Options and Lunacy

One of the biggest benefits of being a multi-sport athlete is options. As in Training Options.

Due to my hectic business travel lately (OK, its always hectic) I haven't been on the bike in two weeks. Both of my bikes are in Minnesota these days. Sheila was planning on rowing with her Minneapolis Rowing Club last Saturday morning, so I was really looking forward to a nice long ride around Lake Minnetonka. And the weather was supposed to be perfect.

Around 4:00am on Saturday I heard the thunder. At 7:00 it was a light, but steady rain. Since I have nothing to train for I decided it was a perfect morning for a long run along the Mississippi River. Options.

I took a route that at mile 8 brought me to the Minneapolis Rowing Club (along the river and 3 miles north of our house). I stopped in just as Sheila and crew were returning from their 2 hour workout in their "8" (an 8 person boat). It was fun watching as they landed the incredibly long boat and then lifted it on to their shoulders to carry into the boat house.

As Sheila left for home I continued my run along the West River Road parkway (on the west bank of the Mississippi). This is were I witnessed the lunacy. River Road was closed for a cycling event. The event was put on by the private schools schools in Minneapolis. Each school had a tent setup along a 4 mile route, and parents and their children were riding their bikes between each of the schools. The parents and children would stop at each tent to learn about each school. There were hundreds, maybe over a thousand parents and children on bikes. AND OVER HALF WEREN'T WEARING HELMETS!?!?!? I even saw one mother with a very young baby (less than a year old) in one of those old, over the rear wheel baby seats - and neither was wearing a helmet. I actually stopped running. I just could not believe what I was seeing. Since the roads were closed (and blocked by police cars) this was obviously a cycling event authorized by the city and park district on Minneapolis. Yes, I am writing the city to voice my concern.

On Sunday, Sheila and I volunteered at the Twin Cities Marathon. We were at the Clif Shot station just in front of the mile 17 water station. While it wasn't as hot as Chicago, it was still warm. 74 at the 8:00am start and in the 80's by noon. The runners looked hot, but the tree lined course must have helped a lot. Our station ran out of water towards the end, but they still had plenty of Gatorade. Later that afternoon we went for a run around Lake Harriet and we both thought it was one of the hottest and muggiest days of the year. Very uncomfortable running.

Congratulations to all of the Chicago Marathon survivors. You can always say "I did it in 2007"! Everyone will always remember.

Next up, lots of business travel and personal travel. New York, North Shore of Lake Superior, Orlando, Toronto, back to Orlando. And that's just the next 8 days! Sounds like lote of running in my future.

See you out there - somewhere.

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