Georgia is on my mind
I’m writing this while Dale, Jenette and I are listening to a Kiwi band waiting for our team to rally for breakfast and it’s past noon. Some announcement was just calling for our attention over some loud speaker outside our room and we couldn’t be bothered to stop the music to hear them blast the announcement. I hope whatever they had to say doesn’t disrupt our breaky because we just woke up and are mighty hungry.
We’re in Savannah for the day to take in some sights on our race day off. I’ve already seen what looks like the backs of my eyelids. Very nice.
Racing has been tough. Athens was weird. I had always wanted to take part in that race, as it seems like it would be right up my alley, but it wasn’t. The NASCAR mentality that caused 40,000 people, give or take, to CHEER while my teammates, and later the entire guys’ field lay splayed out in the barriers and onto the road really made my stomach turn. It was wild. I remember, distinctly, coming around the corner to see Dale and Jenette, and several others down, having somehow squeeked through, and then Krystal, who was behind me hit the pile. The crowd didn’t do the collaborative ‘Gasp!’ but cheers and shouts of “YEAH!!!!”. Ick. I had reached my limit of drunk men who all look the same and obliterated women who all teetered around on stillettos wandering around spilling drinks on me. Then, of course, the oddities of the men’s race. The crashes get me on edge anyway. The wondering who of my friends might be hurt badly thenadd that to the facination of the crowd. Plus, I always hate those races that have the race to the race start line. They make for some bad, bad moves early on. After, I was just mumbling, “it’s all just too much”. I don’t think Athens Twilight is for me.
…The breakfast bus is leaving.
We’re off to Beaufort tomorrow.
BB
April 30th, 2007 at 7:13 pm
Becky,
You look like you are well connected in the cycling community. I am a masters racer just starting out after knee surgery, do you have any training advice for someone like me? I am having difficulty positioning myself a the front of races. I am not real good with corners yet either.
Thanks,
Mike
May 1st, 2007 at 6:29 am
My how Athens has changed. It was a BIG drunken party 15 years ago when I was there but somehow I do not remember many people watching the race. Most were stumbling around somewhere else. The year I raced as a Cat4, in the rain might have discouraged the drunks from coming out.
May 3rd, 2007 at 11:13 am
Hey, Mike,
I think rehab on the bike for knee surgery is the best way to go. I’ve seen many people turn their rehab into a life-long passion for the bike. Well, as far as advice goes, do as I say and not as I do. I tend to live the motto: “if a lot is good, more is much better” and train that way when I can. For you, however, you have to be patient. Let swelling be your guide. Pain=good. Inflammation=bad. And the only way to get more comfortable is to do more races to get the feel. Masters racing is generally pretty safe so you’ve got the right idea. Always remember these words, if you’re super scared go off the front, not off the back.
Take care and thanks for reading!
BB