I need a break

But first, a discussion on running vs. bike riding. Whoever left the comment about the marathon being the same as a 7 hour century needs to work on math skills. Sure the common belief is that running is 2x as much as bike riding (although I disagree, 60 min. run or bike feel pretty dang similar to me...) Anyhow, the math on the number of miles does not add up. 26.2 x 2 = 100?
Let do some comparing. Average people first
On average, while running, someone burns 100 calories per mile. So if the average person runs about 9 minute miles, they go about 6.5 miles. 650 calories.
Now to bike riding. The tear out from some magazine on my door says the average person burns 200 calories on a 20 minute bike ride. 20x3=60. 200x3=600. 600 calories per hour. Not 325 like a simple divide by two would suggest. Therefor for an average person running 30 minutes is not the same as 60 minutes of bicycle riding.

Although this chart says 450 for an hour of running, we will stick with 9 minute miles.

For more serious athletes like you and I. We tend to use more energy. I like turn run trails, which take more word then running on a road, thus burn a few more calories. So lets say I run with an average Heart Rate of 130 for 60 minutes. That on trails is most likely a bit less then 8 minute miles, but to keep it easy. 60/8=7.5x100= 750 calories per hour running
Bike practice with an average HR of 130 is pretty dang hard. In a random 60 minute time block from one of the past Wednesday night rides here in Duluth I had a HR avg. of 131. In that 60 minutes I burned 806 calories.
In conclusion, if you have the same HR (thus presumably the same effort) 60 minutes of running is almost exactly the same as 60 minutes of bike riding.


Now onto only bike news. As the title of this post suggests I need a break, but unlike when I am usually burned out, I still want to ride my bicycle. This obviously puts me in a bit of a predicament...
Today was the State crit in St. Cloud, it was windy. Never show up to a bike race if you don't want to win, a half lap into the race I saw Timmer at the front and the pace was slow. Why not give it a go. Off I went with Mr. Brabbit and Hackworthy coming shortly after. After not very long things in the field changed and Doug and some others showed up. I was tired and thought the field was really close, it was not, and it was not going that fast. I hurt a whole lot already and could not go very fast (thus the reason for the needed break). I rejoined the pack for lack of better options. A series of action packed laps followed between attacks and crashes, and before we knew it. Doug, Mean Dog, Hackworthy and Jens rejoined the group from behind. Shit, that was my break, this hurts, were the thoughts running through my head at that moment.
The rest of the race was not slow, the Ghost got away with a few others, again a break I should have been able to get into, but just don't have it recently. The rest of the race was fast with more and more people blowing up. I tried to get up front, but my legs were not having it. On the final lap Hackworthy took off, Doug in tow, then followed by Woel and myself. Despite sucking most of the race I had a decent sprint and finished in the frustratingly similar 9th place (this year I have had lots of 6-10 placings...)
This week I will ride easy and enjoy the wheather. Maybe even go for a run or two.


I might also do some more paddle boarding. It's the cool new thing to do out on the West Coast. A long board (surf board) and a long paddle. You stand up and cruise, it is really quite fun.

Sadly she was not with me...

The real cool people actually surf with them. I need to work on my balance first.

Next time Lake Superior has good surf, I'll give it a try. We are due for a strong east wind.

I thought about chasing the ship, but it was going fast.

So I looked at the bridge.

Ahhh. Duluth in the summer. If you are stopping through, give me a call a few days in advance, we could probably set up a paddle boarding adventure.


Don't forget. You better be here!