Racing - Aug 14, 2012 @TuesdayTheRent

I'm a bit hesitant to call it "racing". It doesn't even qualify for "training". I rode less than 5 miles in total before I put the bike back on the roof rack.

I had an inkling it wouldn't be good on the way down. I sat next to Junior in the back - usually this is how we roll now, with one of us sitting next to Junior - and I started feeling car sick/queasy. I'm really bad with motion sickness, boats, cars, buses, anything that rolls around. Usually it takes a bit before it goes away but this time it stubbornly stuck around.

I felt exhausted as well. Junior, very unusually, woke up at 3 AM in the morning and wouldn't go back to sleep until about 4:30, fussing much of the time. Since I don't have to get up at any particular time I take the early morning wake up calls. This unexpected 90 minute break from sleep wreaked havoc on the rest of my day. With Junior waking up for real at 8 AM I spent the day in a groggy, sleepy, "really want to take a nap" state. I had to run errands and with Junior's regular couple short naps a day schedule I had no chance to nap myself.

In fact, when the Missus got home, she took a look at me and asked me if I wanted to race at all. I figured we should at least go to the venue, even if I didn't race. I could relax, watch the race, and we could still meet up with SOC and Mrs SOC after the race.

I decided that I should try to race but maybe I should nap on the way there. Although I'm known for being able to sleep virtually anywhere, feeling queasy in the car wasn't conducive towards napping. I'm good anywhere location-wise but I need to feel tired and relaxed, not queasy and worried that it'd get worst. It was the last chance I had to nap before I kitted up for the race.

A nice thing about Tuesday's races is we use the same number weekly. I leave the number in the car, along with a slew of pins, and I usually have stuff ready to go when we arrive at the Rent. I also pre-fill a release form and pre-write a check so all I have to do is hand over the folded up release, check inside, sign the weekly sign-in, and I can race.

I felt so queasy I couldn't pin in the car. I did slip into the team shorts but saved any more complex maneuvers for stationary time, when I knew the car wouldn't be rocking and rolling.

I flatted my rear tubular at New London (although I didn't realize it until last Tuesday) and I haven't bothered gluing another tire on that wheel. I brought the matching front but faced with my topsy turvy stomach I decided just to put on the clinchers, leave them at whatever pressure, and ride.

(I should note that I rode Sunday for 2 hours and inflated the tires to just 85/90 psi. I fully expected the tires to be in the 60/70 psi range.) I swiggled the bike a bit, veerying left and right, and the tires seemed reasonable. I figured if nothing else I'd see what low pressure feels like in the turns.)

I kinda sorta meant to warm up but my stomach and fatigue led me to dwaddle near the start/finish area. A local (Legbreaker - he lapped us twice the evening before he went to solo to a win in a pro race) asked me about my pelvic fracture and recovery. Apparently he slid out recently and the impact fractured his pelvis.

Luckily for him he can put weight on it (I couldn't when I broke mine) so I expect him to recover quickly and completely. In fact based on the guys I know who broke bones who were there that evening (three came to mind immediately) then went on to have a spectacular next season, I expect him to be signing a pro contract by the end of 2013.

Whatever, I ended up doing a massive warm up that consisted of rolling over to Junior and the Missus, watched the former grin when he saw me, kissed the latter for good luck, and rolled to the line. I'd say it was a good 100 feet.

I still felt queasy.

We set off on a somewhat manageable pace. I mean, okay, the early guys that put in digs put in some good digs but on a normal night I'd have been okay, even this year. Instead I floundered at the back, my stomach doing flip flops but not really expressing an urgent need to void itself. I suppose if I made myself sick it'd have improved things but I haven't been able to bring myself to that ever and I wasn't about to start now.

Instead I drank some of the ice water, trying to calm my insides down. I wished I'd had a Coke, I know they seem to settle things down (must be the acid?).

At some point I moved out of line and drifted off.

I let the group pass me once while I rolled at some unimaginably slow pace. I jumped on when they passed me again, hitting my max wattage for the night of 940w, but in half a lap I sat up.

I had nothing.

I rolled back to the Missus. Junior broke out into a big grin. Things were good.

I went to the car to change and grab the camera so I could take some shots of the rest of the race. When I was about to walk back I noticed the sun setting. This was the second last Rent of the year. After next week there aren't that many races left.

The CCNS Kermis on Friday August 24th.

White Plains Crit on Sunday September 16th.

And that'll be the season. I'm already thinking of next year but the winter feels cloudy. Life isn't just about me and the Missus anymore. It's about me and the Missus and Junior. We'll have to see what I can and can't do over the winter, see how things go.

The immediate helps keep me distracted. I want to glue a new tire on the rear Stinger. I want to get into the Tsunami 1.1 build. I need to do stuff around the house. I have projects.

But for now I'll leave you with this.

The sun sets on another Rent.