Since last year, I am a volunteer bike marshall for various running events in the Bay Area: the Oakland Marathon, the San Francisco Ultra Marathon, and the Berkeley Half Marathon.
Unfortunately, being the bike marshal does not involve any silver star. Equipped with a radio, our job is to be the ears and eyes of the organization on the course. We typically ride with the lead male and female runners. We relay the mile markers where they are in the race. We call back about hazards, such as cars that entered the parkour, or runners that jump into other lanes.
It is stressful when cars enter the parkour, or when the cones or fences are misplaced. Runners call out “Where to?”. You don’t want to mess up their personal best or qualification chances for a bigger race.
It is also a lot of fun. The crowd not only cheers on the runners, they also love the bike marshals. And you get to ride on a closed circuit in the cities.
This past weekend, I was the bike marshal for the Berkeley Half Marathon. This run takes you to UC Berkeley Campus, into the hills, and along the Bay. The pace is fast as it is only a half marathon. And there are some hills, so you must anticipate the climb as runners tend to catch you on the hill.
While I didn’t do any hard rides this weekend, I did do some low intensity rides through Berkeley, both on Saturday and Sunday. My Garmin counted them as “Recovery”.
Looking forward to more cold weather rides and hoping that the upcoming atmospheric river heading to the Bay Area doesn’t ruin my plans in the coming week.
My fundraising is taking off too: I reached $500.
November 18, 2024
alc2025
Silicon Valley History on a Map
Stanford’s Rodin Sculpture Garden and Google’s outdoor art installations have become must see destinations in the Bay Area.
Yet, do you know where it all started? Do you know where Shockley created his semiconductor company, or why it was in Mountain View? Where was the Jobs’ garage, the HP shed, or the Zuckerberg house from the Social Network movie?
I put a few of these places on a map.
November 3, 2024
Sips Not Gulps
Back in California, again. This concludes my recent busy work travel season. It also means I can start ramping up my training.
This week has been a week of sips, and not gulps, trying to find the time in between work and supporting my wife who underwent foot surgery.
This led to a series of smaller workouts: a spin class, a swim session, a shorter 15 miles bicycle ride, speed walks around the neighborhood. Consistency matters the most, right?
Ai Tracking
In a podcast by Mark Manson, the guy from Not Giving a F*ck, on how he lost 60 pounds, he mentioned how tracking was essential.
Tracking… allows you to spot your own bullshit.
Also pro-cyclist Remco Evenepoel religiously tracks what he consumes all day.
I have found tracking my food intake challenging. Especially, since we cook a lot and the tracking apps don’t know what to do with it, unless I track each ingredient carefully during cooking. I rarely cook for one meal. So that makes it trickier.
Ten years ago, through a free program from my doctor, I would submit pictures to a dietician, who would critique them. It was quite educational.
But there has to be a better way, no? Prior to Ozempic, I’ve long believed that the killer app for the weight loss industry was AI tracking. Snap a picture and the AI will tell you all the calories and components.
I recently started tracking all I eat through, Snapcalorie, such AI tracking app. It has been easy to use and keeps me on my toes for the snack attack.
October 27, 2024
alc2025
The Ongoing Search for a Great MacOs Email Client
Every once and a while, I deep dive into the hole that is email clients.
I am not quite satisfied with my setup. It works, yet it can work better. Currently, I use Spark and the Gmail web application.
However, neither Spark nor Gmail support writing emails in Markdown. A lot of my notes are in Markdown, so I prefer to copy and paste in the same format, without having to first convert them.
Airmail does support Markdown but has an annoying and persistent Upgrade to Airmail Pro popup window. MailMate and Thunderbird are too retro looking. Superhuman is super expensive. I am still experimenting with Mimestream. It has some limited Markdown support but lacks links in Markdown and Copy and Paste.
Here’s my shortlist of features I seek in my email client:
- Support writing emails in Markdown. Not just as Convert as you type, but also Copy and Paste.
- Support for multiple open windows. I work on multiple emails concurrently, or need to access other emails while writing. Multiple browser windows isn’t a great alternative.
- Support for keyboard shortcuts for fast actions
- Send Later and Snooze features
- Modern looking
- Reasonably priced. Basic functionality is a one time fee. Advanced and AI functionality may be one a subscription basis.
October 25, 2024
These Shoes Are Made for Walking: A Week of Fitness on the Road
Who says business trips have to derail your fitness routine? This week, I put my walking shoes to the test and executed my secret cycling plan.
Stepping up My Walking Game
Despite packed days and work events filling my evenings, I walked over 25 miles on foot. One-on-one meetings were the perfect excuse to venture along the Genil river in Granada (except on those rainy days). I clocked more miles during the weekend in Malaga.
A Cyclist’s Secret Escape
I hatched a secret plan before my trip, brought my cycling gear, and rented a bike in Malaga. What unfolded was nothing short of amazing.
Imagine this: 40 miles along the Mediterranean coast and up a gentle climb into the mountains. The weather? Absolutely perfect. It’s no wonder pro cyclists flock here for winter training.
Spanish Hospitality on Two Wheels
What struck me most wasn’t just the views, but the friendliness from local cyclists and the courteous drivers.
As I head home, my legs may be tired, but my spirit is soaring. Who knew a business trip could turn into such a fun fitness adventure? Thank you Spain. 🇪🇸
Dollars are arriving as well. Every dollar counts! Donate here: https://giving.aidslifecycle.org/participant/JanVanBruaene
October 19, 2024
alc2025
My Feet Are Screaming
My feet are officially protesting! This week was a whirlwind of exercise:
- Biking: Crushed 25 miles commuting to and from work.
- Lifting: Hit the weights twice, feeling the burn!
- Walking: 🇪🇸👣 Explored Madrid and Segovia on foot (over 20 miles!), on my layover to Granada for work.
It’s safe to say my legs are singing the blues, but the good kind! This dedication is all for getting ready for AIDS Lifecycle next year.
Speaking of which, we have liftoff on the fundraising front! 🚀🚀🚀 A HUGE thank you. You’re the fuel propelling me forward!
This coming week will be tough to get a ride in. Yet, I’ve got a secret plan for next weekend, involving sweat and some stunning scenery. In the meantime, the gym and running shoes remain my best friends.
Want to help me reach the finish line (both physically and financially)?
Every dollar counts! Donate here: https://giving.aidslifecycle.org/participant/JanVanBruaene
Let’s make this happen together! 🚴♂️💪
October 13, 2024
alc2025
It’s Been Hot in California
Returning home from Belgium was a bit of a shock. From the chiller, straight into the oven and over 95F. Pfft.
First, I headed to Tahoe for a company meeting. I was able to run a bit and golf (not my forte).
I also made it out on the bike several times during the weekend. On Saturday, we did a 25 mile ride with the team. On Sunday along Coyote Creek trail, we ran into quite a few animals: foxes, chickens, wild pigs, turkey, vultures, dogs, and hundreds of cats. Yet, no coyotes.
I am mindful not to ramp up my training too fast, not to get injured, and to let my head cold subside.
Fundraising status: dry and hot, just like the weather. Please add some water. https://giving.aidslifecycle.org/participant/JanVanBruaene
October 9, 2024
alc2025
Back in the Saddle
This past week I was in Belgium, where soccer is king, cycling the prince, and cyclocross the jester.
Coincidently, the UCI world championships were happening in Zurich. That meant there was plenty of cycling on television.
In the end, the women’s elite road race was more exciting than the men’s. The Dutch team and Demi Vollering shot themselves in the foot and allowed Kopecky to get back into the race and win the gold. Yes, Lotte Kopecky was lucky, but only after she showed great grit in tough weather.
Sunday’s men’s elite left me wanting more. Tadej’s attack with 100km was near sure suicide. Yet, there was no teamwork among the chasers, in part due to the tantrums from Remco. When things got going a bit, he wanted more and derailed budding teamwork. Tadej is the deserving world champion.
While in Belgium, I took advantage of buying some bad weather cycling gear: gloves, leggings, and a warm cap. However, a Team Belgium cycling jersey remained elusive. I must have visited over 5 cycling stores with no luck. I’ll order it online.
I finally got back in the saddle with a few slow and easy rides, with the longest being near 20 miles. I am looking forward to my ride with Team South Bay Blaze on Saturday to kick off my ALC training in earnest.
Fundraising status: ready to blast off. Can you add some fuel? https://giving.aidslifecycle.org/participant/JanVanBruaene
I also created an Instagram ALC2025 Highlight group to follow along.
October 1, 2024
alc2025
Warming up
My training has been slow. I am still traveling. I am in Granada, Spain for work.
Granada is a destination for many professional riders during the early spring months to get ready for the season. You will cross paths with Pogacar or the entire Bora team. Victor Campenaerts’ son was born here while he was at a training camp and was joined by his pregnant girlfriend. The Vuelta a Espana has some of the most grueling mountain stages in the Sierra Nevada of Granada. Granada is serious cycling.
It pains me when I see cyclists pass me on my walk to work. I haven’t been on a bike in a month.
My training this week has been slow: two 5K runs, a swim session, and lots of walking.
Next week, I heading to another holy site of cycling: Belgium, where I plan to ride a little.
Fundraising status: to be started. $0.
September 20, 2024
alc2025
Aids / Lifecycle 2025, the Final Ride
We’re vacationing in Europe at the moment on the beautiful island of Mallorca in the Mediterranean Sea. The weather is balmy and there are a lot of cyclists touring the island. The climbs of the Tramuntana mountain range look daunting. And yet, there is no cycling on my calendar. We are here celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary and are hopping between towns, calas, and beaches.
I woke up yesterday to a flurry of sad messages from my cycling team. They were devastated by the news from the AIDS Lifecycle town hall meeting the night before:
AIDS/LifeCycle 2025 will be the final Ride We have made the difficult decision that 2025 will be the last year of AIDS/LifeCycle. This decision was not arrived at easily or hastily. It has become clear that it is no longer financially sustainable for us to produce the Ride due to skyrocketing production costs, which have been exacerbated by year-after-year declines in ridership and fundraising. The Ride has been a significant part of so many of our lives, connected to those we’ve lost, those who live, and the incredible, beautiful community that we’ve helped to create.
News outlets quickly picked it up: After a huge drop-off, AIDS/LifeCycle says next year’s ride will be its last
While I’ve been riding with the South Bay Blaze for the past 3 years, and participated in my first ALC in 2023, many in the team have dedicated decades (!) to the cause. Some have ridden over 20 times to Los Angeles. There had been rumors about fundraising issues and perhaps merging with another cause. Yet, there was no bat signal for help or for ideas. Obviously, the news hit them like a nuclear bomb went off. The shock is real. There will be lots to chat about when we return back home.
Like many upon hearing the news, I signed up for AIDS / Lifecycle 2025. The Final Ride! Our team for 2025 counts already 50 riders strong, with more to (re)join. Let’s make this an epic final ride.
September 13, 2024
ALC2025