|
Monday, June 7, 2010
Post Exercise Meal
We always think that to get better at cycling we have to ride a lot and that is true. But to keep us going for
miles and miles, we need to put in some fuel just like a car. We all have our own favorite fuel during a ride - gel,
banana, soda, PB&J, energy bars, etc. However, once we get home from our ride, clean up, and get back to reality,
our body will need to keep on refueling and rebuild our body from the strenuous riding. When we put in those
long hours of riding, our bodies are subjected to a lot of stress and the by product of which is toxins. Energy required
to propel our bikes requires a chemical reaction called oxidation. Hence, there are products out there called "anti-oxidants"
to clean out all these toxins and help repair damaged cells. Although oxidation of cells is part of reproducing cells
it helps to prolong the life of a it. One of the best or "the" best natural anti-oxidant are berries
(blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, etc.). However, one of my favorites and quite refreshing after a ride is pomegranate
juice. Pomegranate is rich in anti-oxidants and helps prevent a lot of common diseases (various cancers, Alzheimer,
even erectile dysfunction). Here's an excerpt from Livestrong.com about the benefit of pomegranate in cycling. Strengthens
Sore Muscles The ellagitannins in pomegranate fruit may help you exercise more. A 2009 study
in "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise" showed that men who developed muscle soreness after being subjected
to strenuous exercise recovered within two to three days because of the ellagitannins in their pomegranate extract.
In addition to the anti-oxidant property of pomegranate, the natural sugar of the fruit helps replace the glucose that
we just consumed during those anaerobic bouts. Note that the "glycogen window" (ability of the body to absorb
and synthesize carbs into glycogen) is only about one hour after an exercise. Now what about a couple of hours
after our ride? Most of us don't feel the urge to eat immediately after a ride but in a couple of hours, we can probably
eat mounds of carbs. To keep my hunger at bay, I have already prepared my food prior to the ride to save time in preparation
and keep me disciplined on what I should, instead of want, to eat. Anybody heard of quinoa (keen - wa)? I just
discovered this couple of months back and it actually is now a basic staple for me aside from rice. Quinoa is an amino
acid - rich (protein) seed that has a fluffy, creamy, slightly crunchy texture and somewhat nutty flavor when cooked.
What are the benefits of quinoa for us cyclists? Aside from the protein rich grain to feed our muscles, it is a carb
rich food that won't give us the extra pound we're trying to get rid of. COOKED QUINOA I mix quinoa with spinach, tuna (in a can in water), grated
parmesan cheese, sliced onions, and balsamic vinegar with olive oil for dressing. Tuna, as we all know, is rich in protein
and Omega-3 fatty acids which helps regulate and lower cholesterol as well as improving the HDL (good cholesterol) and LDL
(bad cholesterol) ratio. Spinach on the other hand is rich in vitamins (vitamin A, C, E, etc.) and minerals (nitrate,
iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, etc.). So what are the benefits in the nutrients of spinach for us? Aside
from making your mom happy that you are eating your greens, if you will look at the nutrition label in your electrolyte drink
some of the ingredients are or may be calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Calcium aids in muscle contraction and keeps
our bones strong. Potassium can be found in banana which we like eating during exercise. Potassium helps regulate
blood chemistry (Ph level) and improves carbohydrate metabolism by helping the muscle at efficiently. Without potassium,
your muscles stop "firing" (i.e. cramps). Magnesium is also required in muscle contraction and the production
of ATP (more on ATP next time). Bottom line, exercising depletes our body of minerals from sweat that we need to replace.
There are more benefits why spinach is good, but one thing I want to point out is Iron. Iron helps hemoglobin carry
oxygen to exercising muscles and plays a role in energy production for working muscles.
QUINOA WITH SPINACH AND TUNA SALAD Feel free to use other ingredients
with quinoa. You can eat it as a replacement for rice or you can also mix it with rice. Preparing/cooking quinoa
is just like cooking rice in your rice cooker. I sometimes cook it with chicken or vegetable broth instead of plain
water to give it some flavor. Bon a petit!
3:53 pm pdt
Monday, May 17, 2010
MMCC meeting May 16, 2010 minutes
Thank you for all those people who came out to attend our first club meeting. For those who who had prior engagements,
below were the topics discussed. - MMCC jersey/kit for 2011. Cast your votes
- Mira Mesa Cycling Club - San Diego, CAMembership dues needs to be given to Al. If you have not paid for your dues, you will not be allowed to order a jersey/kit.
- Club
fund and its breakdown.
- MMCC bike trip and club picnic. We are going to have a club cycling trip and venture
out from our normal riding route to experience other places in San Diego county. This ride will have SAG support and
a picnic at the end of the ride. Date and location of the ride is TBD.
- Miscellaneous
- Bike safety
- let's all be courteous when riding our bikes and follow traffic signs accordingly.
- If you plan to ride why not post
in the Shoutbox? You might find someone to ride with you. It might turn out to be a regular weekly ride!
- We
still have some MMCC kit that are available for sale. Please contact Al to determine what we still have available.
- Training
rides. We will try to develop weekend rides that will build up slowly to our planned bike trip / picnic. However,
due to other priorities and responsibilities it is encouraged to partner up with some riders to ride during weekdays if you
can.
- Fun rides. We'll have a random ride where everyone stops for coffee or even breakfast! Just chill
Thank you to Joe for ordering and bringing the donuts!
11:23 am pdt
Friday, December 18, 2009
"Turning Over the Keys" by Mango Mike
Fellow MMCC Members: Two years ago you elected
me as President of MMCC, and what a "ride" it has been! In the course of the last couple of years I have watched
this club grow into what it is today - a group of fun, determined, talented and PROUD riders who have proven themselves in
many challenges from the Bulldog Bike Race to the Tour de Francis. I am proud to have been your president, and now it
is time for me to turn over the keys to the "Orange Train" to our new president, Edgar. I hope that I have
left the group in better condition today than it was a couple of years ago. There have been some challenges along the
way, but as in any fledgling group we have figured out how to make things work. Despite the challenges, we have had
a lot of fun on our Sunday rides on our hometown roads, as well as everywhere else we have ridden. The founders
of MMCC, Chairmen Sammy and Roger, probably had no idea several years ago what they had started, and to their credit they
started with a great group of guys riding to have fun and to share their passion for cycling. I was fortunate to have
eventually met them at an event ride early in 2006, and since then I have enjoyed riding hundreds and hundreds of miles with
this great group of friends! MMCC is made up of good people who attract more good people, who happen to enjoy riding
bikes, too! We're not necessarily the fastest or the strongest riders out there, but we do as much suffering as anyone
else, and we do it PROUDLY wearing orange! As president I did my best to listen to all of you who had something
to say, because I know that those of you who gave me their input were genuinely interested in the betterment of the club.
I thank you for your contributions no matter how big or small. It wasn't the president who made this club work - it
was the members who: showed up for the Sunday rides; rode SAG for those who weren't as strong; came to the potlucks; graciously
opened up their homes for our get-togethers; kept us informed of the condition of other members good and bad;
were good ambassadors to our guests; helped with flats and other mechanical problems; and the list goes on. This
is what MMCC is about, and I am proud to have been the leader of this group for the past two years! Now it is time
for someone else to lead the Orange Train, but I will continue in the VP spot offering my assistance to Edgar and my "2-cents"
whenever he asks. I will be turning my attention to other endeavors, including some off-road riding! I
would like to thank all of you for helping to make this club a success as it continues to grow, and for your friendship and
company on our many Sunday rides and event rides. There's no other group I would like to suffer with, and I look forward
to riding many, many more miles with you all in the future. I wish our new president and my fellow officers much success
in the coming weeks and months, and I hope to see our MMCC members continue to make positive contributions to the club as
well as to our cycling community! Thanks again for all of your support! Mike
6:16 pm pst
Saturday, December 12, 2009
22nd Annual SDBC Toy Ride
If there's one thing that's not fun, it's riding in pouring rain.
However, there are some things I think are worth doing, especially when I spend 99% of my life in the comfort of my home,
office, car, or out doing something fun in nice weather! The SDBC Toy Ride is one of those things worth doing no matter
what. Once a year a dedicated bunch of cyclists from all over San Diego,
young and old, hop on their bikes to haul toys of every kind from UC Cyclery in La Jolla Village Square through Rose Canyon,
Mission Bay, Old Town, Mission Valley, and down University Avenue to the Ray & Joan Kroc Center where volunteers eagerly
await their toy donations.
This year three kids in elf suits returned to brave the cold,
rain and wind to participate in the ride. I asked a little girl - maybe 8 years old - "Are you having fun?"
The answer was already written on her face with her huge smile that went from ear-to-ear as she happily pedaled her little
road bike through the rain. "Yeah!", she replied, upon which I asked, "Is it more fun in the rain?"
"YEAH!!!" she answered excitedly. She and the rest of the participants were on a mission - as they are every
year at this time - to deliver a little something that will brighten up the life of a less-fortunate child they probably will
never know. That's what the Toy Ride is all about, and that's why it's well worth doing! 
3:26 pm pst
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Tour De Francis Palmdale 2009
August 15, 2009 a date that will be etched in my mind
for the next couple of months. This was the TDF Palmdale summer stage that the sadistic bike ride architect Francis Ignacio
concocted to inflict pain and suffering to masochists; us cycling fanatics who despite warnings endured the windy cold start,
oppressive sun and endless punishing climbs that has become his signature. And for what, why do we do this, why do we keep
coming to his house of pain? Well for those dedicated cyclists, die-hard roadies, and hardcore goats, the answer is easy.
It's the challenge, the test of will, the desire to push the body beyond its limits and the satisfaction and glory of overcoming
all these in one hard ride. It's a trial that taxes your mental and physical endurance; how fast can you go, how long can
you last, how much can you push, how much pain can you take? Manny, Agt Al and Allan R. picked me up at 3:10 am from my house in Poway. I didn't get a good sleep cause I kept
turning and was kind of dreading this ride. I had been on vacation for a couple of weeks and have had only about 3 rides
for the last 3 weeks. I also gained a few pounds during my vacation. I went anyway and was also excited to ride cause I've
never ridden in Palmdale and Big Pines Highway that led to Angeles Crest. I tried to sleep in the car but was only able
to nap for an hour intermittently. I chatted with kuya Manny every now and then to make sure he was OK. I shouldn't
complain though cause Allan worked until an hour before Manny picked him up. How he finished the ride and finish ahead of
many people is a testament of his power and endurance. Agt Al even though he had work commitments was able to come with us.
We met Cliff at the staging area and Gerald also came though I didn't see him at the start. I
had investigated the possible route on Google maps and posted it on the MMCC shoutbox. At the start Francis came up
to me and told me I missed two climbs. Oh, oh, it's even harder than I thought. In honor of the Filipino tradition we
started the 6:30 ride close to 7 am. The first 5 miles or so were fairly flat interspersed with mild gradients. It was neutralized
for the first few miles to keep the hammerheads from dropping the slower riders, me included. As soon as we reached
Mt Emma, the front riders started to increase the pace. Not wanting to be left too far behind, I speeded up to them and since
Allan was there, I was comfortable to draft behind him. After about 15 minutes at 27-30 mph I heard that familiar sound of
a flat tire. Dang, not again, so I slowed down and looked at my tires. The front 7 or so riders left me as I checked my wheels.
My tires looked OK. I asked another rider as the rest caught up to me if my tires were flat. They were not. The heat
and the sun had softened the tar and the road which caused the sticking tires and made that noise. It took me about 7 minutes
to bridge the gap and caught up to the leaders. I would pay later for the effort. Since I had my mountain cassette I was able to spin comfortably. After a while I dropped from the front cause
I couldn't keep the pace they set and I wanted to save my legs. I chatted with and rode next to Jun Usi of the Adobos.
From a distance I saw on my helmet mirror a red pick up truck with its blinkers on pull up with Filipino songs blaring. Wouldn't
you know it, it's Gerald. He encouraged me to keep spinning which I dutifully obeyed. It's comforting to have a familiar face
sagging along with Manny and Francis and the rest of the Adobo crew. Except for a couple of flats with slight descents, the
road kept going up and up. Cliff soon passed me a couple of miles at the 9% climb to the first stop at the Devil's Punchbowl;
a foreboding name. This was one of the climbs I missed on Google Maps. Agt Al came up and I stayed with him for a few
minutes but then he turned on his afterburners and left me. I remembered Edgar's advice and rode at my pace. At mile 20 or so Francis had the aid station set up complete with bananas, oranges, grapes, water, and assorted
foods to rehydrate and fuel up. Manny and Gerald were waiting along with Allan, Cliff, and Agt. Al. After removing my
leg and arm warmers and vest I refilled my bottles and sampled their foods. I waited a bit and chatted with another cyclist
while waiting at the bathroom. I told her the ride was challenging and I shouldn't have any problems unless I cramped
up. When I got back on my bike, the MMCC riders had already left. I was able to hang on to some fast riders for the descent
to the next climb. We passed many cyclists along the way. I found out later that two of them finished the ride first with
the front group. All of a sudden my quads cramped. At mile 25 I stopped and unclipped. Both of my vastus
mediales had knotted and panic almost set in. I relaxed and rested for a few minutes all the while riders passed by me. Now
that I think about it, nobody asked me if I was OK, maybe they did and it didn't register. I drank 2 endurolytes with water
and hoped for the best. I carefully mounted my bike and slowly pedaled. It was a bit flat so it helped. I spinned
and gradually caught up to some riders. I saw Rosalie and her friend and decided to ride with them. My cramp gradually
went away but not completely. It was just enough for me to keep up with them; but getting out of the saddle or pushing
hard was a no no. As soon as I pedaled harder the cramp came back so I had to back off and spin the whole time. We were
climbing between 6-7.5 mph at that point. Unbeknownst to me Rosalie was also cramping up. After another 45 minutes or
so we stopped to refill out bottles with Manny. Rosalie had to be helped off the bike due to her cramps. Her friend massaged
her quads to alleviate the pain.  We resumed our climb after about 10 minutes. Except for a couple of short flats and slight descents, the gradient
never let up. I was so hot that I drank both bottles in no time. I told Rosalie to go on ahead while I refilled with
Manny. Manny was my saviour today. I'm so glad he was there and always just ahead not too far away. Thank you so much.
The hill got steeper and the heat was draining my energy. My cramps were coming on and off. I slowed to 4-5 mph. I started
to question my sanity. Did I want to keep going? Why am I punishing my self? So many times I wanted to stop and end
the suffering. I could have easily gone back to Manny for a ride to the top. At times I rode at 3.5 mph just enough to keep
moving and not fall down. Now I know that zigzagging can save the day. When it was safe I rode on the left side of the
rode to get some shade. An Adobo sag vehicle drove by and I think it was Ricky who stuck out two fingers said just
two miles to go. I could have stuck out one finger but I needed both hands on the handlebar to keep from falling. Finally...
so close to the summit. I got to the final mile and Gerald was there to give me a hand. He got behind me and gave a push for
a good minute or two. Thanks Gerald. That was a relief. He said just one more mile but it was very steep. He was
right. I heard 9-12 % grade. This was the second climb I missed on Google Maps. At this point my BBQ was shot.
My back, my butt, and my quads were giving out. If I climbed out of the saddle my butt pain would subside, but my quads
would soon cramp and lock up. Over the span of about 15 minutes it was a difficult balance of which pain I could endure.
It was agonizingly slow for me but I was able to call on my depleted reserves one last time and persevered. My cramps
were knocking and I was bonking. Slowly and painfully I passed some riders who were stopped at the side of the road.
I was not the only one suffering. After what seemed to be an eternity I heard laughter and voices just around the bend. The
finality of the climb boosted my energy just enough for me to make it over the final pitch which gave way to a friendlier
and flatter mesa. I made it. Most of the riders were eating, drinking and laughing as the final riders trickled
in. Manny helped me off my bike and told me to eat and rest. I limped to the table where Cliff, Alan, and Agt Al had
been resting. After lunch and a restroom break I walked over to Rosalie's friend. She helped me stretch out my quads
and hamstrings. I almost kicked her as I had to straighten my leg fast to prevent a cramp on the back of my leg. Riders
were still slowly grinding their way up as we made our way back. The ride down was fast and fun. Carving around the bends,
I felt energized and strong. The descent was exhilarating as the wind rushed over my face. I think I saw 40 on the straightaways
. But the cautious side of me told me to slow down and be safe which I did. After about 15 miles of mostly downhill we approached
the first climb. It wasn't that steep maybe 4% but all of a sudden BAM! My quads cramped and my legs locked up. Fortunately
I was able to unclip my left foot. I stopped close to the side of the road. But I couldn't move my feet at that point. My
cramp was so severe I could not unclip my other foot or even hobble to the side of the road. So I froze there and waited
for help. Once again Manny was there to save the day. How lucky for me that he was there at that moment directing riders at
the turn. As the last rider passed Manny drove up to me and helped me off my bike; serendipity in spades. That was it
for me. While Manny secured my bike I climbed in the car and joined Agt Al and Ben from the Adobos. He had I think broken
his chain on the way up. Agt. Al told me he didn't feel well, a little dizzy and nauseaus. After directing the riders
at a couple of more corners, Manny headed to the finish. As usual Francis and crew had foods and drinks to replenish
everybody. I rode the TDF Heartbreak 100 Mt Frazier 2008. I cramped on mile 20 and mile 80. Guess who was there to help me?
Yup, Manny again; but I finished...tired but without pain. I did TDF Mt. Baldy and I felt strong and did really well....except
for getting lost. I gave my all at the TDF Castaic 2008. I retaliated at Francis by eating a lot of his posole
so nobody else could have it; but he was ready and he prepared a lot of food. This time around, Francis succeeded in
breaking me. Whether I didn't train enough, the weather got the best of me or whatever excuse I can come up with, I can honestly
say that this TDF Palmdale was the hardest ride for me notwithstanding the 2007 Tour De Poway 100 my first ride longer than
5 miles. I have learned just a bit more of myself, my capability and endurance and my threshold for pain. If anything
this is great motivation for me to train more and ride more often just so I don't have to go through this torture one more
time. I just want to thank Francis and the Adobos and crew and my fellow MMCC riders for allowing me to partake of the adventure
and challenge that is the Tour De Francis.
8:41 pm pdt
|