[24] Cycling Through

It has been a while since I visited Westchester Road Runner (White Plains, NY). I think the last time I dropped by was prior to going to San Francisco for the Nike Women's Half back in October. Usually I gravitate to the back of the store where the women's running, but today it was the cycling shirts which caught my eye. With the First Day of Spring rapidly approaching, my cabin fever is at full tilt. I want the wind, rain, sleet, snow, ice, and hail to finally take a hike, so I can get my Vitamin D filled sunshine! I found several cycling shirts (Dolce, Sparrow, Aphrodite, Sakura, Spritzer & Solyaris) by Primal Wear which I really like. Several of them have matching bottoms which when purchased together are slightly cheaper, but I am leaning toward a standard padded short in black and then a couple of shirts.

Primal Wear's Lotus Women's Cycling Jersey ($66.95)

Unlike running, cycling is a much more considerable investment. This is largely due to the fact that I currently do not possess a bicycle (unless the stationary bikes in the South Gym count). The local roads are hilly and without adequate sidewalks or biking lanes, so for the time being, my route would be limited to closed circuits like Manhattanville College, SUNY Purchase, and the PepsiCo Campus. I would love to take my bike to the City and hit up Central Park and Riverside Park on a sunny day.My concern is primarily safety, so before I can even think about fashion, I need the essentials: bike, helmet, and gloves (and maybe a bike lock and car rack).

I remember when I last visited Tarrytown, I passed by Tarrytown Cycles. As they are a specialty retailer, if I pursue cycling, I may pop over there for advice and product selection. I have a hunch that I will hesitate before entering the shop. It took several passes by WRR and lululemon athletica before I actually plucked up the courage to walk through the doors. Pro shops have a tendency of being very intimidating, so I prefer larger retailers like Sports Authority. Unfortunately, there is a trade off as my local SA lacks in the customer service satisfaction and product knowledge departments. My hope is that the staff at TC are as lovely, helpful, and down-to-Earth like the folks at WRR. Again, if I find things I like in store, I will try to hunt down a bargain online before dropping the plastic.

I picked up a discarded issue of Competitor Magazine (February 2011; New York) and some local race information on my way out of the store. After pouring over the pages (and pulling up homepages) for several hours, I have pulled together a list of races I would love to attempt. Plus, I got the 2011 Westchester Track Club's Race Calendar for the metropolitan New York Region (NY, NJ, PA, & CT). So many things to read over!