Running Alternatives

Yesterday, I biked for my second time since I was told to lay off the running for a couple of weeks. It wasn't bad, but it's just not the same. I think that in the future, I could bike as a means of cross-training, but I don't really ever foresee myself as a serious biker. The speed and distance covered when biking are two aspects I enjoy, but for me, there's something meaningful about pushing myself without the use of any other device. It's a very raw "man vs. himself" struggle that I have come to appreciate a great deal.

Both mornings, I rode about 6 miles, just in the vicinity of my neighborhood. Honestly, I feel a little lost because I am not familiar with any of the conventions associated with riding a bike whatsoever. I think that bikers are even more strict than runners are as far as propriety, and I know nothing. Fortunately, it was early enough in the morning that I wasn't around enough bikers to make them mad (although I probably did annoy one lone runner Monday morning.)

Despite the fact that I have not really found biking to be especially compelling, I did go in to Lee's Monday afternoon, just to price a couple of entry-level bikes. Stuart showed me a hybrid for $800 and a road bike for $1300, both Trek. He also (at my request) gave me the rundown on necessary ancillary equipment, and I started realizing that merely entering the sport would probably run me close to $2000. All of a sudden, $120 for a pair of running shoes seemed extremely reasonable. While my preference is always to support local shops, if I do eventually decide to buy a bike, it will most definitely be second-hand. No way I can afford that much for an entry-level bike, even if it is from a reputable local shop.

Tonight, I will be going to a cardio-boxing class with a buddy of mine. I am a little worried, because I know it's going to be a tough workout, but it's another way for me to stay active during this running downtime.

I plan to get out and run a level course (probably through the neighborhoods around my house) this coming Monday, just to see how the old abductor is feeling. If it's still painful, I will head back to the doctor for my scheduled follow-up. My hope is that things will go well, as we have an 18-miler coming up the Saturday after next, and I really don't want to miss that.