Comment by listic | Hacker News Reader

Comment by listic | Hacker News Reader

As a hacker looking into fitness and taking up cycling recently to stave off health issues that become to interfere with my life and work, I can fully relate to this. The extent to which the pro cyclists and this guy in particular can push their bodies is fascinating. As far as I can understand, it is generally beneficial to health unless you push it to the over the edge, where the position of this edge is unknown to science.

Often times I come from work very exhausted, unable to do anything, including having a dinner, which my body needs, I think. If I reluctantly stuff some food into me and cycle for an hour or to, I become so invigorated that I seem to be able to keep going on and on: cycling, or coding - I can do it. The prudent thing here is have a proper dinner and sleep, I guess.

I was told that "marathoners go by the pulse meter" (i.e. not odometer/speedometer), I wonder how true is this for marathoners and for endurance cyclists. Maybe at the point in your training where you have personal trainer and follow car, you don't need pulse meter that much? I am never going to be there and I have high hopes for training with pulse meter.

Here's an obligatory video introduction to racing cycling culture:

MC SpandX "Perfomance"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn29DvMITu4

For the longest time, I couldn't run more than a couple of miles a day. I was always told that I had poor stamina. I trained for a year, and recently ran my first marathon and I'm now addicted. I can completely relate to what you say above - its so easy to just go on and on (because you seem to be able to) completely ignoring your body. I've had 14 hour days at work at the end of which I'm very tired, and yet would easily run 8 to 10 miles and feel extremely refreshed at the end of it, that I would go back to work.

Adrenaline kicks in as a result of high-intensity workouts, and it then becomes hard to tell your body to slow down and rest. The key is to know your body's limits and feed and rest it regularly.

I started riding the bicycle to and from work a year ago, mostly to avoid the commuter crush here in Tokyo. The first few weeks was difficult but it got significantly easier as I got more fit. I've hit my goal of getting to and from work in less time then the train.

My motivation lately has been to keep up and pass the numerous mopeds and scooters. What really gets me going is trying to keep up with cyclists on road racing bicycles. I really don't have much of a chance on the my hybrid (cross between a commuter and mountain bicycle + electric assist to 24km/h) but it's always a happy day when I pass the slower road racers. It must motivate them too because they will try to keep pace but eventually fade away after a few kilometers.

The other motivation is thrill of speed on the downhill sections. Another area I seem to have an advantage as the road racers seem to top out at 40km/h. Or maybe I'm just crazy as I'm leaned all the way over to negotiate the curves.

Now that it looks like the burn I feel in my legs is most likely a lie, I'll keep pushing!

I regularly take my road bike to 70 kmph+ on downhill sections. Some people aren't comfortable with that speed, so it is them, not the bike, that is holding them back.

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