Is it bad that I want this bike for the sweet little coffee cup holder it has between the handlebars?!? 

I bought some clothes to run in for when it gets colder. I got some underarmor thermal leggings and long-sleeve undershirt. I also go some sweat-wicking glove liners that I can wear under my mittens so that my hands don't sweat and get all chapped. I also got a new air compressor for my car since the last one went kaput on the day of Crip the Mass and my bike tires are sad. Oh! Hey I should have mentioned about that... you can read about it here and here... basically we wanted to involve wheelchair users in Chicago's September Critical Mass. Fun was had :) 

Well I tracked my walk/run today. Not very good, but not too too horribly bad. I'll just be glad if I don't hurt tomorrow. Yeah yeah I'm stretching... picture the stops as stop signs by the way :P ... but yeah my goal is to be able to run a mile continuously w/out the walking ... I'll get there but for now the intervals aren't half bad... def doable

( stats beneath cut )

Have you seen this build your own bike feature at Urban Outfitters? ... Yes, you heard me right. Urban Outfitters. Yeah, I know weird right, but check this out!

http://bikes.urbanoutfitters.com/build.asp

It is so incredibly tempting! If I were to build a bike there it would look like this one below...

We have a new bike in our fold. REI was having a really good sale earlier this summer on a commuter bike so I convinced my sister to get it. since her old bike from 1990 is 10 shades of broke-down. Its actually a pretty sweet ride for $300 or so. Its a Novara (whatever that is) and not as light as my Cannondale, but I don't expect my sister will be lifting it often. I realized the last time I was home that it doesn't make sense to have a road bike around where my parents live, and its not really all that helpful on Kelly Drive either. So this bike has flat handlebars and a bit of suspension and most importantly... front and rear fenders! I think it may also have a chainguard. Anyway, when I was home I outfitted it with lights and stuff so she's all ready for city dwelling :) Problem is, my sister doesn't know where to stash it *shrugs* no big... its mostly for use in the spring/summer and particularly when I visit.

I realized when I visited home earlier this summer that my fitness routine gets really messed up simply because I never have the resources I'm used to and so I don't really know what to do... and I overeat because I'm home. So my sister's gym has replaced their old-ass machines (which hurt my back something fierce) so that'll be cool... and now I have a bike to ride! :D ... and now that I'm starting running that adds another thing that I can do anywhere.

Okay so since I last posted things have gone downhill. Somehow I stopped enjoying riding. Most likely because every time I go out... and I mean every time... someone makes a comment about my weight. I hated coming back from a ride feeling dejected and disgusting instead of energetic and excited. Then I had some problems with my hip... it just has been a rough couple of months.

Now I'm ready to get back into the swing of things and ... of course... its winter. Never fear, I'm taking full advantage of this. You know one of my goals has been to start running. Well, my friend Jen and I are going to do a 5K together. I'm really excited about this. Its going to be hard and I know that I'm going to have to really start working and be careful not to hurt myself... but I think I can do it. I found a training thing online for people who want to go "from couch potato to 5K." The timeline was really unrealistic, but the chunks it breaks it down into seem like good goals. So I'm starting with little intervals: 5 min warm up walking then 1 minute jog and 1.5 minute walk on and off for 20 min. I tried it out on my way to the store tonight and I don't feel too bad. It wasn't  a full 20 min though, but I've been sick w/ a respiratory infection so not too shabby ifn I say so myself.

So now I need to pick out a 5K to do... I'm thinking a year from now. I hope that isn't unrealistic.

My eating also got really bad, but I'm back on the wagon. I think I may not be eating enough... okay, I know I'm not eating enough now so I have to straighten that out, but this past week (with the exception of the Halloween party) I've been focusing on cleaning out and detoxifying my system sooo yeah I'm good to go!

Also, even though this is probably going to sound really lame... I finally have a good outfit to run in. I know that sounds silly, but its really important. I have the right number of pockets in the right locations and there's no chaffing and I don't look like a fat bag lady... I think its really important to have good self-esteem while you're working out or else you just won't give it 100%. So I like to feel like I look cute when I work out.

Dude these look kinda cool. I mean the bike part is definitely cool even though the big plastic tub bit kind of makes me want to plant a tree in the back or something :P though that would be pretty awesome... a little mobile strawberry patch! OMG! :D

I  bought a shitty little bike, "Brownie", for commuting last fall when Rocket was stolen, but its just a tad toooo shitty to ride 8-9 miles to and from school everyday. I keep wishing I had just forked over enough money to get one of those cruisers or something because even though they're still crappy I would at least still be able to actually commute on it. Soo yeah part of me is still looking for a good bike for commuting and running errands that I wouldn't mind leaving locked up outside and wouldn't miss too terribly much if it got stolen.

I think a lot of it has to do with my just not wanting to form another attachment to a bike only to lose it again. Rocket meant a lot to me... he and I had been through four states together and so many big life changes. Although I love Puff a lot, I still miss Rocket.

Hey! You know what would also be supercool?!... a rickshaw bike! :P hehehe

*googles*