Health Alert: Central Taiwan Air Quality

Central Taiwan has just completed the rice harvest and now the farmers are starting to burn off the fields. This could be a health concern for cyclists and especially asthma sufferers.

If you are concerned with breathing smokey air during training or riding, I would suggest riding into Miaoli where the harvest will be a week or two later, or going up into the mountains to avoid the smoke. You could also ride very early in the morning before the burning starts, but the smoke lingers in the evenings after a full day of burning.

Watch The Tour

So at stage 4 Cancellara has motored his way to the top of the GC, The Mighty Thor is wearing green, Lance in over a minute behind after a flat and he may never recover. Frank Schleck is out with a busted collarbone. Cavendish hasn't really shown up yet, and despite Vinokourov forsaking Contador in Stage 2, he has now been brought to heel... until the next time he feels the need to get the monkey off his back.

The best part is that you can see it all with a decent internet feed: here

Scratch that comment about Cav. He just arrived with a sprint finish victory.

Mr. Cavendish, welcome to the Tour de France!

New Helmet Blues

AGU (West?) Covina

A couple weeks ago, on the same ride that killed my iPod, my Spiuk helmet strap snapped. It actually broke right on the plastic part of the strap as if the plastic seam just broke with no force. That kind of pisses me off as I was trusting my safety with that.

I needed a helmet in a pinch and I have a really small head. Finding a really good, small helmet is hard enough without having to get a kids helmet, and in Taiwan it is even harder as many Asian faces are wider and they can usually fit a medium or large (so I am told). A helmet that doesn't fit well can end up causing neck and back discomfort due to weight distribution and compensation.

I picked up this AGU helmet for $1800 as my stop gap helmet until I can get a better one in the US next week. My big problems are the cheap straps that feel flimsy, and the liner has no mesh to keep the bugs out.

Cycling Through Songs

After a rain squall in Changhua killed my iPod Shuffle in less than a minute, I bought a new one, and I don't like it as much. Earbuds already suck, but there are the best so far. My biggest problem, and I am not joking, is the fact that my otherwise normal looking ears were actually reconstructed by a Dr. Moriano in Seattle after years of wrestling resulted in pretty severe couliflower ear. The "Hey, feel my ear" game is a great conversation starter at cocktail parties of picking up chicks in bars, but earbuds just pop out.

Anyways, I have it all loaded up and shuffled, just waiting to surprise me with that perfect song to revive a dying cadence. So... what's in the ipod?

My List Of My Last 25 Songs From My Evening Ride (I'm surprised as well):

1. Animal--Miike Snow

2. You Say You Don't Mean It-- Young Fresh Fellows

3. Teardrops--The Proclaimers

4. Tarzan Boy--Baltimora

5. I Don't Want To Get Over You--The Magnetic Fields

6. Thunder Struck-- AC/DC

7. Chain Gang-- The Pretenders

8. Ramble On-- Led Zepplin

9. Bad To The Bone-- George Thorogood

10. Look Back In Anger-- David Bowie

11. 96 Tears-- The Stranglers

12. The Harder They Come-- Jimmy Cliff

13. Right Here Right Now-- Jesus Jones

14. Ruby-- Kaiser Chiefs

15. Radio GaGa-- Queen

16. Peaches-- The Stranglers

18. Cruel-- PIL

19. Saturday Night-- Bay City Rollers

20. Pure-- The Lightning Seeds

21. Because The Night-- Patti Smith

22. Seventeen-- Winger

23. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes-- Home

24. Museum of Sex-- Robyn Hitchcock

25. Sex Pistols-- New York

My Introduction To Cycling: Tyke Bike

An Ad for the Tyke Bike

Inspired by Darryl at Lovingthebike, I instantly remembered my first experience with my own machine of me-powered locomotion. The leopard spot seat and foxtails.... Yup, pretty pimp for a 2yo!

The imprint our early experiences with bicycles last a lifetime. I still have flashbacks to childhood when I hit a trilling curve or outrun a dog. The same feelings of freedom and independence linger. I can't wait to get back on the saddle.

Cycling When I'm In Heat... and Humidity.

Cooling and Refueling

It is mid-summer in Taiwan, which means the weather is both hot and humid.

I make no secret of my love for long, long, long, endurance rides and in pushing myself to the limits of fatigue. The way this year seems to be shaping up, I should be able to put together several rides over 160km. Lately I have been experimenting with rides in the 200km range with plans for longer as my strength and fitness increase.

The question I get asked a lot by cyclists and non-cyclists alike is how I can possibly put in that type of distance in such extreme temperatures in excess of 35C/95F. My usual response is, "With awesome 70's tan lines."

I really don't mind riding in the heat as much as I mind riding against the wind. Still, hot weather riding requires proper training and preparation to be done safely. The greatest danger to high temperature athletes are the effects of heat exhaustion and heatstroke. If left untreated these conditions could be fatal to an endurance athlete.

It is common to hear people scream heat stroke whenever they feel a little discomfort out in the sun, but actually heat stroke or hyperthermia is a term used to describe the body's inability to cool itself when the natural temperature controls, such as perspiration, shut down. What a person may be feeling are the minor effects of heat exhaustion.

Heat Exhaustion:

Heat exhaustion is the result of dehydration. The body has exhausted its supply of H2O reserved for sweating and can not allocate any more water for temperature control without affecting the vital organs.

Some typical signs of heat exhaustion include:

thirst

weakness

cramping

nausea

headaches

lightheadedness

excess sweating

weakness

Now, as athletes, we have probably all felt these symptoms while training and it does not necessarily mean we are suffering from heat exhaustion. We will, now and again, get a little dehydrated out in the elements. That is natural. Cramping can also be caused by a variety of factors beyond heat as well. Still, these are symptoms to be aware of while on the road.

Heat Stroke:

With heat stroke the body loses its ability to regulate its core temperature through sweat or radial heat and starts to shut down. Heat stroke requires immediate medical attention and may lead to cardiac arrest and death.

Symptoms:

Nausea

Disorientation

Extreme Fatigue

Inability to Sweat

Hallucinations

Rapid Breathing

Seizures

Coma

Red Skin

Riding in the heat will not necessarily lead to these symptoms if it is done with right with a healthy dose of awareness and caution. I have returned from some very long rides in temperatures exceeding 35º C with a temperature at statistically normal or unchanged (Though I am slightly hypothermic).

For riding in Taiwan's heat and stifling humidity I deploy a combination of tactics to ensure a long, safe ride at maximum power.

1. Training: My first summer of riding in Taiwan's heat was an eye opener. I didn't know what I needed to do it right. I built my bike up and it was ready to ride by the beginning of June, I think. It took all summer to get used to it and I did experience some extreme headaches upon coming home. I would do 40-50k, come home and crash on the couch. My body simply wasn't used to working in the heat. It takes acclimation time to be ready for the high temperature and a lot of good fitness to resist working too hard. Ease into the temperature with several incrementally longer rides in the heat until you can do several hours comfortably. It takes 7-10 days to build up your blood plasma for the heat.

2. Liquids: Drinking water is a no-brainer. As lame as it sounds to most roadies, a Camelbak might be a good investment for long, summer rides. They can hold more liquids and don't require too much effort for the occasional sip. I also like to drink water to FIN sport drink at a 2:1 ratio to ensure I can resupply my body with electrolytes. Sport drinks have a higher concentrate of sodium and potassium that help with the body's natural electrical conduction and replace the electrolytes lost in sweat. The added sodium helps the body retain water better than straight water to reduce the risk of heat exhaustion. I like FIN better as it is not as sugary as Supau or Pocari. If you have two water bottles, one could be water and one sport drink. It is ok to stop for water. Drink before you get thirsty. Maxim: Cash is lighter than water.

Occasionally, I like to use a bottle of water to dump over my head for cooling. This helps bring my temperature down and wash the salt off my face. There have been several times I have come home looking like a margarita glass. The salt on my skin just pulls the moisture right out.

In Taiwan we are lucky to have hydration available nearly everywhere, but it can take a little more planning in some of the more remote mountain areas. Politically I choose Family Mart over 7-11, but I take whatever I can get when I need liquids. Taiwan also has a wonderful network of betel nut stands that sell water, sport drink and other refreshments if you need them in a pinch.

It is also a good thing to start your hydration program a day or two early to ensure the body is saturated with fluids before the ride. That may mean waking up in the middle of the night to pee a couple times, but it mitigates the natural dehydration that occurs through perspiration and respiration during sleep. Don't over do it and wash out all your electrolytes. Sweating is a good sign, so be sure to keep it up.

3. Ventilation: Always try to wear something that allows airflow over the skin. For men, a full zip jersey can be opened up and allow the maximum benefit from sweating. A helmet with more holes the better. Of course the less helmet you buy... the more money you spend. Proper cycling clothing works best. Some people like to bring a handkerchief to wipe away the salts. Others like to wear full hot weather arm covers and leggings to protect against the UV rays and some people say it is actually cooler.

4. UV Protection: I always bring a bottle of waterproof sunscreen in my jersey pocket and although I get the sexy 70's tan lines, I don't get burned. I also need to remember to apply it to my head. There have been days I have felt spots of soreness on my head and found burn marks where the sun penetrated the holes of my helmet. Doh!

5. Nutrition: I try to eat a high carb, high sodium meal the night before a long ride to fill my glycogen and electrolyte stores before I ride. For breakfast I usually have a couple bananas for potassium and tums for magnesium. I take along a few granola bars for nutrition and sodium, but if I need to get water I like to get an occasional bag of Tong Yi Instant Noodles (統一麵). The instant noodles are portable, high carb and extremely high in sodium. They make a perfect snack for the heat. Eat before you get hungry.

6. Mental Preparation: Mentally prepare for the heat. Understand it will be hot and get over it. Keep the mind busy and push the heat out of mind.

Other Options:

If you really don't feel ready to ride in the heat of the day, there is plenty of heat and humidity at night. A good, hard, regular night ride can be a great way to build and maintain endurance while getting used to the heat. I actually love the relative coolness of the night rides. It is a good idea to get eyewear with clear lenses to protect against nighttime insects. There are fewer cars and a good light makes you easier to spot.

Tan lines are sexy

Cycling Around The News

*Taiwanese couple and French couple meet to cycle Australia. Check out the difference in gear. Except for those gawdawful handlebars the Taiwanese couple has it right.

* The CNA through Taiwan Focus reports on a group of Taiwanese indigenes who are embarking on a cycling trip to circumvent Taiwan. The report states:

The Tsou youths will practice writing and taking pictures to chronicle their cycling trip.

This is a very good example of living indigenous culture rather than the forced traditionalism we are used to. By forced I mean it is often not accepted as indigenous by non-indigenes unless it is framed in a traditional context.

*Taiwanese students are manipulated into a propaganda tour of Tibet with some very troubling political undertones by helping to assert Chinese hegemony over the area. Here.

*Cycling Satin Cesena has an interesting write up and response on ECFA from an industry insider's perspective. My opinion is that the economic effects will be marginal but the political motivations behind the deal may be more malevolent in nature... or to paraphrase a comment I saw elsewhere... "It is not the candy, but the stranger in the van."

Tour News:

After a Prologue Time Trial in which Lance Armstrong finished a surprising 4th place, Stage 1 could only be described as a festival of carnage. Slippery roads on some tricky descents turned the peloton into a meat grinder with many of the major GC contenders hitting the deck. Garmin-Transitions team leader Christian Vande Velde was forced to withdraw from the TdF with broken ribs following a crash. This leaves Tyler Farrar in the driver's seat.

Overall:

• 1. Sylvain Chavanel, Quick Step, 10:01:25
• 2. Fabian Cancellara, Team Saxo Bank at 2:57
• 3. Tony Martin, Team HTC-Columbia at 03:07
• 4. David Millar, Garmin-Transitions at 03:17
• 5. Lance Armstrong, Team RadioShack at 03:19
• 
  

Oh! And now Frank Schleck is out with a broken collarbone after stage 3. Armstrong flatted and lost about a minute on his main competition. Another rough day on the tour with the Mighty Thor taking the sprint finish.