So I started getting sick about a week ago. After RAWROD, I felt pretty spent, but I had a lot of good riding opportunities (i.e., the wife and kids were busy with things that did not include me), so I took advantage. I never felt like I recovered from RAWROD though, and when the kids got sick, I eventually succumbed as well. Who knows, maybe I caught the swine flu.
Hold on for a minute.
Okay I'm back. I just checked the symptoms of swine flu:
lethargy - check
fever - a mild check (I haven't had a bad fever since I was 5)
cough - check
runny or stuffy nose - check
diarrhea - um, maybe
body aches - not really
headache - check
sore throat - not really
chills - not really
Then I checked the symptoms of the regular flu and turns out they are the same. Whatever.
Anyway, last night I was finally starting to feel better. Being that overexertion was the reason I got sick in the first place, common sense would dictate that I not do the Wed. night race at Soldier Hollow. So naturally, I did the opposite.
Headed up with Nails and Shae (who are probably having swine flu symptoms by now) and lined up at the back of a huge pack. The plan was to go out easy and see how I felt. That plan was quickly discarded as I tried to stay with the group in front of me. My legs initially felt heavy, but came around pretty quick. I felt crappy most of the race from the waist up, but my legs felt fine. Boring factoid: My heartrate was at 178 or so for most of the climb, which is quite a bit higher than a normal race for me.
Made some passes on the climb, and got into a good battle with Trouble Maker and Brandon. I finally got around Brandon at the top and made a gesture like I was going to push him off of his bike. I should have done it for real, because he ended up passing me on one of the fast straight-aways near the bottom of the descent. He put a 5 second gap on me and I was never able to close it. I finished 5 seconds behind Brandon, and then TM came in 5 seconds later.
I don't know that I can say I was any slower than I would have been without battling a cold. It was a great race that seemed even more fun than the last time I rode it (2 years ago). My 43 minute lap means that the race on Sat will last 2:15 or so. Ouch.
A bunch of us hit up Mi Ranchito after the race. Although Mi Ranchito misses almost all of the things to look for when selecting a Mexican restaurant (a definitive list provided by yours truly), the good company more than made up for it.
Feeling okay today. I'm coughing more today (probably from the dust I was sucking in last night), but overall I'm feeling better. So I have a question for y'all. When you're feeling sick, what do you do? Sit around all day? Ride easy? Ride normal? Does it matter in terms of when you'll start feeling better?
The End
2 years ago
6 comments:
What do I do when I'm sick? Neti Pot. I swear by it. When complemented with some spicy Mexican food and lots of cabbage, whatever is bugging you won't stay in your system for long.
Now tell me about this Taharumara place. Where is it? And how have I not been there yet?
If I am sick, I sleep, then I do no hard efforts until 48 or so hours after feeling 100%.
I don't get sick much and when i do, not for long, cause I sleep.
Our immune systems are fragile and if we are ill and we push ourselves at race pace we take longer to get healthy and our systems take longer to recover.
But, I am no doctor.
I do what Bob said and while it's hard to rest I really think it makes your overall recovery much quicker. Bob has wisdom beyond his years. :)
Just get sick more often. I think that is the only way I can beat you.
Well, now that I have the swine flu, here's my input. I do agree the body needs rest. But I have felt in the past that I need to get out and do something. Not hard. Just get out. Fresh air baby.
SBJ - I'll have to try this Neti Pot out. Taharumara is a Mexican place in Midway. Anytime you are in the Heber Valley, it is worth the stop. It's a stretch to call it the best in Utah, but I've never been disappointed. And whatever you do, don't forget to order the churros. They ain't your WallyWorld Churros.
UtRider - Bob must be very very wise then. ;). Problem is that after a few days, I gotta get out. I should sleep more, but I have a hard time sleeping for more than 8 hrs (even when I have the time to do so)
SSC - like I said, I don't know that it slowed me down too much. Legs felt okay. You got me fair and square. By the way, I think I need to work on your brakes before the next race.
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