If you practice yoga, you probably have had the experience of learning something during class that you can apply off the mat. Maybe the instructor offered an intention that resonated with an issue you were facing outside the yoga studio–accept where you are today and be kind to yourself, don’t be afraid to fall/fail, be open but without expectation, breathe through the difficult times. Maybe the instructor shared a reading, meditation, or poem that really stayed with you.
It’s the last Friday of the month, which means that the gates to the runfessional are open over at Marcia’s Healthy Slice. It always feels good to bare my soles and take a deep cleansing breath before moving on to a new month.
How long does our weather have to be crazy before crazy weather is normal? Earlier last week it was hot and humid–in the 90s. But on Friday–the day after the summer solstice– I got goosebumbs walking Scooby after dinner–it was in the 60s. I’m not complaining about cooler summer temperatures, but it’s hard to get accustomed to summer running when the temperature swings so wildly.
The Garmin Fenix pretty much maxes out the technology I can have on my wrist, so I’ve had to turn my technology obsession to bike computers. Several people who do the Conte’s hill ride have some version of the Wahoo Elemnt, and once I saw its clear mapping and heard about its turn-by-turn directions, I couldn’t resist for long.
The perfect Father’s Day gift–for me! 🙂
What is the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt? It’s a GPS bike computer that can track and display ALL your ride data. It can be paired with various sensors and heart rate monitors, but for now I’m content with focusing on MPH rather than RPM, so I didn’t get the full bundle.
After eyeing the display at Conte’s for a few weeks, I finally succumbed last weekend. I charged the device and download the Wahoo Elemnt app while my husband attached the holder to my handlebars. The basic set up was a cinch, but it took some playing around to figure out how to get routes loaded onto the app. (Once there, they automatically synch to the device.)
I linked the Elemnt app with my Strava and RideWithGPS accounts, but then realized I didn’t have the Conte’s route saved on Strava. I emailed the gpx file from Conte’s Strava page to myself and then was able to open the file into the Elemnt app. For RideWithGPS, I figured out that pinned routes–but not saved routes–would synch automatically.
I was eager to test out the turn-by-turn directions function, and luckily found a route on RideWithGPS that starts at a bike shop just a few miles from home. We rode there, and then I started the route.
The detail and clarity of the map is amazing! I could read everything clearly even wearing (polarized) sunglasses on a bright sunny day. When you’re following a route, the map shows a dotted track of where you’re going, and lists the next turn (direction, street name, distance) at the top. It beeps shortly before a turn, and beeps repeatedly if you miss a turn.
I had a general idea of where this route would take us, but didn’t memorize the details. The turn-by-turn directions were fantastic and I only got confused twice–at the same point coming and going. It also was interesting having my pace right in front of me. I was pleased to maintain 17-19 mph on the flat stretches and a bit chagrined to see 8 mph as I climbed the last hill home.
I can’t wait to try the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt again on the Conte’s ride this weekend–and then at the Farm to Fork Fondo-Pennsylvania Dutch ride next week! While I’m still wary of cycling on the roads, at least this eliminates the worry of missing a turn and getting lost!
I’m joining the Friday link up at Running on Happy and Fairytales and Fitness.
Do you get obsessed with fitness gadgets?
Over the past few years I’ve become quite the fitness class junkie. As you know from my Weekly Wraps, I am a regular at Orange Theory Fitness, Cyclebar and CorePowerYoga. When I think about why I enjoy these classes so much, I know one reason is how lucky I was in finding fabulous fitness instructors.
![The Ultimate Coffee Date](http://got2run4me.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Ultimate-Coffee-Date.png" "The Ultimate Coffee Date")
