Triathlon: February 2009 Archives

To start thinking about birthday gifts... and since mine is coming up in the not-too-distant-future, I figured I'd throw out a few hints/ideas/suggestions for folks to consider. Don't worry if you duplicate each others' purchases - I'll appreciate your gift(s) no matter what.

I'd like, in no particular order, any one of these gifts:

1. Cycleops Power Tap SL+ Hub (Shimano hub)

This hub is pretty awesome - it measures the amount of power expended during a ride, which is an invaluable training tool. It measures ad saves data about each ride so you can go back and review progress, weak spots, improvements, and so on. During races, it helps you determine when to take it easy and when to get after it. It's the most accurate calorie burning tool available for a bike. Unfortunately it's outrageously expensive...

2. Zipp 808 Cyldesdale Carbon Clincher Wheelset

I've rode next to people who have these wheels and can say this: they sound awesome (they make that "woosh/woosh/wooosh" noise like you'd hear when a Samurai sword is swung through the air), they look cool, and they're definitely fast. Combine these with that Power Tap hub, and look out.

3. Samsung 52" LCD 1080p 120Hz Television

I'm thinking this TV would make a nice edition to the bedroom.

4. Nike Pro Dri-Fit Long Sleeve Top and Shorts (compression)

I snagged some of these while in Joplin this weekend, and I really like them. I think they're even better than the UnderArmour versions - they fit better, and are more comfortable (so far). I like the tops and bottoms - but they have to be the compression version (really tight). Size Large (for top and bottom), in black.

5. DeSoto 400-mile Bib Shorts

I've got 2 pair of bib shorts and they're the best riding shorts I've ever worn. The DeSotos are supposed to be the very best out there - comfortable, long lasting, invaluable. Shorts do make all of the difference when it comes to longer rides. I'll take these in Large, black/black.

6. Osprey Atmos 50 Backpack

I'm a bit "on the fence" about this one... I've been researching backpacks for a while, and I'm torn between the Osprey, The Smart Alec from Tom Bihn, the Rocket Science Rocket bag, or a Zoot Z-Pack bag. I'm sure all are extremely nice and extremely similar - it's just hard to decide which one would be best... I'd like to start riding my bike to and from work, and a good backpack could make all the difference. It'll also double as a triathlon bag, so I'm asking a lot from one bag. Decisions, decisions... surprise me, and I'll be happy! :-)

7. Apple Aperture 2.1

Apple's first attempt with this program was awful, but they turned things around with version 2. It's absolutely amazing; it quickly indexes, organizes, and displays digital images, allows for adjustments (without "damaging" the original file), and generates all sorts of cool things like online galleries, print-ready books, and so on. It's not a true Photoshop replacement, but it's pretty darned close. I've used the trial version for quite a while, but it has since expired. :-(

So there you have it. Five Six Seven great gift ideas for Steveo. I'll probably think of some other ideas; when I do, I'll update this entry. :-)

Edit: Here are some great LOL Cats:

Man, what a relief! The weather has finally taken a turn for the better; after many, many weeks of cold temperatures, snow, ice, and all sorts of other nasty stuff, we seem to have hit a patch of good weather.

So that meant I got to roll the bike off from the trainer and on to some real pavement! I checked my tire pressures, filled up some water bottles, lubed the chain, checked skewer tensions, threw on some biking clothes and hit the trail. The ride was absolutely wonderful. It was so nice to be out and about rather than cranking out miles on the 'ole trainer.

Even though it was gusting heavily (25-30mph gusts) the Pea Ridge trail does a great job of blocking most wind. The trail is nestled in valleys and forges, and you're surrounded by trees for the majority of the loop, so it makes for a great ride and run. I cranked out 36 effortless miles - maybe that trainer isn't so evil! I suppose it also helps that I'm hauling around 30-40 less pounds than I was last year.

I passed several families that were riding their bikes, enjoying the wonderful weather. I came up on a family of 5-6 people: mom, dad, and a bunch of kids. They were all on their bikes, weaving around on the trail, not paying attention to anything behind them, and just more or less meandering... So, I slowed down (it was on a flat section, and I had been cranking at about 24-25 mph) and said, "Hi - sorry - coming up on your left."

The mom, who was in the back of the pack, ordered her kids to move to the right, and they all did. The dad, who was leading the pack, looked over his shoulder and waved me past, so I pedaled on by. As I was passing one of the kids, he goes, "WOW - that is a cool bike! Dad, I want that one!" And the dad goes, "I want it, too!"

I laughed. I like my bike, and it is pretty sexy, but I didn't think anyone "normal" would think anything of it. I gave a quick shout of "Thanks!" back to them, and went on my way. I passed them three more times during my ride - I was averaging just over 18 minutes per lap - and each time, the kid would say something like, "Cool" or "Awesome." I'd always say, "Thank you - your bike isn't too bad either." Or something like that.

I guess my bike is pretty cool, even when it's dirty:

People often ask what the Vroomen.White.Design means - it stands for Gerard Vroomen and Phil White Design - they're the two gentlemen who started Cervelo. They're geniuses, if you ask me - their bikes are so phenomenal.

Anyway... I finished my ride, then hit the trail for a run - I did 4 miles, and even that was enjoyable. The net result of today's workout efforts? Looks like I can pig out tonight!

No, not really. I downloaded an application for my iPhone from Livestrong, and it's an awesome program. It's also totally free - and if you don't have an iPhone, you can simply visit their website, register, and track everything (food, exercise, weight) online.

The awesome thing about the Livestrong application is that it syncs with TheDailyPlate.com, which has more than 500,000 foods and restaurants worth of nutritional information in it, so you can easily track your calories. I've been using it for about a month now, and absolutely love it. It's incredibly easy to use, and it appears to be fairly accurate; I compared my workout calories between the Livestrong application and my Garmin watch, and both were within 5% of each other, so that's decent validation in my book.

To use the Livestrong application/site, you simply enter your age, weight, and "normal" activity level. It then recommends a base calorie rate (mine is 1,482) to achieve a weight loss goal of 1-lb per week. From there, I simply enter in my foods each day (as you can see, I had an egg with egg whites for breakfast (it's actually cut-off - I also had Canadian bacon, an English muffin, and some fruit)), and from there, the application tells me how many calories I have left for each day.

Exercising allows you to eat more - and in my case, I burned quite a few calories on my ride and run, so I have plenty of spare calories that I could eat today. I won't go crazy, though - I did that last night... pizza, donuts, nachos...

Anyway - check out the Livestrong site. It's a great fitness tool.