Cool Happenings at Work
 

Last week I passed the 2,000 mile mark which was a major accomplishment for me. When I started riding I was 326.5 pounds. Now I am 295. My commute is 30 miles round trip. I, along with some others in the office started biking on "bike to work day." Once folks started noticing us continuing to ride...especially my oversized self....interest grew. Now our group consists of frequent and infrequent commuters.....13 in all. As a group we have logged close to 6,000 miles and 350 round trips (mine is the highest mileage). It appears that next month our company will feature us on the front page of our national website (28,000 employees). The goal is to spur even more bike commuters although with only two showers in our office (1 men's, 1 women's) the local folks hope that the interest is a gradual upswing. Also, I was able to convince our senior management to buy fully customized company kits for everyone to take advantage of the advertising opportunities and to solidify our group dynamic. My hope is that this extra attention and support will turn some of the infrequent commuters into more frequent commuters...and some non-commuters into at least part time bike commuters. I wasn't so hot on these kits to start....seeing my big frame in a form fitting kit at this point doesn't excite me too much. But I am thrilled to see the other folks get jazzed, and the excitement of our senior leaders who can't believe we have taken to this activity so much.

I commuted in the rain last week...and aside from finding out at an inopportune time that my jacket wasn't water resistant...I really enjoyed it. I'm in this for the long haul and I am a convert who will look to motivate others to do the same by my actions.

Just wanted to share the info. Also, I know I have said this in many prior posts....I really, really enjoy this forum although I wish I visited a tad more frequently. So much good stuff on here.

Congrats!

Keep it up. You're already reaping the benefits. I found the stress relief almost as valuable as the improvement in my physical fitness when I got back into commuting. Don

great. so now bike commuting is sponsored by corporate?

jk, good job.

That is truly amazing! I don't think even you are aware of what a fantastic achievement that is. To fully understand what I mean just read back through this forum and you'll find hundreds of posts talking about the negativity shown towards we bike commuters by our colleagues. To create the growing bike commuting group you have there is quite a feat. Well done.

Kits may be nice, but if your company really wants to be supportive, they'll get more bike facilities such as parking and more showers for you guys. I hope they do so!

They put in a couple bike racks....but I agree that one shower per gender is not ideal. So far it hasn't been too big of a problem. We sometimes have to stagger our showers and if someone has an early face-to-face they get dibs....it's just kind of a hassle...but overall the company has been very supportive.

Excellent, sounds like the kind of progressive, open-minded company many people would love to work for. Good on them! :)

That's far too cool.

I am a massage therapist at a Pilates and yoga studio and people are always interested in doing cardio (including some of my coworkers) to build on the benefits of Pilates and yoga. I've offered to take them out for a nice ride, but there haven't been any takers. Pity, really, as the effects of that exercise couples with cycling in amazing ways.

Well done. If anyone else doubts the benefit of losing 30 pounds (13.6kg) of weight, go get 18 standard cycling water bottles and fill them with water... then load up the panniers and go for ride.

Keep up the losses and gains!

I've inspired nobody to ride to work here. Well, I was riding with a co-worker for a while and he did commute a number of times but he moved out of state.

Only one other guy here rides to work regularly and he does it to aid his training for racing.

I've been biking to work for over a year and so far no converts. Pretty funny when I have to run the gauntlet through all the smokers when I'm taking my bike out of the building. One of the smokers, who lives 3 miles away and has to take two buses because his car is always in the shop, told me, "I ain't ridin' no f.....g bike." But no one is beligerent to me about it, I think they just think I'm a little goofy.

People think I'm a little off for riding to work as well. For some reason it isn't logical to take advantage of pierside parking on the base when I only live ~7 miles away. I guess maybe it's that I'm from the PNW and have weathered winter on bicycles until I got a car, but the last 7 years I've been a bit spoiled, if you can call a 2+ hour commute spoiled, but I'm much closer to work now. There are a couple of guys that I work with that have influenced me to ride a bike to work. A couple of guys ride from Tacoma, WA to Bremerton, WA a few days a week - that's a 45 minute drive, in good traffic at 50+MPH! Those guys are nuts, lol.

Well done. If you have a shower available, you dont need waterproof rain clothes - just something that can keep the mud out. Another person in my department has ridden in with me (about 12 miles from our meeting point) half a dozen times since the middle of the summer.

Couple follow-up points:

1) some of you who haven't gained converts might not have the "advantages" I have. Namely, when you are over 300 pounds and people just see you walk from your car, to your office, then to a snack machine or a buffet lunch most days...they just get used to that image. Then one day I bike to work with others. We have a good time....we're having fun....and they are pretty amazed someone like me can ride 30 miles round trip in the condition I'm in. But in the backs of their minds they say, "this won't last" or "when the weather turns he'll go back to the old habits." A couple people told me both outright. But every day, just about, the gaggle of smokers outside our building see me and maybe one or two other people riding in. Other folks see me commuting in very cold, or really hot weather and now even rain. Also, many people have noticed that I have dropped a lot of weight....30 pounds is pretty obvious. And when I tell them I'm not dieting at all....just riding....it is shocking to them. So....if you want converts...let yourself ballon up to 300+...eat twinkies....hit buffets every lunch...and then when you ride in people will be amazed....that you actually did it without a heart attack. Obviously I'm not serious about the weight gain advise....but I am serious about my situation. I'm just a regular guy who weighs a lot. Most out of shape people, who by the way probably have a lot of insecurities, see some thin person or someone that looks like they "belong" on a bike and they just say, "ahhh, they're made for biking...probably been doing it for years." A big tub-O like me...it makes them question why they can't do it especially when they see me losing weight and still hitting Indian buffets on ocasion. Obviously not everyone in the office has these psychological dynamics but some do...and that's who I'm hoping will take the plunge. One other thing...I'm an outgoing guy who is a perpetual joker. I go out of my way to talk to people and I am very encouraging. I'm also persistent. If there is a hint that they may be interested in riding in some day I tell them they can ask me anything...about routes....clothing...equipment. I have also lent out or flat given away some of my old stuff to take away people's excuses. And it's worked well. But the truth is....if we get more folks...or not another person I will be just as happy doing what I'm doing...this is for me....and my family/kids.

2) As far as water resistance...it takes on a little more importance to me than others probably because I have a condition called cold uticaria....I'm basically allergic to cold....cold air....cold water...etc. I take an anti histamine every day to protect me on my commute but I still get hives. Being cold and wet with the breeze generated from my bike is not a good place to be. So I still need to get some cold weather and wet weather gear....I have some but need some more.

Baybruin -- that is a fabulous accomplishment and its good to hear your company is supportive of your efforts. In about 18 months of riding I have dropped about 40 pounds so I can certainly agree with the benefits of bike commuting. Keep up the good work.

Well done Baybruin. Even if you don't influence another individual, you are doing something good for yourself. And two thumbs up for your company's support of the efforts by you and your fellow commuters.

I only hope I can be that positive an influence where I work.

Baybruin, your post just above has even more impact. I have visions of a John Candy-like figure with your personality.

Just one question... have you noticed an increase in your bank balance? You portray your old eating ways as being a bit like a smoker's, and I am wondering if the cutback you portray is enabling you to think about and act on equipment needs. There's also the savings in fuel costs from not using the car to commute, I presume.

Awesome story. I lost 50 pounds by dieting. My present to myself upon losing the weight was my first bike since I was a kid. Not wanting to give up too much of the time I spent on other activites, I planned to ride my new bike to work from the start. That was about a year ago. It was hard enough without the extra 50 pounds. I can't imagine how you've managed to do what you've done.

:beer:

That is an awesome accomplishment. Once you elevate your metabolism, it really keeps going. Some of us, myself included, have to work to keep the weight off. I'm 5'5" and 140 or so. I was 165 last year, and I really needed to lose it. Diet + gym + bike got me down. Changing diet is a HUGE part - no more frozen crap and saturated fats.

Great story! Yes I can understand how if you can do it, why can I thinking can motivate others. Like you said, I don't have that situation. I'm fit already and when people ask me where I'm riding from they think I'm stupid. It's only 16 miles one way.. And they see me do it on a mountain bike and it even makes me look even more stupid in their eyes. I thought I had a couple of them interested when gas got up to $3 a gallon, but now since it's dropped, people don't want to hear anything about riding to work. They just don't seem to be interested in the many other benefits of cycling other than saving some gas money.

I think another issue with people new to cycling riding with someone that has been doing it for awhile is they either can't do the same distances or can't keep up.

Thanks for the post!

Dude! You rock!

Can you say what company? Whatever ya'll make, I want to buy some, or at least some swag. :D

I've heard of that. One of my clients is in school for physical therapist assistant training. She told me of one of her classes where they had to try out cryotherapy, basically using ice and ice water to alleviate pain, swelling, and all general sensation. One of the people in her class has cold uticaria and didn't know it. She found out pretty damn quick, too.

I'm lucky to have been raised in Tucson, one of the few places where cold doesn't have much of a hold.

Your weight loss is quite inspiring. I'm by no means fat, but if you can drop 30, I can get rid of the bit extra I'm carrying around.

Who knew diet and exercise was so effective? Gosh, someone should write a book!

You're a hero. Much respect.