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...
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.
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