Who's the nuisance here?

Every motorist has an opinion about cyclists. Most of what I hear is that they are a nuisance on the road. I am not sure whether most cyclists view themselves this way from the motorist point of view. I am a cyclist and I think cyclists can be a nuisance when they are not following the standard rules of the road or when they are hogging the space up (e.g. riding abreast instead of in line).

However, as long as these two issues are taken into consideration, cyclists shouldn't be treated differently just because they are cyclists. In fact, they are considered pedestrians by law and should be treated with a bit more deference. Whether or not you as the motorist likes it, you will be 100% at fault if you hit a cyclist just as you would if you hit a pedestrian.

I admit, there are rude cyclists out there. They don't signal effectively when turning, they assume right of way just because they know they are are in the "pedestrian" category, they ride two and sometimes three abreast on the road just so they can converse with their partners, or they ride in large groups on narrow roads. This is not unlike behavior exhibited by motorists in much bigger and faster vehicles (except for the driving abreast to converse with each other :O )

What's the difference? We are neither protected by alot of steel nor are we endowed with the speed it takes to escape a potentially dangerous situation caused by another motorist who may have woken up on the wrong side of the bed.

Maybe motorists could look at us cyclists in a new light.

*Don't stereotype us. Just because we are on a bicycle we are one of those selfish ones who doesn't follow the general rules of the road. There are inconsiderate cyclists just like there are inconsiderate drivers. We ARE all people. If we are signalling properly and trying to stay in the shoulder or close to it, give us a break and some space.

*Don't try to cut us off or speed past us to make a point. Would you do this to a pedestrian if one was walking in the shoulder or on the side of the road? Hopefully not. Not only are you playing with fire around a pedestrian with no steel encasing, but you are also making a fool of yourself. Plus, we really don't care and just flip you off behind your bumper anyhow.

*Do try to understand that we don't like being on the road with you any more than you like being on the road with us. But we all have to share. Fortunately for you, you have the advantage of greater physical protection from the effects of road rage; fortunately for us WE do always have right of way.

*Do try to put yourself in our shoes some time. It will open your eyes, maybe even your heart.

*Do understand that the shoulders make lousy bike lanes. Most times they are littered with debris ~ big debris like nuts and bolts and metal and rocks ~ and the surfacing on them is course and irregular. In an ideal world, we should be using them to keep off the open road. In the real world, we have to avoid them more often than not because the debris not only damages our equipment but can also contributes to skids and falls.

If every motorist were to take these suggestions to heart and try one or more of them out on the road, and every cyclist were to signal more effectively and not hog the road if it can be helped, the driving environment would be safer and friendlier for all.

Hit me!

Sometimes I feel like a moving target. Have you ever felt like that? You know how a moving target is more of a challenge and gains more points. I had to veer off the road three times in less than a mile on my run this morning. I imagined the drivers of those vehicles were all part of some secret pool to see how many runners (maybe cyclists too because the complaint is the same for them) they could run off the road. I wondered what the pot was.

I felt like I was wearing a race bib with "HIT ME" written in bold and visible to everyone but me.

Maybe I, and any runners or cyclists who frequent the open road (instead of using the beautiful trails created just for us by community development teams of the past), deserve this treatment. For one thing, by running in the street shoulder (against traffic, mind you) instead of using the beautiful trails, I am cramping the space designed specifically for cars and other motor vehicles. I am also putting myself at considerable risk because of this. I am not meant to be in that space.

But I can't help that I like the straightaway of the street, with the ability it provides me to see and to set a target to strive for. I prefer it to the undulating paths where the furthest target is really no more than a few yards away. Furthermore, most race courses are on everyday streets and avenues. Training on the open road more closely matches the situation of a real race.

While the beautiful trails created in many cities and master-planned communities are meant to protect us from the hazards of running on the road, they expose us to a danger of another kind: easy cover for attack by criminals. But who thought of this 20 years ago when many of these trails were being built? Crime of the nature we see today was not an issue back then, at least not outside of major cities. However, in this day of crime and aggression, even in "safe" communities, the beautiful trails have lost the intended serenity and security.

Any decision has trade-offs. One must accept some risk in one area in order to gain advantage in another. The decision to run on the open road instead of on the trails is no different. The streets are populated by cars and provide a certain security, the security of being seen and not hidden back in the trees and bushes. The trade-off is that I have to be vigilant and put up with the effects of distracted, possibly irritated drivers in 5000+ lb. vehicles (velocity not factored in). Believe it or not, the most courteous drivers I experience are the truck drivers. They are the ones who are most likely to move to the left side of the lane, sometimes even cross the center divider if they can, to give me more safe space.

By trading off the security of the trails for the security of the open road, I am still a target, particularly to truly distracted drivers who insist on texting while driving, reaching for misplaced items in the back seat, and applying make-up or eating breakfast. After all, I am cramping their driving style by using their buffer. I suppose they pose the same risk to other drivers on the road by doing these things. But the other drivers have the advantage of being wrapped up in their own steel padding!

I did some research on statistics for traffic accidents involving runners being hit. Not alot out there. Most data that is out there does not extrapolate data for "runners" and instead lumps it all into pedestrians. Let's suffice it to say that is not a frequent occurrence. I think I will continue to do it.

I can still complain a little...

Blame it on the beer

I flaked on my run today and I blame it on the beer from last night. Running 10 miles just didn't have the appeal this morning after getting in at 2 a.m. that it had earlier this week when I planned it. I wasn't hung over; just lazy and engrossed in some really weird dreams.

Now that I am actually awake, I wish I could be out running those 10 miles.

Maybe tonight after work.....

To run solo but not alone anymore

I am a solo runner by nature. I train alone and love it. I have tried running, cycling, and gym workouts with another person and hate it. For me, it is an endeavor best done solo. Something about running, cycling, and working out is not conducive to the purpose of a workout when mixed with the responsibility of socializing with another person (even if that person is a good friend) at the same time. I know others feel exactly the opposite and can't fathom doing it all alone. I am not them. Even though I am a multi-tasker at heart, I like to give 100% of my attention to my training. I don't feel like I have gotten a complete workout otherwise.

A few weeks ago, I realized that training alone is one thing I know I need, but running races alone is not. Well, at least not the long races.

Hence, the birth of a blog. Let me explain.

The intricacies of solo running hit me hardest sometime during my last race, the half-marathon in New Orleans, but have been niggling at me for awhile. The more of these long races I run, the more I begin to see the benefits of being part of more than me.

These benefits are not necessarily all related to just running the race. Sure, I can see how running 10K, 20K, or more in a field of tens of thousands of strange and disinterested "fellow" runners could be made easier and smoother -especially when you hit the wall-by having a group of supporting partners push you past where you think you can go. I had an experience like this during the San Antonio Half where a complete stranger fulfilled this need for me the last 3 miles of the race. I didn't even get her name to thank her. She was my angel that day. How amazing it would have been to have someone who knows me and is on my same path for that one day be able to support me through that tough time.

That said, most of the benefit I see comes from the social end of it. I travel alone to many of these races, both in and out of state. My family has never accompanied me; I like it like that. Each of the members of my family has their own lives to attend to. There is some guilt on my part thinking that if they drop everything and come to cheer me on that I am being selfish.

The truth of it is the travel time and experience are cathartic for me. The trip to any event is a method I use to unwind and blow off steam that is pent up for long periods of time. Even time spent alone in the hotel room is soothing for me. I don't mind the preparations the night before any big race: early dinner, shower, and relaxation in front of the TV where I am the only one who controls what channel is on.

When the social detriment hits me is AFTER the race, particularly if I am spending another night. Many times I do this if the race is more than a few hours away from home. New Orleans was the perfect example. I spent an extra night the night after the race because the drive back home was a long one; one that probably would not go well immediately after running over 13 miles.

I was strangely compelled and but also lonely doing Bourbon St. solo even amongst all those people, some of which were solo just like I was.

The next day is when the thought came to me: what if there are other runners just like me who come to these races alone but would like the option to socialize with other solo runners. Maybe a blog targeted toward other solo runners could tie us together.

At least this is my initial intent. So, if you are a runner (or cyclist or other fitness enthusiast) who craves solo training and solo running, I hope you will help me shape this into something meaningful. The goal is to find a function by which other solo runners like us can meet, or have the option to connect, at the myriad of races that go on all over the country each year.

Until next post....

Solo Runners Unite