Human Compassion Cycling Tour 2011, HTNA-4

Sponsor me please!

Outside of school, a charitable organization.... my friend Long, a VietKeuw who lives in London organized this Human Compassion Tour.  Each day, the tour stops in a village and gives a part of the procedes to a selected orphanage.  I know they are worthy and non goverment and go directly to the people to help the people.... Why would Long do this for 4 years if not?
*************************
You can sponsor me with paypal, just send me a message and I will tell you how.  I will only ride two legs of the tour as I have a family and other responsiblities, but the guys are going to let me ride with them!

Its my turn to do something worthwhile and since my racing sucks, might as well do something that REALLY matters!
******************************

Some details:

Following the success of our traditional “Human Compassion Cycling Tours (HTNA) 2008, 2009 and 2010” in November 2008, April 2009 and March last year (please refer to these links for details:


HTNA-1: http://www.xedap.org/vb/showthread.php?t=2270
HTNA-2: http://www.xedap.org/vb/showthread.php?t=3579
HTNA-3: http://www.xedap.org/vb/showthread.php?t=7419 )

From the 11/3/2011 we, 16 cyclists from our Vung Tau Cycling Clubs and other Cycling Clubs (and 2 supporting members on scooters for supplying food, order and safety), shall be taking part in this small "good cause" 11 days “Human Compassion Cycling Tour 2011”. We would appreciate very much if you could spare a little time to read through the details and donate for this good cause.

Our program is as follows:

Day 1: 12/03/2011: Cycling from Vũng Tàu to Long-An (132km)
Day 2: 13/03/2011: Cyling from Long-An to Tra-Vinh (120km)
Day 3: 14/03/2011: Cycling from Tra-Vinh to Can-Tho (132km)
Day 4: 15/03/2011: Cycling from Can-Tho to Bac-Lieu (112km)
Day 5: 16/03/2011: Cycling from Bac-Lieu to Ca-Mau (70km)
Day 6: 17/03/2011: Cycling from Ca-Mau to Rach-Gia (130km)
Day 7: 18/03/2011: Rach-Gia to Phu-Quoc Island
Day 8: 19/03/2011: Phu-Quoc Island to Ha-Tien
Day 9: 20/03/2011: Cycling from Ha-Tien to Long-Xuyen (174km)
Day 10: 21/03/2011: Cycling from Long-Xuyen to My-Tho (145km)
Day 11: 21/03/2011: Cycling from My-Tho to Thu-Dau-Mot (135km)

In each city that we stop, we shall visit some charitable organisations or an individual (orphanage, elderly and/or disabled children) and unfortunate and/or poor families, after which we shall make a small donation. Please note that the cost of this trip is mostly covered by ourselves and our sponsors. Everyone of our team is making a donation for this good cause. Your donation will be presented directly to the unfortunate organisations/families and we shall be honoured to take this opportunity to present your donation on your behalf. The list of the donors, benefactors and the exact amount of donations will be posted on xedap.org website.

Please give generously to make our fourth “Human Compassion Cycling Tour 2011”. HTNA-4, a memorable one of many more tours in the future. Your donation will be acknowledged in full in xedap.org website.

Our progress, pictures of our tour and the presentation ceremonies, with the donation figures, will be posted on xedap.org for everyone to keep in touch with us.

Would you please give us the full names and addresses of the donors so that we can acknowledge their kind donation by posting our appreciation on xedap.org website within this topic:

http://www.xedap.org/vb/showthread.p...104#post111104


We are looking forward to receiving your kind donation in due course.

What goes up...

must come down as we ar taught in physics, right? 

It would be great if the up/down cycles wasn't always dramatic with training.  I understand periodization is key in raising your training cyclings and levels.  When I lived in Taiwan, our 'mandatory times off the bike', AKA vacation really helped my cycling.  Though my riding buddies insisted I would loose everything.... I would have to start o ver... my GOD how would I ever compete since I missed a 300km week?

Well, my body rested, my body recovered, and guess what...?  I improved.  They were always shocked.  My climbing inparticular improved after a period of rest.  No, not the first ride, but after a week, I'd always be hitting NEW low times on a climb... 

Finally, it just became a joke.  "I drink Italian wine when I am on my forced rests.  Italians are great climbers.... it makes perfect sence!"...  it was always a joke... but wondered if anyone really took it seriously.  I noticed Italian wines seemed to be served more often then before.

I don't pretend to have a clue about proper training, but knew enough to understand a bit of rest did do a body good.  If I actually had a coach or a training plan, I really wonder what I could have accomplished.  In vain attempts to acquire a coach, all failed.  I begged team mates, asked the e-Ma coach to coach me... he gave me a few tips.  But, being a 40 year old foreign woman living in Taiwan I apparently wasn't worth the serious effort.  Even though I only gave 3 positions in the entire 2009 racing season.  You'd think winning the Giant Cup for the 3rd year in a row would create some sort of stir. 

Well, this week, I went down.  Thankfully, not literally! 

My time on the bike was low....

Sunday:  rest
Monday:  intervals on the trainer concentrating on what I feel is my biggest weekness.
Tuesday:  went out w/ boys but went home as my brakes were rubbing and I had a horrible feeling in the air.... so I ran 5km.
Wednesdsay:  four laps in the IP
Thursday:  45km.
Friday:  rest
Saturday:  75km....

didn't get in my two 100km+ rides...

Unfortunately, absolutely rediculous drama zapped so much of my energy, there was little left for my bike. 

Miu Ne - Day 5

There was no day 4.... my stomach hurt so bad I thought I should just rest!  So, I did... I worked, read, and worked on my tan!

From the restaurant we always had lunch and dinner at (and DID not get sick from.... that was another place)

the pooch and I enjoying some quality quiet time before dinner.

Day 5:  Hoping for the 2nd 100km ride of the week, I set out to do 3 full upper road laps.  We had to clear out of the room by noon, so time was no on my side.... neither was speed apparently!  ha ha...  I felt good though, healthy and rested. 

Its not a good picture, but the ocean is right in front of me.... Today is "New Year's Day", families are out in new clothes just smiling and enjoying the day!  It's wonderful!

I decide to go home at 10:00am.  I figure if I had my 100km or not in, it is enough.  I need breakfast (the Cliff Bar isn't cutting it and have eaten so little in the last 3 days)... the wind is picking up and I am getting tossed around a bit.  So, I cut it 10km short.

Breakfast afterwards.... I was actually hungry!

Glad I was back by 10:00am....  the Dragon Dance came through the hotel and treated us to traditional dancing.  The 10km and bragging rites of a 2nd 100km ride would not have been worth missing this.

The girls were awesome with their knives.

and back home we go, about noon.... 

4 days:  310km, 2000m climbing, and definitely some endurance in the legs.

Mui Ne - Day 3

Still NOT feeling like a rock star from the stomach aches, but a recovery ride was a good idea (not that anything more THAN recovery was an option).  So, I head out by myself.  Gj decides to windsurf.  Emily's feeling a little better.

 Where the upper road, joins the main road, passes the sand dunes and down to the water.  It is VERY windy!

 My goal was 4 days of riding in a row.  Simply, so my body could get used to recover/ride the next day.  Intensity and mileage would be added after a solid endurance foundation.  But, my stomach.....oh.... my stomach....

 This bike has been from Taiwan to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand.... and several places in Vietnam, not to mention all but the southern tip of Taiwan.... 

Heading north.  I choose to go home.  I complete two full loops with the added "beach front".  this makes 70km averaging.... 25kph?  tough wind, bad stomach... but, could I sit home and NOT ride?  Riding opportunities are just not THIS in HCMC...  Unless I am truly sick, I go!  Miserable, pain, stomach ache, even if I throw up...

Sadly, that night was horrible.... what was still 'in' me made very violent exits.... Gj simply said, "I think you should stay off your bike tomorrow".... I agreed.

Miu Ne - Day 2

So, a bit tired after the 104km ride from the day before.  Hubby enjoyed boasting of his 'long ride', "Yeah, rode 60km today!!"...  he must have felt the laser glare of my eyes because then he would say, "oh, Tina did over 100".  ha ha...  He's a 40km rider....  that's what he likes, that what he does.  Just maybe 4 or 5 times a year he gets over 50, and very rarely, 100.  that said, he's a freakin' locomotive!

that said....  we ate a restaurant that we trust and have befriended the owner (not at the hotel).  But by 8pm, I was in dire pain... stomach, legs, head...

2am, though I was going to be sick.  All I could do to keep it down.  I so badly didn't want to throw up, but probably should have. 

Emily did.  She was SICK.  she threw up for about 3 hours...

Horrible stomach ache.  But, by 7:30am, I felt OK.  Gj talked me into, "an easy ride".  Well, okay.... an easy ride.

That it was for him.  Even though my overall speed was less then 25kph, the headwind was fierce.  The side wind with my big rimmed wheels took me off guard and I wasn't strong enough to 'deal' with it.  I was sooooo mad, "I am NOT going to the WATER today!"  It was late when we started, 9:30++ and the wind was really whipping out there!

We did about 45km.

The climbs were too much, I couldn't keep anywhere near Gj.  Typically, I am 200m ahead.  I felt bad at the top.

I took it as a recovery ride.  Hoping that thought the speed was very slow (out, reached 58kph fairly easy on the way back at one point), the wind would be making me stronger?

I couldn't eat much for the duration of the day....  Emily slept until 5pm, and actually, I worked.... in the room.... no beach.

Mui Ne - Day 1

Sometimes the reason I 'put up' with the Nguyen Van Linh highway is to be in decent condition.... good enough condition to ride in Miu Ne!  Oh....  it is soooo awesome.  It is really harder to think of a better place, yes, better then Taiwan, yes, at time, better the where I live in the US....

Ocean on one side, sand dunes on the other, sun beating down on me, a coconut, beach and maybe a beer waiting for me afterwards.... tell me there IS better riding and I will NOT believe you!

Day 1:

 My BFA...ha ha...  there's a bit of a head wind.  NOT enjoying the headwind.  It makes the average speed slower.  All I see from the other girls is there average speeds... and I know mine falls deeply short!  But, I don't have a wheel (regardless the size of my husband, he is NOT a group rider and he is NOT a steady wheel to be one....I try to remind him, but at no avail.... I was on his wheel and the next thing I know he's bending over trying to wipe something off his front time!)  I give him a good, "wife nagging", but... the memory of crashing is still too fresh on my old body!

 At the turn around point.

 On the way back.  This out and back is about 58km.  However, I already had 55km in when I met up with him.  I was feeling soooo good, regardless of the speed. I still beat him up any hill longer then 200m in length and definitely, the long big hills on the way home... Even did the "look over dropped shoulder - 'are you coming?'" look to him.... oh... years of that demeaning look.....  LOVE IT! (I am only teasing, of course... he is thrilled when I can out climb him).

105km, 995m climbing.... to the beach, coconut, spring rolls and some ocean time!