At some point every year, something prompts me to go into my bike helmet rant. It sually comes on when I see families with children all riding without helmets. But this year's rant came on after seeing a young 20-something friend riding his road bike without a helmet yesterday. The rant, which he heard already, usually involves me stating something about how I would not be here today had I not been wearing a helmet six years ago when an 82-year-old driver took an illegal left turn and T-boned me with his pickup truck in broad daylight.

This year has been a rollercoaster in my triathlon pursuits, but, as my last year in the 40-44 age group, I would like it to end on a positive note. If that's even possible.