It is hotter n' (you fill in the blank) here in Brisbane, Australia!! Yesterday I rode 3.5 hours at 5:30am. I got up at 4:30am. It gets light at 5am. Amazing. Today I rode 3 hours and then went to watch a criterium in South Bank which featured many of the world's top sprinters. It was exciting to see the Tour de France riders in action up close. There were Bradly McGee, Robbie McEwen, Henk Vogels, Baden Cooke, Matt Wilson, Allan Davis, and Graeme Brown, Scott Davis, and Nick Sanderson to name a few. This won't mean much to a lot of you who read this, but it will mean a BUNCH to a few of you who read this. A local guy from the Australian Institute of Sport won after getting in a break with some other dudes--the biggest name being Henk Vogels, but Vogels did so much work driving the break to keep it close to every single rider who tried to get off the front. The break was like 10 men strong. In fact, they lapped the main field which contained the rest of the big names. Understand, though, that these pros have their season mapped out so carefully and precisely; I'm sure this race was just a training race for them. Plus, it was around 96 degrees! The criterium was an hour long plus 3 laps, and it was just an oval with a roundabout that the riders had to skirt, so it wasn't technical like the criteriums in America, but it was fast.
My ass is suffering some serious heat exhaustion not to mention jet lag. My friend here doesn't have air conditioning. Well, that sounds like I'm spoiled, and maybe I am, but when it comes to recovery you can't be sweating all the time like I am over here. I can't keep my electrolytes balanced, and I can't keep hydrated. Maybe it will get better once I get acclimated. If not, I'm outta here, or we're renting an air conditioning unit.
I caught up with some riders this morning---some 46-year old dude and his brother. They were strong. I feel out of shape compared to these people here. Then again, it's their summer, and they are acclimated and all of that. I feel sluggish. Plus, I'm messing with the position on my bike to alleviate some hamstring soreness that I experienced last year. I hope to start feeling better soon. I'm just antsy I guess and homesick.

p.s. this is only the BEGINNING of their summer here...

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posted by: sisterstalk (reply)
post date: 12.04.05 (10:34 am)

Take care of yourself. I don't wanna hear anything about heat exhaustion or I'm comin' to Oz to get your ass.

**muah**
Genia

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posted by: ratkovic (reply)
post date: 12.05.05 (11:01 pm)

Reply to: sisterstalk
You're so sweet, love. It is effin hot and humid here, girrrrrrrrrl. I'm tellin' ya. Whew!

MUAH to you too!
Hey, put that Runnin With the Rat article towards the top, babe, because people love that article. That's what I was asking. It's down at the bottom. Thank you.

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posted by: sisterstalk (reply)
post date: 12.06.05 (2:56 am)

You're SO HIGH MAINTENANCE! I'll move the articles around again.

It's so damn cold here. I wouldn't mind some heat. I don't know how people live in the midwest all their lives. WHAT was I thinking movin' here from the south?

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