Blog Post

Early last summer I began to notice some unusual symptoms when I was riding, and a decrease in my racing performance, but I had just had a physical and stress test, so I didn’t think much about it. I figured it was just due to getting older. Finally, after competing in a bike race at the National Senior Games in August I figured something must be wrong with me. I saw my doctor and explained my symptoms. He referred me to a cardiologist. To make a long story short, they found 80% to 90% blockage in two main arteries in my heart (one of which is called the “widow maker”) and I ended up getting 5 stents implanted in those arteries to open them up.

Curious about what federal funding programs can support biking and walking projects and programs? We have lots of resources on the programs available from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and just last week, we released our new report taking a deeper look into funding opportunities from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA): “First Mile, Last Mile: How Federal Transit funds can improve access to transit for people who walk and bike.” Download the PDF of the report here.

I had bikes when I was a kid, but I had only been on a bike once in the last 37 years. (I’m 55 now.) My sister bought me a bike at a garage sale last summer. Since September 2013 I have: Lost 30 pounds and 4″ off of my waist. Reduced the amount of blood pressure medicine I take by 50%

In November 2012, following a negative medical diagnosis for my wife, my weight ballooned from 200 pounds to 237 pounds in a few of months. I had turned to comfort foods to deal with the stress of her illness. I turned to television to forget the stress of the day and I was quickly losing any benefit received from doing the National Bike Challenge the summer before. I was unable to look further than her struggles and thought little of my own health.

Last summer, we awarded our first round of Women Bike Mini-Grants, and, to make sure these leading edge initiatives can serve as inspiration for other groups across the country, we’re rolling out the step-by-step Toolkits produced by each grantee. Last week, Katie Monroe, the Bike Share Outreach Manager for the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, shared how she made her “Girl Scouts on Wheels” program a success in Southeast Pennsylvania.

Last month, new data revealed that bicycling ranks #6 among the most popular fitness activities in the United States. Through the National Bike Challenge, we’ve seen those fitness results right before our eyes. According to our participant survey, nearly one-third of Challengers have lost weight and more than half have improved their well-being because of the Challenge. Those numbers are encouraging. Today, we hear from Doug Schmitt in Nebraska, about his health story.

Dawn Finley and Jenn Witte first met at a reading group at the Women’s Center for Creative Work in Los Angeles. What started as a conversation about how to build a collection of feminist literature and multimedia, quickly evolved into something more when Witte, in her excitement, blurted out, “And it can be on my bike!” Now the two women are well on their way to making their vision — F.L.O.W. Feminist Library on Wheels — a reality.

The National Bike Challenge is a community-based event focused on people. There are dozens of different reasons to get on your bike and participate. From viewing personal achievements, motivating friends to ride, having fun in the workplace, spending family time, and more, we know the Challenge means something different to all 44,000+ riders. At the League, one very important thing to us is that the Challenge be accessible to everyone, fun for all, and shared across the country.

Whether you’re an educator yourself or simply a bicycle enthusiast, our LCIs have so much knowledge and inspiration that we want to share their stories. In this edition of LCI Corner, Maria Sipin, #womentalkbikes co-host and LCI #3846, gives five helpful tips for creating a safe and inclusive learning environment.

There’s a gaping pothole in the path to more women riding: Keeping young women excited about bicycling. Research shows that, at about age 14, many girls abandon their bikes for a variety of reasons: Other girls aren’t riding; their friend don’t think it’s cool; exercising is awkward. How do we keep future female riders in the saddle? Last year, Katie Monroe with the Greater Philadelphia Bicycle Coalition piloted a promising partnership that can be replicated nationwide.