From: Tom Marble Date: Sun, 24 Jul 2016 23:22:20 +0000 (-0500) Subject: new post: J'ai gagné le Tour de Crosstown 2016! X-Git-Url: https://info9.net/gitweb/?p=wiki.git;a=commitdiff_plain;h=737cad4672aa878abf35b5f70eeb9d1e737c9f6a;hp=734667204ed9c3cffe5e19e8628fe4d03a70442a new post: J'ai gagné le Tour de Crosstown 2016! Signed-off-by: Tom Marble --- diff --git a/tmarble/posts/jai-gagne-le-tour-de-crosstown-2016.mdwn b/tmarble/posts/jai-gagne-le-tour-de-crosstown-2016.mdwn new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e8c4d12 --- /dev/null +++ b/tmarble/posts/jai-gagne-le-tour-de-crosstown-2016.mdwn @@ -0,0 +1,110 @@ +# J'ai gagné le Tour de Crosstown 2016! + +Everyone knows that today the finish line for [Le Tour de France][letour] +was crossed on *Les Champs-Élysées* in Paris... And if you haven't +seen some of the [videos][letourdefrance] I highly recommend checking +out the onboard camera views and the landscapes! *Quel beau pays* + +I'm happy to let you know that today I won the **Tour de Crosstown 2016** +which is the cycling competition at [Lifetime Crosstown][crosstown] inspired +by and concurrent to *Le Tour de France*. There were about twenty cyclists +competing to see who could earn the most points -- by attending cycling class +*bien sûr*. I earned the *maillot jaune* with 23 points and my next closest +competitor had 16 points (with the *peloton* far behind). But that's just +part of the story. + +
+
+ +Tour de Crosstown 2016 + +
+ +For some time I've been coming to Life Time Fitness at Crosstown +for yoga (in Josefina's class) and playing racquetball with my friend David. +The cycling studio is right next to the racquetball courts and +there's been a class on Saturday's at the same time we usually play. +I told David that it looked like fun and he said, having tried it, +that it is fun (and a big workout). In early June David got busy +and then had an injury that has kept him off the court ever since. +So one Saturday morning I decided to try cycling. + +I borrowed a heart rate monitor (but had no idea what it was for) and +tried to bike along in my regular gym shorts, shoes and a t-shirt. +Despite being a cycling newbie I was immediately captured by +[Allison's][allison] [music and enthusiasm][spincycle]. +She's dancing on her bike and you can't +help but lock in the beat. Of course that's *just after* she tells +you to dial up the resistance... and the sweat just pours out! + +I admit that workout hit me pretty hard, but I had to come +back and try the 5:45 am Wednesday EDGE cycle class (gulp). Despite what +sounds like a crazy impossible time to get out and on a bike +it actually works out super well. This plan requires one to up-level one's +organization and after the workout I can assure +you that you're fully awake and charged for the day! + +Soon I invested in my own heart rate monitor. Then I realized +it would work *so much better* if I had a metabolic assessment to +tune my aerobic and anaerobic training zones. While I signed +up for the assessment I decided to work with [May][may] as my +personal trainer. In addition to helping me with my upper body +(complementing the cycling) May is a nutritionist and +has helped me dial in this critical facet of training. +Even though I'm still working to tune my diet around my +workouts, I've already learned a lot by using [My Fitness Pal][mfp] +and, most importantly, I have a whole new attitude about food. + +*Pour les curieux, la nutritioniste maison s'est absentée en France pendant le mois de juillet.* + +Soon I would invest in bike shoes, jerseys and shorts and begin +to push myself into the proper zones during workouts and +fuel my body properly afterwords. All these changes have led +to dramatic weight loss \o/ + +A few of you know that the past two years have involved +a lot of personal hardship. Upon reflection I have come to appreciate +that things in my life that I can actually control are a massive opportunity. +I decided that fixing my exercise and nutrition were +the opportunities I want to focus on. A note for for my Debian friends... +I'm sorry to have missed you in Cape Town, but I hope to join you in Montréal +next year. + +So when the Tour de Crosstown started in July I decided this +was the time for me to get serious. I want to thank all the instructors for the +great workouts (and for all the calories I've left on the bike): +Alison, Kristine, Olivia, Tasha, and Caroline! + +The result of my lifestyle changes are hard to describe.. I feel an +amazing amount of energy every day. The impact of prior back injury is +now almost non-existent. And what range of motion I hadn't recovered +from the previous summer's being "washing machined" by a 3 meter wave +while body surfing at the beach in [Hossegor][hossegor] is now fully working. + +Now I'm thinking it's time to treat myself to a new bike :) +I'm looking at large touring frames and am currently thinking +of the [Surly Disc Trucker][sdt]. In terms of bike shops I've had +a good experience with [One on One][one] and [Grand Performance][gp] has +come highly recommended. If anyone has suggestions for bikes, +bike features, or good shops please let me know! + +I would encourage everyone here in Minneapolis to join me as guest +for a Wed morning 5:45am EDGE cycle class. I'm betting you'll have as +much fun as a I do.. and I guarantee you will sweat! The challenge in waking up +will pay off handsomely in making you energized for the whole day. + +Let's bike *allons-y*! + +[[!tag biking debian]] + +[letour]: http://www.letour.fr/ +[letourdefrance]: https://www.youtube.com/user/letourdefrance +[crosstown]: https://www.lifetimefitness.com/en/programs-and-events/sports/cycle/minnesota/Eden-Prairie-Crosstown-Cycle-Club.html +[alison]: https://twitter.com/abcdutton +[spincycle]: http://spincyclebike.com/about-indoor-cycling-music/ +[may]: https://www.facebook.com/may.bend.1 +[mfp]: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ +[hossegor]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soorts-Hossegor +[sdt]: http://surlybikes.com/bikes/disc_trucker +[one]: http://www.oneononebike.com/ +[gp]: http://www.gpbicycles.com/