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Nothing Is Impossible
For Ho Jun Rong, this phrase is his greatest driving force that keeps him rooted to his passion. As a kid, the 19-year-old has always been active in sports and a nature lover. Born with a competitive streak, Jun Rong often pushes himself to the limit, working hard to excel in various sports.
His love affair with cycling began when his dad took him for a ride at the park one day. He soon found out that the only way of feeling the adrenaline rush from speed and still be in control was when he was on a bicycle. 'One of the things I love most about cycling are the cool bikes,' says Jun Rong. 'I also love working to perfect small mistakes so I can be one step closer to becoming a professional.'
Jun Rong used to cycle 12km routes on a mountain bike but he realised that it was more ideal to use a road bike. Just as he was about to get one, he fractured his ankle during a soccer training session. That was when he decided to switch fully to focus only on cycling. 'I think it looks much better than 22 men chasing after a ball!' So, 3 years ago he joined a club called Northryder and started racing in Malaysia.
The Hard Work
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A typical training day for Jun Rong starts with waking up early in the morning to avoid the heavy traffic while doing road circuits. When training, Jun Rong enjoys cycling close to a teammate so they can chat. This is also his way of training his bike-handling skills to avoid crashes. 'I’ll always ride so close till our shoulders touch,' says Jun Rong. 'It’s important to learn this so you'll have less fear during a race where there are many cyclists. It’s no joke riding over 60km/h in close proximity with other cyclists.'
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Prior to a race, Jun Rong tapers off on training and concentrates on relaxing his mind and body with music from his favourite artistes like Josh Groban, Utada Hikaru and DJ Tiesto. For him, mental preparation is crucial because 'after doing all you can physically, the only thing left to make you race stronger is to possess mind over body'. 'When I race, I race to win and I always race as if it’s my last.'
The Track Record
Jun Rong has participated in over 40 races since he started racing locally. His first race was the National Championships in 2006 but he dropped off the main group after a few laps because he was ill the night before. Perlis Open 2009 was his most memorable race to date. 'I was in the breakaway group, cycling with my tongue sticking out and trying to keep up with the pack. My teammate actually came off the main group to join me and asked if I needed water! It was a very funny incident.'
His current target is to focus on training for the OCBC Cycle Singapore Professional Race 2010 where he hopes to finish in the top 10. He also aspires to join the Tour De Langkawi and win a medal at the SEA Games in 2011.
Click here for David Pell’s interview.
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Jun Rong’s Tips For Advanced Cyclists
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- Strengthen your core muscles and don’t over-train to avoid injuring your knees.
- Keep to a healthy, balanced diet and stay lean.
- Listen to your body and understand the difference between feeling lazy and when your body is really tired. This will help prevent you from being burnt out.
- Plan an off-season at the end of the year to allow your body and mind to rest so you can be rejuvenated for the next season.
- Stay committed and be willing to sacrifice time for other social activities
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