Kermesses and My Porcelain Pillow
Posted by cgmride | Filed under Life, Racing, Training, USA Cycling Development Team
For the most part, the last few weeks of craziness that is Belgian Kermesse racing has been good to me. I wouldn’t go so far as to say the results and performances have been outstanding, but going full distance in several events, while posting a handful of top 20’s has at least provided a little confidence and success to pad the so often brutal punishment that many riders associate with kermesse racing. Especially coming from America, these races were absolutely foreign to me. With the attacks going from the gun, it seems that the pace/effort could never remain so high all the way to the finish some 2.5 or 3 hours later. And yet some how it always does. As a rider who prefers to see the road tip up, fighting for position while racing down gutters has always been an area of weakness for me. Which is exactly why I am still here throwing elbows and fighting to hold my spot in the gutter. My ability to climb is worthless if I struggle through crosswinds and long flat stretches of road before ever reaching the climbs. Luckily, my pack prowess has been coming around, the these seemingly endless kilometers of suffering through kermesses has taught me a great deal about riding in the wind, or rather out of it, and holding better pack position. Now I just need to find some long climbs to exploit my strengths…
Last weekend, I fell victim what seems to be a variation of the “stomach bug” that has been going around the European peleton. While I don’t even put myself in similar to company to that of Andy Schleck, or Tom Danielson, I did find it interesting to note that they both fell victim to a stomach bug. I think our only similarities beyond a love for the bike, came in the form of some of our symptoms. Friday afternoon I noticed that my stomach didn’t feel good. I chalked it up to nerves, or some other random affliction which would soon pass. While I was out riding and warming up for a criterium that evening, I noticed that I was most “comfortable” on the bike when I was working hard. Every time my heartrate came down below like 155 my stomach would start to turn itself in knots as it worked out a bug. Simple enough I thought, I just have to make sure I ride really hard, and smart, in the criterium tonight, and I will have no problem. I suppose the theory was at least mildly beneficial, considering I pulled a top 25 after going in several breaks over the course of the 70km race. What followed that evening, was four days of laying in my bed, scarcely able to eat.
I spent saturday evening hugging a porcelain pillow as my body worked viciously to rid itself of an unwanted infection in my stomach. No such luck – just lots of time curled up over the toilet. After several days of forcing myself to eat small amounts of rice and other simple carbs, the writing was on the wall. Whatever sickness I had was going to take more than just rest and not eating to be expelled from my body. I went to the doctor on Tuesday morning, and was diagnosed with a stomach infection and given some medicine which will hopefully clear up the infection, and allow my to resume normal eating and training habits. So far so good. I have been able to slowly re-introduce more complex foods and meats into my diet, and the normallness is coming back on the bike too. Today was the first time in nearly a week that I have felt good on the bike, and I am looking forward to a weekend of kermesse racing to conclude my trip here in Belgium.
As soon as I get home, it will be back on the road as I head with my team to Las Vegas for the Interbike show and the Cross-Vegas race. I don’t know exactly how the legs will hold up to 2 days of steady travel before the race, but I had a blast being there last year, and I am excited to get in some racing under the lights this year. Its going to be a busy next 7 days, and I am excited for all that fills those days. See you in Vegas.
Keep the Rubber Side Down,
C-
