Neither had we, but that is what has stood out for me on this adventure so far; going to places you would not normally and having the chance to meet amazing people you would never have given yourself the opportunity to. We rode from Loxton to stay with Wilma at her guest house “Victoria Wes Guesthouse”. Hers is the building that is blue and white, where all the others are green and white (this is how we were told to find her). It was the promise of a swimming pool there that had me riding the last 20 km into Victoria Wes like I was on a time trial bike. It was one of my best and most refreshing swims in memory. It is also one of the most memorable Guest Houses I have ever stayed in. If you ever find yourself in this part of the world you HAVE to stay there and let Wilma entertain you and let her place envelop you in comfort and character – a true Karoo gem!

Check out the details of the ride to Victoria Wes below (shhhhhh – did you know that you can push play and watch the ride like you were there with us?? You can even control the cyclist and check out the speeds for different parts of the ride).

Oh oh, also…the Physiology Lab have supplied me with a heart rate monitor for the One Gear Challenge. With the V02 Max test results from earlier this year they have determined my optimal heart rate riding zones that I need to remain in during each stage to allow for optimal recovery. In a single day event, recovery is not key and you can push your heart rate into the higher zones in order to do a quicker time but having to ride on consecutive days it is vital for us to recover well. I was advised to spend as much time as possible in Zone 2 but as you can see I let the flat roads and possibility of maintaining an average speed of 23km/h get the best of me on this ride and I spent most the ride in Zone 3! Sometimes the boy in me takes over – Sorry guys! Guess I will feel that in the morning!

Stage 7 Heart Rate Results

The long flat roads of which I spoke:

Long and flat (yes I am talking about the road)

I just got my results from the guys at the Exercise Physiology Lab for my second Vo2 max test. They have done a comparison to show improvements from the last time I did the test with them in April. And yes…there were improvements! Hopefully this bodes well for a successful 1500km ride approaching fast! skreeeeeeeeeeeeek!
Vo2 Max – Ryan Meiring results _2012

Exercise Physiology

The guys from WITS Physiology department have very kindly lent me a Polar RS800CX heart rate monitor!!! Check it out below; it’s so shiny.

I am going to use it during training and upload files for the WITS Physiology excercise laboratory team to analyse. They are going to check out my stats and use them in conjunction with the results from my V02 Max test to ensure that I am training in the correct heart rate zones. All very scientific I know but I love it – I am a bit of a geek like that.

WITS Physiology

If you didn’t see my VO2 Max test post check it out here: VO2 Max Test - it has some super cool pics of veins popping out my head.

Polar Heart-rate monitor

I recently completed a VO2 Max test with the guys from the Wits Physiology lab to gauge where I am at. I should get the results from them soon and will post  so that you can see where this cow’s natural abilities lie. In the meantime check out some pic’s from Trigger Monkey – the whole experience was captured brilliantly; looking at the photo’s is like experiencing every sweaty vein popping moment for yourself.

All fun and games before the test

Ha ha let's have a little laugh

Ok getting a bit nervous now

All strapped in

Not so much with the fun and games anymore

Dying...proper!

Survival

Thank you to Aletta and Rebecca from the Wits Physiology department for administering the test and supporting One Gear!! Now you go out and support!

Drop us a R50 donation – I bet you cant!

WITS Physiology Department