Technology/Apps

Bend Bulletin: Cyclists Compete on Strava

Cyclist Mike Larsen spent a Thursday morning climbing Awbrey Butte, enduring a solo workout he refers to as “hills of horror.” The Garmin GPS device he mounted to his carbon fiber bicycle stem fed Larsen real-time information about his workout, such as wattage output, elevation gain and speed. When Larsen was finished, he uploaded the data to Strava, a social media website primarily for cyclists and runners. The anonymous hours Larsen has logged on solo workouts experience an alchemical change on Strava, his data transforming into a virtual kingdom.

Bend Bulletin: Zwift, a Virtual Exercise Game, Invades Indoor Cycling

Bend cyclist Erin Reis spun her pedals at a brisk clip, mindful to elevate her heart rate before participating in an evening criterium bicycle race. Oddly, the other female competitors didn’t appear, even though a roll call list on Reis’ phone told her they stood among her.

“Is anyone here?” she asked to teammates on a group call with her smartphone. 

Bend Bulletin: Local Runners Participate in ‘Maximalist’ Shoe Study

Running may seem like a no-frills alternative to elaborate, gear-heavy activities, such as cycling or, say, ski mountaineering.

Just strap on some shoes and go, right?

The sport’s simplicity gets complicated when your legs and feet begin hurting — the cumulative effect of pounding them along pavement and trail.

The abuse adds up.