Things We Love

I had septoplasty at the end of April 2026. Looking back, the surgery itself was not the hardest part. What really stayed with me were the details no one fully explains beforehand — the waiting, the discomfort, and the unexpected challenges during recovery. Here’s what my experience was actually like. — April 29: Admission and pre-surgery checks I was admitted to the hospital on April 29 for examinations and preparation. Everything felt routine at this stage, and the surgery still felt like something abstract. — April 30: Surgery day I had to fast from the morning and wait. Because I was relatively young, the operating room prioritized elderly patients and children. My surgery was scheduled later in the day, around 3 PM. The waiting was longer than I expected. The surgery itself was done under general anesthesia. I didn’t feel anything — it was like falling asleep and waking up afterward. When I woke up, I felt dizzy and disoriented, almost like being drunk. I was even talking nonsense...

 Today’s ride didn’t start well. Just a few minutes in, something felt off. My heart rate climbed quickly, much higher than usual, but my speed didn’t match the effort. It was one of those rides where your body simply isn’t ready. In the past, I would have pushed through it. I would tell myself to keep going, to ride harder, to “get into the rhythm” by force. But I’ve learned this the hard way. The last time I ignored these signals, I crashed. I pushed too hard, my heart rate went out of control, and I eventually blacked out. That experience stayed with me. So this time, I made a different choice. I slowed down. Instead of fighting my body, I listened to it. I shifted to easier gears, focused on maintaining a steady cadence, and let go of any expectation about speed or performance. At first, it felt almost too slow. But something interesting happened. As the ride went on, my body began to adapt. My breathing became more controlled. My heart rate stabilized. The uncomfortable feelin...

When I first started cycling, I had a frustrating problem. I barely started pedaling, and within a few minutes, my heart rate was already at 140–150 bpm. It felt like I was working hard, but at the same time, I couldn’t go very fast or last very long. I kept asking myself: Is this normal? Am I just out of shape? Or am I doing something wrong? After riding more than 2000 km, I realized something simple: It’s not just about effort. It’s about rhythm. — You’re probably starting too hard Most beginners make the same mistake: they push too hard at the beginning. You feel fresh, your legs are strong, and you naturally press harder on the pedals. But your cardiovascular system isn’t ready yet, so your heart rate spikes quickly. Once it goes up, it’s hard to bring it back down. What helped me was simple: Start slower than you think you should. The first 5–10 minutes should feel almost “too easy”. — High heart rate doesn’t mean high efficiency A heart rate of 150 bpm doesn’t mean you’re riding ...

When I first started cycling, I thought speed was everything. I cared about my average speed, how fast I could go, and whether I could keep up with others. After riding more than 2000 kilometers, I realized I was focusing on the wrong things. Here are a few things that actually matter — especially if you’re cycling in a Chinese city. Traffic lights matter more than your fitness In cities like Shenzhen, your average speed has less to do with your legs and more to do with traffic lights. You can ride at 25 km/h, but if you stop every 500 meters, your average drops to 18 instantly. Learning how to anticipate lights and choose better routes matters more than pushing harder. Cadence is more important than power At the beginning, I used a heavy gear and low cadence. It felt strong, but it burned me out quickly. After some time, I realized riding with a higher cadence and lower gear is much more sustainable — especially for commuting. Riding in China is different Cycling here is not just abou...