Rorschach!

Ok, I went for another painful pleasant 45 km cycle over the weekend. It was the second time that I ever have had a mini- 'blow-up'. That is, I felt completely drained, no energy left (most likely due to not enough food). It really is a tough feeling - you feel that you are pedaling normally but there is just no power. Still, it was heaps of fun - especially those downhill sections; there is just nothing like careening through those Swiss towns at 60 km/h + - that is adrenaline :)




And of course the photos ...

Rorschach, Switzerland Cycling - 2006

Yes another ride ...

Anyway, I digress; with holidays in mind, I thought I better take the opportunity and head out for my favourite 35km ride in the hinterland of the Zurichsee; surpisingly it was a v.easy ride today.

Riding / cycling is becoming such a part of my life now - I really start get an itch to go for a ride if I haven't been for 2 weeks or so. What exercise is part of your life?

It will be interesting if I am in Zurich in the Winter - as I have heard it is possible to ride on perfectly cleaned up roads amongst fields of snow - that would be an amazing experience!

Anyone for a ride - here is where we are going ...

I received a link to another Google Maps site recently from one of my mates who I cycle with (thanks Greg). So anyway on this site you can track the course, locale, and distance of where you are exercising - how cool!

So, this is ideal for organising cycling trips; basically a map is plotted out - posted to the Internet, discussed, agreed upon, printed out and then basically executed (ah the hard bit - getting out and cycling in 14 degrees and rain - like I did last Sunday).

I have cycled this course three times and believe it is an ideal 2-3hour ride out of Zurich and v.scenic and (in parts) exhausting ;)

Zurich - Egg - Zurich: 35km cycle

One site to keep for training for 'Around the Bay' - 2007; yes Jacinta - I am committing to this!

92 kilometres later ...

Well, with a detour to Buchs, Sargens after abandoning the mighty climb - me, Ian, Greg clocked in and finished our ride at 92kms; the weather held up (it was forecast to rain), the scenery awe-inspring, the route interesting and varied, the body - fatigued! Have not stopped eating since I got home, and will sleep heartily tonight.

And here is the profile ...



The cycle (dive?, plunge?) downhill from Wildhaus was phenomenal ;)

Another weekend; another long ride!

Ok, I just thought I would share in my excitement that I am going on a 65km ride over the weekend. The route is Ziegelbrücke - Kaltbrunn - Wattwil - Nesslau - Stein - Amden - Ziegelbrücke and reportedly includes a 10km climb of 600m (this is significant for an amateur cyclist!). So why do I blog about this? well with inspiration from Martin Dugard's excellent blog I look forward to the physical challenge before me.

I have only been cycling for the last 2 months - but whoa it really is enjoyable especially over long distances. You get to see wonderful scenery, there is no impact to old, sore muscles (like running, which I do enjoy also) and there is a some exhiliration when you are flying down a hill (current top speed recorded is 75km; man that feels quick). I also like the challenge of cycling. With cycling, it really is easy to cruise (especially with a good carbon fibre bike which weighs next to nothing - here is mine) ... and that is the crux - you can either stay within your range / cadence or push beyond. So whenever I can, I try to be a little uncomfortable when riding, especially on the flat.

All this is void once you start climbing! On my climbs of Birgenstock, Engelberg, you notice that in the lowest gear on a triple crank that there is no anaerobic impediment (i.e. leg muscles) to climbing, however, there is significant aerobic strain. So what does this mean? well I haven't been wearing a heart monitor (on the way - will blog about it when I get it), but it feels like your heart rate is resting at its top 10% range - and this goes on, and on for the entirety of the climb. And typically when I am in the lowest gear I am only averaging 10-15km/h so those climbs can take some time - but what a feeling when you get to the end of the climb - wow! To exert yourself to the limit and to achieve (this does not occur too often in daily life). I will hopefully have a profile of the cycle next week. Until then ...

Moments in sport ...

I don't know why, but I am fixated by world sporting events at the moment - maybe because I am in the heart of summer, or maybe because I am more active currently than I have been for quite a while.

Anyway, I just thought I would say that the next few days in the Tour de France (TDF) will be fascinating. To provide some background for the uninitiated, the TDF is in its final week - it is particulary interesting this year as it is sans Lance Armstrong (who won the last 7 TDFs!), and a cohort of other well-known / favourite cyclists who have been suspended from the TDF for suspicion of involvement with drugs (e.g. Ivan Basso, Jan Ulrich, etc.).

So what makes the next few days so interesting, well the 5 or so cyclists (including the Australian Cadel Evans) in contention are going to take on some of the highest mountains of the Alps (see this blog dated Sunday 16 July, for a great description). It starts with the L'Alpes d'Huez one of the most famous / infamous climbs of the TDF - if you are near the commentary don't miss it. I must admit I will be barracking for Floyd Landis, anyone who can compete for the TDF with no hip (i.e. he needs a hip replacement, he can't climb stairs, or run) must be admired in terms of pain-tolerance, drive, and ambition.

PS: On a side note, I went for a ride from Zurich-Bubikon on the weekend, a measly 75km which was v.enjoyable; but I was more impressed with the output from the Polar watch that my fellow rider was wearing (see below) - definately v.tempted to buying one duty - free.



And yes that last climb was tiring!