Master's Natz

Friday about an hour before Mia's bed time she decides to have a puke bath, head to toe covering in vomit. Whatever it was once out she drank a little Sprite & felt better. That stopped my worries of the FLU. Saturday I got up early & drove to Bolivar to catch a ride up with two of Bolivars World class riders. Once in the truck the talk quickly turned to JJ's youngest battling the FLU & spending the night on the floor puking(noticing a pattern forming here?).

After an uneventful trip up we get to the Middle Of Nowhere KC, I get registered & kitted up so I can ride the course a few times in the open course hour before my race. I'm pretty sure everyone who had raced or was going to race was on the course in that hour. I got to rub elbows with a who's who of Elites.

Toed the line on the 3rd row. Thanks to some no shows I got to move up to the 2nd row. This helped with my game plan of get to the front Then worry about staying there. Whistle & off. The fastest start of a CX race I've ever been in. In fact I've been in field sprint finishes that were easier. I hit the grass in the top ten, crap that hurt. Rode around suffering in the top 20 for about 3 laps. Then the wheels came off. Kyle caught me & I dug down & drug him for most of a lap then gave him a hard push to get him going. I then latched onto the most famous non pro in CX's group, Greg Keller. This guy had everyone cheering for him. I mean I heard my name a lot but he was getting cheers from EVERYONE. On the last lap Keller has been sitting on my wheel & going into the barriers he sprints past me. I said to myself what the? Then he screams out in a voice that almost made me jump off my bike & go hide; "GET THE F@#! OFF THE COURSE!!!!!" What did I do? Oh wait that's Feldman riding on the course before his race, what a douche. I regained my composure & got around Keller staying ahead of him for 42 but at least on the lead lap(just barely). Legs felt like crap, mind somewhere else.

After the race caught up with the KC crew, had a beer or two, chatted. On the way home stopped for some Gates BBQ. When we got back to Bolivar I got out of the truck & instantly felt sick to my stomach. Oh crap not another bought with food poisoning. Load the bikes, fresh air makes me feel a little better. Load up & start to drive home. Not 15 minutes outside of town I have to hit the ditch to projectile vomit round 1. Regroup & drive home, to continue puking. About 3 hours after I get home Amber starts puking. Guess its the FLU. All night we took turns hurling. Luckily Amber's Mom was able to watch Mia Sunday while Amber & I suffered away in near death throws.

Woke up this AM 2.72 kilos lighter & not feeling too awful bad. Luckily no work today so have another day to recover. I read on another blog one of the SPR crew got in an after race altercation?





Photos courtesy of Chuckles the Clown