Title : Cycling For Health Part 2

When I made up my mind to get a MTB, to prepare for the "real on road" test, I try pedaling hard by using stationary bike in the gym. With highest tension on the stationary bike, I can pedal ~20 mins before my legs can't take the "lactic acid" anymore. Then I go try out my neighbor MTB, I find out I can pedal quite comfortably with his MTB with just 5mins test, although my neighbor told me he using " light gears", at that time I don't really understand what he meant, but I didn't pay attention either, I'm a happy man at that moment because I find his bike is "light" to pedal. I told myself, "hey, this is EASY, I've no problem to do it". [ This conclusion turn out to be one of my biggest "naive" in my life or " katak di bawah tempurung" by Malay ]

I bought my MTB in first week of April 2009, below is my first ride experience (just to showed how badly I'm physically 5 months ago) :

My neighbor and me set out cycle to Pulau Tikus from Bukit Jambul (where we stayed) for breakfast on first Saturday after I get hold of my bike. It is 37 km round trip, pedal on tar road, with some hills to climb, remember, I stay at a place called "Bukit" Jambul. This trip doesn't bothered me because my neighbor say from his experience, it is easy ride only, and it should just take ~2hrs to complete the trip. We start ride at 7am, 100m out from my apartment, we already start climbing a ~300m up hill; I get into trouble straight away, I feel how come the bike is so heavy; feel like dragging 1 ton weitht, leg sourness already start kick in, breath heavily after ~100m climb. When I finished the ~300m up hill climb, my lung almost going exploit, I can't felt my legs and I suspect my face turn "white" due to lack of oxygen. Luckily a ~ 1km down hill follow suit, at least I have some time to catch my breath. When we climb second up hill ( Yeap Chor Yee Road ), I give up instantly for the up hill, I just couldn't do it and my neighbor is no where in sight. ( actually they do waiting for me 300m in front and they do waiting for me few times a long the trip ).

To cut story short, I push the bike whenever there is a slight incline for the rest of the trip, my legs got beat up, out of breath few times just cycle on flat road, only fast and shallow breaths because my breath diaphragm in pain. When I reach my door step ~12pm ( 2hrs trip become 5hrs trip!!! ), first sentence coming out from my wife when she saw me is "how come you look like shit". Yes, I just have the most sweating in my life; I just go through the longest heavy breathing of my life; I just walk the longest distance on tar road in my life; I didn't realize that 11am heat can made me felt dizzy, the list go on. I laid on my bed like a dead man for 15mins ( seriously, I not even moving single finger in that 15 mins, that just how tired I'm or get beat up ).

I also start cycling to work the subsequent Monday after my "hell" trip on Saturday, I figured if I can "survived" ~37km trip, a 10km distance to work place should not beat me up so badly, moreover, route to my working place is mostly flat road.

After 5 months into cycling, which I try my best at least cycled 100km per week, here the results:

Physically:
--> can do ~80 km round Penang trip in 5hrs (At one time, I thought a person can pedal 80km in one day is non-human)
--> from take 30 mins 10km working route reduced to 21mins
--> from take 30 mins climb up Bukit Jambul track down to 11 mins climbing
--> average speed on bicycle increased from ~20km/h to ~25km/hr, max speed from 24km/h to 35km/h (based on flat road)
--> can pedal up Balik Pulau either from Bayan Lepas or using Tun Sardon Road ( previously dare not go near these roads, at one time, I thought a person can pedal up Tun Sardan is non-human)
--> can run 3km non-stop vs 400m running
--> you can refer to our blog for our off-road activities ( I still suffers a lot in this area )
--> Cycling mileages clocking ~1500 km ( I off for 3 weeks after my bicycle accident in Jamboree).

Medical facts:
--> sex = male ( I hope you guys get my joke )
--> hypertension is in control now, reading = 130/80 ( still taking medicine )
--> still a smoker ( still get scolded by doctor, because when she ask me when I'm going to stop smoking, my answer is " I'm not ready yet", this answer really drive her go nuts and my cycling friends too, haha) (however, have been reduced from 20 sticks/day become ~12 sticks/day; I do planning to stop, wait until I'm ready first...lah)
--> no gout attack after April
--> body weight reduced from 91kg to 83kg, that 8kg in 5 months!!! (for meal portion wise, I still eat like no body business, just less oily food)
--> no more chronic headache, i think my headache happen only once for past 5 months
--> cholesterol level down to 6.1 (Aug 2009) vs previously 7.5 (Nov 2008) (clap hand please, my best record for past 15 years is cholesterol level stay flat after one year, where got go down...wan)
Update 2009, November 16; latest overall cholesterol level is 4.0 mmol/l !!!
Update 2010, 1st Jan; I weighted at 82kg now.
Update 2010, 16th July; I weighted at 76kg.
Warning!!! Below section is one middle age guy blowing his own horn, you can straight go to "what my thoughts" section if you short of time or don't want to vomit.

Priceless (pinjam from Mastercard advertisement):
--> some newbie look at me as some tough guy now....:)))
--> peoples mouth turn to O shape when I tell them I done 80km trip yesterday
--> i think I can live longer now....hehehe
--> save the cheerleader, save the world. (ooops, watch too much Heroes), it should be, save the world by reducing using fossil fuel
--> some stitches on my left face due to big crash in one of the up north Jamboree, look very 'the' man right now
--> What! Yeap Chor Yee road is a hill meh??


What my thoughts:
--> listen to doctor and take actions on our health, especially if we're the bread winner (some guys from trust fund told me I need RM 4 million to raise my child now...hai)
--> i realized now that those products/slimming centers saying can reduce our weight by charging exorbitant price is bull shit, frequent exercise is the key
--> we don't really need to reduce foods intake to reduce weight, high exercise intensity is the key
--> healthy weight reduction is through exercises, not taking slimming pills (I go to that route few times)
--> moutain biking allowed me to see another beautiful face of Penang (fresh air, scenic views from top of mountains), a face that we forever can't see if we using car
--> I felt really good to have connection with mother nature again
--> I even have better sleep quality every night
--> something to look forward to for every weekend where to cycling for sights seeing, instead of just eat...window shopping...sleep...eat again...tv time.
--> no longer feeling guilty when chucking in mouthful of foods
--> your body will thank you because you start exercise
--> it is not easy to stay in shape, woke up at 5/6 am on weekends for riding. BUT, is worth it when you're on top one of the mountain to look at scenic view below you cast in morning sun. AND you have just burn 1000 calories to reach where you stand.

Lastly, thanks to my neighbor ( Ang and Mei Ling) introduced (or con) me to this wonderful exersice and all the guidance given by other cyclist I met on the road. I'm sure will pedal hard while saving the cheerleader. :P

Cycling For Health Part II End