Staff writer
Kenny Lundgren of Marion found a solution to the time-crunch problem that often plagues exercise enthusiasts.
Lundgren rides his road bike from Marion to work at Golden Heritage Foods LLC in Hillsboro. Just the round trips five days a week adds up to 100 miles of riding. Occasionally, Lundren will add a detour down to Aulne for an extended workout. Also enjoying rides in his free time, Lundgren said he will bike about 280 miles some weeks.
The benefits of biking to work include:
- Raised heart rate. Lundgren is slender and fit at more than 50 years old. While he does floor exercises for diversity, he said biking is his primary form of exercise.
- Pain relief at the pump. Lundren has not added up the dollars saved, but said biking to work has definitely made a difference.
As Lundgren learned when he led a group of four colleagues on rides to Golden Heritage, biking to the office is not for everyone.
Side effects include:
- Becoming an avid cyclist. Lundgren has also participated in Bike Across Kansas. The last time Lundgren participated, it accounted for 570 miles.
- Becoming an extreme morning person. “That alarm goes off and I’m awake,” Lundgren said. He wakes up at 4:30 a.m. on weekdays so he can eat breakfast to give himself time to ride 10 miles. He also has time to pack a small backpack with necessary items like an extra tire tube in case of flats. He also makes sure he has plenty of water.
- Close calls on the road. Lundgren bikes the hilly stretch of 190th Road. In one instance riding up the hill just west of Marion, Lundgren was almost hit as one vehicle tried to pass another. “I guess they didn’t see me,” Lundgren said. “I got a new headlight after that one.”
People should not bike to work in adverse weather conditions. Extreme heat, rain, or snow should be avoided. Lundgren advises when the forecast calls for 20 to 30 percent chance of rain, to contemplate biking before departing.
“I just enjoy it,” Lundgren said. “I’ve wondered why more people in town don’t do it.”