it took me six months and three bikes to get there, but this afternoon I finally reached 1,000 miles. I’m hoping I can do the next thousand in half the time (i.e., by the end of the summer).

at the risk of seeming melodramatic, just a quick thanks to the many members of the Boston cycling community who have helped me to do this, including:

• Doug Mink, the “human GPS” who has answered my endless questions about which route to take
• Nicole Freedman, Boston Bike Czar who got the lanes painted on Washington St (without which I would never have had the guts to try riding to work)
• Shane Jordan, who runs the extraordinarily helpful BostonBiker.org website, which taught me about the “door zone” and many other things

I know that 1,000 miles isn’t much to many cyclists. but as of last November, I hadn’t seriously ridden a bike in 20 years.

ever since taking a 50-mile ride on my (aluminum) commuter bike, I’ve been thinking about adding a road bike to the stable – both for speed and comfort. with my 40th coming up in three weeks, it seemed natural to make that this year’s birthday present.

so in the last few weeks, I’ve been to seven LBSes and had basically narrowed my choices down to a Trek Pilot or a Specialized Secteur (aluminum cousin of the carbon-frame Roubaix). I didn’t want to spend much more than $1000-1200 and was looking for “relaxed” geometry since I am not yet very flexible and also a triple chainring for more low gears as I am heavy and thus slow on the hills. couldn’t really make up my mind between the Pilot and Secteur.

luckily, I didn’t have to. earlier this week I found a CL posting for an ’07 Roubaix, in both my size and my price range. seemed too good to be true, so I went to see it this morning and took cash just in case…you never know with used bikes. seller claimed it was his brother-in-law’s bike, which I could believe b/c it was not a good fit for him. what sealed the deal was a five-mile test ride up and down hills, over rocky pavement, and so on. sailed like a dream, so I got it.

the only downside of the Roubaix is that there’s nowhere to mount a traditional rear rack, so I can’t commute on it unless I return to wearing a backpack. but for distance riding that’s not essential anyway, so I’m pretty psyched!

I told my wife this is the last bike I’ll ever need, given that I have a dedicated commuter. might actually be true…

I knew I was getting in better shape from cycling, but I didn’t know how much better until tonight. When I ran for the train.

When I’m not bike-commuting, I take the commuter rail and the red line. Tonight I needed to catch the 8:15 but didn’t get up from my desk until 7:55. When the red line got to South Station, I ran up the escalator to jump on my train.

That probably sounds uneventful. But six months ago, I couldn’t sprint up a long escalator without losing my breath. It was such a change I could hardly believe it…

…which was reassuring, given that I haven’t lost as much weight as I expected.