This weekend, January 4-8, is the U.S. Cyclocross National Championship takes place in Madison, Wisconsin. The races to determine the Elite champion will be streamed live by USA Cycling on Sunday, January 8th, beginning at noon Central Time (CT). Women's race is at noon; men's race is at 2:15. Coverage begins ten minutes before the race.
Here is the link to get the live stream of the races.
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With 2012 upon us, it's a time to look forward and think about what you want to accomplish in the new year.
Personally, I don't have an overall mileage goal that I need to achieve. My plan is to simply continue to ride my bike any time I can, and to look for ways to do that. For me, possibilities are on my commute to work; doing errands around town; going on longer weekend rides with my friends or casual rides with my wife and kids.
I track my miles in a simple spreadsheet, however, so I can see much I've ridden, and how that total compares year to year. I also make a notes that go with it, whether I maybe rode segments that went along the Mississippi River Trail or perhaps scared myself by hitting a new high speed going down a steep hill. It's enormously satisfying to watch the miles accumulate, and to see the total at the end of the year
For me, my only goal is to ride more miles in 2012 than I did this year, so long as that's compatible with family and other obligations. So that's not much of a "strict" goal, but something I'd be happy for since it means that I've spent a lot of time on the bike. And at least as many century rides as I did in 2011, because to my way of thinking, there is nothing that quite compares to an epic, day-long ride of a hundred miles or more.
Whether you ride for fun, for transportation, or for exercise (such as weight loss or general fitness) or competitive events like racing or triathlons, keep in mind that riding is supposed to be fun. Sunshine, wind at your back and time with friends and family. How fortunate we are to be able to enjoy this!
What are you aiming to accomplish in 2012? Any mileage or fitness goals? Or is there something else on your list? Comment below.
Looking for yet another reason to ride a bike? CNBC reports that the typical American household will have spent $4,155 on gasoline this past year, 8.4% of their income. That's the highest chunk of the household budget in 30 years spent simply to fill up at the gas station, due primarily to a combination of stagnant wages and record high ($3.50/gal average)
But riding your bike is a nice option for most trips under two or even five miles. You can save cash and have fun just by getting your bike out for short trips, whether it is to work, school or just running errands.
News story: Missing $4,155? It went in your gas tank this year.
Final thought: "The bicycle is the most efficient machine ever created. Converting calories into gas, a bicycle gets the equivalent of three thousand miles per gallon." -- from Best Bike Quotes.
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