Recovery how does it work

Life stress + commuting + racing is a tough balance.

Working two jobs also stress - the stress of one being flexible but occasionally really demanding and the other fitting in when it can but then always stressing about trying to make sure to fit enough in of #2 to keep it steady. Failed on that this week.

Failed to recover this week. Wed night was probably a bad idea. It was fun, but probably a really bad idea.

The heat yesterday was the final crushing blow. I'm usually pretty good in the heat, but i wore a throwback jersey (bad idea early 90s coolmax even white is not very cool) and it was blazing sun and some people's GPS were saying 100°F in the sun.

I got some decent course preview in, opened up the legs a bit, felt not terrible on the warm up. Food prep was good, hydration was good, so good that I had to bounce in my seat in the car in the stop and go traffic for the 10 min it took me to get from bolton orchards to the venue. Too hot to pre-ride in the orange jumpsuit, way too hot, bad sign. Chatted with folks, put a hold on two things of #Pastryweight ice cream, got my number pinned on, chatted with Keith B about rowing, again, he forgot about the last time we did, probably was MRC last year.

Lined up, 10 min in the grid, in the baking sun before we started. Normally zoom, I can start really well. Usually WAY too well, aka wind up in the I don't belong here section, ride there, blow up, recover, finish.

Yesterday I had my worst start kind of almost ever. I was giving it everything but it was well short of normal. Strange. Should have figured something was off at that moment, but I just pedaled as hard as I could. But the normal slow starters were already way in front of me, I put together a decent first lap, not a good one, but not the worst, then tried to keep that going for the second but it became too much, stomach started feeling queasy (my stomach never feels like it wants to hurl, this was a first) couldn't get legs going fast enough to get lungs engaged and while i forgot the HR strap again, i think my HR was depressed, never got that high. I even raced with a bottle, half a bottle of water, took a sip to rinse the dust and clear the junk in my mouth once a lap.

I wasn't the only one having problems with the heat but man it wrecked me. Took that throwback jersey off and found a spot in the shade with a very light breeze and started to cool down. The sun was pretty intense.

My legs felt like i put in a fantastic effort, like they worked really hard, but results were abysmal. I did stay on the lead lap, thanks to a long lap. The course was fun, Gary and John did a great job promoting, Jake's ice cream was awesome, had some apple crisp after I changed. Gary gave me a pound of coffee beans for having the oldest kit, and then a half gallon of cider (he got them for podium prizes but they forgot to give them out for most of the races), so not terrible.

Chatted with Aumiller for a long time, also Cole, and Gary, and Kieth and LarryP, lesli too.

But I was off - took a long time before I started feeling functional again.

Recovery? What's that. Harris just said, don't ride your bike. Rest. But the commute, e-bike FTW. I need more recovery than I'm getting I think, can't go as hard as I need to because I'm too tired and carrying too much fatigue.

Story of my life eh?

E got up to go guide this morning, I begrudgingly woke up, but pretty soon fell back asleep with two dogs in bed with me, didn't wake up until she got back at 11:30am.

I had thought maybe I'll do the grocery shopping in the morning then get to the shop by noon and work till 5 come home make dinner and....  here I am, only on my second cup of coffee at 1:30pm. That plan is out the window. New plan.

New plan? New plan is to start by stopping off at the PVD location, figured out why I was asked to do stuff up there, DiPinto has been relocated up there for the winter. I also found out that Dereck Fish killed himself thursday night in Arcadia. He was found Friday morning. I didn't know him very well, but connected with and liked him. Now he's gone. A rough cap to the week, So PVD location, grocery shopping, stop in to EP on the way home maybe, but I need to recover. Building bikes, working in the shop, I def enjoy but it isn't recovery.

I'm not living much like an athlete, heck got home, unloaded the car, then went to pick up the kid after her dance. Only was able to get into the shower to get the dust off at 10:30pm last night.

As hard as I tried, I was unsuccessful at keeping a day open this coming week. Sept may be the month I lose vacation days.  October is almost here, the seasons are rolling through, the days ticking by...

What's the next race? Dunno, will see. Maybe I need a weekend off. I'm very happy not to be racing today, but feeling a little stress at not working, trying to tell myself it is okay to do what I need every once in a while. I need a day off. Racing is a day for me but it isn't a day off. Working isn't a day off...  Haven't had one in a long time.

Rambling I suppose, should finish coffee, decide if i want another cup and then head out and restock the fridge.

My whole body is tired, it makes sense, singlespeed is a full body thing. But I need to listen a bit more, need to not feel this way, need to figure out how to recover. I had two invites to go MTB'n today, it was tempting and as much fun as it would have been, it would have double wrecked me.

I feel good about the new plan for today, just kind of need a few more like it. I suppose it would be different if I came home everyday to someone else making dinner, and i could just relax...  but nope. As Steph always used to say "The choices you made..."

and here we are...

here I am...

I'm glad I lined up and finished the race yesterday, I'm feeling good about today so far, I wonder if i can get everything done and back here before the World Cup, thinking not so much. But maybe it is better if I don't watch them race.

heddwch
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