I heard about Optygen many years ago but didn’t think much of supplements until just recently when I started taking SportLegs. I looked into Optygen and found that the Discovery Channel cycling team uses it so that does give it some legitimacy. Looking into the ingredients, apparently there are herbs from Tibet that increase VO2 max, reduce lactic acid, among other things. I thought to myself, “Exactly what I need!” and about 2 weeks ago began taking it. I did not know what to expect and hoped for the best.
Yesterday, I saw what I thought were the first two positive results of taking these Matrix-like “red pills”.
Our coach tells us to do this workout called the “lungbuster” which is a 400m pulling session whereby you breathe every 3rd stroke on the first 100, every 5th stroke on the second, every 7th stroke on the third, and finally every 9th stroke. To date, I have never been able to make it to the 9th; I am always out of breath by the end of the every-7th-breath-100m and have to fall back to every 3rd or 5th on the last 100. Yesterday, I could actually maintain breathing every 7th stroke all the way to the end of the 4th 100m. I still could not do every 9th, but maintaining every 7th was a significant improvement in lung capacity from before.
Then my second positive result was when I went for a 5 hour ride afterwards. I went climbing, and then did a rolling hills course after climbing back home. Not once was I breathing hard. My breath was very controlled and I did not feel any discomfort at all, whereas I sometimes do maintaining pace back home.
I am very encouraged by these results and think that Optygen seems to be creating them. I have to admit that taking all these funny chemicals, vitamins, and herbs into my body is a bit unnerving though; but that which does not kill me or the Discovery Channel cycling team must make me stronger, right?
More on this as I train towards NYC Marathon and then Ironman Western Australia.