While everyone else enjoyed a spectacular Vapor Trail 125 this past weekend, my body apparently had other ideas. The rollout was very relaxed, the first climb was great as I kept those who I wanted to watch in my sights and followed my nutrition strategy to a T.
Then we started going downhill on the Colorado Trail and my eyelids started going downhill towards my cheeks. The sleep monster was out in full force and no amount of food, heat, cold, caffeine or physical abuse could keep him away for the next 2+ hours. After nearly eating dirt a handful of times and bashing my legs on numerous rocks I made my way to aid #1. There I sat down, tried to nap and when that was futile, I threw in the towel. Frankly just getting through the race had no appeal to me even though I knew I could do it. I might as well come back another day and enjoy the course in the daylight if I couldn't stay awake anyway.
Some exceptionally nice aid station volunteers chatted with me while we cheered on the rest of the racers coming through and then drove me back to the Element. Marni shared her sleeping bag with me and we crashed out fitfully until morning. Bumming around Salida was a good time and the mountain summits all around were begging my visit. We hung out with Jeny and Dave and company and cheered on my awesome fellow racers and finishers before heading home.
I really don't know why I couldn't stay awake but it was definitely pissing me off. I certainly was well rested and even got a nap in the car on the way down unlike the KTR. I think in many ways I've just had a long (and wonderful) season of bike riding and it's time for a little break. So I've got nothing bike related on the calendar until TU and even that doesn't have to involve no sleep. In the meantime I think I need to go relax in the mountains, climb some rocks and ride when I feel like it. And yea dad, maybe I should get a job?
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3 comments:
That friggin sleep monster. No mercy! The 10 PM start was no small reason why I was a no-show. Midnight would have been hard, 10 PM about the worst time to start I can think of.
TU will be most enjoyed by those that take 3-4 days and sleep at night. The views are great and it would be a shame to miss them. Long nights in Oct almost mean you have to spend more down time for TU. The SS will be tough at TU methinks, but heck you pulled of CTR so maybe not.
Chris - great seeing you and Marni and Turbo! Thanks for hanging around and waiting for the rest of the gang to finish, super cool of you guys!
Sorry the eyelids refused to cooperate. Somehow I managed to get through my tough time, 3am-5am, via music and catching the lights in front of me. Last year I suffered a lot more between Aid #1 and Alpine Tunnel. Funny how powerful that circadian rhythm is, eh.
See you soon -
Ed
Sleep. Funny thing, that. This year at KTR I was wide awake the whole time. Last year, ug. Not a memory on which I care to dwell.
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