REVIEW: ISM Adamo Road Saddle

If you're a cyclist, I'm sure you have encountered, at one point in your cycling career, the feeling of numbness on your private parts ( the part where the body meets the saddle ) after an extended period of riding. I personally have felt it in my earlier cycling days, but, not as bad as when I completed the inaugural Philippine Ironman 70.3.

After crossing the finish line, I proceeded to the shower area to wash up a bit and change clothes. While taking a shower, I felt the need to pee and instinctively held my "junior". I felt nothing. It was as if there was nothing hanging there!

The numbness I felt lasted for several days, in fact, more than a week. I was so worried about it that from time to time, I would try to feel it and check if some sort of sensitivity was back.

I've asked friends around and felt some relief that most of them experienced it before, telling me it would come back in no time. For as long as I was out of the saddle and let the circulation of the blood in my perineum area flowing, I was on my way to recovery.

I never wanted to experience the same again!

I've heard of Adamo Saddles, or saddles that has a revolutionary design that was getting popular among my triathlete-friends. It had no nose and claimed to have solved the "numbness" issue with cyclists. The saddle was beyond my budget though. So instead of buying one, I tweaked my bike's configuration to allow for a more relaxed seating position: pointing up, pointing down, leveled, lower seatpost, higher seatpost, saddle set back, saddle set forward, etc. I never thought there were more than one saddle position in a bike!

My knee ached. The relaxed seating position's trade off was shorter leg pedaling length which meant prolonged curled knee and more pressure on the forefoot causing numbness.

I ordered an Adamo saddle from Ebay right away!

There are two models of multi-sport Adamo saddles in the ISM line-up: The Adamo Racing and the Adamo Road. The Adamo RACING is lighter but more expensive and is tri-specific. The Adamo ROAD is heavier but with more gel and has a wider base for road position. I ordered the ROAD.

Adamo saddles are odd-looking and does not conform to traditional saddle designs. It has no nose and has a cut-away from where the nose should have been, up to the middle of the saddle body. Its rails also are higher than traditional saddles. These differences are actually what makes the Adamo better saddles than the others.

It being without a nose and with a cut away makes it gentler on the perineum area. By letting blood flow through the perineum, numbness is drastically minimized.

Its wider tip, though, warrants some getting used to. After riding the saddle for 20kms for the first time, I felt some soreness on my sit bones. Using the saddle regularly enables the sit bone muscles, which is very seldom used, memorize being on the Adamo thereby minimizing or eliminating the soreness. I rode with the Adamo yesterday for more than 100kms and have no sit bones soreness as I write this. Felt like magic!

The Adamo is easy to install. It follows the same installation procedure as other traditional saddles. However, in order to get the full benefit of the product, you need to tweak the position a bit so you'd feel its claimed "therapeutic" effect immediately. If ever you purchase one, try to visit their site www.ismseat.com and view the installation video. Since it has no nose and has a cut-away, configuring it on your bike takes a bit of trial and error.

There are two ways to ride the Adamo: either by seating on a forward position and let the rear-most part of your butt touch the saddle, or, you may want to sit via the sitbones and leave a small distance between the saddles and your "nuts". I prefer the latter.

The Adamo Road also enabled me to bike faster as I'm in the aero position more. Before, I would go aero for a kilometer then use the hoods after. I needed to stand up on the bike to avoid "numbing up". This has been taken cared of by the Adamo. There isn't any worry now that I'd be numb in the private area no matter how long the ride distance is. Now, if that's not enough reason to buy one, I don't know any reason anymore.

Thank you Steve Toll for coming out with this excellent saddle!

In summary:

Pros:

- eliminates numbness in the private area during and after bike rides

- gel-padded and seems really durable

- easy to install

- transition hook on the rear enables easier racking up at transition area

- enables you to stay on the aero position longer

Cons:

- not easily configure-"able", requires some tweaking before maximum benefit is achieved

- soreness on the sit bones during initial use

- heavier than some saddles

If I have been using 5 stars to rate a product, Adamo Road saddle would get 4.5 from me. Great product!

Deo P.

REVIEW: Profile Design RM1 Aqua Rack

My tri-bike is fitted with only one bottle cage. Not because I don't want to put another, but, because there's no more space in the triangle of the frame to put another one into. This posed a problem with my long rides before, and I've resorted to using a hydration backpack to address it. However, riding on a tribike with a hydration pack is not a good sight to see. Other rider friends would smile, or even laugh, at me at the start of the ride. I was in racing gear except for the hydration pack normally used in MTB rides. Yeah, funny.

I have seen rear aqua racks in races before, but when I inquired about it from the owner of the bikes I've seen it on, I would be disappointed to learn that these were seatpost mounted. My Kinesis KT610 TT bike has an aero seatpost which makes it, well, aero and not rounded like the traditional seatposts.

But then, I found the Profile Design RM1 saddle mounted bottle holder.

This bottle holder mounts to the rail of the saddle and can be installed on all saddles, whether road, MTB or even the cruiser type. For as long as the saddle has rails, the RM1 can stick on it.

Getting the RM1 a day before a century ride was perfect timing. I would get to test the rack in real life and in real conditions where it was needed.

The RM1 comes in a plastic package which probably has become Profile Design's trademark by now. The package included the RM1 frame, two lightweight Profile Design Kages and CO2 mounting brackets.

Installation was quite easy. I just screwed the clamps on the rails using Allen wrench, then adjusted the angle of the rack to my taste. Once adjusted , I tightened the bolt of the rack to make sure it didn't loosen up during my ride.

In testing the fit of my water bottles with the Kages, I filled up two of my bottles and inserted it in the rack. The Kages were tight, and I had to twist each of the bottle just to get it inside. Eack Kage was wrapped in a rubber band to ensure a tight grip on the bottle. A loose grip will launch the bottle out of the Kage when or if I hit a bump.

During the actual ride, the rack proved to be very useful. I had enough hydration to last me three-quarters of a century ride, replenishing only on km 80.

The bottles were easy to reach even on aero position, much more when riding on the hoods of the basebar.

Putting the bottles back in the rack needed some learning curve. In my case, I had to feel the mouth of the Kages first then try to insert the bottles once I found it. In twisting the bottles, I was able to put these back easily. However, the pressure from pushing and twisting the bottles down took its toll on the frame of the aqua rack, it loosened.

I had to remove one of the Kages first before I was able to tighten the bolt back on the rack's frame, it wasn't as easy as 1-2-3.

At the end of the ride, the RM1 held up quite nicely. It performed its duties with flying colors and in great aesthetics too. No wonder even the pros in Kona for the World Ironman Championships use these wonderful piece of accesory. Liquid at the front and at the back, what else do you need?

In summary:

Pros:

- Light and durable

- Easy to install

- Does not come into contact with the body even if its installed close

- Well thought of design

- Includes CO2 mounts in the package

- Cheap

- Does not launch the bottles even if you hit some bumps

Cons:

- Supplied Kages too tight for water bottles

- Rack frame loosens due to pressure when inserting the bottles back in

Verdict:

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. A necessity for long rides.

Condura 42K: A Survivor's Story

" Pure confidence will not take you to the finish line..."

When the schedule of Condura Run 2010 was announced late last year, I told myself this was one race I wouldn't miss. I only had good memories of the 2009 edition and this is one race which offers other organized races don't : run on the Skyway. The 2010 edition, though, is 21K different from the 2009 offering. Yes, it now has a full marathon included in its distances.

Before I even trained for it, I registered for the full marathon last December. With or without training, I was going to be at the starting line and would finish the race no matter what. It was going to be my first full marathon and a DNF would leave a bad taste in the mouth, wouldn't it?

I started training for this race in Jan. 2, 2010, after the holiday binging in December, 2009. I planned a short 10K run to start, then followed it with a 20K run the following day. It was then an unforgiving enemy revealed itself to me.

On the 18th kilometer of my planned 20K run, I felt a stabbing pain on the outside of my left knee cap. I stopped and shook my left calf, then ran again, only to stop again a few meters after. The pain started to become worse and I had to put a stop to my run. Another day, I thought, another day.

Throughout the first week of the new year, I ran for 10-12kms during weekdays and would attempt a long run over the weekend but would stop just before I complete my training run due to severe left knee pains. I wasn't sure of what was happening to me. I thought my running shoes needed to retire and as a solution, I bought a new pair.

My new shoes made me run faster, but not longer. Still, the left knee pain persisted around the 20K mark of my runs.

After some research, and later to be confirmed by my doctor, I was suffering from ITBS, or Iliotibial Band Syndrome, an injury most runners encounter at some point in their running lives. The treatment involved not running for weeks, something I couldn't do with Condura Run just two weeks away.

I asked my doctor if he could just prescribe me a medicine that would take the pain away while I was running. He prescribed Feldene Flash tablets which I would put under my tongue for immediate effect. With this prescription, I was confident I would finish the race in one piece. I now have new shoes and a medication to go with it to last the horrendous distance.

But it wasn't going to be like how I thought it was going to be...

A day before the race, I went to Bonifacio High Street to claim my race pack, then dropped by All Terra to buy several GU energy gels which I would take during the duration of the run to avoid "bonking". I had my race strategy repeated in my mind so I wouldn't forget.

Also, Feb. 6 was mother-in-law's birthday celebration and my wife threw a party for her. I told my wife beforehand that I would have to excuse myself by 8 p.m. to get some sleep as I needed to wake up at 2 a.m. for the race. It was okay with her.

I hit the sack at exactly 8 p.m. but couldn't get some sleep. The party downstairs was keeping me awake. I tossed and turned in the bed but at 1:00 a.m. of race day, I had "zero" sleep. I decided then not to sleep at all. I had a 15-minute nap in the afternoon of Feb. 6 and slept divinely on the evening of Feb. 5. I thought I had enough sleep as I went into the race.

Geared and ready for the race

I was at the parking lot of BHS by 3:15 a.m. There were a lot of runners already when I donned my shoes and put on my knee bandage and knee support. I saw the takbo.ph bunch and stayed with them for a while. Ian was early as well. Retzel was in compression tights which made him look thinner, or more aerodynamic, than usual. Shook hands with my "teammate" Joni Lopez of team Timex who was also running her first full marathon. Saw Noel Padrigon at the parking area and we went to the check in area together.

Javy Olives was there too though he was running the 21K. His wife, Hannah, was doing the 42K.

Saw my BelieveStrong teammates, Hans, Jason, and Philip Roxas. Pastor Ernie and Col. Dennis were there too but I didn't see them.

The check-in area was abuzz with people, newbies and veteran runners alike. It was that few minutes of handshakes and chatting that calmed most of the runners before the big bang.

At 4:00 a.m., the start gun was fired.

It was hard to get a run line at the start. Runners were almost at the same pace, not too slow and not too fast. Everybody was afraid to blow and the best way to avoid it was to maintain a comfortable pace. I settled at a 6:30 pace and intended to do so for the duration of the run. At 6:30, I would have finished the 42K in about 4hours and 30minutes.

I was very comfortable with my pace that even after 8 kms, I wasn't breathing heavily nor was I tired and needed to slow down. I completed the 1st 10kms in 1:05, a minute faster than the 1:06 I planned. I felt stronger as I entered my 11th km. I increased my pace a bit and completed the first 14kms in 1:30, slightly ahead of my target.

And then, disaster struck...

As I was halfway through the 14th km, above the skyway, my worst fear started. An invisible hand hammered my left knee, leaving it with a stabbing pain so bad that I suddenly stopped and yelled out a snarl. My worst enemy, ITBS, had attacked so soon. I slumped forward and felt my knee, then tried shaking it off. I slowly started running again but needed to stop after a few steps. I was hurting really bad I was thinking riding inside the ambulance was a better idea than finishing the race. I had to convince myself that I could finish with the pain.

I walked and jogged the next few meters going into the 15th km. The pain was getting worse and worse at every step.

At the 15K mark, I stopped and chewed on a Choco Mucho chocolate bar. I needed something to fill my stomach before I take in a tablet of Feldene Flash. Finally, a few meters just after the 15th km, I put the Feldene Flash under my tongue. It instantly melted.

I walked for around 500 meters until I felt some relief from the medication. I didn't feel any. If it had an effect, it was minimal, enabling me to just walk and not even jog. I changed my running style from midfoot to forefoot to see if the pain would be minimized. It was. From then on, it was running and walking on forefoot on my left and midfoot on my right, making me limp as I went along.

After the first 15K, I was at 1:39 of the race. Still not as bad as I thought I was running already. If I could run/walk the final 27K in 3 hours, I would still finish in 4:39. I thought it was realistic even under the condition I was in.

I ran the 16th to the 26th km in 1hour, 26minutes. I was already experiencing pain at its purest form. I winced, grimaced and cursed shamelessly as I was trying to run/ walk the distance. I was already at 3:05 of the race with 16K to go. In healthier days, I could run 16K in less than 1hr, 30mins. During this race, I was hoping I could do it in 2 hours.

The Skyway is a long stretch of lonely roads if you're running with an injury. Runners passed me left and right. Even runners I see barely able to meet cut-off times in races went past me. I was alarmed. I was in a lot of pain but needed to go faster.

Friends would ask how I was, and I'd say I was fine and would just ask them to go ahead. For as much as I was hurting, I wouldn't want anyone to slow down because of me. A runner whom I've not seen or met before offered to pace me. But even his jog pace was too fast for me. I thanked him for the gesture and asked him to go ahead.

Noel would shout "easy bro! easy lang!" as he saw me grimacing on his way back to the finish line. Erick ( of takbo.ph ) passed me and asked how I was, as well as the other takbo.ph guys running as a bunch.

I was in unfamiliar territory. I pitied myself which has never happened to me before. Slowly, the ambulances, again, were tempting me to ride it and stop the horrendous ordeal I was in. I did not give in.

There were sponges given out just a little after the 42K turnaround point. I took two and put one inside my knee support. It was quite a relief. Unfortunately, there was only one aid station giving it out.

A man was slumped on the sideways at around the 28K point. Another man was massaging his back with a wet sponge. I stopped to ask what happened to him. He felt dizzy while running. I pulled out the sponge from my knee support and massaged the man's head with it. He needed the sponge more than I did.

It was again, very lonely after that. I was running alone, on the Skyway, with the sun giving runners a feel of what El Nino is. I was in survival mode already, and about to hit the red line in my running gauge.

I was at 3:52 of the race after 30kms.

I was doing mostly walks now instead of jogging. The pain on my left knee has magnified to include my left hip. I couldn't bend my kneecaps as much as I wanted to at this point. I was about to break.

Suddenly, two female runners caught me. One was a very familiar runner I raced with during my first duathlon. She was obviously overweight but has trimmed down substantially since I first saw her. The two were jogging at around 7:30 pace. They invited me along. I mustered enough courage to run with them, even with all the pain that has now almost immobilized my whole left leg. I jogged with them for about 300 meters and told them to go ahead.

I limped again after.

What made the race course lonelier if you're at the tailend is the sight of the marching bands, who were supposed to cheer you up and encourage you, lazily beating down the drums which was the only instrument they were playing. The rest of the band just sat down and watched us, and probably were heckling us in hushed voices. Couldn't blame them though. With the heat slowly rising up, anyone would be melted to a mashed potato.

I caught up with Timmy Sebastian's ( takbo.ph) group at around the 31st K. We just walked until almost at the Skyway ramp going down Buendia, where Quennie joined us. They then jogged and I was left alone again.

The vehicles were now allowed to ply one half of Buendia, and the traffic enforcers wouldn't stop the vehicles for me to cross the street on to the runner's lane. I breathed in and in a few big leaps, bit my lip to cross in a hurry. It was very, very painful! I held on to the center island to relax a bit and regain my composure. Tears almost welled my eyes due to the severe pain.

I was at 4:23 of the race with 9K to go.

I reached the takbo.ph aid station where Mccoy spread some liniment on my left knee. I got temporary relief from the pain. I was also handed a banana and ate it, then took my second and last Feldene Flash.

I was doing 10min/km at that point. With 9K to go, I would finish in 5:53, hanging by a hairline to beat the cut-off. But the Buendia flyover was already near, and it would definitely slow me down. I needed to do better than a 10min/km pace.

As a last ditch effort to save my race, I increased my pace. The last 9K of the Condura Run 42K would be the most painful 9K of my life. I was moaning and groaning left and right as my left leg hit the asphalt. EVERY STEP WAS PAIN now, literally. The sun was scorching hot already. It was already past 8:00 a.m.

I would run and walk every 100 meters and walked going up the Buendia flyover. Ran the flat part and then walked the descent.

Last 4K of the run and I was at 5:06.

I played "patintero" with the vehicles upon descending the Buendia flyover towards the final 3.5K. No more marshalls to guide the runners, no more traffic enforcers to stop traffic. I, and the other runners were left to fend for ourselves, guess which way to the finish line ourselves and encourage the other runners ourselves.

Saw Javy Olives near the Market Market left turn. "Last 2.5K bro! Konti na lang!" he shouted.

That was the longest 2.5K I ever ran, or walked.

I caught Joni Lopez on the final 2K. She was walking already and joking with her teammates who were there to support her. I was brisk walking.

I tried to muster a run just after the last 2K but felt dizzy. I was going to bonk if I forced it. I would just walk, and walk fast to finish.

I was at 5:36 of the race on my last kilometer. The finish line seemed so far even with just 1K to go.

There was just a handful of people at the finish line, an indication that I was among the last runners to cross it at 5:49 of the race. It felt bittersweet. I was happy to make it, sad that I clocked in more than an hour of my target.

The takbo.ph guys made a banner with my name on it. Thanks guys!

I slumped on a gutter just after the finish line. I wasn't exhausted, I wasn't even tired. I was just disappointed. My left knee had forsaken me. I didn't feel like crying, I felt angry.

Why in the world did this happen to me?

I found the answer when I looked back more than 2 months ago.

I was confident I'd finish the race in sub-4:45. I didn't train properly for the race. I did shortcuts on my training program resulting to the ITBS which hounded me 3 quarters of the race. I didn't pay my dues, so why did I expect too much?

Sometimes, a single achievement changes a person. In my case, it catapulted my confidence to a much higher level, a level which is only attributed to athletes in champion forms. However, thanks to that over-confidence as it brought me back to where I'm supposed to be, an athlete in need of proper training.

Condura 42K was both a victory and loss for me. It made me realize that sheer determination was needed in times of desparation. When my ITBS attacked at the 14th km, the determination to finish the race more than compensated for my physical inability. I lost my (over) confidence, in turn making me realize that indeed, humility is a virtue I needed to practice and have. Being passed by runners who normally wouldn't even see my shadow humiliated me, but humbled me far more. And with it, I am thankful.

I prayed to God to give me the endurance and strength to finish the race within my target time, instead, he left me with an 11-minute allowance before the cut-off. Did God turn a deaf ear on me? No, He instead turned a loving understanding. He let in the ITBS early in the race to let me realize that there's no shortcuts to a marathon. He let me get passed by slower runners to teach me humility. He let me felt dizzy when I tried to run in the last 2k of the race so I can learn to call on him when there's nothing I could do anymore. He left me with 11 minutes to spare to cut-off to let me know that He has not forsaken me.

After Condura 42K, I would like to believe I'm a better athlete...and God-fearing individual.

Deo P.