Banana Belt #2 Preview

I’ve been sick for two weeks. I wake up every day with a sore throat, and when I get on the bike, I have no power. Nothing. Three scheduled road rides in a row I’d turned and gone home in frustration and shame. Friday I decided that I’m probably never going to beat this thing and that I’d better just get used to it. I rode with Mike and Jess despite feeling like shit. I got paged on every climb and was dropped pretty much every time they weren’t coasting. It was pathetic. But I (and they) suffered through it (thanks, guys). Saturday I felt almost better. I rode 2 hours with a mixed group and put in a solid effort, nothing mind-blowing: 307 W for 20 minutes. Last night Jess found us a ride to the race in the 11th hour. This morning I woke up 5 hours earlier than I have since last Sunday--with a sore throat, of course, drank a bunch of EmergenC, ate some peanut butter and got ready to race, having absolutely no idea what to expect.