Start of the chill

Rode into work this morning (7:15 a.m.) for the first time with a windbreaker, it was kind of chilly, but not so much that I needed gloves.

Ah. The start of fall. As a winter cat, this is good news, because I'll be able to run longer and farther and phrases like CFLST will return to the blog.

A good biking day

Especially after having to drive to Macon yesterday for work, I was really raring to ride to work today.

Met two cyclists, who both passed me, one a young kid on a road bike, no helmet, headed to Georgia State for classes I presume.

Another, a dude on a white road bike, traveling from Decatur to 10th Street near Tech.

Hopefully I'm not one of those "aging enthusiasts" mentioned in a WSJ article today on boutique bikes. Maybe I could have caught up with them. But I let each one go by. And focused on getting to work.

Dark commute

After midnight last night I found myself on the bike path just because I didn't want to wait through a stoplight.

While most of it was lit, there was a whole section from N. Highland Bakery to the Freedom Park split for the Carter Center that wasn't. And that wasn't too pleasant.

If I just went on North Highland Avenue, the hill pitches are steeper than on the path. But that's better than the alternative.

My light is pretty good, but I really was going too fast to see much on the ground. One pothole I drove right over, I'm sure.

As I approached the covered area by the Carter Center split, some crazy woman was biking the other way, into the darkness. Not recommended.

And I won't be using that route to ride home again in the dark anytime soon.

Close call

So I'm riding to work and am about to cut across Peachtree with a green light in my favor and this toaster (without a helmet) almost T-bones me with his bicycle because he ran the light.

Some of the people on bicycles here are just terrible. I'm glad though that I did what I could to avoid a crash.

Oak Brook -- The Old Course

OAK BROOK, Ill. -- Today I wanted to go back to the old golf course route that I used to do on my lunch breaks about a decade ago. It's a nice route, since it is about 3/4 on that soft gray particle stone. The rest is paved.

It brings you past the golf course and McDonald's headquarters. You pass roads like Ronald Lane and Kroc Road. No joke.

I used to like it since the park district, which is also along the route, would give you free entrance if your company was in the area. I think that was courtesy of the ginormous fast food chain.

I think I ran it faster than I used to a decade ago. My legs hurt a little bit but I was happy that I was able to make good time.

Doing the Dew (rocket fuel)

This morning I had a few minutes before I had to bike to work and I drank an entire can of rocket fuel.

It helped. There have been a few times out on the hills that I've felt pretty low on energy to the extent that I thought about buying some power bars at Trader Joe's last night.

But this jolt of caffeine hit the spot. Helps to be hydrated too, I think.

A good thing about biking

A nice thing about biking to work compared to riding in a car is that you have a chance to talk to interesting people.

I jumped on the Freedom Park path this morning, intent on keeping the same cadence I had in yesterday's ride to catch up with the road biker. On the hill leading up to Highland I saw a gray-haired man on a vintage Trek road bike.

I passed him on the hill and kept going. He came up on the Highland light near the bakery and I started chatting him up. Works for Coke, rides from Decatur daily. We have about the same route, so it wasn't the rush to work but a leisurely conversation.

Oh, those hills

So I made the turn from North Highland onto the Freedom Park path and this younger guy on an Elite road bike flies by me.

Road bike vs. Trek hybrid. I thought I would give it a shot.

Before the overpass bridge I'm on his wheel and soon I'm asking him how far he's going this morning (6 miles).

We keep talking until the start of the giant double hill to Boulevard. I think of Miguel Indurain's giant jet engines for legs and then just keep pedaling.

My legs are quivering. For sure I'm going to get taken on this hill. To make things worse, I'm carrying four cans of Diet Cherry Coke in my bag along with a change of clothes.

But nothing. Maybe he saw I was on a Trek and thought he should take it a little easy.

It was a nice start to the work week and I'll take it as a sign that I need to start doing harder workouts -- both on bike and foot -- to get ready for the fall season.

Poker and running

If I ever thought there wasn't a connection between poker and running, I know there is one now!

Too bad I'll be playing real poker and doing some real running along the levies in Tunica, Miss. this weekend!

But we couldn't wait any longer to invite you to our first-ever BPRC Pizza & Poker Run, presented by Adrenaline Fitness and Elwood's Pizza. It's going to be a blast. You don't have to know a thing about poker and all running and walking paces are welcome!

Here's how it works: all registered participants will be given a map where four (4) "dealers" are located. You will have to visit each dealer to get a total of four (4) cards. If you take the shortest route to each dealer, you will cover approximately four (4) miles on foot. For those who wish some extra distance (this is a fun way to get in your long run for the weekend, too), there's no requirement to travel the shortest route or even to visit the dealers in any particular order. All that matters is that you return to Cherokee Plaza (BPRC-Atlanta) with four cards from the four different dealers. In somewhat true "Texas Hold 'Em" fashion, each participant will, ultimately, receive three (3) more "house" cards at Elwood's Pizza. By traditional poker hand standards, the best five-card hand you can cobble together from your seven (7) total cards (4 from the course; 3 from the "house")is eligible to win some fantastic prizes. Plenty of "officials" will be on hand to help you understand to what your cards equate if you are a poker novice. And to add to the fun, Elwood's Pizza will have pizza and beverage (yes, beer included) specials just for "Pizza & Poker Run" participants. As our inaugural Saturday evening activity, this will be fun for families, couples or individuals. Bring some friends (or family members) or meet some during the "round." Again, this activity takes place at BPRC-Atlanta (3881 Peachtree Road/Cherokee Plaza, Atlanta, GA 30319). Please call 404.816.8488 with any questions. Make sure you - - and anyone who might join you - - register below!