Chúc Mừng Năm Mới - Anh Linh Love School

So, last week I got an invitation from Sister Thuy at the Anh Linh Love School to attend their Tet celebration.  Of course, as most moms, I felt I was too busy to go. I have a lot of work, PTA, cycling, and just managing a house, husband, two kids and a dog!  But at the bottom of the invitation it says, "Your presence will be an encouragement to the children".... 

SOLD!

I was over 20 minutes late when I arrived.  I rode my bicycle and had been there many times, but that was always by taxi and I never paid attention to exactly WHERE we turn...  but I thought I was savvy enough to read the map and make it there...  well...  ha ha...

I had prepared 200 red envelopes for the kids.  I knew there were 188 kids in the elementary school and for some reason....thought it was enough....  I sent an email to the school letting them know I was coming and asked if it was enough.  Sister Thuy in her gracious way simply said, "Yes, we have 186 int he elementary school and another 89 in the middle school".... "Elementary is fine!"... Oh....@#$!@#%

So, at 8:00am I am running all over the neighborhood trying to get new 10,000 bills and more red envelopes.  Most banks are closed... text many friends asking what to do!!!  I can't come empty handed... of all the kids, the older ones are truly the ones that realize that things aren't really in their favor...

Thanks to the good guys at ANZ bank, they helped me stuff the remaining 40 envelopes when I had less then 10 minutes to get to the school....

Sadly, after all of that... I got lost!

Luckily, the show went on for nearly 2 hours.  So unfortunately, I missed a few of the singing and dancing, I got to see so much!

I went alone.  No one could come with me.  There were a few that I knew, the ES Principal and the old ES art teacher, Helen. 

The envelopes I prepared.

Candy that Jerri (the main benefactor for the school) had prepared along with "lucky money" too....

I think most all of the middle school kids sang and/or danced.

This angel is exactly that.... she left the school last year, but had the courage to come back and continue her education!  She was allowed to sit with us after during our lunch.

How can you NOT love that face?!?  So beautiful, so innocent, but definitely, a hard life to this point, or she wouldn't be here. 

Supermen were there... these boys were nothing short of amazing!

The girls so beautiful!

The children then receive their red envelops from the guests, and gifts donated and new uniforms.  The modest handful of items they received put huge smiles on their faces.  I also understand that they received some foods so that they would have something to eat for the two weeks they would not be attending school.  The children are all small for their age.  Malnutriution does that.  Poverty does that.

These kids, bring a joy and warmth to Sister Thuy.  They do to all of us visiting as well.  Sister Thuy has sought out these kids, advocated for them, and loves them so dearly.  She is a hard working woman.

To all the beautiful children at Anh Linh Love School:

Chúc Mừng Năm Mới

And to all the beautiful children not YET at Anh Linh Love School:
Chúc Mừng Năm Mới


Every child deserves a childhood!

An Intense, low mileage week

and I am exhausted... but not for the RIGHT reasons, for the WRONG reasons... again!  So frustrating!

Monday:  IP - intervals, 5 all out for 1.1km then recover the 5.4km to complete the circle.  The 6th lap, some guy wanted to talk with me....

Tuesday:  Skipped the humilation ride... Alex said he would do the bridge and if I wanted to come along.  Well, I've climbed about 100m in the last 2 months combined, seemed like a good idea.  Three rounds of the bridge... one climb completely standing... a success for an early season session, but still... PATHETIC!

Thursday:  Humilation ride with the boys... unbelieveable speed today.. After crossing the red bridge I see that there are at LEAST 30 guys at the 'triangle', and they were the BIG, FAST buys...  Holy Smokes...  I just trot along, get through the intersection.  It took them a while to group up.  I was quite a bit ahead (not a good idea, like to be with 3 or 4, better chance to stick)...  They whiz by me, the first group... then the 2nd group... and the BIG guys... by this time, I have my speed up to catch on and jump in... but at 48kph, my speed simply WAS NOT ENOUGH!

Cried my eyes out when I got home.  It was just too much.  The little voices in my head are telling me, "all the other girls would have stuck, why can't you?"... And with work being really busy and stressful, PTA with some recent unneccesary stresses, and being bitched out by a fellow mom....  some other things.. I just had it... emotionally... completely being obliterated out there just added salt to a very deep wound.  Look in the mirror and an old lady is looking back....  just a really bad day.  funny, I have so many, but couldn't contain my tears this day.... so the family had a look at their 'rock' that actually does fall apart sometimes. 

Friday:  4 laps in the IP.  Was suppose to go to Cat Lai w/ Alex, but I had been up late working, and thought I may need to conference w/ San Mateo office... so I cancelled and just did the IP.  Really boring.... but a recovery ride... the last three were quite intense.

All in all for the week:  140km... 160km shy of my goal.

Next week:  Miu Ne! 

Mini me or Mini G?

Last Sunday, Gj took our son out to the Industrial Park for 3 laps!

 Gj said they averaged about 27 or so in the park.  NOt bad for little legs and little wheels.  Not to mention about 30km!

 He seems to be out growing the bike.

So... is the boy:  Mini ME (Tina) or Mini G (Gjermund)?.... hmmm

Chúc Mừng Năm Mới - CLB Xe Dap Quan 7

I think the Vietnamese are the strongest people in the world.  How can a group of people be so strong, so fast on a bike,  yet, they are (I assume) much older then me (and, I AM not young anymore!)... they have a cigarette or two prior to the ride...

and blow me away... like I am standing still! 
(THANKS TO SPEED from XEDAP.ORG, as I took the pictures from that site)

 I got there closer to 11:00am...

 He never took his helmet off....

 cheers!  Moit, Hai, Ba... (cheers?)

 Aaauuhh out comes the singing!

 This lovely man, clearly, and elder of the 'club'.  Out here to celebrate the New Year with everyone. 

 Happy, singing...

 Singing...cheers...good...

 "Can we have a picture with you?"....o...kay....

But, notice the man getting on the bike behind the guy with the white hair.  I just spoke with him.  The man in the plaid shirt helped translate.  This old man was really, very old.  I would say in his 80's.  He had very few teeth left, and HE came up to ME to say hello and ask where I was from.  I look at him and think, what an incredible, beautiful human!  Clearly, he's lived more then enough of the world's pains with Vietnam through so much conflict, hunger, closed to the world, and all the trying times....  If I could only know what he's been through, what was life like....  and here he is... on a bike, at the 'club' wishing his younger brothers a Happy New Year! 

I am humbled!

 Outside, a little quieter (inside/outside, in Vietnam, its covered/uncovered...) we are on the Nguyen Van Linh...

 oops, out comes the DOUBLE BLACK lable.... even I got a shot! 

 This lady was lovely and her English was great!  She came out to talk w/ Claudia and I.

and the time:  about noon!  ha ha ha... I think that's the Vietnamese secret.... play hard, party hard, and to bed early!  No doubt, they'll tear up the road by 5:30am the next day!

The 5th day

on my bike this week. 

I am a little disappointed that my brand new Garmin is not keeping speed very well. I spent some time on the bridge adjusting the magnet and reader.  Interestingly enough, it DID keep the candance perfectly.

I had 100km on the docket.  I knew the speed would be fast.  I knew I'd get blown away.  I wasn't sure how to get to 100, but some combination of NVL loops and then to the IP for a cool down lap or two.

We take off.... Alex takes the lead, I follow.  Trying to hold his wheel.  Four of us make it through the light before the peloton that's just revving up.  Sure enough, "Mr. Hot Shot" in his tri position, no helmet is calling the shots.... attack, attack...they do.... I get sucked to the back like a vaccuum.  I envision they all have a great laugh that I come out week after week, and get sucked and spit out the back.  Perhaps I expect it and don't try as hard as I should. 

The speed was intense...  and no way to catch.  Mr. Discovery also falls out.  I follow him.  It seems to be the routine.  Again, I am slow on the turn around, I am slow on the intersections...  His tire blows at the toll booth on the way back.  I stop to see if he's alright, "I am okay, GO TINA, GO FAST!"... I put on my glasses, he looks up again and yells at me, "GO FAST TINA!"  okay...

I see Alex on the other side after the white bridge.... I turn at the first available turn after the tollbooth.  We ride 2 more laps together.  Then he heads home.  He already had 1/2 hour in before the 'race'.  "Wow, you loose a lot of time crossing an intersection"... "yup"... 

I dont' really know our speed through the laps, but just before the turn around of the 2nd lap with him (the 3rd), my legs are really burning and I am exhausted....  the speed seems intense... but it was probably only 30.  Who knows... 

I take a last lap.  No intension of going hard, but just want teh 3:30 on the bike.  Ran into Kristof and the Danish guy...  we chat and I waive them off, "I am finishing up 100, and I am out of gas, period"...

Hmmm....  I know the other girls would ride this ride much faster.... and they ahve actual hills.  I know my riding isn't good.... and I am not sucking wheel tight enough.  Its costing me everything.

Good ride.... encouraging?... kinda.  Glad to not have done the first 75 alone.

Drop out

The fourth day on the bike this week.  Ride with the boys at 5:50am.  Seems to get later and later all the time.  Family is very supportive and set their alarms so they'd be awake after I got home! 

So...  out I go.  Pitch black, but tired enough that my nerves don't get the best of me.  At least not today.  We wait at the bridge for quite some time.  I don't think we even started riding until 5:55!!!  It will be nice when the days get longer again (no, the Winter Equinox is NOT 12/21, and I don't understand what the deal is and would really appreciate an explaination!)

chit chat w/ Alex and Tuan, and stretch.  My back is killing me and a good massage would do wonders.  Actually a chiropractor would be better... but...yeah...  I am in Vietnam.

Out we go.... 

I hang through and over the white bridge...yeah...

Then the next bridge....

Then the red bridge.... manage to even take the lead until I get blown away by Alex and nother on the left.  I am burning up and my thighs are on FIRE (oh, hurts SOOO GOOD!) but speed is 44kph, yeah!  I am back!  Speed is quickly reduced to 35kph....oopps...

Alex said, "The fast guys aren't here today, stay with the pack!"  So I fight.

but not hard enough.

The group doesn't know if they are turning or going straight...  for some reason, I had fallen slightly behind, but the indecision allows me to catch up.  Then we race to the end, I am one of the last on the turn around.  I don't know what it looks like as the construction is very busy.  So, I fall back but cut the corner sharp and improve position.  At this time, the peloton is a single line and who ever started the sprint is full speed and I am just getting back on the road...

I grab a truck,

aauugghh... more and more behind.  I know the result...  then at the light, there's full 3 lanes of traffic and teh Quan 4 guy is just day dreaming..  I yell at him to go.  Oh, I am going to be humilated if I can't catch up.

FINALLY, he gets out of the way, but at this time, the peloton is at the top fo the bridge, I am just approaching the bottom...hoping they are having some sort of rest/collection, I go as hard as I can...

but it's official,

I dropped out, got dropped, and in  my own words, just plain suck.

of all days, today was my day of success if I wanted it... but clearly I didn't fight hard enough, and I allow myself to fall back when tricky parts of the road approach (toll booth, turn around and scary intersection).  I have to trust my fellow riders or I will alwyas be in the back and always fall off.  I know I don't have the turbo it takes to catch a surge from so far behind.  I never have... its a gender issue I think.

and on the way home, the only thing through my head was, "I know the others would have stuck"  referring to all the girls I will race against in Thailand.

I need to toughen up, of just ride my market bike.  Its come to that!

Endurance

is improving...and that's about ALL I have to say!  ha!

The after ride refreshment!  Fresh coconut water is one of the best things for you!  Every time drink this, I find my recovery is better then without.  These particular kinds of coconuts are sweet and the meat is really tasty... Yes, I know, also probably full of calories... but... its not that bad!

I had 90km on the docket for the day.  Alex was unable to ride.  Who else?  haven't touched base w/ Shannon yet, I think Rachel is out of town so.... that leaves me, myself, and I. 

On the way out, I was shaking and very jumpy.  Its the end of rush hour (as if you can differenciate bad from bad bad traffic here)... eventually I settle down.  With going solo and during work hours, my goal is just to get on the road and relax. 

It was a horrible slow ride....  I felt like Ricky Bobby in Talladega Nights after his crash when he was test driving his new car on the track after his crash....  the guys in the control room were saying, "Yeah.... he's up to 25mph now!"...  but he's all alone on the track and should be going 100! 

That's how I felt today.... my speed was slow, and I felt quite pathetic.

I eventually see a group of 20+ riders on the other side of the highway.  I am hoping they will catch up with me.  They are escorted by a motorcycle for safety.  Their speed isn't fast fast, and was really hoping to catch a ride.  It'd be good for me.

I never saw them again, perhaps they went to the East-West highway instead?  who knows....

I talk myself into going home after 50km.  I didn't have the nerve to even manage the traffic down to the park.  And, at my speed.... I'd be there for E V E R!!

Tomorrow will be better... I know I have to just get through this...

In time, it will pass!