<p>deb- the Hokas have a little bit of a breaking in period, which most shoes don’t these days. Give them a week or so. They really settle in.</p>
<p>So much of cholesterol is genetic- no matter how well you eat. You do what you can- and resist the push for the awful meds.</p>
<p>If you use sunblock, you can be Vit D deficient even if you live in the sunniest place in earth. 
I certainly got a lot of naturally produced Vit D along with my farmer’s tan. Still kicking myself for forgetting to smear some sunblock on my back!</p>
<p>Yup, Hokas take time to break in and to get used to. I ended up running in my men’s Brooks Pure Cadence shoes, because my feet get too hot in Hokas, but I love them for cooler days on the Beer Trail. Speaking of beer, apparently, the frat guys were indeed pouring beer in those red cups and handing them out to adventurous runners - according to a runner I talked to at the Logan airport while waiting for my flight. Wow.</p>
<p>I was coming on to ask you what shoes you wore. The newer Hoka models are more breathable. </p>
<p>That’s good to hear, MOfWC! Which newer models did you find more breathable? I was almost ready to flip a coin deciding between the two pairs I brought with me - it was so much tougher than picking out clothes. I’m amazed that my legs are not trashed at all compared to the qualifying marathon I ran in August. I really busted my tail running that one, but took my sweet time to enjoy the sights. It was an experience of a lifetime! I doubt any other marathon can top this. Mr B thinks I’m done with marathons. Hehehe (insert evil chuckle here). Little does he know. ;)</p>
<p>The Conquests (not quite as cushiony) and Bondi 3 have more breathable uppers. Triathletes were complaining.</p>
<p>You should do Big Sur with the goal of taking pictures, enjoying the sites.</p>
<p>Impressed by the marathoners/distance runners here!</p>
<p>Yesterday DH, S and I had a lovely walk. S and I decided to extend our walk while H stopped at the store. We RAN for a bit, and I made S go on ahead while I panted/walked for a few. I had to remind him I am (almost) 40 years older than he is! 
</p>
<p>Thanks for the tips on the Hokas. I was wondering. </p>
<p>3 mile walk. Tomorrow may have to be a rest day. My chauffeuring duties are cutting into my work out schedule lol!</p>
<p>MNKat - tested/rode the ( all 105 components and carbon fiber) cannondale synapse , specialized roubaix, trek domaine and trek madone (ultegra) . Liked them all. The cannondale is the cheapest from 2 different bike shops. Now the purchase paralysis has set in. Any thoughts?</p>
<p>At this point I think an endurance models give me the best blend of performance and comfort. </p>
<p>Probably not good to put another bike in the mix. This is the bike my H bought last year <a href=“http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1147656_-1_400784__400784”>http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1147656_-1_400784__400784</a>. He’s been really happy with it. He looked at many of the bikes you are looking at and this is what he decided on. Hopefully he will be back to riding sometime this summer (had a cervical fusion recently). </p>
<p>Basement for me. Punched the clock. Rear foot elevated split squats. Chin ups. KB swings. Single arm DB bench press. KB swings and bench press were pretty good. Split squats and chin ups weren’t my best. That’s the way it goes.</p>
<p>ohiopublic, all of the bikes you listed are good. I am most familiar with the C’dale Synapse. My daughter has one and many riders in the club I belong to also ride them. The Synapse does provide a great combination of comfort and performance and everyone one I know who has one is very satisfied with it. I like it sufficiently that when I upgraded my custom bikes to Campagnola Record 11 speed, I took the Record 10 speed kit components that came off and put them on the Synapse. </p>
<p>Of the bikes you list, I would go with either the Synapse or the Roubaix. Take them out for second rides and focus on upper body positioning to determine which you like better. If what you are looking for is comfort and performance, I think the Synapses geometry will give you a closer match. Comfortable upper body positioning combined with performance is precisely what it is designed for. BTW, the Fuji suggested by deb922 is designed to have a race geometry and therefore will have a more aggressive feel to it and is probably not what you are looking for. Have fun deciding!</p>
<p>MOfWC, thanks! I will try those shoes. I should have talked to a Hoka rep at the Expo, but he was busy talking to someone, and Mr B really wanted to get out of “shopping”, so…
I talked to a guy today who also recommended the Big Sur race (he ran it in the late 80’s or something like that). I just got an email from the official photographers of the Boston race with my pics. What a hoot! In quite a few of them I look like a paparazzi with my iPhone camera ready (I made sure to take pics of the photographers whenever I saw them 
). I finally learned my time, too. Quite slow, as expected, but not as slow as I thought. And BAA now gives out virtual medals that I apparently can plaster on my Facebook and LinkedIn profiles. Lol.
My legs are feeling just a tiny bit sore. I think sitting on the planes for 8 hours yesterday killed them more than running for 4 hours. Im finally done with my meetings and really glad to finally head home where I have not been since Saturday. </p>
<p>Note to self:</p>
<p>Hide your eyes… Put fingers in ears… Do not need to spend 2 grand on a bike…</p>
<p>LOL iDad! Tempting, isn’t it?</p>
<p>BB- I think you did great. I agree that the long plane rides are killer after a marathon. Boston killed our legs. It was the sorest both H and I have ever been until I ran St. George, Utah and now I think Monkey might be the hardest on my quads. We had to back down the jetway onto the plane after Boston.</p>
<p>Actually, IDad, if one has decided to become a more serious rider seeking to do longer rides with a performance focus, you need the right equipment, properly sized and fitted, to pursue cycling at a more serious “club performance” level. $1200 -$1500 is the entry level for an aluminum framed bike and $1800 - 2000 the entry level for a carbon fiber bike. The differences in form, function, weight, performance and durability as compared to casual recreational bikes is exponential. If ohiopublic was considering a $10,000 investment in an ultra high end race machine, I would agree that would be excessive. But $2000 for a quality performance carbon fiber bike that will give him the ride experience he wants amortized over the years of use he will get from it, nah, it’s money well spent. And if you you think $2000 is excessive, you would go into anaphylactic shock over what I have invested in each of my road bikes, let alone over the number of bikes I have (3 road, a cyclocross, mountain, track and commuting bikes). :)</p>
<p>So take your fingers out of your ears, pry your eyes open and be seduced by the sleek, sexy technological marvels that are available from your local bike shop, you’ll never regret it! </p>
<p>Oh, I don’t begrudge anyone else. Go for it. Just personally, I’m keeping my fingers in my ears! :)</p>
<p>Let me take you bike shopping, I’ll bring you over to the dark side! ;). My wife, who is my biggest, most indulgent supporter of my bike fetishes, has decreed that I’m no longer allowed to enter a bike shop unescorted lol.</p>
<p>You’d have to first bring me over to the dark side on enjoying bike rides. I’m afraid I’m not an endurance cardio guy. </p>
<p>I am, however, planning a hiking/camping trip to Acadia National Park for the next time the weather forecast looks promising for a stretch of four days. Sometime in late May, early June… I’ve got the campgrounds scoped out and one day of hiking planned. Still perusing guidebooks for a second day of hiking.</p>
<p>There are some nice cycling roads in the White Mountains, though. Only if you like hills. I always see bikers on the Kancamagus Highway (Rt. 112) and on Route 49 to Waterville Valley. </p>
Back in college I did a 14 day motorcycle trip from Philadelphia to Quebec on my chopped '51 Harley and one of the most memorable segments was going through the White Mountains on the Kancamagus. It was breathtakingly gorgeous. What was also memorable was that of the 14 days, it rained for 10!
<p>I have to admit that I feel like I’m “cheating” on my running with this bike talk. Running is my first love and is very jealous of all other fitness pursuits!</p>