Vicious Lifecycle.

Riding and Running Selfish?

2010-01-15T13:56:00.002+08:00

How to keep your Spouse and Family Happy (whilst you’re training hard)

If you have not already noticed your partner may not be so supportive when you disappear for hours on end on the bike or you talk endlessly about your love of riding. So here are some tips to keep them happy and how to manage your cycling addiction whilst not creating world war three in your lounge.

Noel Carroll in 1981 highlighted that there was a ‘selfish runner syndrome’. He suggested that

‘Runners (change this to cyclists in our case.) may make better lovers, but sometimes lousy spouses: that is the problem’.

He stated that runners/cycling are an introverted lot. They like to keep their thoughts to themselves. Their behaviour is at best anti-social, at worst utterly selfish… It can create an atmosphere that does nobody any good, and certainly not the runner’.

Unless we are competing at a very high level and earning an income from cycling, we should aim to keep a good balance between cycling and the other areas of our life.

Tim Noakes in his brilliant book ‘The Lore of Running’ adds further to this with some helpful tips. The following is from his book.

1. Limit serious running to every second year and then to only a few months of that year

2. If you work in an office, run to and from work if at all possible. Alternately, run in the early morning or during the lunch hour or both.

3. Don’t allow running to affect the way you carry out your household responsibilities. Doing so provides your family with a tangible reminder that they come second.

4. Be aware of the ‘danger times’- you will know what these are in your household. At these times, be at your most attentive and, at all costs, do not open your mail to see if your running magazines have arrived, discuss running, or worst of all, go out for a run. Weekends too must be handled carefully to ensure that running conflicts as little as possible with the family’s weekend recreation.

5. Don’t get overtired. As a runner with a family you must have to accept that, for the sake of your family, you simply can’t train hard enough to run at your best. That is the price that must quite realistically be paid.

(Noakes, 2003)

Noel Carroll also stated that you should

· Never complain of being tired

· Don’t always want to go home early on evening out

· Don’t talk running all the time (have other topics of conversation)

· Always play down the importance of running in your life.

(Carroll, 1981)

Got Blood?

2009-11-11T14:41:00.003+08:00

from Vimeo.

Ive got to dedicate this to myself..paying my dues..5 crashes on the same knees this year.

Decision Criteria...

2009-10-27T10:48:00.002+08:00

in discussing any joint action, it becomes obligatory that A should argue in favor of B’s supposed wishes and against his own, while B does the opposite. … they end up by doing something that neither wants, while each feels a glow of self-righteousness and harbors a secret claim to preferential treatment for the unselfishness shown and a secret grudges against the other for the ease with which the sacrifice has been accepted. (C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters, p 143)

close to home in a peloton..So what should your “decision criteria” be? Obviously, that depends on you.

The One Car Theory

2009-09-22T00:18:00.001+08:00

Imagine you could have any automobile of your choice. That auto would be your only auto and would have to last you for an entire lifetime. If it wore out, it could not be replaced. Once gone, you would be reduced to other methods of getting around, or borrowing rides from other people. One car and only one for your whole life.

Would you take care of your car, or would you abuse it?

Would you change the oil regularly, keep it clean, park it in a garage?

Of course you would take the best care you possibly could of your vehicle. No going out to the drag races on Friday night. Only premium fuel for your motor. Tune-ups, antifreeze, lubrications, maintenance — always you would choose nothing but the best for your automobile.

Would you let your auto sit idly for a year? Never.

Would you push it to the limits to find out how fast it could go, or what the roughest terrain is that it could possibly handle? Absolutely not.

If you were given only one car for a lifetime of use it is clear that you would never abuse it, you would always take the best care of it you possibly could. You would provide all the necessary maintenance and care your car needed and deserved. Right?

What if you had only one body?

To be a cyclist

2009-07-23T00:45:00.000+08:00

"To be a cyclist is to be a student of pain....at cycling's core lies pain, hard and bitter as the pit inside a juicy peach. It doesn't matter if you're sprinting for an Olympic medal, a town sign, a trailhead, or the rest stop with the homemade brownies. If you never confront pain, you're missing the essence of the sport. Without pain, there's no adversity. Without adversity, no challenge. Without challenge, no improvement. No improvement, no sense of accomplishment and no deep-down joy. Might as well be playing Tiddly-Winks." -- Scott Martin

Turn the page...( The life on the road....)

2009-07-13T12:57:00.001+08:00

Finishline Ceramic lubricant

2009-07-09T21:16:00.003+08:00

After using Prolink and Parktool PTFE lube , I have now on test is Finishline Ceramic wet lube. It seem to be roll better under torque and stays on way longer than any additive based lubricant ive tried so far and its easy to get off. Put in bearings and your golden...

Biggy Wheel Slide

2009-06-14T20:32:00.007+08:00

...Hilarious..replayed it twice
cant get it more fun than this....the coolest ever descent....

XTERRA MALAYSIA

2009-06-08T13:01:00.017+08:00

In a short update ( tired from the journey back, well , you know karak..having it on a school holiday makes it really rough on the journey ).

Xterra Malaysia , somehow pulled it off with its back against the wall.Seen the weary faces of the organisers and of course the gaps in between which was left out or decided to be left out.

Swim as usual becomes the standard routine @ 15 hundred meter with occasional jellies.

On a pre-emptive race recce, I was ready to boitch about the "mtb" section , hearing that its comprises of 60% road. Somehow , being a mtber, it ain't that bad after going thru the whole course. Never the less , the weather hit hard on the red clay terrain churning red clay patty cakes of from at least 300 pairs of knobbiest tires. ( hmm mud beaters...) with many punctures too.

No traction and hi - tire pressure was talked about alot.. :-) Somehow the rain is welcomed even though everyone is mud coated from head to toe.I welcome it , made the track much more challenging else it be faster.

Trail run is anti clock wise with 2 iteration together with some tree trunks in between and some batu cave staircases , the nice part is boulder scrambling but that is already an tip-off. The beach run, is UN-effortless. I must say not providing any presentation has its springy surprises.BUT one thing that really sux is going thru the WASTE rivers meeting the sea.

For me, i hara-kiri'ed for a higher cause. I will be full out for the next one.

Congrats Lydia Tan on setting the bar for her category and taking Rank 1.

And also to Carmen , Chris whom respectively got 2nd and 3rd. Simon whom got Rank 1 too

Heck , 15th and i didnt even try !! Could have gotten within top 7..

This dude walked 15 km of bike section +10km trail run in the worst condition to finished the race. Overheard stories for some serious crashed which requires stitches from others as well.

Good Job for the Xterra's org...well selected trails wtih some degree of technicality , endurance and bike handling/carrying. More offroad the next one. less road.

_____________________________________________________________________________

5/6/09

So everyone is registered? Yes i have , no i have not paid yet. Plenty of online hype i note. kinda hard sell.. i presume.. well.. lets see.. as relay 250 and individual 150 seems pretty steep for its inaugural statement fee's without historical backing. It ought to be more relay than individual.. Well..lets just wait and see if its "Hup-Hup" for Xterra. i am sure it would. i really dont mind the Xterra Tattoo :)

Update:

Lousy crap TCBEACHHOTEL canceled my booking ( booked in March) via extremely arrogant owner.whom says another batch booking override my booking. i did not hesitate to give him a piece of my mind on this matter. Dont think he be able to sustain/maintain his hotel in this standard. i'll send TC "bitch" hotel a billion termites.

Lucky, Reliable friends got enough room space for this bloke.

BikeJoring aint Bike Whoring

2009-05-17T17:09:00.001+08:00

Bikejoring, is a dog mushing activity related to skijoring, canicross, and dog scootering. It is a recreation or sport where a harnessed dog or team of dogs attached to a towline, pull and run ahead of a cyclist. Bikejoring is a non snow season (dryland) activity. Bikejoring and canicross are both dryland mushing activities that probably developed from skijoring and dogsled racing. Bikejoring is also sometimes used to train racing sled-dogs out of season.

Perhaps the local bike shop will stock Eukaneuba or Science Diet Gel (with real Chicken pieces ) or Pedigree Pal Recovery Diet.

Makes me so wanna get 2 mutts. Who's gonna be the pooper sweeper tonite?

GBR Epic Route : Madness to the grind.

2009-05-17T16:19:00.016+08:00

Image courtesy of Adzim, Mastermind by Terry , Supported by Fuzen , Chuah , Support vehicle by Shaharin & Razali.

There are biking routes that makes you sick till your ass n legs hurts, but this one makes you sick till you cant feel your nuts, eyes are glazed and a sore asshole.

There is no time for posuer photo but only to refuel. There is systematic pulls , unwritten rule not to let anyone behind. 8100 feet of climbs over 200 km within 10 hours. Legs over the top tube, everyone know whats in front and knows what must be done.After going up Fraser the thought of another climb is prickling.Just think of it as 200 km of pleasurable sex with 3 climax.The rain came and went , somehow it was therapeutic This ain't your regular PCC rides. Don't think anything can top this for the moment in scale. we didn't really full fill the promise as the main summit climax is left out. Thankful for this bargain set at gohtong jaya somehow shows of false tiny flats, but never did it plateau. No water in the bidon aint goona help much.

With 7 of us working together. We can only take our turn on the flat and each its own on the climb. Nothing much is said , only during the pocket's of rest , jokes are cracked. Maybe its just me. Perhaps Vintry (the nite before) and epic ride tomorrow don't gel well. Brutal.

There is a sheer bliss of accomplishment within surrounded by some silence of thoughts. with occasional funny trash talking taking place on to lift the spirits up. Makes it worth while getting up at 5 am , Looking at the helmet ,stacked gloves and stuff into the brain bucket.Looking at my cold oatmeal prepared overnight.Then looking at my two wheel knowing as i pushes it out, It will take me out there somewhere today with the wind in in my face to wake me up.

I would like to thank the guys in the ride and they out on support.

Truly. epic.

Just snort..if someone mentions broga...

Raise EPO level by taking Echinacea

2009-05-17T14:49:00.002+08:00

The effect of 4 wk of oral echinacea supplementation on serum erythropoietin and indices of erythropoietic status.

Thus the belief giving relief to colds. Of Course you can try it...

We are what we do.

2009-05-12T13:57:00.000+08:00

We say, "In calmness there should be activity; ' in activity there should be calmness." Actually, they are the same thing; to say "calmness" or to say "activity" is just to express different interpretations of one fact. There is harmony in our activity, and where there is harmony there is calmness. - D.T. Suzuki...

i want a HAND JOB...like this

2009-05-07T11:02:00.002+08:00

Just too cool.. i wet the underneath of my desk..

Some days is like this.

2009-05-06T15:38:00.002+08:00

MountainTorq - via ferrata mount kk - kinabalu

2009-05-04T15:41:00.002+08:00

Time to climb some more granite step up on cold steel rails....and non-Teflon coated cables. Gonna try the air up there. May 28. "Must be cleansing"

"Climb the mountain and get their good tidings . Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The wind will blow their own Freshness into you and the storms their energy , while care will drop off like autumn leaves. " John Muir.

Minor Update:

Just got back from it.Not bad at all. can be pretty scary/repetitive for some.Pounding headache. Freezing nuts and finger..busted knees on the climb down to timpohan. 16 hours of sex-like euphoria and depleted energy.

Meanwhile check these guys out they were "here" just last month . Borneo Big wall check video 6# @ 1.10 ... gnarly

Major update comes next :

We climb from mesilau, mesilau resort is nice enough to give us guys the suite. ( includes a room heater ) unlike the ladies whom got the bunker. however it goes vice verse in laban rata we guys will get the bunker. :) Steam boat dinner was excellent.

We had scramble up from mesilau to laban rate in sub5 hours..Everyone got in by 2 pm. Free flow of coffee and tea is highly sought after. On to Mountain Torq briefing and training. Safety and procedural technique is attended to. No drama there , except some ladies whom isn't to sure about the equipments.

Dinner is served @ 5.30 . the food there ain't that bad.

Everyone started to disperse after dinner to get some much needed rest after the hike up.

Assault to Summit starts at 2 am.. (too early for people like us ). the climb in the dark is therapeutic , only glimmer of headlights forming daisy chain as far as it glows forms the route. Some rested the summit too early and some just in time. but most of all ( the fast ones ) suffered the cold from the storm up there for 2 hours.

No sunrise, sunshine. (our luck)

On to via ferrata, looks pretty normal..untill one comes to the edge. the the fear factor starts creeping in. i myself can feel fear creep. Being a climber before, maybe its the cold magnifiying it.

Safety factor is 3 level. cant think of what can happen there unless it gets really slippery.

And slippery it was when it started raining on the way down @ 40%. Ferrata abort was called.

Had to climb back up. morale was on a all time low. Suggestion was taken for consideration for waiting on this passing rain. Fear of water fall occuring is in most of our mind.Mountain gods is smiling. Weather is clear with no rain. we proceeded. Its nice. reommended to go with a team you know. you will be more patient and forgivin instead of people whom can or will slow you down.

climbing up from mesilau , assault to summit , doing the via ferrata and going back down to timpuhan within 36 hour can be daunting. ur warned.

i felt its tougher than ironman. 3 ironman agreed.

well depending on how fast you climb. ;)

Emo Support

2009-05-03T13:00:00.002+08:00

This the reason why sports person huddle together for emotional support as the non-sport person will never understand the sport person's waves of heighten sensation & crashes of emotional senses. Enduring the serotonin, adrenalin and endorphin blasting vs performance expectation vs ego.

Arrogant Smack Talking Bikeshops.

2009-04-27T22:34:00.003+08:00

...... there is a time and place for everything and with times like these i'd like to give my "50 cents".

more later.

Healing in progress.( moist healing ) 85% Complete.

2009-04-27T10:36:00.003+08:00

Using Opsite Flexgrid

Moist wound healing promote healing in matter of days instead of weeks with Exudate .so those folk-tales stories about cant eat certain food (like eggs and seafood ) are rubbish. Any protein will heal the wound.

Note the difference between Moist healing and Normal "dry" healing. Latter being much faster and smoother in comparison. Moist healing has better overall healing process as the second skin provides better wound protection unlike a scab.

Qoute of the week..

2009-04-24T23:49:00.001+08:00

Competition is the spice of sports; but if you make spice the whole meal you’ll be sick.

You choose...

2009-04-24T23:34:00.004+08:00

Found this gem. No wonder some are still the way they are...

You go to a fast food chain restaurant. You look at the menu board and notice that they have recently revised their offerings to include a new side salad. You place your order for a $10 restaurant style McBurger and the person taking your order asks you, "would you like a fries, a baked potato, or a salad with the burger?"

You choose:

(a) the salad
(b) the baked potato
(c) the fries

The correct answer.. let me just say that according to some recent research in the Journal of Consumer Behavior it isn't the salad.

In the article Vicarious Goal Fulfillment: When the Mere Presence of a Healthy Option Leads to an Ironically Indulgent Decision researchers maintain that having a healthy item on the menu may make you less like to choose it, and more likely to choose the worst thing on the menu.Here's their explanation: The most common way that people perceive progress in attaining their goals is to actively pursue them. If, however, you have made some progress toward your goal, you may be tempted, at least temporarily, to choose some alternative that is not necessarily in line with your end goal.

The authors give the example of people who have just finished working out. They may feel that they have successfully satisfied their goal to be healthy (at least for the day) and therefore allow themselves to indulge in dessert at their next meal.What's even more interesting is that just intending to reach your goal makes it easier to indulge.

So if you take today off from training but you tell yourself, "tomorrow I have a long run scheduled" you are more likely to eat dessert tonight, even though you've done nothing today toward your goal. The authors' call that "vicarious goal fulfillment." Or, as the researchers put it, "when individuals have the opportunity to engage in a course of action that is consistent with healthy eating goals, as they do when a healthy alternative is merely present in a choice set, the consideration of this option will satisfy the goal—at least temporarily—and, in turn, license them to indulge".

The researchers set up a series of experiments in which participants were given a list of food choices. Some lists included healthy items. Some didn't.

If the healthy choice were present, the unhealthiest option was chosen. In addition, if you were a "high self-control" person -- someone who was very self-disciplined -- you were more likely to do so. The researcher's bottom line: ""Just because we consumers want to see healthier items available does not mean that we are going to choose them."

The bottom line for athletes: Stay out of fast food restaurants -- especially those that offer salads with their fries!

and still the way they are...

Coming to Consciousness

2009-04-23T00:28:00.006+08:00

There is no coming to consciousness without pain.

It seems so dark and nihilistic were it not for the fact that pain , as much as we cushion it in modern society is still pure and intense affirmation of life.It help us shape our world , and when we step away from the comfort of air-conditioning, two-ply toilet paper and other social tranquilizer. Whenever we strap down/ ratchet those uncomfortable shoes tight on our feet.Hunched over the handlebars and stomp our whole body one leg at a time on the pedals with every fiber of being screams in agony.

We know we are completely alive.

Danny Macaskill is the next Hans Ray...

2009-04-22T15:24:00.001+08:00

freaking amazing.. i feel like i am shit on a bike..

KLMTB Hash @ ulu rening

2009-04-22T10:42:00.003+08:00

A nice progreesive build up ride nicely shaded with some fast fireroads.

its goona be a nice epic ride on 10th may

Roller Cool...

2009-04-16T00:33:00.001+08:00

The darn LBS here got to install one of these...babies..

Chain skip and the reprecussion

2009-04-13T12:20:00.015+08:00

Road rash has to be one of the things many dont wanna experience ever in this degree. Withering in pain as i am posting this. if your chain is skipping, you have to look into it no matter how minor,else this is the reprecussion of having the skip during out of the saddle burst. Doing 45kmh. i could feel my skin tearing/ripping away upon contacting the rough tarmac. ripping my rock racing jersey. lycra turned into fine 300 grit sandpaper. i swear they were looking like strawberries when fresh.

Valverde Spanish Dope to Puerto

2009-04-02T15:53:00.004+08:00

Ever notice not one euro footballer , tennis player etc etc ( but cyclist ) got busted?

Aint saying that it is a good thing but heck, its just a merry go round musical chair playing. That one does not get a chair , gets busted.

wait till Gene-doping comes in...

Pedros Ethik bag

2009-04-02T15:37:00.007+08:00

An awesome idea Pedro's has to be one of the coolest companies around this bag name of super strong, recyclable HDPE fabric (for those outdoor peep, your camping ground sheet) being use for this seat bag. Got this shot at the LBS , somehow i believe it is the rejected version of this Ethik bag

Totally unaware thus no cold drink..

2009-03-19T00:05:00.001+08:00

Less is more..

2009-03-15T12:42:00.000+08:00

Quote For The Day:

"There are occasionally people in your life with whom you have an innate sense of communication. I've found that these people are often your training partners. Perhaps it's due to the countless hours spent together not always being able to communicate verbally. Instead, we consciously and subconsciously study and learn their movements and expressions. Over time words are needed less and less. Rather a subtle gesture or body movement or quick look is all it takes to completely understand each other.

Just like being on deck. Glancing each other in the eye , ready for the swim.

Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy

2009-03-08T17:36:00.003+08:00

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/PainNews/Story?id=6895441&page=1

interesting..

Vinegar Aids Post Exercise Glycogen Repletion

2009-03-08T13:56:00.001+08:00

The efficacy of acetic acid for glycogen repletion in rat skeletal muscle after exercise.

http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/131/7/1973

http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/reprint/131/7/1973.pdf

so now you know. Balsamic vinegar rocks.

S107 : benzothiazepine, coming soon to plugs that leak.

2009-03-08T13:47:00.002+08:00

The compounds stabilise protein channels that would otherwise 'leak' calcium from muscle cells during strenuous exercise. Calcium is needed for muscle contraction and this 'leaking' effect weakens the contractions and is a causal factor in muscle fatigue.

http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2009/January/23010901.asp

Listed in WADA

10 Years Anniversary : Ironman Langkawi 2009

2009-03-02T22:56:00.021+08:00

I cant find the right words to put it, 10 years since i started doing triathlon.
with everything in between.

Perhaps i can say much more in days to come, however in this meantime i only have this to share:

*It really doesn't matter one is slower or faster in the big picture. Its really about the bigger picture, on what you really care for after the event and what you look forward to that really matters. ( Do exclude the pro's, its their bread and butter )
*Yes, it did sink in, it felt like a dream , perhaps its due to the training too. but IRONMAN journey does change you. Dealing with the "cards" on hand, its only in your mind. however in distance wise it very much doable.Same goes in just about anything that requires this much effort.
*When you do the "iron". You train , you get there , and you just " go " its ZEN like. you got no room to think or worry. Again, its ZEN like.
*The sun burns your skin, it will also burn into your memory.
* Its not like your buying a bike ,tangible where you get to touch and ride it, this feeling is intangible. All the effort, energy and emotion is just pour into one day. Its intense and its gonna be a memory.
*When you do this , you will know who really cares.( if you tell them.) or those whom are there with ya.
* There are lies and deceit as you go deeper/higher. you ought to know the difference.
*There is a time and place for this, that's when you have everything in the right manner, more power to you. Perhaps there is a form of escape in doing this.But that is your mental issue. You don't bring issues to the Ironman and even if you do. You will learn "acceptance".
*And whatever happens in the event , you will still go on to finish it. Even if it's a few tries.
*You dont need hi-zoot bike to start your journey. Don't need to spend a ton for this event.
*You will encounter many "methodology" in triathlon , or in any athletics as you go higher up .You be wise to know the difference and what will suit you.
Ironman is just a "BRAND" just like McDonalds there is no need to go "i am lovin it". No reason to brand yourself.
*And being positive matters, Positive people matters. Stay away from the negative energy.
*Even the best plan can fail on the course, you ought to be agile enough to compensate.Its all about decision making. Preparation includes managing risk. Managing risk means expect the worst but you can still reduce the impact. (Bring pain killers)
*In doing this ,in your pocket what you got now is a huge reserve in confidence in whatever you may partake.

FTAAA got what it deserve

2009-02-06T16:48:00.004+08:00

You reap what you sow.

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Friday/Sport/2472280/Article/index_html

In ever changing times where runner are looking for more distance, support , peak experiences during and after the event. Where revenue comes in from both sponsors and the participants is bound that you FTAA will only lose your hold once runners starts talking after the event.Well aware of the quality of FTAA planning and also the resources of not putting enough thoughts for the runners.

I had an experience of being shouted at and being in an argument with a representative for me stepping into the path line to support my frends in the last KLIM 08.

Lets be clear here , if your goona let your whole family tree and village to run the event. Be prepared for you will only have such event fit for your own pride and not for the runners.

Distance of Truth

2009-02-04T10:11:00.003+08:00

Check out minute 1.08. if you think ur hardcore enough.

Sport Psycho Part 2: Peak Moment

2009-02-04T09:21:00.007+08:00

Another way that exercise can add to the quality of life is by offering opportunities to experience peak moments.Peak moments provide a base for vivid, fulfilling, often reviewed memories that help define individuals’ lives and give them meaning. The feeling dimension ranges from one extreme of misery to the opposite extreme of ecstasy The performance dimension ranges from an extreme of total failure to personal best. The center of the figure is neutral and typifies many everyday experiences consisting of average performance and neutral feelings. The entire top right quadrant of the feeling and performance model depicted in the picture above contains diverse yet somewhat similar peak moments that tend to occur in physical activity.

A peak performance is spontaneous, represents superior functioning, reflects a high standard of accomplishment, and can result from a wide variety of activities.

A peak experience reflects a psychological state that includes intense joy and happiness. It can be any experience that evokes strong, positive affective states such as peace,great joy, illumination, loss of self, or ecstasy Peak experiences are memorable, fulfilling, and personally meaningful moments that affect the quality of life.

The concept of flow,described as a positive psychological state and contributorto quality of life. The model describes flow as a delicatebalance between personal skill and task demands.

Demands of the task, the task is too easy, and boredom may occur. If an individual’s exercise ability is inadequate forthe task, the task is too difficult and is associated with anxiety. Apathy results if both perceived challenge and skilllevel are low. Flow results when the demands of the taskrequire intense concentration and when there is a matchbetween personal ability or skill and the demands of thetask.

The exerciser’s high is a specific type of peak experiencecharacterized by euphoria, a heightened sense of well-being, unusual perceptions of strength and power, aglimpse of perfection, and even spirituality. Runners, in particular, tend to report occasionallyexperiencing peak moments and a euphoric state while exercising. This experience extends to other activities (eg Cycling , Climbing) and can be broadened to exerciser’s high

Sport Psycho Part 1 : Staleness

2009-02-03T14:09:00.009+08:00

Overtraining and Staleness

Overtraining is “a process involving progressively increased training to a high absolute level that is in excess of more routine training undertaken to maintain performance”.The purpose of overtraining is to enhance physical performance, and it may be incorporated into the training process. Research on over-training has been conducted primarily with athletes, but the findings from these investigations may generalize to individuals who exercise at extreme levels. For both athletes and exercisers who over-train, knowing the optimal amount of training or exercise is often difficult but crucial for their level of performance and for quality of life. Too much training can detract from the quality of life Although various moderating factors may influence a person’s response to overtraining usually occurs when there is an imbalance between training and recovery.

Psychological Responses to Overtraining

During periods of light training, athletes and exercisers tend to report the desirable iceberg profile.However, research examining mood state responses to long duration overtraining (e.g., several months) in swimmers have found that progressive increases in training volume were associated with greater mood disturbance,and decreases in training volume were associated with an improvement in mood.The dose response relationship between mood states and changes in training levels has been reported with shorter periods of overtraining (e.g., 6 weeks or less) and in other sport settings with different overtraining regimens.If the imbalance between training and recovery persists for a lengthy period of time, staleness may occur. Staleness is a severe negative response to overtraining characterized by longterm decrement in performance capacity and dys-regulation of psychological and physiological states Individuals suffering from staleness have a decreased quality of life and may also be clinically depressed. The only proven treatment for staleness is rest.

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR

2009-01-25T23:23:00.005+08:00

Yeah, its goona be a hard knocking year... but hey dont let the BULLshit get to ya.

Have a good Year of the Bull...

Alright, a slighty cuter one..

There is no spoon

2009-01-22T23:13:00.004+08:00

I believe everything happens for a reason.

No way it is all incidents, life is either guided by an upper force or faith.

Though, some of us has the power to choose the directions of their life, while others are born into a given pattern.

Some of us are in search for the one they love, others search glory, hell, some guys search just to get rich and believe the rest will come with the money.

The only thing I ever searched, and I am still searching is inside peace.

My very own serenity.I first felt serenity after my very ride on the road , I finally felt "whole" with myself, I knew that I was doing something for myself, nobody else is going to gain from this sorrow.

Since that day I get my serenity dosage 5 times a week, but that's just not enough.Every time I'm close to get my serenity piece something screws up, and the whole tower collapses.

I felt I've been through too much, just can't carry it.

Pay for a psychologist, I just found it wrong.My pain, my thoughts, my state of mind is only mine, no one should be knowing what's going on there, hell, people are paying to share their thoughts!

Instead, I pay to clean my head in another place, where the payment comes in sweat.I've seen handicapped singles get to excellence just because they wanted.

I've seen people do the things that other would call impossible.I've heard stories, I read cases and I was told of legends.I am the one to guide my life.

My mind will always be the only thing to keep me back from achieving greatness in any given field.I believe some of you know trying to find a sequence between these paragraphs, save your time for more important things - "there is no spoon".

Mind is your barrier, thoughts are obstacles.Do the impossible, get what they say you couldn't, blow away the walls and crush the barricades.

Paying the Dues

2009-01-22T22:53:00.003+08:00

I'm not going out of Friday's night to get boozed off my mind, I stay clear and drink few beers just to have some fun if I ever do so.I'm not one of those idiots to start over with every girl they see, endurance taught me respect and I respect anyone 'till they lose it.

I'm not spending thousands for clothing, jewellery or stuff I don't need, money has it's value and is needed for living, not pleasure.

I'm not on the road to talk, look at the girls and try get myself one, not trying to make new friends and not there to fix the world.

I respect anyone who trains his ass off, paying his dues on the road and living the life of a tax payer, just like me, whether if that means not being able to hang on a party on the weekend 'cuz my legs are still wobbly and unstable, or 'cuz I must get the sleep to recover.

I am what I choose to be, and I chose my body to fight to the limits every workout, 5 times a week.

No one is gonna pat you on the back when you get a PR, no one is gonna hold your hand when your doing 5am cardio, no one is gonna pick you up after you fail.

Its all on you and how far you want to go, how bad do u want it? As i sit here, enraged wanting to go back to the road.

Bang for the buck groupset: Rival

2009-01-08T10:08:00.004+08:00

Was looking through the current list of componetry , in such frugal times one will need to decide on a groupsset , I'd choose Sram Rival. over 200 gram lighter than Ultegra Sl ,using the same braking and shifting mechanical ( zeroloss) internals as the Force. With Force only 100gram lighter.Just by up-rating the crank and pedal , you;d be able to close the gap on the 100 gram differences, and that is on rotational weight.

i'd think its a good groupset for an entry/mid level bike with some good weight property there.

It began in Afrikaaa....KAAa...kAaaa...

2009-01-02T13:56:00.003+08:00

Okay so i have been a lil sloppy on the updates, putting on lot's of kilometer for IM this February .

What i am trying to post up now is the fact i have missed something that was spreading through the internet like wild fire.

its about these duo...one shoe shiner and one biker taxi...its about time..cycling has some heroes from the ghetto and because you can't bullshit your way up a mountain..

...and apparently garmin chipotle is interested. So it began in afrikaaaaa.kaaaaa.kaa updates here

A happy OX year to you.

2009-01-01T03:43:00.001+08:00

Chrissie Wellington's Muppet Muesli

2008-12-29T22:28:00.001+08:00

Ironman world champion Chrissie Wellington, nick-named Muppet because, “I am sometimes lacking in common sense,” she says, swears by this satisfying blend of whole grains, healthy fats and protein from nuts and yogurt for breakfast every morning. If you prefer a little dried fruit, try substituting Raisin Bran for Grape-Nuts.

1 cup uncooked oats (not instant)
½ cup Grape-Nuts
¼ cup shredded coconut
1 huge handful of unsalted nuts (preferably Brazil nuts, cashews, peanuts, pistachios and almonds)
several tablespoons of sunflower and pumpkin seeds Sugar (too much to please my dentist)
plain yogurt to taste

Mix the top five ingredients together in a big bowl. Top with enough sugar and yogurt to tempt your taste buds. One bowl provides enough get-up-and-go fuel for one active triathlete.

Do you Ride to my Beat

2008-12-29T16:57:00.005+08:00

thumping tune i 'd listen at 80%

@ 70% a technical bunny hoppin ride...

Continuous Improvement

2008-12-16T23:42:00.005+08:00

You dont lower your goals so that your ability can reach it.

You improve your ability so you reach your goals.

Compartmentalize. Make sure everything that you need to attend to before, during and immediately after the race is taken care of. family friends , relationships , work , bills , etc etc.

Manage your worries effectively. Committing to your race plan is the best way to do this. Now is not the time to make any major changes.

Focus on process not outcome goals.
"Outcome goals have their place, but the closer an athlete gets to a big event, the more outcome thoughts can create stress, anxiety, and distractions." Task goals, also known as process goals -- how to win -- are the best object of your attention during the last days before a big event.

Practice staying in "The Present." From here on in it's all about "The Now." Time to practice staying out of the past and not getting lost in the future. There are many techniques to do this, from focusing on your breathing, to setting the timer on your watch or cell phone to beep every so often to remind you to refocus on The Present (just in case you drifted off!). Remember, this is all about practice. No one (well maybe the Dali Lama) does this perfectly. So now is the time to get used to being present.

"Simplify. Simplify. Simplify." By the time you leave for your big event it's too late to to make any major changes in your life -- and probably too late to make many minor ones. So why stress out over something you can't control? Time to start cutting out anything that might be a distraction and keep it simple and focus on one thing at a time -- no multitasking.
While multi-tasking may feel like the right thing to do in today's complicated world, it is a recipe for mediocrity."

Too much training

2008-12-08T14:55:00.002+08:00

Training has become too much when you tell your guest on your sister's wedding to stay "hydrated"

The Top 10 Ways to tell a difference between Power Bar from a Dog Turd

2008-12-05T00:59:00.002+08:00

I look at powerbar when i rip it off it , reminds me of my dog's turd. let's compare.

Power Bars cost 8 rm . Dog turds are free.
Power Bars have shiny wrappers. Dog turds don't.
A fly will eat a dog turd. I've never seen a fly eat a Power Bar.
Dog turds get slippery when wet.
Power Bars come in 5 delicious flavors. Dog turds only come in 1.
Power Bars hold their shape in a jersey pocket much better than dog turds.
You won't find a Power Bar sitting on the ground in the park.
Dog turds are made of naturally occurring substances.
Dog turds are biodegradeable.
You don't get a dog turd in the December issue of ROAD.net

Smoother than Ben and Jerry ice cream....

2008-11-27T22:35:00.003+08:00

Everybody's Free..To

2008-11-27T14:09:00.000+08:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everybody's_Free_(To_Wear_Sunscreen)

Ride Streamlined.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, streamlining would be it. The aerodynamic benefits of streamlining have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.

I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your glutes. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your glutes until they've faded. But trust me, after a 200 km ride, you'll think back to the first hill you sprinted up and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much pain lay before
you and how fabulous you really felt.

You are not as fast as you imagine.

Don't worry about a puncture. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to convince a mtber that a roadies can be faster and more comfortable. The real troubles in your ride are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, like running over a bunch of nails at
4p.m. on some idle Tuesday.

Blow past one roadie every day who dares you.

Spin.

Don't be reckless with other people's ride. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Lube.

Don't wash your tires with gasoline.

Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with the same fellow who kicked your butt last time.

Remember "cool bike" comments you receive. Forget the laughter. If you succeed in doing this, you should get your ears checked.

Keep riding that hill. Throw away your old bike shop bills.

Stretch.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what kind of bike you want to build. The most interesting people I know didn't know 20 minutes before they started paying what they wanted to build. Some of the most interesting buyers still don't know.

Get plenty of grain and nut bars.

Be kind to your LBS that doesn't stock much food. You'll miss them when they're gone.

Maybe you'll race, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll win, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll do the 200km at 40, maybe you'll win the Carnival at 45 kmh.Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. You'll get beaten by Lance anyway. So will everyone else.

Enjoy your bike. Use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.

Train, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.

Read the directions, but don't follow them.

Do not read normal bicycling magazines. They will only make you feel superior.

Get some new brake pads. You never know when they'll be gone for good.

Be nice to your chainrings. They're your best link to your power and the part most likely to stick in the door of the next car to cut you off.

Understand that riders come and go, but with a precious few you should draft. Work hard to bridge the gap between you and the pack of roadies up ahead, because the older you get, the more you need people you can wheelsuck.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise. Shimano will be rumored to have a 11 speed. You, too, will get a 11 speed. And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, parts were compatible, potholes were smaller and Campagnolo ruled the planet.

Disinfect your Camelback Bladders.

Don't expect any narrow tires to support you. Maybe you have a tubular. Maybe you'll have a thorn tube. But you never know when either one might run out of air.

Don't mess too much with your seat or by the time you've ridden 40 it will feel like 85.

Be careful whose bikes you buy, but be a pain to those that ship late.

Grabbing an old bike from the dumpster is a form of nostalgia. Dissecting it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, welding it up, painting over the ugly parts and riding it for it's worth.

But trust me on the streamlining.

My Bike...& I Wish

2008-11-25T13:45:00.002+08:00

A Catholic Priest was about to leave His Mission in the jungles where he has spent years teaching the natives when he realizes that the one thing he never taught them was how to speak English,

So he takes the chief for a walk in the forest. He points to a tree and says to the chief, "This is a tree ." The chief looks at the tree and grunts, "Tree."

The Priest pleased with the response. They walk a little farther and he points to a rock and says, " This is a rock." Hearing this, the chief looks and grunts, "Rock."

The Priest really getting enthusiastic about the results when he hears a rustling in the bushes. As he peeks over the top, he sees a couple of natives in the midst of heavy sexual activity. The Priest is really flustered and quickly responds, " Riding
a bike."

The chief looks at the couple briefly, pulls out his blowgun and kills both of them!

The Priest goes ballistic and yells at the chief that he has spent years teaching the tribe how to be civilized and kind to each other, so how could he kill these people in cold blood that way?

The chief replies, "My bike. "

I wish...

A kid sees his mate on the first day back at school after Christmas.
"Did you have a good Christmas?" he said.

"Yea, you know that air rifle I wanted? I got it. How about you?"

"Well, I woke up, and there was a long box on the end of my bed. It was
an air rifle just like yours except it's a .22 with telescopic sights. And as I got out
of bed, I stood on a massive parcel containing a Hornby train set of the entire British railway system,
points, platforms, shunters, the lot. And then I was just about to open it, when I saw a Rolex watch on my bedside
table, so I put it on, got my air rifle, and opened my door. In the corridor was a brand new Olympic, carbon fibre
racing bike, weighs less than 16lbs....so I've got my watch, my rifle and my bike, and I opened the front door
to find a miniature Aston Martin DB9 cabriolet in the driveway, absolutely fantastic, 4 forward gears, 1 reverse, goes 47 MPH...

I had the best Christmas I've ever had." He ended, breathlessly.

Looking rather downcast, the other kid said "Wish I had leukemia."

Bike shop in Delft Neatherland

2008-11-20T23:43:00.009+08:00

nice...but expensive... kogal miyata. cube, merida, gaints. but not one campagnolo...nor a tubular wheel..plenty of robobank jersey tho...must say they have very nice messenger bags..

Window Thoughts...

2008-11-19T10:23:00.004+08:00

In any endurance sports, everything you do, is for yourself - are you happy doing everything just FOR yourself?

There seem to two kinds of searchers: those who seek to make their ego something other than it is and those who understand that all such attempts are just gesticulation and play-acting.

Custom Aero

2008-11-18T12:53:00.004+08:00

The best aerobar is the one you customize yourself.

enuff said.

L bend or S bend both works fine for me. Will test the best configuration , perhaps a mantis?

Powerman Finisher T-shirt

2008-11-17T09:32:00.004+08:00

Now you can be a Powerman Finisher too! without the pain of full distance participation .. Now available @ the Factory Outlet ( a surplus clothing store) for only 19.90.Only While stock lasts.

Cracked handlebar

2008-11-17T09:25:00.003+08:00

This is what happens , if you put on a aerobar on a non aero-bar compliant carbon bar.Its a damm good handlebar with anatomic bend,weighted at 210 grams by OEM Giant Racing Component .Found the crack on the morning of KL open. Replaced it with an Easton EC70.

KL OPEN Road Race

2008-11-15T15:49:00.006+08:00

I was pretty darn lazy to get to this morning race after powerman. i got a sms at 7.20am Tery sms: Where are you? i ignored. In ten minutes, a call rang up.

A no nonsense conversation in less that 15 seconds.

Terry: so your coming or not?
Me : its raining.
Terry: i am asking if your coming or not?
Me : Still in time right?
Terry : yup
Me : OK

i got there about 40+- strong rider comprising of MSN , Letua, P2K , and some other team which i am unfamiliar with was there.(Letua i am)

Within 1.5 km of the start the race goes 45-52kmh..for the next 19 km.Freaking fast.(just got to stay in the pack) .i am just blown away at the speed and i've lost my favourite bottle in this by hitting a port hole.

At 45 km of 94 i call it quits. pretty damm lucky i did , the next 40 isnt a nice place to be in as traffic jams and tunderstorm was just there in greeting.
With Jalan Kuching in a massive traffic jam. made a serious good call it pull out from the race in time for the last broom truck.

Mental pace of Cat-A group i must say

The things i got to say and do...

2008-11-14T21:59:00.005+08:00

Firstly i have tell my frends i got training to do for Ironman langkawi 09.(so please forgive me if i cant hang out)

Then I had to forgo a relationship so i can focus on my goals.

I have to focus on my work as i really need it. Working in KL isnt easy when it comes to travelling, especially KLCC a pretty demanding place.

Its very expensive to do this even more now, counting in the cost of living with a voracious appetite together with every peice of equipment increasing.

Sometimes it just doesnt makes sense, does it?

i ask my self why and for what...

I guess its what i do. Anyway I've got a race tomorrow.. :)

Without you......

2008-11-14T12:13:00.006+08:00

Dedicated for those who are alone tonight...or decided to be alone tonight.

PS: lets straighten this , its not me, kay :) its HINDER K..a cool rock band.!

Bridgestone Extenza tire

2008-11-14T00:04:00.003+08:00

Very curious on how is this compared to michelin P3R. same durometer?

Approx 220 gram with f1 technology durometer!

powerman 2008 , lumut

2008-11-08T09:45:00.016+08:00

Inflame i am still. Had a good duathlon , this year was prepared for it. Run time was respectable. Bike time i know i had a good time but (referee claims i was drafting )second run leg was pretty steady too,all in 3.55, Nothing much to rave about.Knew i was a marked target and i know the decision was biased. Some half arsed referee isn't cut out to be a commissaire , even in football there is 3 warning but i WILL not talk about it.(Out of respect) Never the less , i like to say thanks for the Quick-Release team to org it nicely together with sweet desserts after the race. There was this nice lady whom cheered me up during the run was Cassandra lim 392, a very good runner whom got 1st place in her cat. cheers!

On the field alot out there wasnt happy campers. Punctured and deflated was the word.Humidity and heat combination made it harder, being HOT here aint sexy. But most most runners did fairly well. Looks like it is still in the training mode back again for me.i know what i've got to do. lets just say i know when to put the hack down in future...for powerman lumut 09

HJ + PowerGels + Gu did what it was supposed to do...did not failed me one bit.

i am spacing out. 4 days of racing and being a tour guide is zoning me out..

nites hugz...

Taylor Phinney@2050 watts

2008-11-06T21:12:00.002+08:00

Taylor Phinney, the 18-year-old phenom unleash an all-out sprint while using his PowerTap watts meter. Phinney maxed out the unit's display with an incredible 1999 watts. When they downloaded the file, it read 2050 watts.

freaking amazing

i just need a ride... on this morning light.

2008-11-06T11:49:00.004+08:00

Running with Safety pin

2008-10-30T00:30:00.004+08:00

The safety pin , the essential item for all sports event.Found that it can be used for your gel used in this manner below. Pin it in front,then tuck it behind. When needed flip it out and yank it off.

Shimano Dynasty

2008-10-30T00:21:00.003+08:00

Kozo shimano leaves Shimano Corp?

Perhaps this can be some of the reasons

1. They are fast loosing market share (OEM).

2. 3rd party product are biting thru the revenue

3. Innovation is lacking for the past years.(only since 2006 did they start looking into wheelsets) and not riding the carbon boat.

4. 3 way component fight (now SRAM got Lance Armstrong, a 20 years shimano user)

5. late product cycle?

6. EDA has major bugs?

i dont know. you tell me..

PCC - MUDD 2008

2008-10-20T12:07:00.019+08:00

Incredible..there are rides which are just rides. MUDD has to be one of those rides which you got to be there to know how doubtful , crazy , tension , cold and tired it was . It had literally everything. it is an extreme ride. It made everyone a lil better, a lil closer , and whole lot more confident.

Everyone in for MUDD has a story to tell..( I'll tell you mine )

Due to heavy down pour of several days ago the rivers swell, it was our concern earlier but nothing was going to spoil our ride.

this is how it went , we reached there about 2 in the afternoon unpack out stuff. 4 of us chilled out at the balcony facing the open valley shower comes as frequent like when one needs to go take a leak when its cold , Everyone chilled out at the veranda ( insects too ) soon as hours pass everyone trickle in till 1.30 am due to delays and bad jams in kl.

Could not get enough sleep as there are plenty of heavy snorers in the bunker.

So everyone woke up at 5.30 am to prep. About 40 of us descend 7 km down to take the bus for breakfast and packed lunch. The atmosphere is great the amount of people there makes it really nice... like a small mini interstate.

Start of the trail wasn’t all that great, cutting thru farm’s mud hole and stinking fertilizer. However the second part was crazy very slippery moss and water coated cements made it very slippery.

Bombing thru the 1st section 4 was Lim , Kenny , Dan ( qwailow ) and me tailing . This fast slippery part everyone braked, Dan got caught slammed his brake thus i slammed mine , my front end gave way , I bit the dust hard going down on right side then to all four about 3 meter slide. Knees, wrist and shoulder are banged up ( now on inflammation pills). Recovered got back up on the bike , limp back into the pack.

The river is horrendous, its like teh tarik..endless flow of teh tarik.. There was no way we could pass thru. We went to look for alternative recce, did a survey and in our surprise we found a bridge made of bamboo, native engineering type. (A1 grade if you ask me.)

How it was made was sheer brilliance, linked from the tree branch at the banks of the river to tree branch on the opposite end of the river , inter- linking it across with no nail nor steel cable , everything made from material found there. Imagine 4 parquet tiles wide with gaps of the river flowing thru without rail handles.
Soon , we walkie talkie back on the good news as the rest were waiting.

We cross in batch together with our bikes. Cracks are heard as pressure is laid on the some dried but slightly rotten bamboo. It does freak most of the riders, but darn it, it was pure adrenalin. (No ugly scene there)
Then we descend and cut across fallen rocks trees, mud traps. ruts and with leaves from small shrubs whipping our shin like we are asking for more, ironic masochist decision of going faster or getting whip harder.. all still very manageable.
We then came near to a real show stopper. A huge 40 foot swelled river crossing, some decide to turn back, and some decide to cross it. Everyone knew the risk bring trapped in between deciding and weighting (swept away or crossing the bridge again which is fragile)

Took the liberty to ask for a native helps which is isn’t too far away. One came to help us, 51 people stared at this native, all alone walked thru the torrent river flow by himself using his feet to feel the path of the invincible bridge below.
It doesn’t give confidence to most of all the riders and isn’t nice to see one going for a unintended ride with the class 5-6 rapids. Morale is at all time low.
I went back to the orang asli settlement. A massive climb greets me for the 3rd ...this time 5 of them came to aid us. However they will only help if they can ride my bike. They rode my bike as i walked back to the river bank.

Form a chain with bamboo-come-rope as support, we men cross 1st. The good feeling came back. Morale was good.
Everyone crossed the river safely but we lost massive amount of time with massive climbs ahead of us, nothing much we can do but soldier on...

The climbs to the constructed highway feels like genting, it grinds the granny, the need for traction. We (Lim .Kenny and me) got on to tar road for the 1st time in 8 hours, it’s just temporary. We manage to get into a construction site canteen which serves us fried rice and drinks. Gobble up, we had another 20 more km or climbs to go..soon more riders arrived , Rob, Kiat Dan, Joseph and so on.

I was alone most of the time when the rain came, the forest grows darker earlier with the jungle canopy. Pushing on, I dread the worst of not able to make it as its 7 pm now .I heard motorcyclist going thru with my friend on it pushing the bike while along on the motorbike , he told me he will send the motorbike back for me, soon, i met another biker so following him , but in a while i found myself ahead taking the wrong turn, going in 4 km away into the tea plantation , i was pretty afraid being lost in the dark with no orientation or lights but manage to bomb back down the hill again with to met the same biker named Ming again. I was seriously elated.

THE FOLLOWING TAKES PLACE BETWEEN 7.00PM to 9.00PM:

Its 7.45 pm now, it’s very dark. Could not see a thing, but ahead we see a land rover coming, this orang asli came to help us by the alert of Kiat whom was on the motorbike.

We hop on, we went back to help the rest of the group about 8 - 9 they all seems pretty glad.
We got back by 8.15pm with 2 trucks one with bike the other laden with riders.

THE FOLLOWING TAKES PLACE BETWEEN 9.00PM to 11.00PM:

There are 41 people out there still...its 10.30...it starts to shower hard..

10.30 pm ( Like 24 the series , except there is no terrorist ) We need a game plan to get them out. Deploy all capable vehicle to triage the stranded.Phones were ringing , calls are made.

Word out , everyone is out except Alvin , Pat , Brenda and etc. Stranded in some unknown place , order was out to get em move forward nearer to pickup location. Firstly we got to eat the roti canai before moving the VAN.

THE FOLLOWING TAKES PLACE BETWEEN 11.00PM to 2.00AM:

Slowly the familiar faces starts trickling in wet clothes, pale and cold. it is not funny.

Last group came in at 1.45 am. physiological ride this is but what a memory.

Is it necessary?

2008-10-18T15:07:00.005+08:00

I've come across lots of people who have a chip on their shoulder because someone has a more expensive/better/newer bike than them.

"All the gear no idea" : How can you have no idea? Riding a bike is as simple as, well, riding a bike.

"My bike cost much less than yours, but I'm faster/better/fitter" : Hey, good for you. More power to you.

"You don't need all that expensive stuff" : No, you don't. No-one needs a Lamborghini either, but many people want one.

"No i am not into racing thus i dont need it " No you dont't. Then stop racing on your weekend club ride , stop bragging.

" Its for the looks , to be part of the group " Dont see much team value there if its just for the looks.

Then on the flip of the switch . I've come across lots of people who have a chip on their shoulder because someone cant have a more expensive/better/newer bike.

" Prejudice to it, i can afford it but i dont feel the value proposition " In your own world , whatever that rocks your boat. i buy it , you cant.

" I ride with a less snobbish group without blings " Once you get better , you be snobbish with blings too.

etc etc...

i had enough in mind for today.

YUMEYA-XTR

2008-10-15T14:13:00.003+08:00

For those whom needs that extra touch. ( i know i dont ) but nice bike candy.

http://www.shimano-yumeya.com/top.html

Ready for some Cameron Highland MUDD catch and release.

2008-10-15T00:36:00.006+08:00

Looking forward to do this.. on MUDD@Cameron Higland... :) i am more excited on mtb than road. Once a mtber always a mtber..mountain biking because the scenery is always good. Even if your workout sucks for some reason, you can have fun being distracted, going slow, trying little stunts and what not, and MTB racing is an awful lot of fun. It’s just bein’ out in the jungle, only faster. I love cross country and think I like endurance racing, but can see how folks love downhill also.

On the other hand road riding is an extremely distinctive pleasure. Training on the road has an amazing purity of purpose and suffering, it is the bike ride stripped down to bare essentials of turning the pedals and suffering, and feeling the speed. There are moments of pleasure but it's like the day you allow yourself an ice cold coffee/Beer , reload - diet; the little pleasures are better only because the pain tends to be omnipresent. Roadracing is fun, sitting inside a psychotic dogpack running on a treadmill where you can’t get off and somebody keeps hitting the Speed + button over and over again ‘til you can’t take it has its own charm, in a " DAMM if i do , DAMM if i dont" sort of way. Then there are group rides where you make good friends, see character revealed and go so far beyond your limits that you don’t recognize the pre-ride self.

Each has its place. so let's come on over and shoot the shit..

I have neglected this bike for sometime now. Its time for some Highland "MUDD Tea" rocking.Got a secondhand 08 xt m770 for this..pretty sweet crank i'd say much better then my square taper'd BB crank. Got to get use to the weight of this pig again.

spokeholeplugs

2008-10-15T00:20:00.001+08:00

Shimano Pseudo "veloplug" which is made in malaysia , now being recalled. too much sharp ridges on it. touched it felt it. felt blade like paper cut.

http://techdocs.shimano.com/media/techdocs/content/cycle/SI/Wheel/SpokeHolePlugs/0058A-001_En_v1_m56577569830630976.pdf

http://cycle.shimano-eu.com/publish/content/cycle/seh/nl/en/news___info/corrective_action.html

BONK or Low Glycogen training

2008-10-06T21:35:00.004+08:00

Generally, athletes of all levels are told to have a carbohydrate-rich meal two to three hours before any training occurs, ensuring their glycogen levels are fully topped up.

But these studies suggest that purposefully manipulating your glycogen level so that it’s around one third depleted results in improved signalling, hence greater muscular mitochondrial mass and better endurance performance.

The idea is to purposefully lower your glycogen until it’s depleted to the right level, then to do some high-intensity training in that state.

Have a low-carbohydrate meal prior to the session and then beginning the workout with 45-60 minutes of low-intensity, steady cycling at around 70% of your VO2 max (a level where you can still breathe through your nose, with your mouth shut).

After your glycogen is sufﬁciently depleted, switch to intervals of ﬁve minutes’ hard exercise with a minute of rest in between.

This will train your signalling pathways to maximum effect.

Training Goal : BASE

Aim to build strenght and endurance so you're looking to build distance and resistance in this early stage.

Glycogen manipulation : Low glycogen training 2 to 3 times per week but ensure glycogen is high for strenght training

Training Goal : BUILD UP

Slowly incorp speedworks while maintain distance and strenght gains

Glycogen manipulation : Do low glycogen training 2 times early in the week and load up on glycogen for strenght and speedworks in later session in the same day

Training Goal : CONSOLIDATION

Do high quality training session while decreasing distance and resistance

Glycogen manipulation : Keep high glycogen for morning quality trainnig and low gylocgen for evening session atleast one or twice a week.

Training Goal : COMPETITION

Glycogen manipulation : Keep glycogen High all time..

Having the runs while cycling

2008-09-29T23:42:00.000+08:00

The choice of MTBer and occasionally roadies whom need to answer the call of nature resorts to such place in the tropics. In such environment everything has its place in nature( even fresh human excretions.) ;) probably fertilising the tropical fruit Banana your eating rite now.

This leaf's natural texture and size is ideally perfect for ass wipes. Might be a lil gritty but beggars cant be choosers.

So my tip is to roll some emergency toilet paper into you handlerbar just in case if you ever need em.( while your riding out there, somewhere )

Glue

2008-09-29T00:08:00.005+08:00

Sometimes its sure hard not to sniff to much glue with your preping em tires..it gets even worst when the head of the brush drop into the spokes hole and you cant get the damm head out....( when the damm brush head dried and glued in there )

And there are gels.....

2008-09-28T23:59:00.005+08:00

And then there are gels...being the off the counter brands like GU and Powerbar. the other two remains pretty unknown for this tastebuds, more importantly the sustainable energy. As GU and PBgel goes on for 35mins max, doesnt do jack to me in terms to me beside giving me a sugar rush. I'll try the rest later .The E-GEl seems larger....and sure gives an impression of some mutant goo..

Hornet Juice Performance Supplements

2008-09-24T19:37:00.002+08:00

Tried this months ago, believe me i was sceptical and i don't usually write about the stuff i take , just to give you a glimpse of what i know and tried was Amino Vital Strenght and Endurance, Hammergel Recoverite , GU Energy Gel ,Amino Acid base Controlled Labs Purple Wrath and others ( under my nutrition section )

Then i tried this, it totally changed my perception of Amino Acids supplement from the above. its above and beyond then the rest although it does not contain any carbo base. I seriously don't know how to share my enthusiasm to you on this with out being bias. Just google "hornet juice + VAAM"

It has helped my thru my training and competitions in the beginning of my season and till now. In high level , it gives better flow of energy and less effort on anything that is endurance based. i believe in it soo much i've decided to bring it "ON" to the rider, runner or triathlete here in Malaysia.

It is an energy experience that is worth having for an important event that you need to do your best in. please do let me have the pleasure to share this with you at a much better price and the experience of talking about it after you have crossed the line.......email me at hornetjuice.my@gmail.com ( Malaysia or Singapore )

Update : Run Strong on VAAM and others (you might find it informative)

http://books.google.com/books?id=qOgIdirlYrwC&pg=PA166&lpg=PA166&dq=vaam+japan&source=web&ots=xDbZjShvcR&sig=auF_iB7MMGzgVG16M4iCn7BwCnI&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=10&ct=result#PPA163,M1

Note:

So far everyone whom uses this works for them. Most of the main mistake of not feeling the effect is not using it prior to the session. It does not work best if its usage is halved or if its digested with protein. Best result is drink it before a carbo breakfast.

Rock racing replica jersey

2008-09-21T18:51:00.005+08:00

Can say it ain't the real deal, but for a price of tubular tire it is my 1st replica , these threads sure is value for the money , and the colour itself is as good as the original. For dynamic weather and inflation factors , i seriously do not mind going for replica jerseys if i like the design.

Fabric wise , sweat wicking it is as high end as any original from castelli to santini. no itchy nor pokey edges.Seriously i ve got no complaints..it looks very "versace".. This guy has further details email him at phenomenon.el@gmail.com

Kinovea video analysis

2008-09-17T20:27:00.005+08:00

Above is just a screenshot sample i did on a video analysis using Kinovea video analysis tool and its free! use it for bike fitting analysis of cleat , saddle stem , handlebar etc etc ( heck, even C of G ) pretty useful if you know what your doing.

Got a long torso thus it felt comfortably right on a 17.25 lenght crank

www.kinovea.org

Ceramic bearing

2008-09-12T23:28:00.000+08:00

yeah yeah...silicon nitride here nitride there... no difference if you ask me ( @5000 rpm maybe it would.)...perhaps it just last longer that's all.. Better to save for light weight wheel or low RR tire and 50 gram tube.

EuroBIke 2008 update

2008-09-11T10:11:00.000+08:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tfj77/sets/72157607097009297/
http://www.velogessien.com/article-22591864.html
http://picasaweb.google.it/ilguslo/EurobikeGiorno2#
http://picasaweb.google.it/ilguslo/Eurobike2008FirstDay#

Enjoy!!

Campy 11 : In Details

2008-09-10T20:35:00.000+08:00

Drafting Survival Tricks

2008-09-04T22:20:00.005+08:00

There's a simple way to survive that scary situation when an overlapped wheel is bumped: Turn into the direction of contact. if your front wheel taps a rear wheel on your right side, turn the handlebar right like you are trying to use the front wheel as a hockey stick. This provides a counter force that pushes you and the bike away, together, from the rear wheel without losing your center of gravity. In this technique, your entire body and bike will act as one solid unit and be more likely to bounce off rather than jackknife into a crash.

wheel getting too close? another simple way will be using the whole body as a negative spoiler to slow you down ( upright position ) thus without tapping on your brakes. Still to fast? beside the above, start coasting to scrub speed off.

In evasive maneuver in case of hole or pothole avoidance but you cant see or don't know whats going on the front? hear for shoutout and the riders hips in front of you.Usually hips movement is very noticeable if its a left or right swing to avoid road hazards.

Never the less don't ever forget the etiquette of peloton riding

Interstate 2008 - Vision of the hills again.

2008-09-01T17:34:00.021+08:00

Kajang to kuantan combines amazing scenery, the chance to feel the pulse of life in the rural countryside of malaysia and the opportunity to feel the exhilaration of a seaside coastal headwinds .

For Interstate 2008,We started nevermind the rain but we felt the visions of familiar hills again ( peres ) to begin the snaking roads leading to watermelon offering villager that are so so friendly in Bahau. In journey for this day one,we carve thru kinks of corners with a sudden arise of a waterfall to teeth and cable clattering routes where then it leads to defensive manure avoidance steering (letting us smell the freshness). We rode every kilometer spinning along thru the sunshine after the rain. In a ride for rest in Bahau.

For the next day we pedal , we take turns. its contagious . Hear my own breath , their breaths. Chain glides across steel teeth. Humming tires over uneven tarmac. See for 178km distance on the second day, road undulating over the fans spreading from palm trees to coconuts estates, telephone poles in perfect periodicity: 50 meters, countless 50 meters. White kilometer markers, like grave stones, one, two, three...five. More but I cannot make them out.The sun. All under the sun. Today, the air isn't quiet but for our own disturbance of it,making it cool against the sun's burdensome heat.

And we pedal, intent on a distant horizon unclosing.We took turns again with only some pockets of relief in midway stops but we soldiered on at 35-38 avg 43-45 tops. I think this isnt what Interstate is about, there's no enjoyment whatsoever.This felt really close to the sun. Soon Kuala Rompin at 2 km.there was a pronoun sense of enthusiam , an accomplished devotion . We ended to Kuala Rompin Resort in an angle that this ride , truly has flavours and respectable personalities that are insane. (Sincere thanks to those giving the good run..)

In turning point in the holistic view for tomorrow , in the air today i taste the need for support . " So tell me why? why not let em have some?

I thank Don.H, Sarah and Adni giving their support in that cool Rexton,a BIG SHOUTOUT to those unsung riders who cared enough..and lastly the comittee and volunteer for this PCC InterState whom has done enough.

Interstate 2008

2008-08-26T00:41:00.006+08:00

http://www.pcc-cycling.freeservers.com/

Yess, 2 more days to ride freedom , i seriously think its gonna be a wet one...judging from the weather.

Apparently its is goona be all clear only in the morning for all 3 days...

Update 01/09/08 WRONG.. it rain on friday!!!

Weight weenie prespective.

2008-08-21T23:14:00.004+08:00

Quote

"In the mid '90s I used to spend money on lowering my bike's weight, and the end result was I wound up gaining body weight and totally forgot about the engine.

"Five years ago I changed my mindset and focused on my own weight, especially improving on my muscle mass and dropping my fat percentage. I got it down to 7 percent in the summer months, which makes me happy (I will be 49 next month).

"I also improved on my workouts, including weight training and running. Now I fly going up hills, I have a pretty nice sprint, and I feel so much better all over.

"Spending thousands of dollars on making a bike lighter is pretty foolish, especially while carrying around a spare tire!"

Unquote

This angle of thought is pretty much in line with most western cyclist whom just ride their bikes.its easy to lose focus on the real things that matters(i for one)i do carried away too..i must admit but the techno geeek in me says otherwise.

i'd say in essence the guy on the heavier bike has the higher watts mano-o-mano than the guy on the weenie bike going the same speed with the same distance.

Speaking of watts , its power to weight in the flipside dont that concept should be applied in the similiar manner to the parts we have in terms of strenght to weight.

Every weenie cyclist is anal enough to have the milimeter of seat adjustment etc etc.

The anal mind of measuring scale of 3 grams of decisive separation by preference.coz 3 grams is lighter..

what is the price to push this weight edge further? to the point where its just fake watts and component failures?

Do take into account to ride up-grades than to upgrade..peace...and good nite.

Wolf Sl Recall

2008-08-21T23:09:00.006+08:00

Fork recall: Cervelo is recalling about 5,800 Wolf SL carbon forks manufactured by True Temper in China. The steerer tube can break during normal use, causing the rider to lose control and crash. Cervelo has received 12 reports of these forks failing.

Its nice (and responsible of them) of them to recall after seeing how thin it is with its reprecussion, it should have been sooner.

Main cause of this failure is the alloy insert isnt really reinforcing the carbon wall, especially when the steerer lenght of this alloy insert with the star fangle nut is just above the headset.(a high stress point)in combination of its thin walled steerer tubing thus it break where the insert ends.

http://www.cervelo.com/wolfslrecall/default.aspx?lang=en

PCC Interstate 2008

2008-08-15T17:49:00.008+08:00

So this time , we get together again to feel alive riding , wind in your face experience with spasm's and tingles on the calfs at sustained tempo.Riding road passes through palm and rubber plantations, beside forested hills and the further you go south, breaks into long ocean and palm tree vistas. You can count the pot holes on one hand.The sights and sound on a route 350 km away. i cant wait....

Adidas KOTR 2008

2008-08-11T23:28:00.008+08:00

Got lost along the way . looking at time,

Friends parked the car, in time to spare + without a swear

Waiting in line and drop it off from the ticket line.

Gave the receipt, have the band

No warm up , no sweat

With no warn, someone gunned off this RUN , we're gonna have some fun.

Faster as the rate goes higher...

pace is heavy , sweating like crazy

gradient is rolling , someone pls keep me rolling..

Crank that , with an empty tank.

Turn into a hater, SOMEONE GIVE ME WATER ..

Feels further but people says its near

That's what i wanted to hear.

See crowd getting bigger,giddy up,

Setting the tempo higher.

Cross the line within the cut off time.

So this time, i like the number on time.

" i am happy in 2.03.45 compared to my last years run "

http://viciouslifecycle.blogspot.com/2007/08/adidas-king-of-roadbut-in-realityits.html

Hydrotherapy

2008-08-11T14:00:00.002+08:00

Water therapies are much underutilised and undervalued. In Europe Russia and Scandinavia a wide range of treatments have been in use several thousand years. Recent research in Finland has shown that underwater massaging following strength/power training reduces neural fatigue and helps to maintain neuromuscular performances, and that a spa and plunge pool routine aids recovery. Such routines involve a shower followed by a spa (39-40o C) for three minutes and then a cold shower or plunge into a cold pool (10-15o C) for 30 to 60 seconds. Spas should only be used if the athlete is in a healthy state and has no new soft tissue injuries. Athletes should not stay in a spa for more than five minutes as they are likely to experience a large drop in blood pressure and feel faint and dizzy as a result. This feeling will be more evident if they have not been hydrating during the session.

Showering within 10 minutes of at the end of a session is a good way to reduce fatigue in the peripheral nervous system, shower with cold and hot water in interval using water heated system. If there is access to a pool then a few light active movements with some stretching in the pool (up to five minutes) is beneficial.

Following this form of hydrotherapy, muscles are more relaxed and are much easier to massage. Athletes can be taught some basic self-massage skills that they can apply, particularly to their lower legs and necks. Self-massage is also easy to do in a warm shower.

High performance hockey players tried a contrast temperature protocol involving a hot pool, with no underwater massaging, and cold plunge (same protocol as outlined above), and their recovery of lactate levels was measured after a series of Wingate tests. A comparison of lactate clearances following passive rest, light exercising (active recovery) and the contrast immersion techniques was undertaken. Lactate levels recovered equally quickly after either the contrast water immersion protocol or the active recovery protocol, and significantly more slowly after passive rest (Sanders 1996).

The choice between contrast temperatures or an active rest routine after training often hinges on access to appropriate facilities. However, it is essential to replenish energy stores as soon as possible after exercise. Active recovery for 10 to 15 minutes following training requires extra energy and may be less effective if the work done has already depleted energy stores, whereas the energy demands for the spa or shower routine are much less. Athletes also report that they find the water routines more relaxing and enjoyable.

A cyclist prayer

2008-08-07T23:11:00.000+08:00

I say a few prayers while riding and racing bikes. These help me keep things in perspective and keep it real. Here are a few of my common prayers that aren’t too personal.

Allow these bike racers not to rage against each other but to strive with each other. Amen

Let these racers not get injured so they are able to continue to do purposeful work off of the bike and be able to do all the goodness they can with their families and friends. Amen

Keep me from lusting after these bicycles. Help make my bicycle a tool for goodness as I pray while riding. Amen

Help me not get angry at riders who don’t hold their line. Especially do not let me get angry when riders force their way between me and the racer in front of me because this is just a competitive move in racing bikes. Amen

I know that the act of bike racing really doesn’t compare to more meaningful acts but at least let this time be enriched by prayer. And more importantly let this time be one of harmony between racers. Let us show support for each other and not trash talk or gossip. Amen

Help me not get angry at this guy who is opening up gaps and riding at an uneven pace. Rather let me turn this anger over to energy toward catching the pack. Give me similar energy toward purposeful goals in my life. Amen

If a racer causes me to crash may I not say anything until I can speak some peaceful words. Amen

Source : http://cyclelight.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html#7378464912208139909

Aero testing

2008-08-07T22:47:00.001+08:00

Cool Riding

2008-08-07T21:58:00.002+08:00

Music makes it sound easy eh.. ( like the artistry )

Check out the guy leading at 2.09 , he has a bike rack!

Shimano 7850 CL .. nice wheel

2008-08-07T20:11:00.006+08:00

23A = carbon reinforcement for nipple inserts

27A = Applied epoxy

24 = carbon layering

Process B = Vacumming heating and drill for nipple

without 23c & 23b

ITS A very smart design

Cycle Happy.

2008-08-05T22:09:00.002+08:00

So often in a race, negative chatter emerge.Focus on the pain and get frustrated because of struggling through sections of an event.

its not about minimizing the physical aspects of biking, but a strong mind could push your body further than you think possible. The next time you're having a hard time on the bike, remember to smile (as distorted as it may appear under duress). Rather than viewing the difficulty as "pain," think of it as the natural sensation of a body working hard and persevering.

The typical order of operations is that a pleasurable experience makes you smile. However, as this question illustrates, the converse is also true: Smile and you feel better. It's almost a way to trick you body into enjoying its suffering. And, when you really think about it, there are reasons to smile! You're outside riding your bike, pushing yourself to your limit - smile, enjoy, and you'll ride stronger.

Scott Plasma 09

2008-07-31T23:18:00.001+08:00

nice...( did he say ricardo ricco?)ughhhhh... heehh

How many "mango's" ya can fit it in..

2008-07-31T23:13:00.002+08:00

Why Hate.?

2008-07-31T16:05:00.001+08:00

http://www.momentumplanet.com/blog/wease/why-hate

http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2007/06/its-all-in-details.html

Nice read...to "balance the scale"

89 km/h

2008-07-31T01:06:00.000+08:00

Pain

2008-07-31T00:00:00.010+08:00

Pain is about deciding .

We can keep in mind that the experience of pain is voluntary. What we do – particularly those of us competing at the amateur level – is by choice. If we can accept that our choice to compete is also a choice to feel pain, we can then employ coping strategies.How we perceive pain is a choice. We can choose the level of intensity of pain we experience. William Shakespeare wrote, “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”

Pain is temporary.

It always ends – often in a relatively short amount of time.Employing mental skills helps.Knowing how to and remembering to relax when experiencing pain is crucial. If you’re tense you are likely to experience more pain not less.Breathe. Controlled breathing not only induces relaxation but also facilitates performance by increasing the amount of oxygen in the blood.

Goal setting is crucial.

Goal setting keeps focused on the task at hand, not the pain. Entering a race without a focus allows outside distractions such as pain to interfere with our performance.Maintain the mindset of control.Even on diet and weights.

Use positive self-talk.

Turn negative self-talk into something positive. You may not be able to control what your competitors do, or the pain that a particular course “dishes out,” but you can always control your own thoughts.While this study examined the experiences of high level competitive cyclists most, if not all of the findings, apply to any sport in which we feel the pain of exertion whether we’re running, swimming, race-walking, skiing or engaging in any other painful activity.

Using negative thinking positively.

There are two types of negative thinking: give-up negative thinking and fire-up negative thinking. Give-up negative thinking involves feelings of loss and despair and helplessness, for example, “It’s over. I can’t finish.” You dwell on past mistakes and failures. It hurts your motivation and confidence, and it takes your focus away from continuing to give your best effort. Your intensity also drops because, basically, you’re surrendering and accepting defeat

There is never a place in triathlon for give-up negative thinking. In contrast, fire-up negative thinking involves feelings of anger and energy, of being psyched up, for example, “I’m doing so badly. I hate performing this way” (said with anger and intensity). You look to doing better in the future because you hate performing poorly. Fire-up negative thinking increases your motivation to fight and turn things around. Your intensity goes up and you’re bursting with energy. Your focus is on continuing to work hard and not let the training or race beat you.

Fire-up negative thinking can be a positive way to turn your performance around. If you’re going to be negative, make sure you use fire-up negative thinking. Don’t use it too much though. Negative thinking and negative emotions require a lot of energy and that energy should be put in a more positive direction for your training and races. Also, it doesn’t feel very good to be angry all of the time

And end of it all...Reap what you have sowed.

Mentally Positive.

2008-07-30T23:58:00.001+08:00

Never allow yourself to become overwhelmed by the negative influence of others. Tough it out. Get a second opinion. Make a concerted effort to surround yourself with people who are positive, who will support you in that effort. Ultimately, let your performance on the playing field speak for itself.

--Kenneth Baum, author of "The Mental Edge: Maximizing Your Sports Potential with the Mind-BodyConnection."