...but no matter how much you like cycling, YOU - the engine- must always be in tip-top condition. Cycling itself is an exercise, a good workout that will give you huge, inexhaustible lungs, an powerful, almost unstoppable heart and powerful legs, but you must keep yourself SUSTAINED.


That is a lesson I will NEVER forget. It was the 14 December 1982 when I decide to take a long trip to the beach.


Waking up early that morning, looking in the fridge and taking a small piece of left over cheese, two plums I was on my way to the beach. WITHOUT WATER, BABY, WITHOUT WATER.


The morning air was still cool, but it turned out as one of the hottest days that year. I was very glad that I was on the beach that day.


I swam in the iciness of the Atlantic, I tanned on the beach, I talked with the many beach girls, I really enjoyed the day next to the iciness of the ocean.


I had my piece of cheese, my two plums and I bought some cool drink on the beach with my last money. I felt nice and really on top of the world. At about 16:00 I decided to call it a day and head for home, because, although it was summer, I didn't want the dark to catch me on the road, because I didn't have a light for my bike and it was a long road home.


After about a kilometer from the beach my problems started. And this was a huge problem.


I RAN OUT OF ENERGY from not eating the whole day. Not running out of energy in a slow gradual way, but suddenly WITHOUT any previous warning. Only somebody who experienced it will know exactly how it is, it can't be described.


No energy in seconds flat. With no energy one can't even stand up straight, let alone ride a bike that takes such a lot of energy. There was basically nothing I could do, because I had no money, I was in the city, far away from home. Around where I was at that time, people will rather kill you than even give you a glass of water.


So I had to struggle on just to get home. Remember in those days there weren't things like cellular phones. Strange to think there was actually a time like that, eh?


On realizing my predicament I decided to keep on cycling, because although it would be very slow now, it would still be much faster than walking.


I was going very slow and most of the time I just fell from the bike due to lack of any energy. I decided to make my goal to get from one lamppost to the next and then rest and then try again. This worked for a while and then I couldn't even make it half way to the next lamppost and much later I couldn't even make it a quarter of the way. This is how weak I was. I decided not to walk, because that would be too slow and I would get home very late at night, but it was dangerous.


As long as I was in the saddle I would be moving much faster than walking. On route I had to climb two very steep bridges. I did this, despite my extremely weakened condition.


After about four hours of continuous struggle, I reached home. To say I was hungry would be the understatement of the year...I was ravenous... But the fact that I reached home showed what great endurance and will power I have (two things you definitely need when doing long distance cycling).


After that episode I always carried my filled water-bottle on my bike. I also always have at least a packet of raisins or peanuts with me. If I go on a extra long trip -like that one- I take enough food with.


As long as you are properly energized, you will never run out of energy while cycling.


Mountain bike our way to glory...