So many things have happened recently. I will be brief as I don't have much time on my hands.
I have always wanted to test and see if I have the potential to become a good cyclist. So my friend introduced me to his coach to take some tests. I was to take the VO2max test. I was super stressed and thought I must get a good value since my cycling career is on the line! I didn't sleep well etc for several days before the test and aimed for 50 ml/min/kg (the value on the verge of a Cat 2 and a domestic pro female).
The test day finally came. We first measured my legs strengths. That was hard. I asked whether I have to give it 100 % because I need to conserve energy to get a good VO2max! Then came the VO2max test, I have to stuff this huge tube to breath through inside my mouth which looked dodgy and felt uncomfortable. Then I started pedaling, my coach was calling out for me to increase my cadence as the resistance increased. I could see that my VO2max was soon over 40 ml/min/kg! After awhile, my mouth started to feel horribly dry but otherwise I was fine. Suddenly, my legs gave out and I just couldn't push anymore, my cadence dropped from 80 to 40 in a matter of seconds. So the test was stopped and I got 54 ml/min/kg!!! That of a domestic pro! My coach was visibly excited. The value would have been higher if I have stronger legs. On Sunday we met with the coach and he showed me the results. Along with the high VO2max score, he told me how uncommon it is to have legs of equal strengths (in this case, weaknesses), and how I use predominately fat as energy source. He said I should write a letter to my parents to thank them for my genes haha! I need to work on my legs strengths. As well, my lung capacity is low, this can be improved by swimming (which I refuse to do) or by breathing exercises. I now have my own training program and have a diet program. hahaha like a real athlete. Today I went to do weight lifting and tomorrow is some easy rides. I was told the first time in my adult life that I am overweight! So I have to lose weight, which is fine because I have already lost 3 lbs over the past 3 weeks or so (currently at 127 lbs).
All I wanted was to get the tests taken. But now I have a coach! He is very respected and advises the tour de france teams on who to choose as their GC! Yesterday I got my bike fitted by the coach, he measured my legs lengths and pointed out how rare it is to have equal lengthed legs. Well, it seems that I have all the requirements and more to become a good cyclist. All I need to do is train hard and be persistent. Even my mum finally agreed that I could 'do some cycling in my spare times'.
During all of this, my friend is always by my side. I'm really glad that I met him. He is a very good and experienced cyclist without being arrogant and is direct and seems to have integrity. I like him as a person which means a lot, because in my life, I can't say that I have met even a handful of people whom I liked for their personalities.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Cycling Report
Let me continue on from last Tuesday night. I was super stoked about riding with the Cat 1 guy. Yet after having a more clear mind, I have to say that it's obvious why he wants to ride with me. Normally I would just run away or disappear (I know, such awesome ways to deal with it). But this is cycling, and I'm willing to do almost anything for it. However, I was warned about him and there is a general consensus on this. So I'm going to stay away from him.
On Thursday, while cycling at RB, a very good cyclist whom I have met on Tuesday came and we rode together. He tried to get me to ride with the pack. But I'm just too cautious about riding close with the others and so I got dropped very fast. I had my first millisecond cramp when I tried to accelerate fast lol. We then went to have dinner with some other cyclists. I think they were all couples, I can't say that I have learnt anything about them because they were all grumpy and terse. I tried to make some conversations but all I got were one word answers. They were very unwelcoming and I can't help but feel that they were looking down at me for being a bad cyclist. Well, time will tell that I will be faster and better than them. But I'll always be welcoming and I'll always help out new cyclists. So this arrogant cyclist tradition can change little by little.
Yesterday I rode the long Montrose ride with my new friend. This was supposed to be the slow ride, yet the pace was fast and erratic compared to normal. At the start of the ride, I spent probably half of my energy focusing and stressing out about having to ride so close to the others. So I had a hard time keeping up. There was a point where someone gave me a push, so embarrassing. During the whole ride, it was drizzling nonstop and the road was super slippery. I would never have ridden by myself in this weather. Thankfully my friend was always there to help me, telling me what to do and waiting for me. I would seriously not have finished the ride or even attempted it if not for him! He knows a guy who does VO2max tests, apparently this person is so skilled that the Tour de France cyclists get advice from him! I'm going to take this test myself next week. Can't wait, I hope the results would be encouraging and show some potential :)
This morning, I rode up the 2. The road was wet and slippery. As I was going up further, fog started to appear. I wasn't feeling very comfortable because I didn't have lights on. I thought it might get better, however, the fog became so dense such that I couldn't see 10 feet in front of me. And it started to rain. I really really wanted to finish the ride but didn't want to risk getting run over, so I turned back 3/4 of the way up. As I was descending, I constantly looked back to see if there was a car behind me. This was a disconcerting ride, yet the spectacular view and the fresh air made up for it.
I have done 115 miles this week. I lost 1 lb this week (currently at 128 lb). I can see the muscle definitions more clearly now. So I believe I have lost some fat....now so hungry I'm feeling sleepy but don't feel like eating but I know I have to - do you know this feeling?
On Thursday, while cycling at RB, a very good cyclist whom I have met on Tuesday came and we rode together. He tried to get me to ride with the pack. But I'm just too cautious about riding close with the others and so I got dropped very fast. I had my first millisecond cramp when I tried to accelerate fast lol. We then went to have dinner with some other cyclists. I think they were all couples, I can't say that I have learnt anything about them because they were all grumpy and terse. I tried to make some conversations but all I got were one word answers. They were very unwelcoming and I can't help but feel that they were looking down at me for being a bad cyclist. Well, time will tell that I will be faster and better than them. But I'll always be welcoming and I'll always help out new cyclists. So this arrogant cyclist tradition can change little by little.
Yesterday I rode the long Montrose ride with my new friend. This was supposed to be the slow ride, yet the pace was fast and erratic compared to normal. At the start of the ride, I spent probably half of my energy focusing and stressing out about having to ride so close to the others. So I had a hard time keeping up. There was a point where someone gave me a push, so embarrassing. During the whole ride, it was drizzling nonstop and the road was super slippery. I would never have ridden by myself in this weather. Thankfully my friend was always there to help me, telling me what to do and waiting for me. I would seriously not have finished the ride or even attempted it if not for him! He knows a guy who does VO2max tests, apparently this person is so skilled that the Tour de France cyclists get advice from him! I'm going to take this test myself next week. Can't wait, I hope the results would be encouraging and show some potential :)
This morning, I rode up the 2. The road was wet and slippery. As I was going up further, fog started to appear. I wasn't feeling very comfortable because I didn't have lights on. I thought it might get better, however, the fog became so dense such that I couldn't see 10 feet in front of me. And it started to rain. I really really wanted to finish the ride but didn't want to risk getting run over, so I turned back 3/4 of the way up. As I was descending, I constantly looked back to see if there was a car behind me. This was a disconcerting ride, yet the spectacular view and the fresh air made up for it.
I have done 115 miles this week. I lost 1 lb this week (currently at 128 lb). I can see the muscle definitions more clearly now. So I believe I have lost some fat....now so hungry I'm feeling sleepy but don't feel like eating but I know I have to - do you know this feeling?
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
So Stoked!!
Today I was riding at RB as always on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This is because I want to ride 'with' the pack so that they can provide encouragement for me to go faster, but most often times, they are just too fast it gets rather sad. As I was getting my bike ready, a very fit guy rode up to me (his muscles are scary) and we cycled together. He is Cat 1 and has been racing since he was 13. He raced pro in Germany and France etc in the nineties. After chatting a bit, he wanted to ride with me and coach me in cycling! Base training, interval training, riding in group techniques etc etc. OMG, I have always wanted to ride with guys who are in Cat 3 or 2, but never dreamt of riding with a Cat 1 cyclist! Later some of his friends from the pack came and apparently they have all seen me cycling (embarrassingly slow) and said that I am a smooth and strong rider. This guy is really nice and seems patient, because I will clearly be super slow compared to him and my bike handling skills are still almost nonexistent. He also knows a lot of people and I shall be introduced into the pro cycling 'club'. Just imagine the tonnes of invaluable things I will learn and the opportunities! I am so stoked!!
Friday, October 5, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2012
Monterey Bay
Last weekend I went up to Monterey Bay. An old friend from school has been asking me to go up there for a film festival. At first, I thought it's too far a drive, but after my Germany trip, I realized that I need to take little trips to refresh and regroup. As well, apparently cycling is good in Monterey. So I decided to go up there for the weekend.
On Friday I started driving at around 8.30 am. It would be a 6 hours drive but I'd make it in 5. I think I'm getting bored of driving. I get really sleepy when I drive and have to stop every few hours. As I was nearing Monterey, the temperature outside was still in the 30s, but all of a sudden it went down to the teens. Such a fast transition! The air was very fresh too. I drove into town at around 1.30 pm and went to see some films at the festival. The films were quite interesting. I liked the one where they were following some sharks migration and breeding. The female shark has 2 uteri and each contain many fertilized eggs, yet only 2 babies come out. This is because there is cannibalism going on inside the womb where the bigger baby sharks eat the smaller ones to survive. Still after awhile I fell asleep during the film.
The next morning I got up early to do some cycling on 17 mile drive. The day before I found out that it cost $10 to drive through it but biking is free. So of course I parked my car outside and cycled in. I guess I didn't have to get up so early because it was foggy and so cold! But there were lots of cyclists there already and the view was great too. The smell not so much. The ride was rather short so I did two rounds. Still it really wasn't much of a workout, my heart rate barely increased.
For lunch I met up with my old friend. I found out pretty soon that he is full of shit. I don't know if he has changed or I can see clearly now, I think it may be a combination of both. For instance, he is a shark hugger and complains and calls the government ignorant for wanting to kill sharks that have attacked and killed 5 surfers in WA in the past year. I asked him what does he think of a tuna or a sardine? He says that sardines are fine to eat, but tunas feed on many other fish to grow big so it's unsustainable to eat them. There are many things that I disagree with here. First, what makes a shark any different from a tuna or a sardine? They can not choose what they are born as. And I have never understood why some people think they can play god by deciding which species is worth protecting while others are to be eaten. Second, if a person truly wants to be sustainable and not just trying to sound sophisticated and environmental, he'd become a vegetarian or better yet, choose not to exist. As well, even I know that sharks have low metabolism while tunas have high metabolism, so in actual fact it's more sustainable to eat sharks. Third, the government choosing to kill these sharks is a very logical move to protect the community. What else could they do? They cannot put up nets to protect the surfers and swimmers because that would cause even more protest from animal lovers and indeed kill non offending animals. To call the government ignorant for doing their job is very ignorant in itself. This would all be fine if not for the fact that he thinks that he is humble, worldly, well-conversed and sophisticated. He proudly tells me that he talks to bums. He himself doesn't have a job and is floating around, basically not far removed from becoming a bum. And to be proud to talk to bums, seriously?! That says a lot about ones maturity and arrogance. So I conclude that he is full of shit.
I was happy to have been done with him and go off to see the aquarium. Parking was horrible. There were lots which charge flat rates of $20! So I looked for a spot on the street. It only cost $1.50 per hour and the meter still had 4 hours left! Ha free parking. The aquarium was amazing. I loved the jelly fish. There were so many kinds and they looked so delicate. While looking at them, I got quite hungry. I also liked the touch pool. But there were only star fish, sea slugs and kelps. I wanted to touch more things. I guess these are the hardy ones and can stand all the touching. Oh yes, I also loved the eels (they were almost like static corals but then you see the eyes and teeth) and sea horses (I saw a movie of a male sea horse giving birth lol). As well as the gigantic aquarium housing sea turtles, tunas and sharks and another huge aquarium containing many different fish swimming in an enormous kelp forest.
The following morning, I was to cycle the Cachagua loop. It was supposedly intermediate level and 30 miles. I was all dressed and ready to go. Once I got there though, I discovered that the road was super narrow and had no center divide. It looked hard to fit 2 cars let alone cyclists. I kept driving hoping to find the road widening. But it never did. As well, there were sections of the road that my car had trouble going up, it reminded me of going up to Baldy ski lifts ahhhh. Later it got a bit flatter and I thought about parking at a lookout point, but there were hardly anyone up there. And I was afraid that by the time I get back my car may already be gone. So I'm sad to say that I didn't do any cycling.
In conclusion, a great little trip. I should do more of these, maybe once every couple of weeks.
On Friday I started driving at around 8.30 am. It would be a 6 hours drive but I'd make it in 5. I think I'm getting bored of driving. I get really sleepy when I drive and have to stop every few hours. As I was nearing Monterey, the temperature outside was still in the 30s, but all of a sudden it went down to the teens. Such a fast transition! The air was very fresh too. I drove into town at around 1.30 pm and went to see some films at the festival. The films were quite interesting. I liked the one where they were following some sharks migration and breeding. The female shark has 2 uteri and each contain many fertilized eggs, yet only 2 babies come out. This is because there is cannibalism going on inside the womb where the bigger baby sharks eat the smaller ones to survive. Still after awhile I fell asleep during the film.
The next morning I got up early to do some cycling on 17 mile drive. The day before I found out that it cost $10 to drive through it but biking is free. So of course I parked my car outside and cycled in. I guess I didn't have to get up so early because it was foggy and so cold! But there were lots of cyclists there already and the view was great too. The smell not so much. The ride was rather short so I did two rounds. Still it really wasn't much of a workout, my heart rate barely increased.
For lunch I met up with my old friend. I found out pretty soon that he is full of shit. I don't know if he has changed or I can see clearly now, I think it may be a combination of both. For instance, he is a shark hugger and complains and calls the government ignorant for wanting to kill sharks that have attacked and killed 5 surfers in WA in the past year. I asked him what does he think of a tuna or a sardine? He says that sardines are fine to eat, but tunas feed on many other fish to grow big so it's unsustainable to eat them. There are many things that I disagree with here. First, what makes a shark any different from a tuna or a sardine? They can not choose what they are born as. And I have never understood why some people think they can play god by deciding which species is worth protecting while others are to be eaten. Second, if a person truly wants to be sustainable and not just trying to sound sophisticated and environmental, he'd become a vegetarian or better yet, choose not to exist. As well, even I know that sharks have low metabolism while tunas have high metabolism, so in actual fact it's more sustainable to eat sharks. Third, the government choosing to kill these sharks is a very logical move to protect the community. What else could they do? They cannot put up nets to protect the surfers and swimmers because that would cause even more protest from animal lovers and indeed kill non offending animals. To call the government ignorant for doing their job is very ignorant in itself. This would all be fine if not for the fact that he thinks that he is humble, worldly, well-conversed and sophisticated. He proudly tells me that he talks to bums. He himself doesn't have a job and is floating around, basically not far removed from becoming a bum. And to be proud to talk to bums, seriously?! That says a lot about ones maturity and arrogance. So I conclude that he is full of shit.
I was happy to have been done with him and go off to see the aquarium. Parking was horrible. There were lots which charge flat rates of $20! So I looked for a spot on the street. It only cost $1.50 per hour and the meter still had 4 hours left! Ha free parking. The aquarium was amazing. I loved the jelly fish. There were so many kinds and they looked so delicate. While looking at them, I got quite hungry. I also liked the touch pool. But there were only star fish, sea slugs and kelps. I wanted to touch more things. I guess these are the hardy ones and can stand all the touching. Oh yes, I also loved the eels (they were almost like static corals but then you see the eyes and teeth) and sea horses (I saw a movie of a male sea horse giving birth lol). As well as the gigantic aquarium housing sea turtles, tunas and sharks and another huge aquarium containing many different fish swimming in an enormous kelp forest.
The following morning, I was to cycle the Cachagua loop. It was supposedly intermediate level and 30 miles. I was all dressed and ready to go. Once I got there though, I discovered that the road was super narrow and had no center divide. It looked hard to fit 2 cars let alone cyclists. I kept driving hoping to find the road widening. But it never did. As well, there were sections of the road that my car had trouble going up, it reminded me of going up to Baldy ski lifts ahhhh. Later it got a bit flatter and I thought about parking at a lookout point, but there were hardly anyone up there. And I was afraid that by the time I get back my car may already be gone. So I'm sad to say that I didn't do any cycling.
In conclusion, a great little trip. I should do more of these, maybe once every couple of weeks.
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