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
Ride the Divide rolls on the big screen in Madison and Milwaukee
Based on the reviews I've read, Ride the Divide beautifully captures the epic adventure of the mountain bike race it documents, the 2,700-mile Great Divide from Banff, Canada, to the Mexican border.
Local enthusiasts, or just the curious, will have two opportunities to see the film this week: at 7 p.m. Wednesday night in the Rosebud Cinema, 6824 W. North Ave., in Milwaukee, and at 8 p.m. Wednesday night in the Orpheum Theater, 216 State St., in Madison.
Wrapping up the Flying Pig Marathon's nude runner
Enjoying a respite from the rush of news today, I ran through some of the coverage, or lack thereof, about Brett Henderson.
Haven't heard of him?
Injury rates higher in young athletes who specialize in a single sport
Pre-adolescent athletes who specialize in a single sport have higher injury rates than their more well-rounded counterparts, according to the research findings from the Loyola University Health System.
The results of the study, which included 154 athletes, match earlier guidlines from the American Academy of pediatrics.
Minneapolis goes gold and Eau Claire makes the list of bicycle friendly communities
Eau Claire won a bronze ranking and Onalaska an honorable mention in the latest Bicycle Friendly Community awards from the League of American Cyclists.
The two cities in western Wisconsin join Madison, La Crosse and Milwaukee among the Badger state representatives recognized for promoting bicycling. Madison is one of 11 cities in the country to receive a gold designation. Milwaukee and La Crosse have bronze.
The greater good: to race fast, or to fast from racing?
Would Jesus race? I had never pondered that question until I received this posting from Off the Couch contributor Sara Knutson.
Budget panel cuts $5 million for bike/pedestrian projects
Backing Gov. Scott Walker, the Republican majority on the Joint Finance Committee has voted to eliminate $5 million in state support for bicycle and pedestrian paths from the 2011-'13 transportation budget.
Based on the vote 12-4 vote on Tuesday, state support for transportation enhancements from gas tax and related revenue appears to be short-lived, lasting only one budget, 2009-'11.
Volunteers needed for cycling national championships in Madison
The University of Wisconsin Madison Cycling Club has volunteer slots left to fill for the USA Cycling Collegiate National Championships Friday through Sunday.
The UW team is hosting the championships for a second year, and needs a few more workers to help as course marshals for the road race on Friday and the team time trial on Saturday. In addition to directing traffic at corners, the team needs more people to help delivering provisions to locations on the course, according to Ken Huxtable, president of UW Cycling.
Tour of America's Dairyland hosts weekend clinic for women cyclists
The Tour of America's Dairyland has upped its prize money for women in its upcoming 11-race series, and will host a weekend clinic to help riders build their skills to grab a bit of the cash.
There is still room available in the bike handling and group riding clinic from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and the race skills session from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. The Saturday classes will be based at the Wheel & Sprocket store in Fox Point and the Sunday lessons will take place in the Germantown Industrial Park.
Reviewer finds perspective in "Ride the Divide"
Off the Couch contributor Stephen Smith took in the movie Ride the Divide last night at the Rosebud Theater. The veteran bike racer from Wauwatosa put the bicycling challenge in perspective, with this review. The movie is showing tonight at the Orpheum Theater in Madison, in a benefit for the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin.
Favorites look to home advantage in USA Cycling Collegiate Championships
Three of the women named as favorites to win USA Cycling National Collegiate Championships in Madison this weekend will look to ride the advantage of racing in their home state.
Kaitlin Antonneau, Ashley James and Natalie Klemko will be among more than 400 riders representing 103 collegiate racing teams in the championships, hosted for a second consecutive year by the University of Wisconsin cycling team.
Who's up for a game of Capture the Flag?
Showing that an adult cause can include some childish fun, the Miwaukee River Greenway Coalition has organized an all-comers "Capture the Flag" game in Kern Park on Saturday.
The group is working to develop the paths along the Milwaukee River for long-term recreational uses, and the outing in the park will help bring people up-to-speed on their work. More importantly, it will be good fun; although not necessarily clean.
Bikers race to fill Riverwest 24
In a confirmation of the low-key nature of the Riverwest 24, even the organizers were surprised when it filled in about six hours.
That's 600 people, who registered in person, on Sunday and Monday.
James, Anderson reach the podium in USA Cycling Collegiate Nationals
Ashley James, from Dousman, led an early break in the women's Div. 1 road race on Friday and stayed with the winning group to the finish line in Blue Mound State Park.
Riding for Appalachian State University, James took the bronze medal in the USA Cycling National Championships, behind Anna McLoon, of Harvard, and Rachel Warner, of Lees-McCrae College. James is the defending collegiate cyclocross champion and will look to add to her successes in the criterium in the University Research Park on Sunday.
Antonneau wins USA Cycling collegiate title, leads local sweep
Racine native Kaitlin Antonneau won the sprint to the line in the criterium on Sunday and the overall individual title in the USA Cycling Collegiate National Championships in Madison.
A freshman at Marian University, Antonneau took fifth in the road race on Friday and helped lead her team to victory in time trial and the overall Division 1 championship.
Runners: Start your engines for racing on the Milwaukee Mile
The banked turns of the venerable track at State Fair Park in West Allis, home to racing stars for more than a century, will play host to a new form of foot-power on July 16: the inaugural Milwaukee "Make it Happen" Mile.
In the once-around format, children, aging runners and local elites all have the chance to swap rubber and race to the winner's circle.
Storm damage closes Tuscobia Trail
The Tuscobia Trail from Winter to Park Falls has been closed by trees blown onto the trail by strong winds from a thunderstorm in northern Wisconsin early Monday morning.
Tax for bike lanes dropped in Maine, debated elsewhere
A proposal to impose a 2% tax on sales of new bicycles failed to win approval in Maine, but with tight budgets in states around the country, similar suggestions for funding cycling improvements are likely to follow.
"If bicyclists want bike lanes they should pay for them" is a common argument following stories about bike and pedestrian paths. The point was made again last week, after a blog post on the decision to cut $5 million for bike and pedestrian enhancements from Wisconsin's 2012-'13 transportation budget.
Door County Half Marathon checks its growth
Dominick Meyer led a record-number of runners across the finish line of the Door County Half Marathon on Saturday, ending a streak and starting a discussion about growth for the popular race.
Jason Ryf, a teacher from Oshkosh, won the previous three half-marathons on the lakeside course in Peninsula State Park, but injuries and a conflict kept him from returning to defend his title
CAMBA trails ready for Cable Classic race, chase for the "Dominator" trophy
The lingering winter in the north woods raised some worries that the mountain bike trails in Bayfield County wouldn't be open in time for the annual Cable Area Off-Road Classic, on Saturday.
Race organizer James Bolen wrote on Tuesday that the course would be ready for the 16th annual race on the challenging single-track trail developed by the Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association.
Team Extreme has room for more in weekend bike camp
Team Extreme has space available for the third edition of its weekend bike camp geared to help beginner and intermediate riders build their race skills.
The clinics and training sessions will be held Friday and Saturday, based at the Country Inn and Suites in Germantown. The price is $130, and includes the tips from former pros Tom Schuler and Robbie Ventura, meals and plenty of raffle items and schwag.
Another death too close to home
My wife started crying last night as we watched a news report about Adam Filtz.
The 29-year-old was killed in a crash - Chevy Tahoe vs. moped - Monday afternoon at the intersection of E. Lincoln and S. Kinnickinnic Aves., near our house.
Driving in the fat lane
We drive. Therefore we are fat.
That's the simplified summary of new research by a professor at the University of Illinois, who drew a statistical correlation between the increase in miles driven and the increase in obesity rates in the U.S.
Bikers go over the Hoan and directly to jail
For two bikers, a critical mass ride over the Hoan Bridge last week ended in the booking room of the Milwaukee County Jail.
Based on the sheriff's reports, anywhere from 50 to 150 bikers participated in the ride over the two-mile bridge, which is off limits to pedestrians and nonmotorized traffic. The outing was billed as a ride to protest "Gov. Scott Walker's Anti-Bicycling Agenda," and blocked traffic in both southbound lanes of I-794 about 6 p.m. on May 5.
Racing fast means one-shot to Boston
Even before she starts her one-year fast from racing, Off the Couch contributor Sara Knutson has come to grasp the consequences of her action. She shares her thoughts in this post.
When the Weather.com 10-day forecast includes my race day, I start to get excited.
Ultra runners will pursue miles and milestones in Ice Age 50
As if running 50 miles on the Ice Age Trail in southern Wisconsin isn't achievement enough, several of those who line up for the 30th edition of the race on Saturday will be pursuing even loftier milestones.
Lorraine Bunk, the "first lady" of trail running in the area, will attempt to finish the 50-mile challenge for a 20th time and become the first woman over 70 to complete the race within the 12-hour time limit. Bunk already holds the course record for the 50-59 and 60-69 age group.
New Belgium schedules Tour de Fat return in Milwaukee
New Belgium Brewing Co. will bring its bicycling carnival to Humboldt Park in Milwaukee on July 30, according to a release from company based on Fort Collins, Co.
Milwaukee will be one of 13 cities visited by the Tour de Fat, which is in its 12th year.
Ayieni beats the wind; top runner disqualified for iPod use in Green Bay Marathon
The wind from the northeast, gusting up to 40 mph, slowed the front-runners and thousands of others in the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon on Sunday; and a musical diversion cost a Michigan woman $500.
Peter Omae Ayieni, a Kenyan living in Georgetown, Texas, won the marathon in a time of 2:26:16, roughly 11 minutes off the record set by James Boit in 2010. Boit, from Coon Rapids, Minn., took second on Sunday, but was 12 minutes off his pace from the previous year.
Updated: Man stabbed on Oak Leaf Trail
Milwaukee police are investigating a stabbing and robbery that took place on the Oak Leaf Trail, near Prospect Ave., about 7:30 a.m. Monday.
The victim was an 18-year-old man from Bayside, who was stabbed in the abdomen. The injury did not appear to be life threatening, based on the preliminary information from authorities.
A run too far: Green Bay Marathon course off by 800 feet
Organizers of the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon announced Monday that runners were misdirected near mile three and the mistake added 800 feet to the 26.2-mile course.
Times for all finishers, in the marathon and half-marathon, will be adjusted, according to a release from Race Director Sean Ryan.
Families of cyclists killed in Waukesha County join Ride of Silence
They will be silent to be noticed.
At nine locations around Wisconsin, cyclists will start pedaling at 7 p.m. Wednesday as part of the international Ride of Silence, slow-moving memorials to bikers killed and injured on the road.
Green Bay Marathon reinstates runner disqualified for iPod
Cellcom Green Bay Marathon officials reinstated Kelly McClure as the 5th place finisher in the race on Sunday, and awarded her the $500 cash prize.
Police arrest suspect in robbery on Oak Leaf Trail
According to police reports, the man who stabbed a bicyclist on the Oak Leaf Trail Monday morning was a 50-year-old transient.
The suspect was arrested overnight, after someone who recognized the man from a description shared Monday tipped off the police.
Tailgate to support Girls on the Run
This Spring, the Girls on the Run program in Milwaukee is helping to train 70 girls to run a 5K race - Laura's Smile, on June 4.
The training helps build self-respect and the coaching is geared to encourage positive emotional, social, mental, spiritual and physical development.
Capitol Drive bike/pedestrian bridge opening set for Memorial Day weekend
Talking to the folks at the Department of Transportation about the construction of the bike / pedestrian bridge over Capitol Drive has given me flashbacks of the Tom Hanks movie "Money Pit."
"Two weeks. Two weeks." It will be done in two weeks.
Bike rack use increases on Milwaukee County buses
Recent blog posts about bikers on the Hoan Bridge and a cut in state money for bike and pedestrian projects generated several comments questioning the use of bike racks on Milwaukee County Transit System buses.
To a number of readers, the racks installed in 2009 remain a boondoggle: seldom-used and a waste of the $405,000 it cost to install them on more than 460 buses.
Madison-area BMX track opening next month
BMX racers in Wisconsin will have a new venue for their pursuits next month, when the Greater Madison BMX opens its track in DeForest.
The nonprofit group has been building the track for roughly eight months, and has scheduled the opening race for June 11. Work days for the final preparations are scheduled the next three Saturdays, and volunteers are welcome.
Complete S. 2nd St. celebrated in Walker's Point
Ten years in the making, the completed reconstruction of S. 2nd St. will be celebrated Thursday afternoon with a party hosted by the Walkers Point Association.
Initial engineering on the project started in 2001. Planners focused on rebuilding the road between Pittsburgh St. and National Ave. and maintaining four traffic lanes in each direction.
Difficult moments precede Ride of Silence in Waukesha
They had never met, but Kelly James-Littmann recognized Darlene Netke at first glance Wednesday night.
Her eyes brimmed with tears. Her expression conveyed fear and grief – a look of someone lost.
Bunk runs 50 at 70
Lorraine Bunk earned her status as the “first lady” of trail running with persistence, not speed.
In fact, she prefers to ignore the clock during distance pursuits, using a watch only to remind her when to take in an energy gel or fluids.
GE Healthcare takes early lead in corporate challenge 5K
There's still the running to be done, but GE Healthcare has a big lead in the participation category of the inaugural Salus Wisconsin Corporate Championship, based on the numbers shared Thursday.
Organized by Briana Boehmer, a fitness and wellness coach at Salus in Delafield, the challenge offers several categories for companies to claim their 5K superiority.
Madison's first bike-share stations to open Sunday
Six stations with rental bikes available through Trek's B-cycle operation will open in Madison on Sunday, according to this report.
Wisconsin's capital city joins 10 other locations in the U.S. offering the short-term bike rentals. A B-cycle rental program opened Friday in Boulder, Colo.
Reminders of nature's power found backpacking in the Ouachitah Mountains
Ben Poston, the data editor at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, shares his latest hiking adventure in this contribution to Off the Couch.
I just returned from a trip in the Ouachitah Mountains in western Arkansas.
Updated: GE Healthcare sweeps Wisconsin Corporate Challenge
GE Healthcare workers swept the men's, women's and coed divisions of the inaugural Salus Wisconsin Corporate Challenge in the Menomonee Valley.
More than 400 runners representing Wisconsin businesses participated in the race organized by Salus, a fitness and wellness firm in Delafield.
Bayfield climber to tackle Eiffel Tower, Kilamanjaro
Two years after reaching the summit of Mount Everest, Lori Schneider has lined up two new adventures to help promote an active lifestyle for people with multiple sclerosis.
Schneider, who lives in Bayfield, will climb the 1,665 steps to the top of the Eiffel Tower on Wednesday, World MS Day. The hike will be a training exercise for her next significant climb on Mount Kilimanjaro.
Summerfest resolves trademark clash over its Rock 'n Sole
Summerfest and the Competitor Group Inc. have struck a harmonious chord and ended the federal court battle over their dueling trademarks: Rock ‘n’ Roll vs. Rock ‘n Sole.
Through the settlement, Summerfest will be allowed to use the Rock ‘n Sole name and trademark for the half-marathon and 10K races it is launching on July 10.
Wisconsin slips to third in bike-friendly state rankings
Cycling enthusiasts in Wisconsin could proudly cheer "we're number two" through the first three years of the League of American Bicyclists rankings. Not anymore.
The Badger State fell off the pace a bit and dropped to third in the League's 2011 bike-friendly state rankings, released Monday.
Knutson's fast from racing leads to gluttony of an ultra marathon
The diet / binge phenomenon isn't limited to food, as one would glean from Sara Knutson's latest musing about her one-year fast from racing.
Peddling news on biking in Wisconsin
I turned my attention to a painting project at home and fell behind a pack of stories on cycling in Wisconsin, many of them tied to the national Bike to Work Week. (In deference to Wisconsin weather, the state's Bike to Work Week runs from June 6 to 11).
Fox Cities Trails: The Appleton Post-Crescent reports on the popularity of recreational trails in the area, particularly the Fox River State Trail and the Fox Cities Trestle Trail. The story goes on to detail plans for a 1.1-mile recreational trail along the river in Little Chute, and a couple projects on hold because of a cut in state funding.
Waukesha bypass plan includes bridge over Glacial Drumlin Trail
Bicyclists and pedestrians on the Glacial Drumlin Trail will avoid traffic at Hwy. TT, in one version of the Waukesha bypass.
A bridge would carry the four-lane roadway over the trail that extends from Waukesha to Cottage Grove. Trail users now have to cross the two-lane Hwy. TT.
Whitewater course to be ready for Wausau RiverFest
After a few weeks of heavy lifting, the Wausau whitewater canoe and kayak course should be repaired and ready for the first competition of the season: the annual RiverFest June 11 and 12.
Flooding in September and April dislodged rocks on the water course that extends for about 1/3 of a mile on the east channel of the Wisconsin River. The Wausau Kayak / Canoe Corporation has paid about $1,000 a day for the heavy equipment operation to rebuild the nationally rated course.
Rent to ride enters the triathlon race-day market
A start-up company in New Jersey has an idea to eliminate the bike transportation hassles for triathletes.
Tri-Cycle Rentals offers a race-day ready fleet of Orbea bikes for rent that athletes pick up at the race venue. Riders reserve the bike online, show up at the event to check out the bike, get fitted on it, then return the bike afterward at the race expo or transition area.
Deadline approaches to join Team Liquigas-Cannondale for Tour de France
It will take quick work for cycling enthusiasts to pursue an opportunity to join Team Liquigas-Cannondale for a portion of the 2011 Tour de France.
The bike-maker is accepting video applications for the team's next member in a contest that ends June 3. The videos should be one to two minutes long, and focus on how cycling has impacted your life, memorable moments in the Tour.
Madison Marathon organizers learned from past mistakes
Whether fair or not, the Madison Marathon has gained a reputation in recent years for poor organization and mistakes that compounded the struggles of the runners, particularly those in back of the pack.
Hot weather, something far beyond the organizers' control, has been a significant factor. Runners suffered heat distress and hyponatremia in 2006, 2008 and 2010.
Verdict in motorcyclist death: negligence on the roads tough to prove
Last month, members of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin lobbied the Legislature to enact a vulnerable user law in the state.
The law would give prosecutors a better option for prosecuting motorists whose actions kill bicyclists and others, including roadway workers and those on motorcycles.
Busche takes third in USA Cycling Pro Time Trial Championship
Matt Busche, a Wauwatosa native, raced to third place Saturday in the USA Cycling Pro Time Trial Championship and added to his bona fides as one of the country's top young riders.
Riding for Team RadioShack, Busche covered the 20.7-mile course in 41 minutes, 22 seconds, nearly one minute off the winning time of David Zabriskie (Garmin-Cervelo).
Thousands bike on Lake Shore Drive in annual Chicago event
Organizers estimated that roughly 20,000 people took advantage of a car-free morning on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago and pedaled through the fog on Sunday.
A similar event will be held in Madison on Sunday. A loop of about six miles on streets near the Capitol will be closed to motor vehicles from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and opened to bikers, walkers and skaters. In August, about 50,000 people joined Lance Armstrong for a Ride the Drive in Madison.
Eanes, Faylona win Madison Marathon
Francis Eanes, a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, celebrated his 24th birthday on Sunday with a victory in the Madison Marathon.
The Pittsburgh, Pa., native led from the first mile, and crossed the finish line almost nine minutes ahead of Thomas Brunold, a UW chemistry professor who now has three second-lace finishes to go with his marathon win in 2005.
Wauwatosa native Matthew Busche wins USA Cycling Pro Road Championship
Matthew Busche, a Wauwatosa native, out-sprinted Tour de France veteran George Hincapie and two other riders to win the USA Cycling Pro Road Race National Championship in Greenville, S.C.
Two years ago, Busche battled Hincapie to the line in the national championship road race, but finished fifth in what was then a breakout performance.