After decades of crazy adventures and the stories that followed I have finally settled down into a more relaxed lifestyle. This change was a long time in the coming. My adopted father, Kevin Hutchinson, sr. passed away on May 1st, 2017 and since then I have lost the compulsion to prove myself to others. This revelation freed my mind and humbled my expectations. However, I'm still an adventurer at heart. In the summer of 2018 I discovered Scottish Athletics. Having found my people it was time to take up a sport with the intention of simply enjoying a sense of community. In January of 2019 I competed at my first games in Sarasota, Florida. It was a chilly morning for Florida, about 50 degrees. I was part of the young masters 40-49 group. There were nine events, some of which I had never tried before. My goals were simple: 1. Don't kill anyone by accident and 2. Don't get hurt. Both goals were achieved. How did I do? Who cares! I had fun and that is all that ma...

There is nothing that a mountain biker likes more than a proper sufferfest, except maybe drinking beer, or that could just be me. On March 22nd, 2015 Gone Riding, Florida's premiere mountain bike racing organization, put on the first event of the South Eastern Regional Championship series or SERC. It was held at Hailes Trails in Newberry, Florida and as promised it was worthy of sweat and tears. What is SERC? This regional cross country race series appears to center around the state of Georgia which is odd because Georgia already has their own race series. However, SERC casts a wider net reaching into the states of North & South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama and Florida. It's a perfect in-between for those who can't afford the longer travel of the U.S. Cup series. It also closely matches the typical start of the racing season. No matter the reason you latch onto SERC, more racing means more options for everyone. This year the SERC season started in Newb...

Exploration is in the DNA of all human beings. It is the reason we braved the oceans, crossed the plains and climbed every mountain. It has been the pedestal for great men & women throughout the centuries. So the need to explore is within you but in modern America you don't need to risk life and limb to enjoy its benefits. You simply have to remember what it was like to let yourself get lost. When I was in 3rd grade my parents moved to an apartment in Taunton, Massachusetts. Due to my age and unfamiliarity with the city, I wasn't supposed to travel far from home. Luckily, my parents had three younger kids to worry about so I was the one who often slipped away. One day while riding my BMX I found a trail that disappeared into a patch of woods. It curved down a hill into the gravel fields of a construction company. I was in heaven. Surrounded by huge piles of rock and dirt of various kinds all I could picture was how fun it would be to ride them. I started pushing my...

The Sarasota County Off Road Riders have been leading rides, building trails and hosting races for the past three years but now they are legit, online that is. In addition to their Facebook Page , you can get ample information about them on their New Website! The website displays photo galleries from their many events which include pub rides, night riding and the 3rd Annual Piggy's Revenge Off Road Challenge. There are also links to area bike shops, bike clubs and contact information. Plus music videos! If you have ever wondered about the joy of mountain biking or if you are traveling to Sarasota County, this site is an easy jumping off point for exploring new trails or trying a new hobby. Exciting things are happening in Sarasota County and now the door has been opened for everyone to come inside. www.scorrider.com

While a cold weather front blankets the north with snowy skies we Floridians have found a different way to celebrate the season, it involves costumes, fake snow, a beer truck and 700 runners. That's right, the Frosty 5K took place this past weekend in Sarasota and it attracted a monster crowd of endurance junkies who were warmly wrapped in the Christmas spirit. The event brought in running groups from all over southwest Florida as well as visitors from as far away as Canada. Attendees added flair to the occasion wearing reindeer antlers, sparkly red Christmas shorts or simply dressing as Frosty the snowman. However, Frosty himself showed up wearing his running shoes. He was made of snow but the children know that he ran the Frosty 5K and boy did he run fast. Well, who could blame him? With the morning temperature reaching 80 degrees, Frosty had to finish the race before he melted. The Frosty 5K is organized by the Active Suncoast Foundation and is one of the most...

This is a question I would have been afraid to ask a year ago. With store fronts being crushed by low prices from mega-corporations it has become hard to imagine how a small business with a sport specific product could make a profit. I recently made a trip to the Foot Landing in Punta Gorda, Florida where after only one year in business, something outstanding has happened. Before I reveal their story, I should probably explain where my pessimism originated. Eight months ago I was suffering from foot pain and decided to buy some new running shoes. I knew that the Foot Landing was a supporter of Zoomer's Run & Tri Club , of which I'm a member, so I decided to check out their store. The Foot Landing is forty-five minutes away from my home so I had to make a special trip. The owner Sherri Kemp Lennon was courteous and helpful. She had me stand on a computer pad that shows the weight distribution on each leg and the arch of my feet. This can help a person pic...

Simplicity is a beautiful thing. When it comes to rides there is nothing simpler or more elegant than a fixed gear bike or "Fixie." A standard fixie has a high tensile steel frame, 3 piece cranks, at least one brake and a flip flop hub. These are street bikes that can be used for commuter or training purposes, they are low cost (About $325.) and they are a blast to ride. I decided to give one a try at my local shop Real Bikes Englewood . "One thing you have to keep in mind," noted Melody Vasbinder, who owns the store with her husband Gary, "You can't stop pedaling. You can speed up and you can slow down but you can't freewheel." This becomes clear the moment you put a foot down on the pedal but once you start moving the appeal of these bikes quickly becomes apparent. There is no hesitation when you turn the pedals on a fixie. The power of each pedal stroke is directly transferred to the rear wheel propelling you forward. Your sp...

The Venice/Englewood area is fast becoming a fun and popular cycling destination. As local events (Cycling/Triathlons/Running) gain in notoriety, demand for related products has also increased. The most recent addition to the area is a United Kingdom based company known as Cycle-Clothing.com. Cycle-Clothing is owned and run by cyclists Carlton and Joan Nash. For the past seven years the couple has been working directly with a UK manufacturer to deliver high quality jerseys, tights and Dri-fit T-shirts for low prices. While their primary business is online sales, many customers requested a place appropriate for fittings so in June 2013 they opened an Englewood storefront . You might have seen Cycle-Clothing.com at the Englewood Triathlon or at Sharky's "Ride the Beaches" for whom they designed the official jerseys. They printed and produced 100 jerseys with only a 4-5 week turn around. Fifty percent of their business is custom apparel but they also sell s...