Well, this year I have added a new challenge to my list because I would like a medal for crossing the finish line at around the bay in a day, Melbourne. I have never really taken up road cycling before.
I remember when I was like 14 years or so, I was given a road bike and taken it for rides around the neighbourhood and even made it up the mountain with my college friends. One day they decided to ask me out for a trip, I am still new to the culture here in New Zealand as I have recently arrived as a migrant as a refugee from Thailand.
I didn’t know there was a specific bike for different terrains and I thought we were going for a ride on the road…wasn’t I wrong! They rode up towards the hills, and from there it was horrific experience on the road bike, I fell many times, and at the end, my bike was pretty much in pieces…crya.
My First Cross Road Bike
I have recently bought the bike sometime back in December 2014, and have been riding hard for a month or so to help with my weight loss training. Find it very good for burning body fat and getting fit at the same time. I started off riding an hour a day after work and slowly progress to three hours on the weekend. I gave it up when I started to hit the gym to help build muscle and feel that I didn’t need cycling anymore.
I started again at the end of February 2015 where I began doing 40k rides to Saint Kilda and return and last weekend on Labour Day, and I had completed my first long ride to Sorento which is 120k from Bundoora. I didn’t know what to expect, started my journey at 06:20 when it was still dark. When I made it to Saint Kilda, it seems everyone who has a road bike passed me very easy, I must say, and I did my best to try to keep up with them.
When I reached Frankston to stop over at a service station to grab me a Gatorade drink to refuel my electrolytes, that’s when I met two lovely gentlemen who rode from Port Melbourne. Who mentioned to me that I need to get sleek tyres, proper shoes and pedal.
During my stay in Sorento at a friend’s place, she also mentioned that having thinner wheels will increase my power and speed by 50%, plus on top of getting shoes and cleats. I am hoping to get these accessories at the beginning of April and start testing them out, so in a couple of months, I will try to make a one day trip to Sorento and return which is a 220k trip. Plus, what I want to test out is if I get any faster on Beach Road and possibly keep up with the other cyclists on the road.
Here’s me arriving at Sorento.
Here’s To Future Training!
I will look forward to the day of “Around The Bay In A Day” 2015
