Dis'ed & Spank The Shield

Or
Whatever.... to be honest, I'm not really looking forward to this weekend's 3rd installment of Crank The Shield. Tired and me thinks that I'm still in recovery mode from my recent trip to Colorado I can't seem to find the enthusiasm that I do wish I would have for this event. Supposedly it is an excellent event - no surprise, Chico Racing never fails to impress.

What's worse, as I mentioned in my first post on Colorado, I will be riding with a newly dislocated sternum. DISLOCATION! My second dislocation injury of the year! Stellar.

After x-rays and a thorough inspection, my doctor believes that I popped a few of the upper ribs or sternum out or inwards when I crashed. Since being back home things seem to have gotten worse - every little movement hurts: breathing, turning, laying down, sneezing and coughing are the worse. Sleeping is super uncomfortable and I only get a few hours of restless sleep a night. Got out for an hour ride yesterday and it kills to be on the bike. Three days, 235 km of trail, on a rigid single speed, racing . . . . fugg me.

Racing . . . indeed. I don't think I have to tell you that I won't be racing. I thought after coming back from riding at altitude that I'd be a God . . . however, after two short rides, I feel slow, tired and beaten. Three days of Crank The Shield will be well spent taking my time getting from aid station to aid station in one piece.

At least at the end of each stage there will be mountains of food (or there better be!) to be eaten and I'll have my 'bunk buddies' to carry my bag, clean my bike, tuck me in, scratch that itch, hold it while I pee, and read me a bedtime story Friday and Saturday nights.

Too busy to post for the rest of the week. Race report to follow, then it'll be the rest of my CO trip to talk about. That is all. Dismissed.