Bike Crash- Unexpected Accident

Well that's kind of redundant. Aren't all accidents unexpected? Look back Friday for a new post to TriathleteDiva.com. An accident victim (he's going to be ok!) needs her full attention right now. Thank you!

Happy safe training!

What Would You Do if There Were No Triathlon

It's hard to imagine, isn't it? But what would you do if you couldn't do triathlon. Or if there were no triathlon? Would you sleep in? Buy a vacation home with the thousands of dollars you would save in race fees and bike parts?

It's a simple enough question, but if you really get to thinking about it, what WOULD you do. It's a toughie. Especially if you're training for an Ironman, your life gets defined in triathlon terms. What workout you're doing this morning, this evening. You're not eating "breakfast", you're "powering up" or eating "good recovery food". Dinner is not dinner! It's "carbo loading"! Work is the place you go to make enough money to finance that "race" trip to the south of France (you don't go on "vacations"!) Your family is your "cheer squad" and "support structure" and your car is simply a giant bike bag.

So if there were no triathlon...no Kona to dream about, what would you do? And to make the question fair, you can't just switch to being a runner, swimmer or cyclist. Try to look at your life outside the athletic scope. You'd still love the outdoors. You'd still have that drive to challenge yourself in strange ways...like maybe run 50 miles on trails in one day. But there'd be no finish line. Only you would know of your accomplishment. Who knows?

So, what would you do?

SPANDEX-What You Need To Know

You wear it ever day. Prance around in front of the mirror, marveling at your muscles bulging through the tight material. But what exactly is this magical fabric every triathlete must come to love and embrace? Where did it come from? Just what can it do?

History:

Spandex was invented in 1959 by DuPont chemist Joseph Shivers. Plenty early enough for cyclists and other people to try it out before it became all highly refined and perfected for triathletes.

What IS it?

Spun from a block copolymer, these fibers exploit the high crystallinity and hardness of polyurethane segments, yet remain "rubbery" due to alternating segments of polyethylene glycol. (Straight from Wikipedia. If you didn't take Organic Chemistry in college and can't draw the polymers, no worries. It's just the science behind the cool things Spandex does!)

Fun Spandexeriffic Facts:

• can be stretched over 600% without breaking (woah)


• able to be stretched repetitively and still recover original length (so, say you wear it at your race weight +20, it should still theoretically fit and not be stretched out when you loose the jiggle )


• lightweight (shave off those seconds! Cheaper than carbon fiber!)


• abrasion resistant (it won't tear right up your bottom if your legs are rubbing on your seat!)


• soft, smooth, and supple (feels good!)


• resistant to body oils, perspiration, lotions, and detergents (wear sunscreen! And for heaven's sake, wash it to rid your spandex of your workout stink!)


• no static or pilling problem (not like those old wool jerseys!)

Spandex is one cool invention. Most Halloween costumes are made of the stuff because DC Comics superheroes all wore spandex (or so we've come to believe. How else could they get their costumes so skin tight?)

Being a triathlete, you can dress up in it every day. You can wear bright colors. Heck, you can even wear a jersey with a big "S" on the back and not be committed to an institution for playing superhero in public at age 50.

Have a spandexeriffic day!

Why Triathletes Make Bad Drivers

Surely some of you triathletes have pristine driving records. You should be proud, because chances are, you're the rare exception among your tribuddies. Here are 5 reasons why the difference between their insurance premium and yours is enough for you to buy a new carbon fiber frame every year:

1. They shout "rolling" and run through red lights when they think the coast is clear.


2. They stick their arm out the window in an attempt to halt traffic as they cut across 3 lanes to get into a left turn lane, believing those other guys will stop.


3. They point at potholes, then swerve around them, usually ending up half way in another person's lane.


4. They "draft" large trucks and people driving H2s, then explain they can't figure out why it took them so long to stop while the driver of the aforementioned expensive mantruck inspects his bashed in chrome rear bumper.


5. They explain it's their turn to "take the pull" as they gun it past a line of cars then jam themselves in what they call the "front of the paceline".

Luckily, there are things you can do to help these poor trigeek souls. Like offering to drive. All of the time. Maybe they'll even offer to chip in for gas, but if they don't, don't feel badly--you get a new carbon fiber frame, after all, while they're the reason your local State Farm agent is currently on vacation in Bermuda.

Happy Driving!

Funny Cycling Photo of The Day

Time to play: Caption This Photo!

Think these guys are a little more than teammates?

Happy cycling!