good ride, more on diabetes

Just finished a good ride in to work. 11.5 miles, 1 hour, 3 minutes. Pretty cool. And it didn't even phase me to be in the highest rear gear steadily pumping away for six miles of that, averaging a little over 14 mph. I think if I can squeeze one of the bicycle commutes in once a week or so, I'll really be getting in some good cross-training. It's no substitute for a run, but it is a good workout and seems to use the muscles differently.

The New York Times continues its series of articles on diabetes. This one talks about how insurance companies have it rigged so that successfully treating diabetes doesn't pay, but treating complications does. Truly, our nation's health system is a sick one. Today's article is about the problems Asians have when they move to America. Asians are very susceptible to Type II diabetes and the western (American) lifestyle is practically a guarantee that they'll get it. The fast food culture, the Snapple machines in school hallways, the lack of exercise, and the lack of PE programs in the schools all contribute. I'm not so sure I'd pin it all on Snapple - after all, we've had soft drinks in vending machines for 60 years - but kids do exercise less these days. Fast food does go after kids aggressively, telling them fast food is healthy food.

On a related note, there was a thread on Fark.com last night in response to a survey from SeattlePi.com that only 24% of Americans find overweight to be unattractive, down from 55% 20 years ago. This, to many people, just means that 76% of America is overweight. As the posts bickered back and forth, a number of people in that 24% were quite vocal. Most people seemed to agree that plump is OK, even pleasing, but outright fat is just a huge turnoff. But the very vocal ones were quite cruel, even surpassing my own intolerance of the obese. What I know, though, that these vocal idiots don't seem to, is that if 3/4 of America is overweight, then as a thin person, I'm outnumbered 1 to 3. Factor in the weight difference and I'm suddenly outnumber 1 to 6! Those aren't odds I like...so I stayed out of the conversation.

-----

UPDATE:

Just got home from work. I am starving! I'm gobbling up everything I can get my hands on. I had a good breakfast, a good lunch, a bottle of Recoverite after this morning's ride, and now I'm sucking down another bottle. The ride back was harder, though not "longer". I felt the whole time like each gear was the difficulty of the next higher gear; it was frustrating. Made me realize that I really gave it my all when I went in to work and tonight my legs had little left to give. A half-Iron is a LONG way off for me.

On the next-to-last leg of the route - a recently-paved 3rd ave w/ bike path - I really wanted to kick it into high gear. I'd been toodling along in what I think of as "4th" and wanted to do like I did that morning, go in "5th". Imagine my surprise when I clicked the lever upwards...and the derailleur didn't shift! I glanced down and found I was already in 5th! My derailleur has mysteriously become unadjusted sitting in a warm office for six hours. Hm. It also makes a lot of noise and squeaks. Okay, some of that's the chain. I wish I knew more about these mechanics, so I could adjust them better. And is it possible to save a rusty chain? Or should I replace it?

Last thought for the day: this article off the Houston Running blog is a fine, fine eulogy to Willy Kane, the poor fucker who kicked off at the finish line of the Disney Half. It contains not only a touching summation of his drive and courage, but also silouhettes Kane against the backdrop of modern sports, revealing in Kane the purity of a true athlete. I encourage you to read it.