Ah yes, that tipping point when too much of a good thing is no more such a good thing? Breaking point had to pitch its tent sooner or later, and somewhere between running on the Rio de Janeiro beach front and setting my alarm for morning swimming, it pitched a big ass circus tent.
(An old image from last Monday, of the pre Giro del Capo media for team Specialized. Such an amazing city!)
Checked in with my doctor on Wednesday morning, just to be certain the aches and pains and throbbing head weren’t as serious as my doubting alter ego would lead me to believe – confirmed with a some blood counts that were normal’ish bar a higher than normal liver count of some measure. Snuck in a drip, got ordered to rest and wait out the fatigue and possible minor virus infection, hydrate and eat – all of has been ticked. Especially the hydrate and eat…
Looking back, it was an ambitious 10days, rolling from Sani2c, Giro, Xterra, Mtb Cup with 10hours of time zone change in total, and 40hours of travel, missing two nights sleep and peaking my excitement levels. There has to be a down other-side that high. I like to analyse retrospectively, where improvements could be made for the future. But sometimes it just is what it is, a process only part controlled by self. I struggle letting go, and accepting that. Sometimes you get stuck on a highway, sometimes you cant eat well, sometimes you pick up a bug. Its a part of race travel.
I’d like to the think a few days off is potentially good, to cool off a little. Form has felt great, and would not want to be well cooked soon. Need to simmer at medium rare for a while. Still a few weeks to build. But am down to 14days before USA departure, and need to make them count, as a few are usually lost in the cross Atlantic lag.
Got out to my family this evening, out on the farm in Worcester. Amazingly not been here for two months, and its a mere 1h drive from Stellenbosch. Had a magical dinner with folks, three sisters, and an old friend fast becoming more of a brother-in-law. Fun times. Times reminisced when many miles away. Hoping to get ticking here in the morning with some easy aerobic work and no headache.
It always fascinates me, how rattled I get within days, within hours, of not being able to execute as planned. I felt as smooth as I ever have, despite a bit of fatigue on the weekend, and now a mere five days on, I feel like I’m fizzled and useless. So interesting, the need to reassurance through regular routine. Months of work seem so easily neglected by memory?
Public holiday in South Africa on Monday, so perhaps a long weekend here. A few days back in Stellenbosch (only a handful of Greengate goodness fixes remain!), next weekend in Langebaan to be a part of the West Coast Warm Water Weekend, two days of shoots in Natal for Jeep Apparel, one last day in Bosch, and departure on Thursday April 1st.
Through my “rest” I got plenty admin erased from the must-do-guilt-list. But the next few days will demand all the wit I possess.
Hope your week has been more energetic than mine. Have a fine weekend.
