Lester Cavestany » Blog Archive » Irish Valenzuela Wins Summer Bike Race, Roger Bannister Quote, and Bicycle Joke (Perlas)

Newsmaker: Victory for Valenzuela in the Manila-Baguio Bike Race

We see them every summer and we love watching them! They just make everything seem so easy. They always look like they’re in their first 10 minutes of the race. And they are the only males who look good in lycra - I’m talking about the cyclists who are addicted to riding for hundreds and hundreds of kilometers in the sweltering sun.

And they did it again this summer - all 96 of them. They joined the “Philigaz Race to the Lion’s Head”, a one-day 250-km race from Manila to Baguio, held last Sunday the 4th of May. Irish Valenzuela came in first with a time of 6 hours, 47 minutes, and 57 seconds - about two minutes faster than second-placer Renier Clauna. Cycling fans expected a victory for 21-year old Valenzuela, the cyclist who came third in the 2007 Tour of Thailand. His individual ranking helped our national team beat teams from Japan, Iran, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam.

Mere mortals like us can only watch and be amazed at how these super athletes can defy the laws of nature. We can’t help but ask, “What drives them to endure such pain and suffering?” Surely it’s not about the P10,000 first prize. There’s gotta be something more. I’ll take a wild guess and say that these pseudo-masochists are in it for the so-called “cyclist’s high” - a euphoric state caused by endorphins released by the brain during strenuous biking. - But if this answer sounds too simple for you, we can always consult best-selling self-help books for something more inspiring. Wait, let me check. Aha! I found one that we could use. I’ll adapt it a little bit for our purposes. This one’s from the guy who made those rubber bracelets fashionable . In his book, “It’s Not About the Bike”, Lance Armstrong says, “If there is a purpose to the suffering…I think it must be this: It’s meant to improve us.”

Quote of the Day: Roger Bannister

“The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win.” — Roger Bannister (first man to ever run a mile under 4 minutes - May 6, 1954)

Life is Fun: Bicycle Joke

Q: Why couldn’t the bicycle stand up on its own?

A: It was two tired.

The Power of the Word

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Our God is a God who saves; - Psalm 68: 19-20

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About this post:

This is the daily post of Lester Galvez Cavestany entitled Perlas. The information here is presented to you in bite-sized servings so that it’s quick and fun to read. It has four parts: 1) Newsmaker - news and views that matter to you; 2) Quote of the Day has history, quotes and biography tidbits; 3) Life is Fun gives you a healthy dose of medicinal laughter; 4) And lucky last, we have The Power of the Word which can serve as your daily spiritual bread.

If you enjoyed reading this post, come back to this site every day and be sure to share Perlas with your friends.

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References:

Newsmaker:

http://sports.inquirer.net/breakingnews/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=134566 http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/02142008/sports06.html

Quote of the Day:

http://www.answers.com/topic/roger-bannister

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/r/roger_bannister.html

Life is Fun:

http://www.teamestrogen.com/jokes.asp

The Power of the Word:

http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/readings/050608.shtml