It’s the end of training season and I lost 10 lbs after riding 74 miles under nearly hundred degree heat wave on Saturday! Oh yea, by the time you read this email, it’s my birthday!
I think the hot weather on this past weekend was beyond words can describe, you wouldn't know it unless you were under the sun for 7 hours like us. While most of you staying indoor with ac on, I continue riding my bike, hoping to put in more miles before the end of training season.
Saturday and Sunday was this year’s popular Santa Barbara ride, a lot of riders and training ride leaders participated in that event. I did it for the last two years but decided not to this year. So I end up leading a ride from the Rose Bowl, together with co-TRLs Pedro, Fiona and Alan, Steve, Mark & Alison who were also in town. To my surprised, we were the ONLY training ride in LA on that day, so I got over 30 RSVPs for the ride, the biggest ever turn out in our area.
We rode from Rose Bowl to the Claremont with 2 water stops at Goldstein’s Bagels and San Dimas Canyon Park before lunch in Claremont. It was really hot. By the time we made it to the half point, everyone was exhausted. No one could stand the heat. The fast riders turn around to complete the ride without stopping long, while I stayed with the slower rides at the back.
Third water stop was at Sierra Madre’s. That was when we came across all the fire engines rushing to the Santa Anita Canyon brush fire. We saw heavy smoke from the north. Our common goal was: get back to the Rose Bowl as soon as possible. However, our legs and bodies didn’t move as fast as we wish for.
About 10 of us at the last group decided to cut the ride short, skipping Altadena Drive climb, instead we took Orange Grove, the flat road. I was really tired because of the heat. After sending all the riders home, I drove home with empty-stomach, I was starved to dead.
When I got home, I weighted myself. I lost 10 lbs from this heat-ride. While it seems like the “biggest loser” I was more worried about my body. I kept eating and drinking and decided to take a quit nap. I woke up later, probably around 8pm, and ate more. By the end of the day, I gained back 5 lbs.
Never had such an experience. It was tough, it was hot. Together with the 50-mile ride I did with Fiona on Friday, I put on 124 miles this past weekend. Oh yea, ALC 7 is 4 weeks away, why my training ends so early? That’s because I will be out of the country visiting my family in Malaysia for 3 weeks. I will be back a week before the Ride. I will not have access to road bike while I am abroad, however, will try to stay fit and try not to eat too much food that I dearly missed (I know it will be very hard).
Last but not least, I turn 32 today (Monday). I hope everyone is happy and healthy, I pray for world peace, and I look forward for your sponsorship. I will have limited computer access in the next 3 weeks, but will try to send out updates whenever I can. Take good care of yourself.
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