No, this toy is not an iPod, iPhone, X-BOX, PlayStation3, Wii, laptop, or anything to do with computers and games at all! My newest toy is the Trek 7.5 FX Fitness Hybrid bike. A fitness hybrid bike has the wheels and speed of a road bike, but the flat handle bars of a mountain bike. It is slightly slower than a road bike, but faster compared to the mountain and hybrid comfort bikes.

Last year towards the end of 2008, I began thinking about purchasing a road bike and potentially doing enough riding and running to compete in a duathlon. Well that thought came and went and I didn’t end up purchasing the bike.

In the beginning of 2009, I began training for what I thought was going to be my second marathon. During the past 2 months, I have been working some health issues regarding my jaw. These issues have affected the quality of sleep and nutrition for my body. Unfortunately, I don’t believe I am nowhere close to being ready to complete a marathon. Coming to the realization that I won’t be ready for the full marathon hasn’t been easy. However, after talking to a few friends, each of them have suggested not doing the marathon if I am not completely 100% ready. I completely agree with that advice. I will discuss in a different post why I am not competing in the marathon this year.

So I saw this as a perfect opportunity to buy a bike and do some other fitness activity for the summer. I will still run (I am getting ready for a half-marathon at the end of May), but I want to be able to enjoy the runs of 5-6 miles instead of dreading them.

One added benefit of now having a fitness bike is the ability to see different parts of the cities that I have’nt seen in the 4+ years I have been up here. I’m certainly looking forward to a summer of running and bike riding!