In part two of my Ironman Mini Series I am going to talk about cycling.
By far, cycling was my novice category. Sounds strange, but in High School and College I worked at a Bike Shop. I mostly did inventory but eventually went out to the sales floor. The thing is...I knew nothing about cycling. I could explain what made one bike better than another, how a bike should fit, and what gadgets could make a ride more convenient, but I really knew nothing about cycling.
Training to ride 112 miles...you learn a few things....and you learn them fast.
First, cycling is kind of lonely. You can't just pop in your earphones and zone out to your music, that is totally dangerous. Even if you ride with someone, you typically don't ride side by side and chat the whole ride.
Second, 15-17 mph on a bike is considered a respectable pace. But let's do the math....
riding 15mph....112 mile ride.....about 7 1/2 hours!!
Yup...cycling can take ALL-DAMN-DAY!
Another thing I learned is that cycling is much more technical than the other disciplines. Tires, tubes, gears, lube, gloves, helmets, shoes, cleats, shorts, padding (which is a must), and so on.
So...how do you navigate through all the technical pieces??
FIND A DAMN GOOD BIKE SHOP!!!
Here's Doug, Product Manager for The Bike Rack, checking over my bike!
In Omaha and Lincoln, we are pretty fortunate, we have The Bike Rack.
The Bike Rack is THE place to go! The Bike Rack was nominated in 2012 as a top 100 retailer through Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, they have the biggest inventory I have seen, you can shop online, in the store, and if they don't have a product you want...they will get it!
The Bike Rack also has a top rated Service Department! Kelly, the Lead Mechanic, is an absolute maniac! I love him!! The man doesn't even own a car. He rides this ridiculous super jacked bike all over town and has the quads to prove it!! Dylan, the Service Manager, has been working at The Bike Rack for about 4 years and knows his stuff! Not to mention.....Dylan is total eye candy. Seriously....he is a cutie!
The Bike Rack does a lot for the cycling community as well. They advocate for the cycling community, organize community rides, and are involved in various events for non-profits and other community organizations such as Millard Public Schools Special Needs, Adaptive Bicycle Program, they provide support for charity rides, and have worked with the Boy Scouts.
Needless to say, I feel very fortunate to have a shop like The Bike Rack in my circle of friends! They are my DAMN GOOD BIKE SHOP, and have supported me on my journey towards becoming an Ironman.
Want to learn more about The Bike Rack....
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