"Let me tell you what I think about bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel.. the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood." ~ Susan B. Anthony

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Living Gluten-Free

is like living in a candy store and you can't eat a thing!

It is so hard and frustrating.  Just when you think you have something you can fix, you try, and then in the morning your daughter wakes up and tells you she had a horrible night!  So... you check the ingredients on the canned soup:  sure enough!  DAMN IT!

My daughter has been struggling for nearly 18 months.  Finally, a few months ago, the pain and suffering got to the point she had to miss school.... and lots of it.  We have been workign with Dr. Suresh at Victoria Health Clinic here in Ho Chi Minh City.

Hoping at first it was parasites, it wasn't.  Then, it leads to looking at other things in her digestive track.  We go gluten free.....  wheat free... whatever that means.  She had a full colonoscopy to check for any other diseases.... and/or it just may be irritable bowel.

The frustrating part is you think you are feeding your daughter somethign she can eat, but only to learn that there was wheat in it after all! 

So.... we are back to basics.... basic cooking.  I was already much more basic then most American families as I live in Asia.  But, there's nothing packaged she can eat.  Try being an American kid goign to an American school and she can't have a box of crackers!  Its not so easy.

The food companies (to which I now .... don't like) have wheat in EVERYTHING.... but luckily, instead of just taking it out.... of everything .... they take it out of just a FEW things, label it "Gluten Free" and charge about 200% more.  Well, when you live in Vietnam, try 500% more!  So, gross scones I made last night cost me about $8.00.

She did get sick from them.... so I suppose it is worth it.

HELP!   

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Jimmy Jazz




Who can't be proud when your 12 year old is jammin at the Middle School Concert!


The police walked in for Jimmy Jazz

I said, he ain't here, but he sure went past
Oh, you're looking for Jimmy Jazz

Sattamassagana for Jimmy Dread
Cut off his ears and chop off his head
Police came looking for Jimmy Jazz

So if you're gonna take a message 'cross this town
Maybe put it down somewhere over the other side
See it gets to Jimmy Jazz

Don't you bother me, not anymore
I can't take this tale, oh, no more
It's all around, Jimmy Jazz

J-a-zee zee J-a-zed zed
J-a-zed zed Jimmy Jazz
And then it sucks, he said, suck that!

So go look all around, you can try your luck, brother
ANd see what you found
But I guarantee that it ain't your day
Chop! Chop!



Thursday, April 21, 2011

It's JUST a bike race, RIGHT?

So....why does it feel like the weight of the world?  It is JUST a BIKE race.  I am a 42 year old mother of two kids.  My life consists of hours of algebra help, leaning 6th grade science, social studies, cooking dinner somewhat 'home style' in an Asian country.  I am the PTA President and I have a job....

I ride a bike because it is fun.

I ride a bike because it is healthy, and after the third turn of the pedals.... I am near nirvana....  Its just THAT good!  Its hard to explain unless you understand the 'high'.

So.... its JUST a bike race, right?

No... its justification, it's a race, and I am very competitive....  I analyze, study, learn, work...  totally changed my training to training with a  purpose.  I have acheived levels thought impossible at my age and the complete suckiness of Ho Chi Minh City riding.

Getting really down about my climbing (or lack of) today I actually came home in tears from my ride.  I intended to do 8 bridge laps with an average speed of 22.5kph for all 16 climbs together.  I think it is very doable.  Tuesdays 6 laps were 21.5kph and without too much intensity.  Well, nine sets of intervals, so averages are not a good indicator. 

Today's wind was NUCLEAR!  It was depressing.... I could see it from the window.  I knew there was no place on the bridge to hide.  Its open over the Saigon River and today was the windiest day, EVER.

Completely demoralized after the ride..... came home in tears!  Its been a long time.  Didn't even want to look at the averages, because I didn't think there was any point. 

Alex came with me....  he's quite the friend to ride with me (there is NO ONE HERE...and those that do ride... they don't seem to invite me....whatever... i give up!  My schedule is pretty predictable...)

I was quite humiliated after the hills..... he told me where I was lacking strength (he's brutally honest - but if something is deserved, I get it)... but the damn wind.

I can't seem to stand the entire climb... I was quite shocked by this....  that's a back pocket trick... 

The wind took a LOT out of me...

That said... I finally got up the nerve to download the data....

Guess what?  Not the 22.5kph I wanted, but 21.6kph...  much better then I thought.  The average on the windy side was 19.9, the not windy side 23.3 (take that too thank you very much!)...  the winds were not head/tail, but cross....  so the 'tail wind side' not as much of a struggle, but it was no tail wind.

So.... maybe I am not as weak as I thought....

Only 8 more days before I get on the plane, 9 before Stage 1 for the girls.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Laps for Love - Fundraiser

The High School National Honor Society conducted a fund raiser for their Senior students "Habitat for Humanity" trip.  Every year, the Honor Society seniors go along with Vietnam's Habitat for Humanity and build houses for one week.

This year, they will go to Long An. 

They had a fund raiser to help pay for the trip and the money is used for donation of materials, etc.  So, they had their 'Laps for Love'.  Each kid who wanted to participate ran laps in the gym for one hour.  There were teachers who chaperoned and counted for 4 to 5 students.  Prior to the event, students got friends, teachers, and parents to pledge either a  'per lap' donation, OR total donation.

Eirik managed to get nearly 66,000vnd per lap.



We were all a LITTLE surprised when we learned he ran 103 laps....

But, you know what?  He had the 2nd highest number of laps.  Only a high school kid out ran him.  It wasn't a competition, of course!

The kids were all so genuinly happy, cooperative, and the mood was great.  There was music, a DJ, food, drink, and lots of parents there to support.

If Eirik can collect all the $$ he was pledged, he will have enough to build one house!  Habitat for Humanity needs $250 in materials for one house.

Amazing little dude, he gave up an hour.... someone gets a home.... 

Friday, April 1, 2011

The fine line between Fitness & Fatigue

 During the 1st stage of the compassion tour (the most important/moving, relevant thing I have ever done on a bike....hands DOWN), gj meets us as we climb the bridge, and we stop at the coffee shop.
Only the day before the Tour, my bike is  making a horrendous noise... YUP, BB's are SHOT!  Should be... chain too, I probably have over 20,000km on that chain.  Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know....I know.... anyhow, got a new chain and BB Cups....  will be rolling a wee bit easier come Sunday.

???  Love my bike...  too bad I look like a cow on it!

I do not enjoy HCMC cycling... its not good... but here are good things that cycling has to offer regardless.  Married 18 years.... residing in three different countries, for my husband to meet me at the top of the bridge and cheer me on (actually he pulled the peloton) while being so proud of what I was doing and the tour's purpose...

I started cycling in Taiwan, with my husband.  I never rode a bike in the US. I always enjoyed watching the Tour de France... but it NEVER crossed my mind for ME to ride a bike.

My first road bike ride was horrible.  Gj bought me a bike, he gave me a choice between a Cinelli w/ Shimano components or a Colnago w/ Campy components.  I chose the Cinelli, he bought me the Colnago.  Our very modest collection of bikes were all Campy at the time, so it was a good choice.

The first ride... we didn't even know where the airport was located, but had the driver take us 'somehwere' close by.  Gj had gone out w/ some of the other expat riders.  I had to 'clip' in my shoes to pedals..."are you kidding me?"  I never started with flat pedals.  "If you are going to ride a bike, we do it right!"... 

I wasn't convinced I wanted to ride a bike.

I was so overwhelmed living overseas, Emily was diagnosed with a learning disability, Eirik was having some issues of his own.  I was workign a lot so my social life was really hampered.

I tried to survive my new life...

So whether I LIKED or DISLIKED cycling wasn't important to me at the time... I was just floating.  It was something to do w/ my husband... and for that, I'd do ANYTHING.

*****
and we are here today:  April 1, 2011, five and half years later.  My fleet is quite indulgent, our garage is about bikes, not cars.... I'd ride to Cambodia if I were allowed.

I've won many races... flat road and climbing....

But, I never trained right!  NEVER.  I begged, I asked....  I got good old training tips from cycling friends.  But, it usually conflicted with reading from Chris Carmichael.  So, I did what I could... listened to what others told me and tried to verify w/ reading.

After moving to Vietnam....  it all changed.  Cycling completely sucks here....  most give up.   Some people think they can comprehend the change... but until you ride the suckiness of HCMC... you don't know.  You just don't know.

Finally, my training is going well.  for the first time in 2 years, I feel I have hope!!

I am no longer riding aimlessly up and down the NVL just racking up the miles because that's what someone told me to do.  My training is very focused.  My training has proven to be effective.... I don't know how I will do in May, but I will go to the start line knowing I did everything I could.... and there is nothing to stop me.