Dig, dig, dig... Sick, sicker, sickest

That's the way the last month has been.
And now it's coming to a head of sorts. If I don't get better this week I'm not going to be able to race, so says Betsy.
Probably shouldn't have raced last w/e at the Appalachian/Applalachain Classic, but I was hopeful and it *was* JR's premier event.
I'll blame it on Chris and JR.

It all started before May 23.
Chris was trying to talk us into doing the Kelly Bike Jam. I wasn't registered, but he was, for two races, so he agreed to let me "take" one of his races if I could get that to happen, and then we'd come over for the race.
So I pulled in a couple of favors, finally got myself registered, got Betsy registered and then woke up that Friday, May 23, sickly feeling.
After all the hassle and crap I had put some folks though, we made an executive decision and didn't go for the Saturday race.
Betsy ate her registration and Chris had to beg, plead, and grovel to able to get himself in both races again. He used the excuse that he hadn't allowed me to take his spot in the first place. Smart man Goose.

So Betsy did a mini-Death March and I laid around the house.
Then we raced the WVMBA race on Sunday, the White Oak Challenge.
I did ok, but wasn't feeling all that great. Had to use some "local lines" and such and a last minute effort to reel in a couple guys and get 4th for the day.
The next day we were supposed to join others on the Memorial Day Ride, but I was back to feeling crappy, so we just rode up to the "Gene" Falls later in the day.

Tried to get better that week.
Guess it failed.
I forget what I did or didn't do, but apparently it wasn't enough.

The next w/e was the Mohican 100.
At the last minute I opted for the little kids loop, 100K instead of the manly 100M. But I was going to be there.
We got going after Chris made it into Motown, but that freakin' place is out in the middle of nowhere and it took forever to get there.
We set up camp, got settled, then got to enjoy several thunderstorms rolling though.
I wasn't sleeping well and all I could think of was "there going to have to cancel the event, it's raining way too hard". That was my only hope as I didn't sleep but two winks and was still feeling el crapo.
Morning came and the rain had stopped.
I was still feeling crappy, couldn't get my head cleared, we had to drive to the start, and my head was all over the place.
Part of the race I raced, part of it I just rode along. Had my moments, coasted and heckled some too. Got 4th, to the same guy from the previous w/e, Brad W.! Funny but weird.

The very next day we had to drop Betsy off at the Airport, so we took our time getting out of Mohican, took our time getting across OH, took our time in the B&N in Pittsburgh.
Probably that week I didn't take the best of care of myself.
Still not feeling that great.

Luckily for me I was all registered and such for the 24 Hours of Big Bear, on a Duo Pro team no less!
It was another rainy week and I was half hoping that they would cancel that event too.
Alas it went off w/o a hitch, though I did have to pay the exhorbant price of 10 bucks to Dan to get him to provide Nanny services for the w/e. Yes sirrre I spare no expense...
Well I got through that adventure, got fast lap, put in 8 others for a total of 9, didn't feel awfully bad besides not being able to sit.

The next week Betsy took off to visit her family in Dayton and so once again I was left to my own devices starting on Wednesday, AND I had all of the Director Sportiff duties to preform on the bikes from the 24 Hour race.
Yeah it was a relaxing week for sure.

So Friday found me feeling overwhelmed and by night fall I didn't have the bus packed or all my ducks in a row.
Goose comes in, we eat some, watch some videos and get to sleep.
I can't sleep, then don't sleep to well, then wake up early cause I know I have tons to do and not tons of time to do it in.
The bus gets packed, we make some last minute provisions and vittles shopping and then clouds let loose their fury and we're on the road.
We have less than 2 hours to make the 2:16 drive to Granstville.
Lo and behold we get there right at 2:00pm, unload Betsy's machine and she gets to race. Goose doesn't want to and I really shouldn't.
So we set up camp, try to eat some and then all get ready for the Short Track, which is just nuts. 30 minutes for us, in which I do 23 laps and get 3rd to Jeremiah B. and Nick Waite, who I actually unlapped myself from!
That night the Weedhawks were playing, we show up late, it's a small but great crowd and they play until almost midnight. We so wanted to leave but it wouldn't have looked good.
So once again we're getting to bed late and I can't sleep.
Wake up the next day feeling only partially rested.
Shouldn't race but I begin preparing lots of food and try and cram as much of it as I can down my gullet.
High Noon finds me on the starting line, and although I try several times to "snap" into an aggressive nature, it just doesn't happen. I roll in a decent and admirable 6th, but the heat and everything else has really taken it's toll now.

Last night I stayed in bed, half sleeping, half feeling crappy for almost 12 hours.
Now I'm full on hacking, full on feeling stuffy all the time, full on deep in the Kimchee.
Bob V. has gotten the phone call and once he gets back from the river we're going to formulate a plan and get rid of whatever this is that afflicting me.

It's now or never.
Big and bigger races are still right around the bend.
All that early fitness and great riding is going by the wayside.

Looking back it seems so obvious...