The Behrens Venture

I attended Bay to Breakers this Sunday, a 12KM race across San Francisco, aptly named because you from the bay (the Embarcado) to the breakers (the waves breaking). It was a great race for me, not just for being the first time I have run in a legitimate timed event, but for the fun I had running it. Bay to Breakers is half-party half-race. People dress up in costume and run the race, along with many, many people drinking and walking the race. Literally 20K to 30K people flooding the streets. It was a great time that and I will definitely plan on attending it again.

Despite the party going on, I tried to run the race my best and not partake in the drinking. For 12KM, 7.45 miles, I ran it in 1 hour 16 minutes exact. Average of 10 minutes a mile, which isn’t too bad, but I was aiming for 8 minute miles. I started late in the morning and got caught in the crowd at the beginning, so there wasn’t much I could do. Overall, I’m glad that I ran it without stopping.

Here are some pictures from the race, another amenity of an official race:

Today was Bike to Work Day in the Bay Area and I did my part! It was a bit of a let down to me, since I bike everyday, but the sentiment wasn’t lost. Some bikers had a booth setup at CalTrain and I grabbed some free water and stickers.

I was most disappointed by the lack of other riders out on the street, although I regularly head into work around 10AM and I imagine most normal people are already at work by then. Two amusing sentiments of the day were 1) seeing a rather large man biking down one of the main streets in San Mateo wearing just shorts, no shoes, no shirt. 2) Having a guy on a Harvey come up next to me at a streetlight and give me flak for not riding a “real” bike. I was totally not expecting it, but it brought a smile to my face.

After moving out here to CA, I immediately started my job and slept in a hotel for 2 weeks while looking for an apartment. My friend Mike, also staying in the hotel, drove me to work for those weeks. After we had found a location, I settled upon the bike as means of getting to work. I didn’t have a car out here and public transport was far too inconvenient for my location. Biking was always a big activity of mine as a child, so why would it be different now?

My first few weeks were interesting. I rode to work the first few days in street clothes and regular shoes, but that was a terrible idea. My commute is around 10 miles total a day, 5 miles there and up a hill, 5 miles back and down a hill! It was workout and I did get very sweaty. I quickly bought some workout clothes and a windbreaker to help out. The hill was the toughest part, about 8-12 blocks of 45 degree incline. I just rode slowly and kept working at it, improving day after day. The first day that it was windy almost made me cry. Biking against the wind, exerting all your energy, and moving no where is one of the most frustrating things ever! Especially, when the cars around you are going 25-35 mph like the wind doesn’t even exist.

Speaking of the cars, riding my bike on the streets was another interesting challenge. I ride a major 2-3 lane road for a few miles, I ride through a 101 overpass, and face several bridges. I read the rules about riding with traffic, to just act like a car, but let me tell you, it takes balls to actually do it in tough traffic situations like those. The 101 highway is a major corridor in CA and just being anywhere near that means people are always driving fast and recklessly, even though traffic is probably at a standstill. Most but not all, drivers hate your guts and barely miss running you down while going twice as fast as you in their BMW. You need to know the traffic patterns and stoplights, so that you can plan ahead and merge properly. It’s something that has taken time to be less afraid of, but it’s still crazy sometimes.

After about 2 months of biking to work, I really enjoy it. I’m already in great shape from the exercise and eating properly and I usually have time to listen to podcasts during my commute. Also, I’m not paying $4.50/gallon for gas! Total win.

I am back for the 3rd or 4th revision of this website! Lots has happened in my life causing the delay in getting things running sooner, but things have stabilized now and it’s time to share. Here’s a list.

• Finished winter quarter at RIT
• Got an internship at a startup in San Mateo, CA
• Drove cross-country through PA,OH, IN, IL, MI, OK, TX, NM, AZ, NV and CA!
• Lost lots of money in Las Vegas, but had an awesome time doing it
• Drove across the Golden Gate bridge and saw downtown SF

Currently I’m sharing a 5BR house with a few friends from RIT, also working at startups in the area, and enjoying myself immensly. The West Coast is an awesome coast and everyone is very friendly out here. My internship is going well and life is good.

To change things up a bit, my new goal for this website is brevity and in line with that, more information on my situation will be coming shortly. Enjoy!

So, I haven’t posted much lately, but I’ve been busy focusing with school and “work” in general. I’ve been reading a bit more lately, staying off the computer more, and socializing more. When I sit at the computer, I like to focus and use my time usefully, not just waste it reading blogs. I’ve also been twittering more, rather than lengthy blog posts!

Big news is that I found an internship in San Mateo, CA and will be heading out there for the next 6 months. I was alerted to the position by an RIT alum and things moved pretty quick, so I’m looking forward to the position. It looks like it will be some great experience, with some equally great people.

That brings me to today. To get to SF, you can either fly or drive, and as chance would have it, a friend of mine, Mike, was heading out to SF in a similar situation! I will driving cross-country in a few hours, check out the map below for the general route. A night in Vegas, a night in St Louis, and OK City food will be a great time. I should be out in SF in 4-5 days, but who knows, it’s the journey that matters.

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