A Different Way to Bike
Plus, Student Perspectives on Pandemic Learning, and Upcoming Community Events
Residents of Linda Vista are used to seeing the familiar sight of hearty cyclists pedaling their way up the steep climb that is Ulric Street. I feel the burn in my thighs every time I see them biking their way up from Friars Road to the heart of Linda Vista. I’ve often thought that they set a great community example for fitness and determination—I’ve thought this myself as I drive past them on the way to the Yum Yum Donut Shop a mile up the road. But the recent sighting of a particular cyclist really got my attention, not because of the effort he was expending, but because of the way he looked as he was expending all that effort. Unlike the usual sight of a hunched over cyclist, this cyclist appeared to be practically running on the exotic looking contraption he was using to pedal up Ulric Street. I found the sight so fascinating that I forgot all about the donuts and made an effort to catch up with him to check out this mode of transportation in more detail.
It turns out Chris Zito—a resident of Linda Vista—was transporting himself up the bike lane on an ElliptiGO Long Stride bike. Elliptigo is a company that makes bikes designed to “provide a low-impact, full-body, time-efficient workout that is fun and comfortable.” According to the company’s website, the bike is made for current or former runners, fitness enthusiasts or just anyone who wants to enjoy exercising outside. The company was started by Bryan Pate, an ex-Marine officer who grew up in nearby Coronado.
Zito explained that he has been a fan of the ElliptiGO since 2010. Upon first seeing the bike in a race, Zito—an engineer by profession—immediately recognized the utility of the bike, with its ability to simulate the running stride. As a Navy officer and a fitness enthusiast with a history of running injuries received from the runner’s pounding motion, he quickly became addicted to the ElliptiGO. He currently uses the bike to commute to work—a total of 20 miles.
Zito was eager to talk about all the benefits and advantages that the design of the bike provides to riders. He explained that the bike provides the advantages of both cycling and running—what he describes as “the perfect mix” for cross training. While pedaling in an upright position, the cyclist moves in a running motion, but the bike eliminates the harsh pounding on the legs that runners are forced to experience. Of course, the upright design of the bike also eliminates the typical “crouched down” cycling position. He appreciates how the design forces the rider to exercise his/her core because of the slight rotation of the torso required to maneuver the bike. According to Zito, “the bike is a fun, low impact way to get around while getting some cardio exercise.” And because of the running motion, he is still able to obtain that typical runners’ high from an ElliptiGO workout.
When asked if the ElliptiGO is easier or harder to ride than a traditional bike, Zito said that it’s “different”, clarifying that the bike is heavier and that the rider faces greater wind resistance because of the upright position, which means a rider sometimes has to work harder. Still, Zito is able to maintain a typical cruising speed of 15-16 miles per hour. Despite the unconventional design, it doesn’t take that long to learn how to balance on the bike.
The ElliptiGO isn’t cheap—check out the company’s website for prices—but Zito definitely recommends the bike to others, especially if you’re looking for exercise somewhere in-between running and cycling.
I guarantee that if you catch Chris Zito and his bike going up or down Ulric Street you too will be intrigued. You’ll imagine what it must be like to ride the ElliptiGO. At the very least you’ll be inspired to forget all about making that donut run and decide to pursue your own cardio exercise.
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The Linda Vista Update wishes to thank Chris Zito for taking the time to answer our questions.
Local Students Deal with Pandemic Learning Situation
Ed. Note: With San Diego schools starting to open for in class learning, we thought it would be interesting to see how the pandemic and the online learning situation has been affecting our local students. Our cub reporter, Nicole P., happens to be a Kearny High School student, so we asked her to explore this subject and provide the LV Update with an article that would provide some insight for our readers. Following is her report on the subject.
Since schools reopened the past week, you may be wondering what obstacles students faced with online learning during the COVID pandemic, and how they feel about going back to in class learning? I decided to answer these question by interviewing Kearny High students about their experiences with online learning via Zoom.
As you can probably imagine, the students I spoke with missed being on campus. I have to include myself with this group. We miss seeing our friends every day, being able to socialize, being able to seek help when we need it, and generally interacting with others. One student I interviewed, An V, responded by saying, “I miss being in a classroom environment where my learning experience is best.”
Although we miss the in class interaction with peers, it may surprise you to know that when responding to a school survey asking students about their preference in learning style, the results leaned more toward online learning. I prefer online learning as well, as did most of the students I interviewed for this article. After reading the previous paragraph, you may think this is a contradiction, but let me explain. When asked why they prefer online classes, juniors David M. and Kaileen S. responded with “Teachers have been lenient with work” and “Online classes are shorter and less stressful.” I would agree to a certain extent. Teachers are lenient on work and you can also go at your own pace and turn in late work at any time without deductible points. There was a late work policy by the district sometime in the beginning of the 2020-21 school year that said students could turn in late work for full credit. However, I feel people are taking advantage of this policy and are slacking off as well as procrastinating on assignments. This lessens the actual learning. This is one of several complaints that I have about online learning. Another would be that students aren't motivated to do work. “There are no teachers to look over us, we get to do whatever we want, we’re not focused on school, we are more focused on other things at home.” said student athlete David M, who is used to someone motivating him to go above and beyond.
Another disadvantage of online learning is “The high school experience we students are missing out on,” said Kaileen S. The Class of 2020 missed out on senior activities such as prom and graduation ceremonies because of the pandemic. These are huge parts of one's traditional high school experience.
Another aspect that is getting attention lately is how the pandemic and virtual schooling has affected the mental health of our students. “Students' mental health has been deteriorating,” according to student An V. I personally agree with this fact because research has found that during the pandemic, staying inside and bottling up emotions has adversely affected the mental health of people. Family financial problems resulting from unemployment can affect the mental health of the student as well as the parents. This can negatively impact students' performances during classes, and this is a secret but...it has affected and impacted many students who were straight-A students, resulting in them doing the bare minimum required and barely participating. I know this because my friends and I have conversations about this all the time.
Students have been struggling with seeking individualized attention, made more difficult because of the lack of in-person interaction. However, I believe students also have a responsibility to reach out and advocate for themselves, instead of teachers always reaching out to students. Teachers constantly remind students that tutoring is available after school as well as email communication being available 24/7. If you email a teacher at 4 am, they will surely respond the morning after— it is that convenient. They've also made themselves accessible by creating Google phone numbers and even providing personal phone numbers. However, some students still hesitate to take the first step. There needs to be a balance of communication between student and teacher.
In conclusion, there are both pros and cons associated with both online and in class learning. Some schools are trying a hybrid of both ways. Some parents are not yet ready to let their children go back to school thinking it might not be safe. Others are anxious for their children to be back at school full time so they can get back to their jobs and not have to worry about childcare. It is a very complex situation, and hopefully by next school year things will be back to normal and everyone will be in school. I believe it will take time for some students to readjust to the in class experience because they have been a little lax with online learning, but it will eventually work out.
I want to thank those I interviewed for their honest answers to my questions.
(The LV Update wishes to thank Nicole P for her reporting on this important subject.)
Upcoming Community Events
—Meet Your Mayor
On April 17 at 11:00 am, all District 7 residents are invited to attend a Meet Your Mayor virtual discussion about the issues facing our District and City. The discussion will be hosted by Mayor Todd Gloria and co-host District 7 Councilmember Raul Campillo . Register for the free event: Sandiego.gov/mayorcd7townhall
—Spring Showcase of Asian Films
From April 23 through May 2, the San Diego Asian Film Festival’s 10th Spring Showcase will be presenting films from Asia and beyond. For more info, or to purchase tickets, visit at https://sdaff.org.
— Linda Vista Scavenger Hunt
The 2021 Linda Vista Scavenger Hunt will be held on April 24, 2021. The Scavenger Hunt will be held in lieu of the annual Linda Vista Multi-Cultural Fair and Parade.
Details regarding the Scavenger Hunt can be found here: http://www.lindavistafair.org
As mentioned on the above site, “attendees will participate in a scavenger hunt on April 24, 2021 with drive-thru curbside pickup of goodie bags and resources from key Linda Vista hubs. Masks and social distancing will be required when interacting with guests.”
Vendors/Hubs interested in participating can fill out the interest form found on this site: https://airtable.com/shrOmdwY59NstJchc
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