Anheuser-Busch twists my arm and doesn't even know it
The weekend turned out to be a good one. It’s the first weekend in quite a while without some racing and the first weekend in quite a while that had no riding plan. After last Tuesday night, the bike went in the stand with the instruction that I shouldn’t ride until Saturday or Sunday, and then only if I really felt up to it. That’s when it all went downhill…like it always does when I take an extended break from the bike. My body must think it’s some kind of free-for-all when there is no training/racing on the schedule. I had hoped with Wednesday night’s massage that I would miraculously start to feel better. No such luck. Thursday ended the same as Wednesday with the legs still feeling sore and beat up from the massage.
By Friday I really started to think I was coming around. Saturday morning was a good opportunity to sleep in and I didn’t find out anyone was riding until around 10 and thought that one more day of rest would be good. The afternoon is when it got crazy. A few years ago I had this crazy headache that also involved numbness in my finger and thumb on one hand and above my lip in addition to crazy-talk…I know, kinda nuts. Yes, crazy-talk, as in I’m thinking of saying one thing and another is spoken. So back to Saturday afternoon: I’m getting some dog equipment together in the kitchen in the bright sunshine and I start seeing this super bright light in my right eye, eventually becoming so distracting that I can’t really see out of that eye. At that point I start feeling the dull throb of the headache coming on and know that I’m already too far. I finish up the equipment assembly and start to get ready for the team BBQ and I’m not feeling the best, but the bright light is gone. We get loaded up and start rolling. After driving along for 10 minutes, Dozza asked me a question, and as I start to speak I realize that what I’m saying makes no sense, even though my thoughts are straightforward. I stop talking, think really hard and have a complete sentence in mind. I start to talk and get only two words out that make any sense. Now this scares me a bit and Dozza says to pull over and that she’s driving. So I sit there in the passenger seat trying to not panic and attempt to relax. I didn’t say anything for 30 minutes as we drove. Once we parked the car, I dared to give speaking a try and it came out just fine. WEIRD! The only problem now is that the super-throb headache was going to last until probably Sunday afternoon. I can handle those, but they suck. It goes without saying that the team BBQ was lots-o-fun. Crispy and Ar threw a great bash. By the way, Miatcheslav and Mrs. Miatcheslav are going to be having their offspring very soon. Mrs. Miatcheslav is SUPER-pregnant and I think ready for the next phase of children-ing.
As AJ was leaving I heard Anheuser-Busch say that the ride start time was 6:00a.m. That’s not going to help with the headache, but at least I can get the first ride back after a short break out of the way and have most of Sunday for yardwork/entertainment. The 6:00a.m. start time was rough, and the headache was wicked, but I got out and met the crew of 3, including me, and we rolled south around POM and made a slow climb up Highland Suncrest. It was great company for the ride, but I think I was showing the signs of my super-throb headache on the arm-warmers, so to speak. Anheuser-Busch talked smack all day long, and really is the main reason I got out for a ride Sunday. I haven't had enough chance to ride with him lately and I didn't want to miss the chance today...a bit of passive arm-twisting. After 40 minutes or so, the knees, ankles and hips started to feel like they were supposed to move that way and by the end of the ride I was actually feeling good. It’s swim team again tonight and then I’ll finish the evening off with a nice spin and be ready to rumble for the second half of the season.