Bicycling....for life?

by Ranolfo Ugalino Sr

(as published 4 years ago in MVP)

When you turn 40 something, you start to notice a lot of changes in every part of your body…your bones start funny noises, like in your knees, your elbows, your back and almost all the joints join in the cracking rhythm as if nobody wants to be left unnoticed…he,he,he.

At this point in life, you start taking pills to stop the pain…arthritis sets in, migraine headaches, and high blood pressure caused by stress dealing with everyday problems…and old age creeping in.

So one day, while visiting my Doctor, he advised and let me choose what I want to do with my high blood pressure…three options: pills, diet or exercise. I was still working then. I cannot diet because I needed to eat to be strong to work. I didn’t want to exercise because I didn’t have the time. So I told my Doctor to prescribe me the pill.

When it was time to retire, I remembered one of the options…exercise…that… I had plenty of time now. So I tried walking…brisk walking…also cut down on fast foods and fatty foods (although, it was hard to avoid these foods, especially when there is a party). Then I decided walking is too slow for an exercise. I thought about other alternatives. And that’s how Bicycling came into my life.

First, I bought one of those mountain bikes (buy those aluminum alloys…they are lighter and last longer since they hardly rust…not cheap but you have to sacrifice).
Then I bought a racer (I will explain to you later).

At first, I just went around the neighborhood, testing how the bike handles. The first round was a 9 kilometer route. I had to stop three times to recover my energy. I didn’t have the stamina to do it without stopping. The next day, I felt my knee joints aching…but I went for the ride again. Following day, my knees were swollen…I can hardly walk. Every time I moved, I felt a stinging pain (I said to myself this is what I get for “aginlalaing”). I stopped for a week until the swollen knees were ok and the pain almost gone.

I went for my round and I felt better (I didn’t stop to rest this time). My knees were not bothering me. No pain the next morning so I went for my daily routine. The next week was crucial. Do I have the discipline to do this daily routine? Or how does my body absorb the pain? Do I have the will power to continue? A lot of thoughts came to play. Is this worth it? Well, my body felt ok, my breathing was normal and there was a kind of fulfillment and accomplishment…I think I got addicted!

One month of body conditioning was enough for me to explore longer routes…(I told you it was addicting). I start early so I can smell the fresh morning air and see the green fields of palay (Pangasinan) miles and miles in front of me. It is exhilarating and mind relaxing to see the beauty of the surroundings…no air pollutions and no traffic..the road is all yours! On the way, I met all kinds of cyclists (there are those professional cyclists who compete on each tour of the Philippines. I later got to know each of them and always ready to help them when they needed supplies to train for the tours…even ex-riders who rode in the tour during my time who were my idols back then, I got to know them personally. There was a bond between them (old and young), a camaraderie that only they share (the old riders advising the younger riders). I came to know each of them that even I started to share that bond. I guess they considered me one of them, since they always came across my way…waved and say hi every time.)

And there is another set of cyclists I came to meet. Older cyclists that either ride for health reasons or just got addicted and do this for pleasure. In other words, guys like (60+) who did this to stay healthy. I came to meet a man who was 71+ and still rides with the younger ones…still doing the lead man or they call it tranko (he has the hardest job in the group because he absorbs all the air (isu ti masuba ti angin) while the rest of the group has an easier time pedaling because there is no air obstructing their bodies, that is the reason why they take turns being the lead man. You might be wondering why a group sticks together in a single line…that is the reason why. I always stay at the end and at a safe distance so if perchance there is a spill I will have time to avoid falling over them and get hurt (never had a spill). Anyway, this man even competes in the executive category of a bike race ( 45 and above) and still wins…hard to believe but true.

This man is in my group of older bikers here in Pangasinan. By this time I have conditioned my body to go for longer routes..covering 90 kms a day…sometimes on weekends when there is a large group, we venture to the next province of Nueva Ecija which is a good 140 kms roundtrip. It takes for us 2 hours to traverse one way (there is a bicycle store that carry cheaper supplies for the bikes and for accessories…this is where I had my mountain bike and my racer bike assembled…see I told you I got addicted to biking. The reason for getting a racer is so if we go long distance I would have an easier time catching up with the other guys. That is what they call…making up for the handicap…like in golf you establish a handicap, right?). Normal speed is 28 kph and going up to sometimes 35+ kph…although the higher speed is only for a short 5 minutes or so…tay kunada a kargaam ta staminam lalo na kung matagal ka nang hindi nag-bike. Sometimes I met older bikers in each neighboring town because in each town they sponsor a bike race yearly…these Pangansinenses take their biking seriously. That is why there are a lot of professional cyclists here.

I brought my mountain bike to Magsingal so I could try biking there. It’s been a year now since I started to bike in Magsingal. I have familiarized myself with the route to Cabugao (that is the farthest town I biked to so far…I only spend 2 or maximum 3 days in Magsingal). There is a difference in the way drivers treat bikers in Ilocos , as compared to drivers in Pangasinan. Pangasinan drivers have more respect for the bikers and always safer to ride a bike here. Sorry drivers in Ilocos…don’t get mad at me for saying so. Anyway, it still rest in the biker’s responsibility to look out for his safety when on the road, biking. I am thankful that I have the perspectives of being a car driver, a motorbike rider and a bicycle rider…I apply this when I am biking. So next time you see a bike rider…wave naman…baka ako yan…ha,ha,ha.

When it is the rainy season, I use my walker exerciser machine at home. But if it is only a drizzle or tay kunada a “makaanus” a tudo, the bike addict in me takes over and I still go out biking. Advice ko sa inyo lahat na may balak mag-bike for long distance…check with your doctor first.

By the way, I still take my medicine for high blood pressure (reduced dosage) in addition to my exercise and biking. The diet is what I call weather-weather lang…he,he,he.

Until next time…ingat kayo lahat!