As I type this, I find myself at another bike race. Only, it’s
not your run-of-the-mill bike race. Between the travel days, preparation days,
race days, and rest days, this trip will add up to a whopping 27 days. It would
seem the race is aptly called a Grand Tour.
We usually arrive at a race on the day before the start, but
there’s ample reason to arrive a bit earlier for a race like this. One day
devoted to travel, followed by a day to spin the legs out and relax. Once we’re
settled in, the day before the race (today) is to get the legs really opened up
with some intensity. Or, as circumstances require, with team time trial
practice. The rest of our schedule is
filled with meals, anti-doping tests, fat measurements, team meetings, and
relaxation.
Ah, yes, relaxation. That’s a vital key to surviving a
3-week race (or so I’m told). While it may only be one or two flights of
stairs, taking the elevator instead multiple times a day adds up to a lot of
stairs saved weeks later. Such a “marginal gains” attitude applies to every
aspect of life for the next few weeks. I’ve prepared for this and am
well-stocked in all areas of relaxation. I’ve got books, podcasts, music,
movies, and TV to keep me occupied and off my feet. But put a piano in front of
me and all that is forgotten!
Considering my previous two races were also in Spain, my
Spanish is about to make a drastic resurgence. After just a few hours of
watching Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother re-runs in Spanish (since I
remember most of the English lines), I’ve already recovered a large chunk of
vocabulary. The main issue is the little bit of Italian I know getting in the
way.
As far as the race goes, I have to focus on only one day at
a time. I found myself worrying about the potential for bad weather once we get
to the late stages in northern Spain. Trying to take on the whole race at once
is certainly a bad idea!
I’ve always wondered what the race book must be like for a
Grand Tour, and I finally know. It’s big. Like, really big. 330 pages!
I’ll not be accused of lacking ambition, so my goal is to
post daily. Not full-length posts, but I hope to take 20 minutes a day for some
typing. I know I’ll have the time, but my motivation may drop off drastically
somewhere in the teen stages. Time will tell!
