Post-race

Racing in the books. My pair finished second, and I was really happy with how me and my partner raced (although I will admit I really wanted to win this one). Official race results and photo...

http://tinyurl.com/4h3lhz

http://tinyurl.com/4qll7y (unfortunately you can see the wake from the crew that is 3 seconds ahead of us in the foreground)

I forgot what a total mental investment racing is, and about the adrenaline spikes that come along with it. It's Tuesday today, and I am just starting to feel like a normal person again. A typical racing weekend involves a taper in actually workouts a few days before hand so your body can start to build itself up in order to race at peak levels. You start to feel more rested and antsy, but then you typically get worried a day or two beforehand because you are feeling tired again, but it's really just your body conserving energy and getting ready to go. Raceday involves a series of energy ups and downs; I typically spend a lot of time with my headphones on in order to really slow down all the thoughts racing around in my head. (Music choices on raceday range from old school rap to trance to classical, and the Gladiator soundtrack is another favorite). By the time I hit the water, I'm pretty zoned in, relaxed and feeling ready to go. I never really amp up until right before racetime, which is when the butterflies really kick in. The last five minutes before the start are by the far the hardest - it's a pretty unsettling feeling, but I know I need that nervous anticipation in order to get the level performance I need. Once the gun goes off, it's all automatic - the first quarter of the race involves getting all that nervous energy out, but once you get into the base of the race you finally don't have to think anymore and can just race. It's a pretty good feeling.

Anyway, the stored up adrenaline is pouring through your system, and the weird thing is that you are tired but at the same time you're not - your muscles feel the ache and the strain, but rather than wanting to stop or the race to be over, you are trying find energy stores to drive them harder than they want to go. It's hard to describe... almost like your body is tired but your brain is not and the two are fighting each other. (In typical training workouts, the reverse happens - you mentally want to finish up and get out of there, but your body is usually capable of doing a little more.)

Afterwards, coming off the water, you are on hopped up on the adrenaline. Words typically come out about 100 miles per minute. It takes some time for your body to adjust back to reality - I force myself to sit quietly with headphones for at least 15 minutes until my brain slows itself down again. Then the adrenaline crash comes about three or four hours later. It hits you hard - it's almost impossible to sleep at this stage, but you're really, really tired. Somehow, though, we generally manage to party through it...

Anyway, like I said, it's Tuesday and I'm just starting to feel normal again. I had kind of forgot how much I love racing... glad the season is finally here, and I hope I get to keep doing it all summer.