Off the Couch
In a quiet way, the thousands of people who run, bike, hike, ski and paddle make a lot of noise in Wisconsin
Adventures expert touts the Northern Kettle Moraine
In a recent post on his outdoor adventures blog, Matt Villano touts the Northern Kettle Moraine State Forest as an ideal destination for hiking, biking and cross-country skiing.
Close to the state's largest population center, the trails in the Northern Kettle are within an easy drive for hundreds of thousands.
UW researchers calculate biking benefits: $7 billion and 1,100 lives each year
Residents in 11 Midwestern cities would generate $7 billion in improved air quality, reduced health care costs and increased physical fitness by biking rather than driving for roughly half their trips of five miles or less, according to the work of researchers at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
In addition, the decrease in air pollution and increase in fitness would save about 1,100 lives per year.
Summerfest Rock 'n Sole delivers check, changes managers
Summerfest officials delivered a $67,000 check Thursday to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Wisconsin, and closed the books on the steamy 2011 Rock ‘n Sole Run.
The charitable contribution represented a positive outcome for the half-marathon and 10K marred by stifling heat and a failure to deliver water to dozens of the more than 6,500 participants.
Runner rescues lost boy in J.W. Wells State Park
Runners most often find endorphins and better fitness on their outings.
Trevor Vetort found a 2-year-old boy.
Mutai wins New York City Marathon in record time. Ohno trails Wisconsin group
Geoffrey Mutai claimed another major marathon victory and a small measure of vindication Sunday with a record-setting run through the five boroughs of the New York City Marathon.
His winning time of 2:05:06 serves as an autumn bookend to the record 2:03:02 he posted in the Boston Marathon. That effort, aided by a tailwind and the drop in elevation on the Boston Course, is the fastest recorded marathon in history, yet not the world record.
Hank Aaron State Trail extension ready for finishing touches
Much of the fine gravel has been laid and compacted on the Hank Aaron State Trail extension from 94th Pl. to the Underwood Parkway, and the remaining work on the $328,000 project is scheduled to be done this week.
Bikers will find rough gravel west of 121st St., and that segment will be finished with asphalt to tie the Hank Aaron to the Oak Leaf Trail, just south of Blue Mound Road. The connection will complete a largely off-road bike and walking route from Lakeshore State Park to Cottage Grove.
Trek recalls 27,000 bikes due to problem with saddle clamp
Problems with a bolt clamping saddles to seat posts prompted a recall of 27,000 Trek bikes, according a release from the company and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
All of the bikes are from the 2012 model year, and include the following makes: 7.5 FX including WSD and Disc models:
• 7.4 FX including WSD models
• 7.3 FX including WSD and Disc models
• 7.2 FX including WSD models
• Livestrong FX including WSD models
• Livestrong District
• 9th District
• District
Conservatives call bull on UW bicycling study
Last week, a local financial executive called me a “stooge.”
I was somewhat insulted, but mostly curious.
Bandits on the run
The Wall Street Journal takes a look at a different form of banditry in a piece devoted to runners.
Peter Sagal, host of National Public Radio's "Wait Wait… Don't Tell Me!," provided the fodder for the piece by sneaking into the Chicago Marathon and writing about the experience for Runner's World.
Local pro Matthew Busche sticks with merged RadioShack team
Wauwatosa native Matthew Busche will continue his pro cycling pursuits with a RadioShack team in 2012.
Following his second pro season, and his first success in a Grand Tour, Busche will join the RadioShack-Nissan-Trek team formed with the merger of team Leopard Trek.
New Warrior Spirit Run and CrossFit workout created to help veterans
A new 5K run on the lakefront will add a faster pace to Veterans Day observance in Milwaukee, and raise money for the Dryhootch support organization.
Proceeds from the Dryhootch Warrior Spirit Run/Walk, on Saturday, will be used to install a wheelchair elevator in the group’s coffee house on Brady St. The lift, expected to cost $30,000, will make the second-floor meeting rooms accessible to those with disabilities.
Saris Gala, book signing celebrate Team 7-Eleven
For most U.S. cycling fans, Greg LeMond and Lance Armstrong represent American success in the Tour de France and the pinnacle of the sport.
They are viewed as leaders of the country’s pro peloton, but in fact followed the wheels of the groundbreaking Team 7-Eleven.
Bike was a steal...for someone seven feet tall
If there could be a humorous element to a bike theft, it would be the vision of the thief attempting to ride away with Shawn Bradley's custom-made bicycle.
Bradley, a retired NBA basketball player, is 7 feet, 6 inches tall, and the bike frame measures 80 centimeters.
DOT set to share details, gather opinions on Hoan Bridge bike path
A meeting hosted by the Department of Transportation Monday night will give residents a two-hour opportunity to ask questions and share opinions about the proposal to add a bike and pedestrian lane on the Daniel Hoan Memorial Bridge.
The meeting in the DOT offices, 1001 W. St. Paul Ave., starts at 5 p.m. DOT planners will make a presentation at 5:15.
Team 7-Eleven book signing postponed
A local book signing to promote the newly released story of the 7-Eleven Cycling team has been postponed.
Due to the death of a friend, team founder Jim Ochowicz had to pull out of the event set for Monday night at the Wheel & Sprocket shop in Brookfield. It’s expected that Ochowicz and 7-Eleven team member Tom Schuler will reschedule the book signing in December.
Antonneau scores podium finishes in USGP Cyclocross Derby City
Kaitlin Antonneau, the USA cycling champion from Racine, raced onto the podium twice over the weekend in the US Gran Prix of Cyclocross Derby City Cup and moved into fourth in the series’ overall standings.
It was her most successful weekend of cyclocross to date, aside from winning that national championship in the U23 category in December.
American Birkebeiner closes in on skier capacity
Skiers are registering for the 2012 American Birkebeiner races at a record pace, and the main events are within 1,200 of their capacity, months ahead of race day.
Through the end of last week, 7,800 athletes have registered for the Birkebeiner and Kortelopet. The cap is at 9,000.
Hundreds devote Packers pregame to Hoan Bridge details
An extended question-and-answer session on proposals to put a bike and pedestrian lane on the Hoan Bridge revealed new details Monday night, in advance of a decision expected in December.
Close to 300 people turned out for the public information meeting, which showed their pregame priorities ahead of the kickoff of the Packers vs. Vikings game on Monday Night football.
Hartland boys, Neenah girls race to Nike Cross Nationals
In what was described as a "guts race," prep runners from Hartland and Neenah booked trips to the Nike Cross Nationals, with their efforts Sunday in the Heartland Regional.
Both the Hartland Hustle and Neenah XC Club teams placed second in the windy conditions in Sioux Falls, S.D., and extended their successful seasons into December.
Cushing Park Road Trail opens (officially)
Already a favorite pathway for area residents, the Cushing Park Road Recreational Trail will be opened officially on Wednesday morning.
The paved path, roughly three miles long, connects the Lake Country Trail in Delafield to the 52-mile Glacial Drumlin State Trail off Highway 18. It leads into the Lapham Peak recreation area.
Ben's Cycle opens fix-it school, Rowerowa Szkola
Mark Sirek has more than two decades experience fixing bikes and infinite optimism that he can teach others to do the same.
Monks and monkeys factor into his confidence.
Neenah, Arrowhead runners secure national rankings
High school cross country teams from Neenah and Hartland secured their rankings among the top 25 in the country with their second-place finishes in the Nike Cross Nationals Heartland Regional.
The boys team from Arrowhead High School held the #14 spot on the rankings compiled by Running Times Magazine. Competing as the Hartland Hustle in the Nike meet, the boys finished second, just eight points behind the squad from Stillwater, Minn. The repeat WIAA state champions will run in the Nike Nationals in Oregon on Dec. 3.
Another look at deaths in triathlons focuses on panic
A doctor writing for the Washington Post reviewed recent deaths of triathlon participants and concluded that panic attacks were more likely to be the killer than heart attacks.
It's not likely to be the kind of reflecting that most area triathletes would like to do at the end of their season in the Midwest. David Brown's reporting, though, provides a thorough analysis of the dangers in the water and what caused at least nine people to die during races during the summer.
Barefoot guru touts new steps to perfect running form
Author Christopher McDougall found his stride among the minimalist runners of the Tarahumara Indians in the Copper Canyons of Mexico, and shared their secrets in his best-seller “Born to Run.”
The book helped fuel the minimalist running movement, which now, according to McDougall, accounts for about $1.7 billion in sales for the sporting industry.
Hunt for biathlon skills opens Saturday
Youths showing up at the McMiller Sports Center on Saturday will be hunting lessons in biathlon, a sport that combines marksmanship with cross-country skiing.
Now in its seventh season, the Wisconsin Biathlon Association will host the clinic for girls and boys, ages 11 to 15.
Caught up in the Hoan Bridge congestion
I left the information meeting on the Hoan Bridge Monday night perplexed by the predictions of severe traffic congestion if one of the northbound traffic lanes is turned into a path for bikers and pedestrians.
Gridlock, but at 50 mph?
Birkebeiner nears capacity; registration about to close
Organizers of the American Birkebeiner announced Monday morning that registration for the 2012 races was likely to close by the end of the day, roughly a month ahead of the previous year.
Several years of consistent snow and the build out of a trail for classic skiers boosted the participation in the Birkie to unprecedented levels. Based on the pace of entries, the 39th annual race in northwest Wisconsin will have yet another record field, 9,000 skiers registered in the 51-kilometer Birkebeiner and the 23-kilometer Kortelopet on Feb. 25.
American Birekbeiner hits capacity; registration closed
The rapid pace of registrations provided a ready excuse for skiers looking to dodge the 2012 American Birkebeiner: "I couldn't get in."
The largest Nordic ski event in North America reached its capacity of 9,000 skiers and closed registration on Monday, about a month ahead last year's pace. Organizers hung this sign on their web page.
YMCA offers a week of free fitness
The fitness centers operated by the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee will be open for free from Nov. 27 through Dec. 3 as part of the annual Healthy Living Week.
This marks the second year the Y has opened its doors to residents looking to check out the centers and offset the holiday spread. In 2010, roughly 300 people joined the Healthy Living Week activities.
Next race obstacle: Frozen Tundra
Runners seeking new challenges have dashed through mud, fire and electric shocks.
Frozen turf is next in the inaugural Tundra Challenge, a 3.5-mile race scheduled for Jan. 14, 2012, at the Mt. Olympia Resort in Oconomowoc. The latest entry in the Mud Run / Warrior Dash genre boasts 15 obstacles reportedly designed by military experts.
Sen. Larson set to present petitions supporting Hoan Bridge bike path
State Sen. Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee) plans to beat the deadline for commenting on the proposals for a bike and pedestrian lane on the Hoan Bridge and deliver petitions with 5,000 signatures Tuesday afternoon.
Larson will present the show of support to the Wisconsin Department of Transporation officials gathering input on the bike lane alternatives presented last month. Ranging in cost from $9.5 million to $95.5 million, the alternatives are being reviewed as part of the planning for a large-scale rehabilitation of the bridge connecting bike paths in Bay View and downtown Milwaukee.
Girls on the Run hosts its first race in the Pettit
The young Girls on the Run impressed me in spring with the wisdom to make giggling a big part of their 5K training.
They’ve done it again this fall by putting their first race indoors.
Wisconsin riders ring the podium bells in Iowa's Jingle Cross
By my unofficial count, Wisconsin riders tallied 28 podium finishes over the weekend in the UCI Carousel Volkswagen Jingle Cross in Iowa, one of the top races on the national calendar.
Led by the three-peats of teens Skylar Schneider and Jordan Cullen, the Badger contingent showed great form and the promise to represent the home state well in the upcoming Midwest Regional Championships in December and USA Cycling National Championships in January.