Bicycling Versus Driving

(YouTube candidate)

OK, this statement will not end the debate between the two modes of transportation. But, it can add some, "hmmm-fire" to it:

In my move from New England to the DC area, I have gone from commuting by bike an average of eight miles a day, excluding running errands or biking to an event, to driving everywhere!

Everywhere!

Now, I drive ten miles per day. Easily. My bike misses me and gets out occasionally. I will have to transform strictly in to a recreational rider, which I had fun doing in New England. It will be fun down here as well with all of the trails. But, eight miles of bicycling versus ten miles of driving is a big difference. What gets the brunt of this change:

1. My Quads. They do not get any work pressing the brake and accelerator of a car. They enjoy hills of pedaling.

2. My Heart and Lungs. Whoops! In order of importance, the heart is first. In this case, my heart misses the resistance of the wind (Boston/Cambridge is a windy area that no one told me about prior to moving there). It also misses the slight inclines on my, mostly flat, routes.

3. My Wallet. There was a time when I did not know the gas prices because I only got gas once per month. At one point, I filled up almost once per season because I biked everywhere! Now, I can tell you the difference in prices between gas stations. My wallet serves as the supporting factor for sitting at stop lights behind a machine that burns gas even on a pretty day.

The remedies:

1. Running. I run more. Basically, I have a route around my neighborhood. Have you picked your route? The good thing is that my neighborhood has hills (I did not have that before. I had to run to the hilly or incline area.)

2. Biking is different. I also bike around my neighborhood. It's a good way to meet people.

3. My heart, lungs and wallet. When my heart is happy, my wallet is happy. When my wallet is happy, my heart is happy. It's a feeling you get when you move your body.

With heart,
Derek

Derek Arledge, MS, CSCS, LTP        www.teempt.com         TEEM Performance Training, LLC