I still have persistent coughs and headaches from whatever made me sick there last week, so I am going about in a bit of a haze. That's not a drastic difference from my regular operating state though, so, yeah.
It is now just one month until I go to Vietnam. I haven't been biking much lately, so I am a little nervous about what, exactly, I am doing here. I guess part of the reason I am going is to thrash myself a bit. In other words, to put myself out there with a task that might be impossible and without failure as an option. Suppose I am unable to push myself the third consecutive day of cycling 150+ kilometers? I've done that much in one day, before--once or twice. It's really just a matter of persistence, I think. Get on the bike and slug it out until you reach your destination or you pass out from exhaustion.
Of course preparation is part of it. I am definitely going to be bringing a large supply of whatever sport drink powder. Maybe someone reading this can recommend a specific one. I've had good experiences with Accelerade, but then again I've also had great experiences with Coca-Cola. In a brief Google search just now I found one from Hammer called "Perpetuem" which has a nice ring to it, too. Given that, I don't expect to be taking out the 'passing out' option.
So I guess I'll survive the endurance cycling aspect of this trip. I still need to work out the exact specifics of my itinerary, but basically I'll be flying in to Hanoi, then making my way down to Hue (it's pronounced something like "hwey") where I'll spend Tet, which is similar to Chinese New Year. After that, I'm going to push on a little farther to Hoi An, maybe get a suit tailored. After that I'll take a train back to Hanoi, a plane back home. Travelling during Tet can be difficult; everyone travels home, so booking accommodation in advance is a must. I am picturing a scenario where I go from inn to inn, finding that they are all full, and ending up stumbling dead-tired in to some barn and passing out in a manger.
So, yeah. I find myself launching headlong in to the unknown.
2 comments:
I recommend nuun for your electrolytes, and gels for your carbohydrates. Nuun has no carbs, so you can drink a ton of it without getting that sloshy feeling in your stomach. Plus it tastes good and makes you want to drink more often, which is usually a good thing. Supplement it with the gels of your choice, and integrate some bars during your stops.
well not to be contradictory but: I'm not keen on carrying a month's supply of gels and bars, I plan to travel light and fill my bags up on souvenirs along the way. Tasting good is good--I definitely don't drink enough water, especially if I am not hot. I run really dry, for instance last year I did the entire Seacoast Century on two bottles of water, and I didn't stop to pee even once. Definitely bonked in there somewhere though. Maybe drinking more [water] would be a good new year's resolution.
Bars at the stops? If I'm stopping to eat in Vietnam, you better believe it will be the sample to local food!
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