Ouch, that hurts. June 17, 2007
                                                                                 Well, they always say to try something new. Today I went for heat stroke/ exhaustion. I don’t know the difference, to tell the truth, but it dosen’t matter, I got fucked up. In 97 degree heat, I took advantage of my day off to get a good long day of riding the ‘cross bike in. The day was to be “epic” (is that word dead yet?), 60 miles, two thirds of which are on trails. I dressed light, but even that proved to not be enough, Soon I was, as they say, down to the bib straps. Luckily the shiny new white helmet from Giro got here. (Thanks Hannah, thanks Giro.) My riding was spot on, and most of the ride went without deadly encounters with wildlife, save for the 3 foot snake in the middle of the trail on my way home. I thought it was just a stick but when I went to hop over it, it recoiled. Visions of it attaching itself (via it’s fangs; no doubt the size of the needle I recieved a spinal tap with years ago.) to my calf flashed through my brain as I went through the last bit of energy/ adrenaline I could muster to distance myself from the beast I could only imagine was chasing me. Have I mentioned I fear snakes a bit? I soon hit the streets which meant I was getting close to home, only a couple miles left. That’s when the headache hit it’s peak. I was getting increasingly dizzy and nauseous, the street sigs were getting blurry and I just kept trying to think of shortcuts to get home, there aren’t any. I made it home on the sheer feeling that if I had stopped I think I would of collapsed. I got home and whined and hyperventilated for a little while. I thought of my friend Molly; at the first cross race I worked the pits at, Gloucester, 2005, it snowed unexpectedly and froze all involved, everyone in the pits, everyone on their bikes. After Molly finished, and finished well, she was in the car convulsing. I felt something like that, only from extreme heat. I ran the hose after a while of shaking on the porch and put it over my head. It must’ve shocked me pretty good because I was pretty much down for the night soon after.
Leave a Reply