Mark's Blog

If you would like to get a cyclocomputer from us for Christmas let us know. You could go to performancebike.com and pick on out. Let me know what you pick and also send a copy to Matt. Matt would order it and have it shipped directly to me (if Matt orders it I would get two day shipping for free and Matt would get a 10% credit on his next order.) I would send it to you and you should have it in two weeks or so. You have a lot of choices for wireless ones in $50 or less range. One of the biggest differences to look at is the readout -- do you think you want one that shows two functions at once with fairly large numbers (like the "cateye cordless 7") or one that shows four functions at once in a small readout (like the "topeak panoram V-12 wireless" or "dB 4LW wireless?") I don't see any reason not to get a wireless one -- the reason use to be price but now the wireless as about the same price.

I have started riding 15 miles on my bike trainer instead of riding a certain number of minutes. It still seems harder to ride the same speed inside than outside. The last ride, I rode 15 miles up a 1.8% grade in 59 minutes which isn't very fast but was quite an effort for me. 1.8% grade doesn't sound like much but it does mean I gained almost 1500 feet in elevation in the 15 miles (450 meters.)

I ran 4.2 miles outside today. It was 50 degrees at 2 PM but felt much colder because it was very damp.

Since retiring I have manage to get myself to shop and buy many things that I just put off when working. Besides the bicycle and trainer (thought about for 5 years,) I have finally bought new speakers (talked about for 10 - 15 years,) a new receiver and CD player (needed for 2 -3 years,) and another new receiver downstairs for the TV sound system (needed for 5 - 6 years.) I am using the new bookself speakers (which I got free for buying the large speakers upstairs) with the TV sound because they are better than what I had. I also bought a new chair for the computer room -- a highback, leather "manager's chair" with arms. It was difficult to decide what to buy and I did not feel like investing a lot of time shopping for a chair so I followed the traditional "American way" and bought something that seemed of acceptable quality and was very cheap -- $39 after rebate.

My weight is slowly drifting down. I started at 208 lbs. on August 21. It is amazing how many milestones you can pass if you keep losing weight and looking for anything you can call a milestone.
Such as first time under 200 lbs., first week with an average under 200, first time with more than 10 pound lost, first week averaging 10 pound lost, first time under 195, first week under 195 average, first time with 15 pound lost, etc. I have averaged 194.5 over the last seven days. It will be more difficult to keep losing weight this winter when I can't ride outside because I just can't ride as long inside.

I read where Adidas is coming out this month with the first shoe which adapts to a runner's foot. There is a microprocessor inside the shoe's arch that measures heel compression. Based on that info, the cushion transforms itself - every fourth step - accounting for the running surface, runner's size, pace, foot strike, and weight. The downside is price; $250.

I was too busy at work to look at cyclocomputers, but have taken the time now. Rob said the one thing you really ought to have if you're thinking about training is cadence. He regretted getting his without cadence.

The CatEye Astrale 8 seems like a good one. It's not wireless. It looks hard to do wireless and cadence at the same time for some reason. Note the Vetta V100 and CatEye CD300DW both have cadence, but they're $100 and $150, which is way too expensive. The CatEye looks easy to read, as well.

I read reviews by mountain bikers who seemed to have some trouble keeping the sensors on the CatEye tight enough. Maybe that would be a problem for Matt. Is he interested in the cadence function?

Sounds like you're doing some consuming, but more buying stuff than consuming food. Or at least not consuming more food than you need. I've been reading bits and pieces on the web about marathoners. They say if you keep the sugars and animal fats down, and you train seriously for a marathon, your weight should drop to an acceptable level. Haven't experimented yet.

At work, we have possibly the ultimate desk chairs. Someone said they're quite expensive. They come with everything adjustable. (Haven't bothered except to adjust the seat height.) Most importantly the back and seat are made of a sort of netting, open to the air, such that you can sit in them all day and never sweat or feel hot. They're probably as expensive as the shoes Adidas is coming out with. Whoever picked them out probably did so before the bubble popped.