Ridicolous, that's right, ridicolous was the amount of food I consumed last week while in the Lone Star state. We hit a place called "Salt Lick" near Austin and I think that was the closest I have gotten to heaven. The All You Can Eat feast was a non stop delivery of beans, potatoe salad, cole slaw, ribs, brisket, sausage and bread. You have to bring your beverages (of the alcoholic type), but that was no problem, since the cooler in the trunk of the car had a healthy supply of Shiner Bocks. That's not to mention the silly plates of lasagna, unknown number of burgers and a good dose of cheescake that my future mother in-law kept providing me with. And who am I to say no to such demonstration of love.
Upon return this past Sunday, I seemed to have also grabbed a sore throat somewhere between Houston's Hobby airport and Reagan National with a layover in Atlanta. I'm trying to not think too much about it, but for the last 48 hours when the alarm clock goes off in the morning and I want to get up to do a ride before work, the sore throat kept me grounded and under the blankets.
As Ryder Hesdejal would say, "no big deal or NBD" (using carbon wheels on training rides), my lack of form and high desire of a good meal hasn't sparked the alarm bells just yet. After all, Mark Cavendish had a rough time over the winter and beginning of the season and it took him until today to score his first win at Catalunya. And speaking of that vuelta, Andy Schleck had to pull out, continuing his streak of whatever it is he has (knee, stomach, lack of form, etc.). The younger of the Schlecks continues to have a positive attitude about it though.
The 7th Vuelta Masters a Chiriqui unveiled the route for this year's affair and it looks harder than last year's edition. Things get started on July 28th with the presentation, followed by a double whammy on the 29th. A 5km prologue in the morning and then a 92km stint to the border with Costa Rica. In 2009, the double presented its challenge in the form of the weather. Extremely hot in the morning prologue, and later in the afternoon, the opening of the sky, with rain showers of biblical proportions. The fun will continue on July 30th, with a mountain stage, although it seems they have taken out the last 7kms and that's fine by me since that's where I got dropped a year ago. Saturday, July 31st I will not be looking forward to, with a 25km ITT. I can't time trial worth a damn, but what the heck. And finally, Sunday, August 1st, a 62kms circuit race.
I still have a few months to get some sort of form and as long as I don't let it get to my head, I'm counting on things going my way. Using Andy's way of thinking, it's not time to panic, at least, not yet.
