Felt B12

I love bikes, if there is one thing I can get all geeked up about, its bikes.
This year its my time to buy what a TRI bike and it’s taken me countless hours / days of research, may trips to the bike shops, and I am loving every minute of it. I don’t know about you, but give me some shiny metal or some black carbon and I get all types of crazy thought in my head. I want to ride cross country or ride to work or ride … it goes on and on.
I am currently riding a ‘05’ Schwinn road bike with some clip on aero bars, and it hasn’t been all bad, but I really want get stronger and faster on the bike and I need fresher legs for the run.
I have worked my up in price so that I could consider a carbon frame, and this where you can go nuts. For me this is a big chunk of change and I really want to make sure I spent of correctly. It would be so easy to make a mistake, I could get the wrong side and then it game over, or I could buy an over priced bike from one of the big brands company, nothing against them, but I want an bike from a best of breed tri company.
I had narrowed it down to a few, I like the Cervelo P2C, Orbea ORA, Kouta K-Factor and the Felt B12. Every one of these bikes is a real tri machine and worth every penny asked.
But the wife said I could only get one, and I was just happy that we could agree one.
Choosing one out of the four is just about impossible. The Cervelo, what a bike, this model won IM Kona, sleek slippery carbon and killer looks. The Orbea, wow what a frame and groupo package, Orbea is really a nice bike, Kouta, the K-Factor is sweet ride, but for me the bike the makes me want to ride around the world is the Felt B12. This bike is new for 08, it’s the same frame shape as their B2 but with different carbon and a different part mix. This brand FELT really rocks, I know many people that ride Felts and everyone of them say it’s the best bike. I chose the Felt B12 for many reasons but here are a few in no peculiar order:
1) I trust the brand.
2) I like the carbon.
3) I think Felt has the correct geometry.
4) I love the groupo.
5) Nice wheel set.
6) It rides nice.
7) It was the best bike for my budget
8) It a proven winner.
9) It looks like a mad rocket.
10) I think it will improve my riding.

I love bikes.
Thank you my wife for letting me be a kid in a candy shop!

I bought my new ride at Go Tri Sports, this place is just awsome, please give them a TRI.

You are not going to find a better shop and staff anywhere.

I know they have the new Felt B12 instock so go on down for a visit or call them at 843.842.4786, and when you do ask for Alfred Olivetti, this is the person I worked, Alfred had in-depth knowledge of all the product I wanted and he gave me the best price I could find.

So if you're on a budget like me this is the place to shop.

http://www.gotrisports.com

New shoes:

I bought a new pair of Brooks Radius 7s, and I love them.

Now the cool part, I’ve been running for a few years now, and I have bought many pairs of running shoes. I’ve had most major brands, but I have bought them on recommendations of fellow runners. And I bought them because of something I’ve read, and I even bought a pair because the looked cool, what a joke.
Now that I have started marathon training it is so important to stay injury free, I knew what I had to do. I needed to get a professional opinion and so many people recommended the

Big Peach Running Company (BPRC). (Note: that is not me on the tread) I don’t get into the city (Atlanta) much unless I am with the wife and kids, and we are usually going to the Zoo or to see a show, so a 90 minutes stop to a running store is out of the question. And I knew I needed to go to the BPRC by myself, I did not want distractions, enough said. So, I needed to have my oil changed in the car, so I packed my bike and dropped the car off, and off on the bike I went.

First impressions of the store were:
I found a place that has everything I needed to run. No more having to buy things unseen off the net, or settling for something that is sub par, or some junk that the Big Box stores sell because theirs more profit in it. I found my place for running gear.
So I road down maybe 5 miles and it was hot outside 100 degrees out, no kidding 100. I showed up to the store sweating and with my bike. They let me bring my bike in the store so it would be safe, thank you. I got inside and started looking around, I saw they had plenty of nutrition to choose from. I like GU brand gels and they are hard to find, and they have them, so already I was pleased. They had lots of hydration belts, they had lots of cool shiny object, and they had stuff that took batteries. All kidding aside they have the stuff you need.

Ok, to the main event, my new shoes.
After browsing a bit, and cooling down, I was still dripping sweat. I told the sales person that I wanted to get fitted for a pair of new running shoes. So we started talking about what kind of running I was doing, and I said I was training to run a marathon and I had just started adding some miles to my running. At the same time the sales person had me stand on a measuring device that pressure sensitive and connected to a plasma monitor. Now this thing was worth the trip to the store alone. On the display is showed my shoe size, my width, my arch height and it showed is color where I was putting my weight, the display looked like a thermal image of the bottom of my foot. So we continued of conversation about my running and I told the fitter that I had some Achilles tendonitis down around my heel and I thought it was because ill fitting shoes and my running style (style, not sure what to call what I do). So with this knowledge the fitter put me in a very neutral shoe and had me get on a treadmill and while I was running he captured it on video. After a few moments he stopped me and then he analyzed the video frame by frame. At the same time he was showing me what was going on and explained to me in easy to understand language in what categories I fell into. So with all of my information in hand he went into the back storage room and came out with 4 options for me to try. I tried a Nike, Mizuno, Asics and a pair of Brooks. After a few minutes in each I would record my thoughts mentally and tried on the next pair. With each pair the fitter would tell how they should fit and technically each pair would do for me. I am a super geek I wanted to hear it all. In all the Brooks felt the best, and after a few days and just 14 miles I can say I got a good pair.

I paid the same price I would have paid at a Big Box store, but the service I received was so much better. So, please go buy a pair of shoes from a trained fitter and support your local running shop.

Alright, what a love fest. I do not gain any financially benefit from this post. This just my opinion and I hope you gain some knowledge from it. Now, I do not want to discourage any financially benefits….

So checkout the Big Peach Running Store, and get professionally fitted.

-B

iPod and the Nike+ Plus gadget:

Ok, I confess I am a geek, if you can plug it in or it takes batteries I want it.
I just purchased the Nike+ iPod gizmo and man is it cool. I had to play around with the calibration a bit, but so far (7 or 8 miles) it been pretty accurate. I love toys, and I love running so put them together and man its like PB&J, it’s like bacon and pancakes, pancakes, I love pancakes.

So far this week I got all miles in and I am feeling pretty good. I have been making a real effort to stretch out each morning and during the day. I’ve been watching what I put in my mouth and taking in some high quality carbs and protein post workout. Everything I have been reading and listening too suggests eating as soon as you can or within the first 20 minutes to aid recovery. Recover, I am just now understanding what this really means, and how important it really is.

So this is my mission, to find some Yoga videos and few books on nutrition and research ways I can maximize my recovery. And get more sleep.

-Brian

Recycle update and the Big Peach Running Co

Recycle update:
I found our curbside pickup company on the net and found some guidelines on what can and can not be recycled.
Recycling Guidelines
We can recycle the following materials:
· Aluminum cans - rinse and crush 1st
· Newspaper - newsprint only
· Steel cans - rinse and remove lids
· Plastic - only milk jugs, water bottles and soda sized bottles
We can not recycle these materials:
· Aluminum foil
· Styrofoam
· Cardboard
· Plastic bags
· Hazardous materials (see above list)
· Household trash
Although they say they do not recycle cardboard the do. I have been putting in my recycle bin: all items listed in the CAN and the following items, plastic shopping bags (tied in knots), cardboard boxes from cereal and cracker boxes, shoe boxes, clean pizza boxes and just about everything I can think of. So I will have to take a closer look and what is coming home from the stores to see had the waste can be managed.

Also, I just bought a new pair of running shoes from Big Peach Running Co, and they do to couple of cool things:
1) If you leave the box at the store they will recycle it.
2) They have a program called
BPRC “Re-use Your Shoes” Program
If you buy a new pair of running or walking shoes at BPRC - - and you’re willing to leave your old ones with us - - we’ll give you 5% off your total invoice. We’ll also give you the satisfaction you deserve knowing that your former treads are going to different organizations in and around Atlanta assisting the homeless and less fortunate.

Now, I did not know this, and I road my bike and all I had was my cycling shoes and I can not give them up (hot ride on some real busy roads, can't say I recomend it).

This is a very cool shop so give them a try.

More to come on the fit process of my new sneeks.

-B

Forgot to add:
You got to check out this site: http://earth911.org/ please.

-B