Boston / Cycling and Running Thoughts

I was in Boston Thursday for a trade show at the Seaport World Trade Center. I watched the fishermen pictured above sorting their rigging as I navigated the seaport area for some lunch. I attended Build Boston, an architectural and construction trade show. I met with some clients, wandered the exhibition floor, and played around at the SketchUp booth with the Google boys. I’m probably going to upgrade my old old version of SketchUp – the new software has made leaps and bounds in regards to drawing and object management – which will help with the presentation end of the design work I do.

I had a tight schedule and missed out on a few bike related visits. I was hoping to drop in at Independent Fabrications and see how the new shop has come along since the last time I visited to finalize the design of my ClubRacer. I also wanted to stop at Harris Cyclery and browse for some winter / rain gear as well as look at a Carradice saddlebag for the IF. Between meetings I did have a chance to visit the Bill Rogers Running Center at Faneuil Hall. I picked up a new pair of Asics Nimbus shoes – which I hope treat my feet better as I rediscover running and my body remembers how good it feels to locomote on two feet.

All the driving I did to and from Boston left me plenty of time to start sorting out goals and event priorities for next season – and the training and fun that will get me there through the winter. Jen and I are building a work / play / training / event calendar so we can support each other in our goals. I’m planning an aggressive cycling schedule for next season and I have a few running events that I’d like to target. On the calendar for the bike is a full brevet series – of which I will probably combine rides from the Boston Brevet Series and the Berkshire Brevet Series. I’m on the fence about heading to France for Paris-Brest-Paris. It would be an incredible expereince – but the drain on the pocketbook and the logistics of flying across the pond for a 3 day endurance ride seems daunting at the moment. If I don’t do PBP I’ll be tackling a stateside 1000k – perhaps the Oregon Randonneurs Portland to Glacier ride, or their “Poor Man’s PBP”. I’m working up the running side of things for a half marathon or relay in the spring. There’s a great one here in Burlington, and it looks like they have a New Years Day 5k that I can use as a fitness benchmark, as well as an event called the “Half Marathon Unplugged”.