Suicide 6 Shutdown
Well, the past few days have been VERY hectic around here. Bridget went into the hospital Thursday last week and then again on Saturday. Originally kept for observation, the doc held her till monday so he could run some tests. Some scans, etc and then gallbladder surgery on monday. It’s been a whirlwind of visiting the hospital taking care of the dogs, picking up and dropping off Lake and taking care of things around the house. Thankfully she is home, feeling much better and my stress levels have lowered down a bit.
So… since she was in the hospital on sunday still, she gave me the go ahead to go and race at the Suicide Six. She was feeling fine, had some pain meds and didn’t want to see me bored out of my mind (not that I was or would be as I would do anything I could for her no matter what).
The race was, well not my best. Things started out well, was 3rd across the line on the 1st lap (1st Solo), I turned a 39 minuter, but the legs were no way feeling their best. The next 3 laps rolled perfectly around the 40ish minute mark. Lap 3 though I somehow took off without a water bottle, not a very biggie as I had a red bull in my pocket and grabbed a quick drink at the aid station (though what’s up with the aid station on a descent right before the tech singletrack?). It ended up only playing a small part in my demise.
Lap 5, my engine exploded, literally. On the singletrack switchback climb before the rattler, massive cramping. So bad the legs refused to move. Refused to move and locking up which = me falling over and laying there writhing in pain.
I walked it out, but had to shut it down immensely. Lap 5 was about 45-46 minutes long, quite a bit slower than priors. To top things off, it was now starting to rain, heavily. I lost the lead in the transition area and set off to give chase. I had to keep things on the DL on the climbs and try to maintain my gap and use the singletrack to my advantage. It wasn’t really happening. I was losing so much time on the climbs, and the legs were just utterly seizing at every hard pedal stroke.
Another 46 minute lap and I made it halfway through lap 7 with about an hour left of racing (Still on track for 9 laps), I just rode right to the pits, loaded the bike on the car and beat feet for the hospital. I had no need to suffer in the rain, and I was really stressing hard about deciding to race over staying at the hospital (even though she told me to go). Combine rain + cramps and it was an easy decision.
After eating, drinking, etc. Monday morning I was about 5 lbs light. I don’t think I peed till tuesday afternoon. With all that had happened, I simply forgot to drink. Not much I could do, and that’s racing. Big Congrats to Terry Blanchett of the Cannondale team on taking the big W!
Luckily I was able to get myself on track these past few days, knock out some final prep (including some season best numbers on a few 30 second intervals) and I’m feeling good (and hydrated) for the Shenandoah 100.
Unfortunately with Bridgets surgery we aren’t going down as a family to visit here cousin 
. Instead I’ll be rolling down Saturday am with Pete M grabbing a hotel (sleep!!!) and ripping things up come sunday
September 3rd, 2009 at 12:21 pm
Thx for the congrats Jason, and also for giving chase on Lap6. Not knowing you’d thrown in the towel on Lap 7, the fear of you chasing my wheel and the exhaustion-fueled hallucination glimpses I thought I was getting of you over my shoulder really pushed me on through the rain and mud of the last few laps. Well back in the pack from the start having not gunned it for the First Lap Prem, it literally was not until the awards ceremony that I’d learned I’d won. On course I never even knew I had the lead, nice wrap-up surprise.
All the best to you down at the Shenandoah 100. With matters at home more settled and not involving loved ones in hospitals, and also without the temptation of First Laps Prems to empty the tanks too quickly or the temptation of a car/keys/other places to possibly be to pass by every 7miles and nothing to do but keep pedaling on, I bet things go great!
Wish I could make it down myself, just too lazy to put in the drive time, will hit the nearby XC race up in Placid at Mt Van Hoevenberg on the old 24Hr course instead. By the way, looks like the Peak gang that puts on the 666 SixHour race will likely be inaugurating a nearby New England 100 next year!
Cheers,
t
September 3rd, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Thanks Terry, you deserved it after pushing through those conditions. I only wish I coulda gave you more of a race (those it sounds like I did
. Seems I’m 0/3 at the NYSERS this year. Hopefully things go well at Shenandoah.
New England 100 sounds awesome!
September 4th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Dang dude – rest up and kill it at Shenandoah!