With a week and a half off the bike and plenty of cold symptoms still present I still wanted to race. On the way to Glenvale I think I coughed up half a kilo of snotty gunk, which was good, as I could actually breathe during the race. My HR was pretty elevated which wasn’t a good sign and today’s temp was going to be 34degC. (Ruby Rhod) “hot hot hot!” (\/Ruby Rhod)<\/p>\n
The race itself was messy. People taking stupid risks early on, when there’s no point in doing so. Some riders don’t even seem to be able to ride in a straight line! I was playing it safe and staying on the outside, probably copping more wind than I should, because 1) I’m a chicken and 2) I’m not going to win if someone takes me down am I?!<\/p>\n
With 3-to-go I’m around 10th wheel and move up. 2-to-go and the bunch is slowing down and widening until someone jumps. I delay briefly and then go, getting myself into 4th wheel or thereabouts. <\/p>\n
On the final lap the bunch slows and spreads wide again – no one wants to lead out. Someone will go soon it’s just a question of who.. <\/p>\n
A rider is out of the saddle.. bam.. I’m up there. Last corner is relatively clean, from up the front, and now it’s a long sprint to the line – a simple matter of sustainable power.<\/p>\n
Power I’m just not able to muster today. I give it a go but I’m passed by a few riders and just don’t have the lung capacity or leg strength to do anything about them.<\/p>\n
At the end I count five riders over the line in front of me – I’m actually pretty bloody happy with 6th given my preparation (none) and how I was feeling on the day (ill). My HR just after crossing the line was up around 201bpm!! So, it’s not like I wasn’t trying!<\/p>\n
Now, I’m trying to suss out why I felt ratshit all Sunday after a 9am race. I thought I was doing okay with post-race rehydration: ~1L Staminade+Saline mix, 1.25L mineral water, couple of 600ml bottles of water and then when nothing was working a 600ml bottle of gatorade, ice packs on my head, icy pole and ice cream. <\/p>\n
That’s a lot of fluid! Unfortunately, all of this managed to do nothing towards making me feel any better. I looked like a mess staggering around with bloodshot eyes (no bong in sight! :P) and I spent all day on the couch watching episodes of “LOST”.<\/p>\n
People tell me it’s heatstroke or migraine, etc.. but I don’t know. I just seem to be punished no matter how much I drink. Perhaps my brain gets fried and just needs time to cool down? No wonder I can’t count laps! My brain is a giant roast lamb!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
With a week and a half off the bike and plenty of cold symptoms still present I still wanted to race. On the way to Glenvale I think I coughed up half a kilo of snotty gunk, which was good, … Continue reading