

Different groups have began to support the awareness through things such as license plates that say “Share the Road”, across the top of the license plate. This short little phrase incorporates so much meaning that can save many lives. I hope this message can finally get through the thick skulls of many motorists. But it can not just take a few people to facilitate this change; its going to take all of you to chip in through a role model, public support, and awareness throughout your community. If this just saves one life, it will be worth it. So join the movement and save a life. In the long run it will be worth it and you might even thank yourself when a driver slowly passes you on a country road. So just do it, save a life.



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Deer vs. Car ( A Growing Problem)

For everyone that lives in places such as the Midwestern Untied States, in states including Nebraska, Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota, it is known that deer can pose a hazard for driving. With a large population of deer that flood the Midwest it is inevitable that they might cross paths with not just humans but their cars also. Although there are many deer crossing signs on heavily deep populated areas of a road way, they still seem to surprise us people as they dart across the road in front of our cars. Throughout the Midwest many deer come into contact with high speed moving vehicles each day, which can cause an array of damages done to both the deer, person and car. This type of confrontation can result in injury that can lead up to death of both the human and deer, along with endless damage to a car.

As a person living in a rural area just outside of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, I have had my own personal interactions with deer on the road ways. With many close calls with accidents involving deer, I finally was unlucky and actually had my own personal account of hitting a deer a couple of weeks ago.

On a cool and dark morning in March I was driving to my lifting class at 545 am, when a deer came sprinting across the road for deer life. With no time to react while driving 60 miles per hour, the deer was quickly bounced of the right front side of my car. After a involuntary verbal exchange with myself and the deer that some people would categorize as bad English, I pulled over to view both the damage to my car and deer. The deer unfortunately didn’t come out so hot. With my font right side of my car crumpled up I drove my car home. In the passing couple weeks my car was fixed for a large price.

This like many is a story that can be told by the vast majority of the people who live in this overpopulated deer area of the United States. One factor to this deer problem could be a small number of predators that deer have. A solution for this would be to introduce a predator to the deer into the Midwest. Now I am looking for your ideas? Do you want to spare your life and your car? If so than please present some ideas.



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Wheels.. wheels.. wheels

Are you one of those cyclists that already has a fairly nice road bike or tri bike, but would like to upgrade their bike in some way? As many experts will tell you, the easiest way to upgrade your bike is the wheels. If you just think about it for a little while, this upgrade seems to make easy logical sense that it would create the largest upgrade in both speed and comfort. Okay, okay there are many other different types of upgrades that you can make including handle bars and shifting, but what really makes a more comfortable and fast ride is what you are actually riding on, which is your wheels.

So now that I have gotten you convinced that wheels are the first thing that you should upgrade, you may be thinking where to start and what to be looking for. Well like many other aspects of a bike there is a very wide variety of wheels that you can choose from under various price ranges that all have their certain strengths. Some wheel companies that may ring a bell include, Zipp, Hed, and Easton. These are just a few of the enormous amount of wheel companies.

Each of these different wheel manufacturers have different types of wheels that are suited for certain types of riding. So now is the time when you need to ask yourself what kind of riding you may do. Do ride casually, competitively (road races, time trials, triathlons), or do you ride just for fitness and fun. After asking yourself this question you will have a better understand of the kind of wheel that you should be directed to.

For all of you people doing triathlons and time trial riding, you would be most benefited with a light and very aero dynamic wheel. Most wheels suited for this kind of riding start at around 1000 dollars for a set of wheels and can escalate up to close to 4000 dollars for a set. The base wheels will give you a small dish with a aluminum braking surface. As you raise your price the dish of the wheel becomes larger, the braking surface transfers to carbon, and the rolling resistance decreases. So whatever your budget is you will be sure to find a wheel that suits your needs.

Now for the rest of you who like to ride competitively on road bikes, for fitness, and just casually, and are looking for an upgrade in your wheels, you will most likely be looking for a wheel that is very light with a small dish if any.

I hope this advice helped your wheel search.

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Striders.. The First Step Into Biking

            Do you have a child? Is this child getting to the age in which he or she may be wanting to bike, but is still a little too young and/or small to bike? This problem is seen in many different situations, which can result in injury due to an early start or a delayed and inexperienced to riding a real bike. Biking can be a very important form of transportation and life skill so why wait to begin learning? Your answer to all of these problems is “Striders”.

            Striders are bikes without pedals or breaks. These types of bikes represent a baby step into biking and require little biking skill or physical strength. These bikes allow the child to use their legs to push themselves across the ground or even have parent push them. This form of learning limits the speed of a child’s bike which prevents risk for injury. Now you may be asking what this form of learning provides compared to just waiting till the child is actually big enough to ride a normal bike? Well these new bikes actually provide the child with a sense of balance on a bike at a young age, which can accelerate learning to ride a normal sized bike.

            Another question that you may be asking, might be, why would you spend money on something that is only going to be used for a short amount of time? Well first of all these bikes are very cheap usually being right around $100. Not only are these pricing very reasonably, but they can also be passed down to a younger child after your child has moved onto a larger bike.

            Many different companies make these bikes which show the popularity and usefulness of these striders. Along with many different companies making these bikes, most of these striders come in some very bright and fun colors that your child will love. Not only will your child be happy to find this bike under the Christmas tree or for their next birthday, but both you and your kid can then enjoy some great outdoor bonding time that will increase the health and fitness of both you and your child.

            So if you’re convinced in this new baby step into biking you can be sure to either find one of these bikes at your nearest bike store, where they will give you good advice, or even on the internet.

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Triathons.. Getting Started Pt 2

            Okay so, now you have read my previous blog, and have found the triathlon that you will be competing in soon, but you still have no idea on how to get prepared, physically, mentally, and the gear that you will need to complete this triathlon.

            Alright well let’s start with the equipment that you will need. Starting with the swim, you will need goggles so that you can see while swimming and a performance swim suit or tri suit, or even a wet suit depending on how cold the water is. In Iowa and generally across America if the water is 72 degrees Fahrenheit or colder, you are allowed and encourage to where a wet suit. A good pair of goggle ($25), a wet suit/swim suit ($30-$150) will bring your swimming equipment up to about 150 dollars. Then comes the bike. I strongly encourage one to buy a road bike that will allow for an enjoyable ride. Along with a road bike, triathlon bikes are also available, but can cost more. A bike can cost pretty much to whatever you want to spend, but most reasonable bikes can cost as least as $800 (base road bike) to up to $10000 (high performance tri bike). Along with a bike a helmet will be needed ($50-$150). These are both required things for triathlon biking portion. Some other things that I would recommend include accessories such as water bottle holder, tri suit, biking shoes/tri shoes, clip pedals, sunglasses, and aero bars. These will yet again make your price goes up depending on what all you get. Finally for the run you will need a good pair of running shoes ($80-$120), and I would also recommend a racing belt for quick transition. So as you can see a triathlon can be pretty expensive, but mainly depends on how much you are willing to spend.

            So now you know what you will need for the triathlon, but you’re still unsure on how to train. Depending on how soon your triathlon, I would suggest running, biking, and/or swimming 6 days a week and increasing your length gradually. For more assistance on how to train for certain triathlons, you can join different triathlon clubs in your area. Well I hope my advice has helped and I wish you great luck in your first or next triathlon on your calendar. See ya out on the race course soon.

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Triathalons. Getting started

                Are you one of those people that is always looking for a challenge and to conquer something new. Some of the greatest physical feats that a person can accomplish include marathons, half marathon, and triathlons. If you have already finished a marathon and are looking for your next challenge, a triathlon might be a great option for you. Unlike a marathon, a triathlon requires a use of all your muscles in a string of three different types of exercise.

            If you’re just interested in completing a triathlon just to say you did or are very interested in getting into the strenuous sport, you will need to be prepared both physically, mentally, financially, and with equipment that will suit the competition that you may be competing in.

            There are many different distances of triathlons including sprint, Olympic, half iron man, and the iron man. As a beginner I would strongly suggest beginning with the shortest of them, being the sprint triathlon. A sprint triathlon consists a 500 meter swim, a 15.5 mile bike, and a 5 kilometer run to cap things off. If your still unsure about doing a full one yourself, something that might be a good preview for you would be to do one with a team in which each person only does a segment of the triathlon, being the run, bike, or swim.

            Okay so by now you probably have a pretty good idea of what a triathlon may entitle and whether you are still committed to doing one. So if you’re still saying “Yes yes yes!!!” to this whole idea, it’s time to think about what you will need in the sense of equipment to be prepared for this great physical feat and accomplishment.

            Okay, never mind I think we will have to go over were you can even sign up for one of these triathlons, and how much they will cost. Well if you’re interested in doing triathlons it is very important that you do some deep researching that’s suits your interest and ability to travel. Once you have found one that looks appealing you must sign up well in advance to ensure that you can get a spot before the race is full. The more busy triathlons can fill up within 5 months before the race so it’s crucial to start registering early. And finally the cost, a cost of a triathlon usually ranges anywhere from 40-95 dollars.  

Okay well if you’re still thinking that you want to conquer this beast of a race, than I suggest that you read my next blog that will give you advice on what to do to get prepared for your race day.

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Transition of Power

As you may have seen in one of my blogs last week. I talked about how while times change, so do cars. Now id like to talk about a specific part of how these cars have changed through out the years. And that is the engine.

Throughout much of the 1900s larger engines could be seen in most cars including everyday cars. Much of this power being made with large big block v8s was being wasted due to inefficiency and the weight of the cars. As time has gone on many car companies have devised ways to make cars both lighter and more efficient, hence forth the production of cars including high performance cars that have much smaller engines including “pimped out” 4 cylinders, and 6 cylinders. The newer cars exemplifying these characteristics give the car a much lighter stance. Some of the most famous cars based on this efficiency include the Nissan GTR, and the Subaru Impreza.

One example that can be seen within the last even couple weeks can be seen in the re design of the long famous Ford GT. The Ford GT has been made since the mid 1900s and has become an icon amongst both cars and American history. Up until recently the Ford GT held a engine that produced around 500 horse power. After the previously famous super charged v-8 loosed some of its fame, the people at the Ford ownership formulated the newest Ford GT concept that was just recently unveiled as a production car for 2016. The new Ford GT now contains a twin turbo charged v6 that produces 150 horsepower more than the previous supercharged v-8.

This example right here is just another item that gives support to the increase in infancy of smaller engine cars. Along with this change of engine type in high performance cars/super cars, the change can also be seen in everyday cars. The 4 cylinder car has become widely popular after its debut in the Mini Cooper. The 4 cylinder engine these days offers very good gas mileage and a lighter feel to the car. One example of this can be seen in the most popular car in the world… The Toyota Camry.

The transition of times again can be seen in all aspects of life including the hidden things in life that we now take for granted including the always useful auto mobile that will always have a footprint on this world we call earth.

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Acura NSX Concept Becomes Reality

Bringing history into modern reality is what many car companies have been doing in the last few years and that is exactly what Acura has just done. With concepts being formulated and ideas being thrown around the engineers and innovative minds Acura have finally settled on a top of the line sports car that will bring back the older but not forgotten idea of the Acura NSX. After not making a real sports car for many years Acura has just unveiled its new plans for the brand new 2016 Acura NSX.

Not only does this reformation of a historical car bring back those embedded memories, but it also squeezes in the highest new technology in the history of automotive vehicles. Along with the innovative advances under the hood the new Acura NSX packs the future of cars inside of the car with a very futuristic look inside along with outside of the walls of the car.

This car is expected to be prices around the Audi R8 and Nisan GTR, and will be able to perform right with many of the best super cars in the world. With a twin turbo charged v6 that produces around 450 horsepower along with suspected electric motors, this car with its sleek design will be a very fast car. With the large amount of power that this very efficient engine produces, one might expect a very high end transmission which this car definitely exemplifies. With a 9 speed auto manual transmission this car will fly through its gears with smooth power transitions. This is just a prime example of modern power and efficiency that many cars have transferred to. I am very excited to see how this new car performs and formulizes across the buyers. The Acura NSX also features all wheel drive creating little slip with the wheels and allows for many people who live in wet conditions to drive this car more often.

With excitement hitting people across the world this car has already made a name for itself and has very large expectations. This kind of car is the kind of car that really intrigues me, based on its smaller more efficient engine under a sleeker looking car. So if have a little pocket change that will suffice to 150,000 dollars and are looking for a car that will blow your mind the then the 2016 Acura NSX would be a great car for you.

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Best Kids Bike

Do you have a child that ranges in age between 4-12? Are these kids and or kid beginning to get interested in riding a bike, but your unsure of what kind of bike to get them and are looking for some advice? Well I’ve got the answer to all of these kind of questions.

As a worker at a bike store I have seen how many different kids bikes have sold and been ridden and the reviews that come back from the customers on their purchases. Many different bike companies make kids bikes ranging from this age range, but one bike company seems to stick out as the best for me. The company named specialized seems to come out on top, especially when it comes to children’s bikes. Through the past specialized has produced a bike named a Hot Rock. This Hot Rock, is then divided into many different frame sizes, wheel sizes, and performance levels that will be sure to allow for you to find one that fits your budget and child’s needs.

The Hot Rock that is aimed towards the younger kids gives the option of training wheels and has a low wheels base with just 12 inch wheels. Along with this little kid bike gives an option for a pedaless bike called a strider that can be an entry bike for balancing. The next step into age groups bring me to the 16 inch wheel size with a larger frame that also features training wheels. Now after your child has grown out of the training wheels the next step would be a 6 speed 20 inch wheel bike that gives a child the full amenities of a standard bike. And finally the largest hot rock made, aimed towards the 12 year old is the hot rock 21 speed, with 24 inch wheels.

This array of bike sizes of the same model of bike gives a price and sizing range that will fit all kids craving a new bike. These bikes will give your child a quality look into the world of biking and the freedom that they have always wanted. With prices ranging from 200-1500 dollars, these bikes allow you to pick your poison. So if your looking in buying a bike for your kid but are unsure where to go and what to buy, I would highly recommend consulting a bike dealer that sells specialized bikes and ask them about the newest Specialized Hot Rocks.

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Bike Store Cycle

Bike stores across the country right now are planning and getting ready for the start of spring and complete rage of summer. But you may ask, what does this actually mean for the people working at those places. Well I’m here to give you a personal experience of what is happening at this time in the winter season at the bike store that I work at part time year round (Northtowne Cycling and Fitness).

As the leaves change and the temperatures begin to drop in the fall here in Iowa, bike sales tend to decrease and preparation for the next busy season begins. Along with this preparation limited bike sales still take place along with ongoing service projects. As winter begins to set in Iowa temperatures begin to plummet therefore reducing the amount of riders within the community. The bike store becomes less busy and is a able to take a breather and let all the compressing stress let out in one big sigh of relief. This sigh of relief doesn’t last long though as the production and sales of both fitness equipment (stationary bikes, treadmills, ellipticals, etc.) and snow bikes also known as (Fat boys) begin to liven. With the delivery, sales, maintenance, and preparation for next summer going on a place such as Northtowne remains very busy. With the store busting out hundreds upon hundreds of new bikes for the busy season the warehouse becomes jammed to the gills with new inventory of sparkling new bikes hanging from the sealing and lining the rafters.

As the snow blanketing the ground begins to melt across the state, bikers everywhere are awakening from their slumber and are coming into bike stores, to get their spring tune up or new ride. With this flourishing activity, marks the beginning of the “summer” or busy season for bike stores everywhere. As bikes on the show room floor are making their way out the doors, bikes are being pulled from the ware house to fill the empty spots on the show room floor. As the summer heat sets in and the long light of the summer days come even more bikes are being fixed and sold daily. As the summer comes to an end the final sales are made and the store begins to give that sigh of relief once again as the ongoing cycle of a bike store starts itself yet again for another season.

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