As Team Shawn motivational manager and HMFIC, I took the week before the week before the upcoming 18 hour race to handle some important pre-race items. Specifically, I journeyed out to Colorado, 1600 miles away from the actual race site, and I rallied like a banshee around the northern Front Range for a week. What does this have to do with pre-race planning? Well:
1) I picked up a dozen fine, handcrafted Dale Pale Ales with the explicit purpose of drinking all of them Saturday night while Luther takes care of Shawn. Unfortunately, and not entirely all my fault, all were enjoyed while still in Colorado, and I failed to return with a single soda in the suitcase.
2) Put in about 15 hours on the bike over the course of the week, and even squeezed in a round of golf – all around putting my nose to the grind at my new gig. This resulted in:
2A) Broke both my 4-iron and my Top Fuel 110 in same-day, separate occurrences which were definitely not my fault, but that’s what you get when you’ve got guns (belly fat) like this. Productively, I conjured the voodoo powers that be, did a little witchery, and chalked them both up as a sacrifice to the gods of carbon and steel in hopes that they’ll leave Shawn alone until well into the night on Sunday.
3) Had a dream about 24 hour racing where, naked and drunk, I went out for a lap instead of Shawn around 3AM, got lost in the woods, and froze to death.
4) Got drunk dialed by my good buddy, Steve, at midnight Colorado time on Saturday night while I was trying to get some z’s before an early Sunday spin. Vengeance forthcoming, I put an alarm in my phone to return the favor right before dawn on Sunday AM, hopefully when Shawn is coming around for another lap and needs an outlet for his pain.
5) Was unable to locate my cowbell in my garage, although I did find 3 random derailleur hangers that Jeremy might be able to blowtorch into workable form for whatever that mangled, hangerless, black bike of his is. Also found a 6 CO2 canisters. Used ½ of them on one, 30 minute ride. Biggest find – a glow in the dark fender, brought that puppy back with me for sure. Hoping for some rain on Sat PM, writing off trying to find anything else useful in the garage.
So, as you see, things are sizing up pretty well for the race weekend, and I’ve made a lot of good progress towards full preparedness. I’ve made no contact with other support team members. I haven’t seen the course. I don’t actually know where it is. This all, of course, is strategic. The more you know about what you’re up against, the more you realize just how big of an effort racing for 18 hours straight really is. Ignorance really can be bliss. So when I show up dangerously close to start time, sunburned, and with no shoes on – you can rest assured that I’m a professional and I’ve come to support this race with a regime that defines perfection.
It’s going to be a weird weekend – I can feel it already.
