Joys of bike riding to work in Palm Beach

Lilly Leas rides her Palm Beach Lately beach cruiser to the office
of Beth Beattie Branding on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach.

I admire Palm Beach County people who ride bikes to work, especially in the hot and humid months of summer.

One such person is Lilly Leas, pr and event coordinator for Beth Beattie Branding in Palm Beach.

Leas started biking to work last year, "but mostly in the summer when it is slower and I don't have to rush to get to work," she says.




When asked about the joys of biking to work, she says, "It makes you appreciate where you live. And it's only a 4.5 mile ride, so I don't get sweaty...and it keeps me active."

Leas rides to work on Palm Beach's Lake Trail, a picturesque pathway on the west side of the island. When riding on the trail, with a speed limit of 10 mph, she feels safe and sometimes wears a hat but not a helmet.

She also has a road bike that she uses to train for triathlons and wears a helmet when she rides that bike. "It's about pushing the limits and seeing how fast you can go," she says. "The cruiser is all about slowing down and enjoying the ride."

Leas at the Loggerhead Triathlon.

Since last August, she has competed in four sprint triathlons, starting with the Loggerhead Triathlon in Jupiter where she came in 27th among the female newcomers group with a time of 1:42:27. "It's just hard enough that you can test your limits....I like the combination of events -- running, swimming and biking." 

She says, "Endurance races are a lot of fun and an amazing workout. I already have two more scheduled for the coming months – I'm hooked."

Her most recent event was the Riviera Beach-Singer Island Triathlon in June when she finished the race in 1:24:05 placing her 8th in her age category. 

And now, for my numbers

I had my best walking day last week on Wednesday, July 17, 2013, when I walked:

Steps: 11,022

Miles: 5.5