UBS Cycle The Circuit 2013

Recently a friend asked me what made me start a blog. I told her because I have a lot of stories to tell and this is one of them... My UBS Cycle the Circuit 2013 experience.

Somewhere in early September 2013, Straits Times held a "STAR" - Straits Times Appreciate Readers contest. 10 readers will win a chance to cycle around the 5.073-km track with triple Tour de France Green Jersey winner Robbie McEwen on 22 September, the morning of the Grand Prix.

This was the photo I sent for this contest.

I received an email on 17 September, congratulating me for being selected! I was elated! It was certainly an experience of a lifetime to cycle on the Marina Bay F1 Street Circuit! I collected my exclusive cycling kit from UBS the following day.

The kit consists of a cycling jersey, a matching cycling pants, water bottle, helmet cover, gloves and a bag. We had to wear these items for the ride. On top of that, we get to invite a supporter to a Breakfast Buffet in Ritz Carlton after the ride. UBS was kind enough to allow me to bring 3 and I brought my gals along :)

Reporting time was 6 a.m. The ride started at 7 a.m. and we had to finish 2 laps of 5.073km before 8 a.m. The atmosphere was very high even though the cyclists had to register very early. The hospitality was fantastic. Not long after I had registered, I realised that everyone seems to know everyone. I later made some friends and found out that this was an exclusive event organized by UBS for their corporate clients. UBS had partnered with ST to as part of its STAR program to reach out to the community. There were a total of about 160 riders in this event and I was ONE of the lucky ones!

My family joined me for breakfast and I had an opportunity to take a picture with Robbie McEwen, triple Tour de France Green Jersey winner. I was so "buay paiseh"; I went on stage to take a podium finisher pic :) Now I can say that I went on the podium before....

The organizer was very thoughtful. There were 2 roving caricature artistes during breakfast and these were what we brought home. They did one for my gals also :)

ST covered the event the following day.

Cycling on the F1 circuit was certainly an experience that no money can buy. I counted myself super lucky to have been selected.

This pic from RunKeeper was a "proof" that I really rode on the Marina Bay Street Circuit :p

What's Your Ride?

My first ride was on a borrowed bicycle from a friend. It was a beautiful white Raleigh mv7. I took an immediate liking to its curves and the comfort the ride brought.

 

So when my friends were deciding on buying me a bicycle as a gift, they knew what to buy for me. A silver Raleigh mv8.

 

My mv8 accompanied through many rides. It is a budget mini-velo which comes with quick wheel release. In other words, the wheels can be released for easy transportation in a car boot, if you do not have a car rack. So my mv8 and 1 kid's bike fit nicely into my car boot.

 

 

But my quest for speed made me looked for something else. This time I was deciding between a foldable bike, otherwise known as a "foldie", or a road bike, also known as a "roadie". I weighed the pros and cons and my needs. As I was preparing for my first triathlon, I decided on a road bike. With the limited budget I had, I bought a Polyon Helios C4.0 from Rodalink. (Will introduce my C4.0 upgrades and share why I chose to buy from Rodalink in my future post)

 

There many different types of bicycles and many different types of people with different biking needs. Some people like tricks, some like races, and some like speed control. You will need to take into account your own preferences when choosing the right bicycle for yourself. 

 

These are my top 3:

 

1) Your Intended Usage

 

If you don't intend to ride on unpaved trails, a road bike will be more efficient. But a foldie will be more comfortable or practical for casual or practical riders. Evaluate what will you most likely use the bike for.

 

Some common bikes you will find in your local bike shops.

 

Road Bikes - Fine frame, thin tires, drop of flat handle bars. Designed for speed and meant for use on surfaces like paved streets.

Mountain Bikes - Comfortable to sit on, generally cheaper than road bikes. Its lack of gears makes climbing hills a challenge.

Hybrid Bikes - A cross between a road and a mountain bike. Generally more comfortable and stable than a road bike but not as fast.

Electric Bikes - Good for people who do not want to arrive sweaty or out of breath. Do note that Singapore PCN (Park Connectors Network) do not allow motorised vehicles.

Foldable Bikes - Fantastic for storing away. Easy to maneuver on the train, buses or to store away in your car boot.

 

2) What's Your Budget

 

Bicycles vary widely in quality, size, shape and form, so having a budget will help narrow your search.

- For e.g., the price of a foldie ranges from < $100 to close to $3,000.

- A beginner roadie can starts from < $1000 to tens of thousands...

 

Last but not least....

 

3) Your Fitness

 

Body shape, size and and your overall health may affect the type of bicycle that is best suited for you. Do visit your local bike shops to have a better feel of what you are looking for. Places like Midview City or along Upper East Coast house a clusters of bicycle shops. Take your time to "see see look look". Test ride on them to have a feel of what suits you best.

 

And if you do not mind owning something pre-loved, visit local website, Togoparts, where you can find everything relating to bicycles and cycling. Browse over thousands of used and new bicycles in the Marketplace.

 

Happy Shopping!

Triathlon: Decide Your Distance; Focus On The Finish

13 April 2014 marked the last race for MetaSprint Series Singapore 2014. The full series comprised of Aquathlon (Swim+Run), Duathlon (Run+Bike+Run) and Triathlon (Swim+Bike+Run). But you can also choose to register for 1 race only. There is something for everyone!

No Bike? Join Aquathlon 

Cannot swim? Join Duathlon

Looking for a new challenge? Join Triathlon

A triathlon may sound very scary... but really triathlon races vary in distances.

According to the International Triathlon Union and USA Triathlon, main international race distances are:

1. Sprint distance: 750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run
2. Intermediate (or Standard) distance: commonly known as 'Olympic distance': 1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run
3. Long course; commonly known as 70.3 or the 'Half-Ironman'; 1.9km swim, 90km bike, 21.1km run
4. Ultra distance; commonly referred to as 140.6 or the 'Ironman'; 3.8km swim, 180.2 km bike, and a full marathon: 42.2km run.

For triathlon held in Singapore, there are other categories for anyone that wants to "try to tri":

1. Mini or Discovery and Youth: 250m swim, 10km bike, 2.5km run
2. Kids: 150m swim, 5km bike, 1.5km run

I completed 2 rounds of mini category in Cold Storage Singapore International Triathlon 2013 and in the recent MetaSprint Series Singapore 2014. I officially promoted myself to sprint distance :)

Finisher medals from MetaSprint Series Singapore 2014

Courtesy of Swim Bike Run Magazine Singapore, I won a FULL SERIES race slot for the TRI-Factor Series, worth $264! I was apprehensive whether I should do sprint distance. I prayed and told God if I should, then let me win. Then I will have "no choice" but to "tri" in sprint distance. Well, I won :)

TYR TRI-Factor Swim : 11 May 2014
TRI-Factor Bike : 8 June 2014
TRI-Factor Run : 3 August 2014
ZOOT TRI-Factor Tri : 7 September 2014

Woohoo! 3rd quarter of the year is going to be exciting! Do check out TRI-Factor Series; there's something for everyone!

How I Choose My Races

There are so many races held in Singapore; almost one every weekend. Swim, bike or run....there's something for everyone. Man, woman, children or senior citizens; if you can move it, there's a race for you...:)

The first race I participated was Cold Storage Triathlon 2013. And my number bib? 2013 :)

I participated in the mini-tri category (for beginners). My greatest fear was swimming in the sea! I never liked swimming in the sea and going for a cruise is not exactly a holiday for me. I had to overcome my fear of swimming in murky water and the feeling of "nothingness" under my feet... But thank God I completed the race.

Races are addictive! Shortly, I signed up for OCBC Cycle Malaysia 2014; the Challenge category (48km). 5 of us drove up to Kuala Lumpur in 2 cars. The fun about OCBC Cycle event is that you get to cycle on closed roads :) And the thrill of doing it overseas!!!

The rest is history... When I came back to Singapore, I signed up for New Moon khcycle MetaSprint Series which comprises of 3 events. They are Aquathlon (Swim, Bike), Duathlon (Run, Bike, Run) and Triathlon (Swim, Bike, Run).

OCBC Cycle Singapore 2014 took place over the 28-30 March weekend. The best part of the event was the chance to cycle on Sheares Bridge, which was otherwise closed to cyclists. As the registration fee was high, my friends and I signed up for the Community Ride (27km).

I have 4 more races lined up for the year; Tri-Factor Series. This time I took up the challenge to participate in the Sprint category. Swim in May. Bike in June. Run in August. Tri in September. (pant! pant!)

With so many choices, how do I decide which race to sign up for? (in order of importance)

1) Registration Fee - How do I measure whether the race is worth what I am paying for?

2) Content of Race Pack - What brand of jersey or tee are they giving me? dri-fit or cotton? any other stuff like free towel? free bag? free food? Usually you can guess from the list of sponsors. Of course the more the merrier :)

3) Category - Is the distance manageable for me?

4) Reviews - What do people say about the past event? was it well-organized?

5) Friends - Any friends joining me for the race?

6) Route - Is it a new route that I have never tried before?

There are many races lined up in 2014. Here is a list of them.

There's always something for everyone. Choose something that you are comfortable to start with. It's not about winning. It's about getting started.



Be Prepared For Wet Weather

I try to do 2 rides in a week. One on a weekday night and another on a weekend morning. Last Saturday we met 6 a.m. for our usual ride from the West to the East. The plan was to cycle from VivoCity to NSRCC and back. However, it started to pour when we reached Garden by the Bay.

As there was lightning alert, we stopped for a break. Finally we made our way to Mr Teh Tarik at East Coast Park for refueling. The weather was bad that morning. We had no choice but to brave through the rain and cycled back to the West.

The rain was merciless!!! It started to pour heavily when we reach Fort Road. Initially I was trying to avoid the puddle on the floor, but there was really no need to avoid splashes at all. We had them coming from bottom, left, right and the top! We stopped at Fullerton Bay for a breather. And quickly resumed our cycling back to VivoCity. It was an experience riding in a storm :) My bike and I survivied!

The weather in Singapore is unpredictable. As I use the Runkeeper app to keep track of my workouts, I always carry my phone in the back pocket of my jersey... in a ziplock bag! 



I bought these, 20 in a box, for $2 from Daiso. My phone survived the sudden downpour and remained dry after my ride. On normal days, it will keep my phone dry from the perspiration that  seep through my jersey. This is a cheap and effective solution :)

For those of you looking for a saddle bag, I do recommend the Wedge DryBag from Topeak, that comes in S, M, L sizes.

It protects my belonging while riding in wet conditions. The DryWedge pack is made from a tough, waterproof material, which is sonically welded and seam sealed to provide the ultimate protection in nasty weather. Roll closure keeps water and mud out and contents dry. Mounts to saddle rails and seat post with a nylon strap system. Best of all, mine came free with my bike from Rodalink :)

Do check the weather forecast before you head out for your next workout :)

My Cycling Kakis

After I have decided that perhaps cycling could be "my thing", I joined my friends for weekly cycling trips. There are a few groups that I cycle with.

I started cycling with this group of active daddies and mummies riders. We started with loose-fitting attire, track shoes, mini-velo and mountain bikes (MTB). Needless to say, we have all progressed :p We have 1 thing in common... We can only cycle late in the night or super early in the morning because we have to settle our kids. Some couples have to take turns to ride as one of them has to stay home to look after the children. We named our rides, R21 (for adults above 21), Sunrise21 (morning rides for adults above 21) and PG (parental guidance; with kids).

After I started cycling, I noticed that the cycling community is a very inclusive one. Through a common friend, I joined a group of cyclists who are real "chiongsters".

This group is made up of mainly road bikes, with occassional foldies and MTB riders. The difference between these 2 groups... This group consists of mainly daddies who can "outsource" the settling of kids to their wives :p and they ride on the road. But both groups have something in common; they "leave no man/woman behind". Everyone helps to look out for each other, especially the last rider at the back.

2 is better than 1.... But I have 3 groups!!! I have the luxury of choosing who to ride with every week.

This 3rd group of cyclists are from my office. They are the foldies gang, but don't be fooled by the smaller wheels... They are powered by big lungs and strong muscles :)

Find some friends. Start working out. Whether it's cycling, running, swimming or just walking.... It gets easier when you mix exercising with fun and great company :)

My First Ride

I have finally decided to write about the active lifestyle that I adopted 1 year ago.

Before April 2013, I have never owned a bicycle in my life! A group of friends invited me to cycle with them. "I do not own a bicycle" was not accepted as a reason because one of them offered to lend me his extra bike. So that faithful night, I went night cycling with them. Looking at the picture I took that night....everything was not right :)

 

- The bicycle was borrowed; it was a Raleigh MV7. (borrowed but beautiful; will share more about it later)

- I wore an old Adidas gym top that I have not worn for a long time.

- The shorts was baggy and something I wore to run my provision shop errands. (I will share why "baggy" is not recommended)

- I was not wearing any helmet. Needless to say, I did not own one then. (absolute DANGER! "No helmet; No ride" is the golden rule for every cyclist)

- Even my red water bottle was borrowed from my daughter.

 

Fast forward to today....

 

 

- I have 2 bikes; a Raleigh MV8 and a Polygon Helios C4.0 road bike equipped with Ultegra Di2 groupset. (huh? Not a full carbon frame? I will tell you why later)

- I have 8 cycling jerseys, 3 padded cycling shorts, 1 tri suit, 5 gym top and 2 gym bottom. (gosh! I have so many???)

- I cycle with my Bontrager tri shoes; on cleats. (why Bontrager? Not Shimano or SiDI?)

- I have participated in 1 mini-tri, 2 local cycling event, 1 overseas cycling event, an Aquathlon (swim/bike) and a Duathlon (run/bike/run). I already have 3 races and 1 sprint tri lined up for the rest of 2014. (yes... I am that crazy now)

 

I was a basketball player and an active sports person when I was in school. But the past year had been a huge adventure; more exciting than all the past years combined. I am still far from where I want to be :) I have decided to start this blog to share what I had experienced and hopefully it would inspire you to Live.Strong Live.Healthy