Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Burn Rate

I've searched a few times to learn how many calories per hour a person uses for inline skating versus other exercises and I've found various answers. Last week it occurred to me that calories per mile might be a better measure. Googling that instead brought me to Phil Lenihan's In-line skating Calorie Usage Chart, which gives calories per hour for various body weights and paces. Phil credits "Rollerblade / University of Massachusetts Fitness Study" for the original data.

Plotting Phil's numbers made me think that Phil made some transcription or arithmetic errors. I haven't found the study he cites, so I reverse-engineered his numbers into a formula for my own spreadsheet. For example, if I weigh 140 pounds and skate 10 miles per hour (both of which were true today), I use about 500 calories per hour. I don't expect these numbers to be very accurate, just to be a general guide.

Today: 13 miles. This year: 118.7 miles.

Detour starting May 13th

The trail will be closed between Seasons Four and Woburn Street in Lexington starting May 13th for replacement of a failed culvert. Go around via Mass. Ave. instead. Work is expected to take several weeks. See Lexington DPW Contract #13-56 for details.

Time for new wheels

Today: 13 miles. This year 118.7 miles.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Count or be counted

Once again, the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization has asked the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee to survey Minuteman Commuter Bikeway use. ABAC will count trail users from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM on Saturday May 11th and Tuesday May 14th. Volunteer counters are needed for one or two hour commitments. To volunteer for counting in Arlington Center, contact Joey Glushko in the Dept. of Planning and Community Development (781-316-3093; or e-mail jglushko@town.arlington.ma.us) with your name, contact information, and the dates and time that you're available. To count in East Arlington near Thorndike Field, contact EALS (East Arlington Livable Streets) coordinator Chad Gibson at chdgibson@yahoo.com.

Today: 12.0 miles. This year: 90.0 miles.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Bikeway Cleanup April 27th

From the Arlington Town Notices mailing list: "Please join the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee in a spring cleanup of the Minuteman Bikeway in Arlington. The cleanup will take place on Saturday, April 27th from 9:30am to 1:00pm. The rain date is Sunday, April 28th. For more information please visit arlingtonma.gov/abac."

Today: 7.4 miles. This year: 78.0 miles.

Monday, April 8, 2013

Comparative Trail Conditions

Arlington has cut and patched the worst of the root cracks. Lexington hasn't.

Update: Arlington west of Mill Street is good, but not between Lake Street and Linwood.

Today 9.0 miles. This year: 33.0 miles.

Friday, April 5, 2013

The Midnight Marathon

A friend asked me today if I'd join him for the Boston Midnight Marathon, an event previously unknown to me. Sponsored by the Boston Societies of Spontaneity, this lark involves hundreds of bicyclists and "about three skaters" (says my pal) taking the 11:00 PM train from South Station to Hopkinton the night before the official Boston Marathon, then propelling themselves back to Boston along the Marathon route.

I declined. I don't think I'm good for 26 miles this early in the season and I worry about street skating in the dark, which I've never done. My adventurous friend pooh-poohed the second concern because he's got a headlamp so bright "it makes the bicyclists call out 'Car behind!'" It's too late to overcome the first problem, though.

Today: 8.1 miles. This year: 24.0 miles.

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Rise and fall

Google Earth shows Milestone I of the Minuteman Bikeway about 8 feet above sea level and the Bedford end of trail around 116 feet. In between, it peaks at 225 feet near Hancock Street in Lexington. When it's downhill both ways from Lexington Center, which way should you go? If you don't want one leg of the trip too much harder than the other, check the wind.

I skated east from Lexington to Frazer Road (elevation 127 feet) today. Downhill with the west wind at my back was easy. The return trip, much harder.

For the first time this year, the trail is both clear and dry. Snowbanks are gone, with only small and scattered patches of snow off the trail.

Today: 6.6 miles. This year: 15.9 miles.