| Author | Message | ||
     Slaughter |
I don't normally do race reports here - well... because a report from the back of the field usually isn't all that interesting But... …this last weekend I'll make an exception in the interest of improving the HEAT SURVIVAL skills of the group at large. We race EVERY month at Willow Springs - located in the DESERT - where it's rumored to be HOT. Hot/cold/wet/dry - we race every month except December (and yes, we HAVE raced in rain and HAVE raced in the snow - and on the same LAP!) Last weekend, we saw temperatures of 104 in the shade with 114 air temperatures. Track surface temperature was measured at 157 with intake-high (4 foot) air at 135. Needless to say - HOT… freaking HOT. Some people are re-tuning their engines. I don't have the heart to beat the poor beast on the dyno so decide to run it as-tuned. I can probably speak more intelligently about hydration and fatigue than I can about racing - since the day yesterday (for me) was more about just surviving the two practice sessions and my four races. I had originally thought I'd have to sit out this month again because of finances but decided that I could put another day on the slicks. BAD!! TIRES! I "only" had one day on my tires from last month and since Willow is such a DOMINANTLY right-handed course, I had them flipped so they could get some more miles (and save $440). So far so good. Saturday I didn't practice (saving that precious rubber and besides, I had committed to finishing the drywalling and insulating of the garage) - so by Sunday, I was RUSTY and really TIMID by the time I got ready to go out for the first practice. Being a Desert-dweller, I KNOW about hydration. I PREACH hydration. We keep DOZENS of 12-oz water bottles in the cooler and kept drinking enough to guarantee that I was capable of peeing at least once an hour and that the stream was clear (probably TMI - but if you're NOT peeing that often, or if the color is getting dark, you MUST consider staying on the couch in the air-conditioned room) and I started hydrating the day before so I was good. So far, so good... First practice went OK. Tires felt OK. I could feel the drain on my system in the heat… amazing how tired I got… I slacked WAAaaaaay off... Second practice. Pushing a little harder. Tires still OK but I'm now getting pounded in the heat with just a 20 minute session - and it's still freaking EARLY in the day. At the rider's meeting after practice sessions they FORTUNATELY decided to shorten ALL the races to 6 laps down from 8 laps - much to EVERYBODY's relief. ESPECIALLY for those of us with a LOT of races to run. Back to the pits, generator on, battery charging, tire warmers ON and keep hydrating (water)… and sit my ass down in the shade… and drink some more. And waiting for Race 4 - Formula Twins Heavyweight ("Formula" = no restrictions, except 2 cylinders) So far, so good. People are taking it easier in the first races. Lap times are showing people slacking a little bit. I am very much aware of the heat effects sitting in my leathers in the windless Desert. Roasting and sweating like a (fill in the blank - never sure if pigs actually sweat). When the final call is announced for Race 4, we pull the warmers at the last possible instant (too early and you will wait in the sun before being waved out for your sigting lap) and head out. I'm not feeling 100% It's not a good day in the heat but we take the warm-up lap and grid. The green flag drops… and my heart's just not in it. I'm about 6th into turn 1 but just can't feel the "drive" in me so decide to just get some clear track around me and maintain a pace and just FINISH. About 3 laps into the race, I get mis-shifting… and shift slowly-deliberately using the clutch and a LONG stroke on the lever. Going up the front straight, I clear myself and lean over to look and I can see the bolt has backed out of the upper shift link and is BARELY hanging there so going into turn one, I downshift and decide to LEAVE it in 4th gear and ride to the finish for the final lap without shifting. At the checker, I don’t even know where I am in the field - the only thing I know is that I'm feeling the heat more than ever… and it's only 11:20. The day hasn't even STARTED to get hot! Back to the pits, in the shade, battery charger and tire warmers ON and hit the water… and hit the water again… and hit the water again. Pee looks good. Should be good to go after sitting on my butt in the shade. Fixing the shifter is easy - longer bolt and Loctite and I'm good to go… well, the BIKE is good to go. I'm feeling the heat. Next race: Race 10 - Battle of the Twins (BOTT) Middleweight. Higbee's class when he's here. A little time to rest… and rest I DO! And drink… and drink again. Can't escape the heat. At 12:15 we're pulling out again for the BOTT Middleweight sighting lap and grid. My motivation is hammered. Glad that nobody is out watching since I'm really feeling the heat and am in the process of just deciding to collect my points for finishing the same lap as the podium and NOT falling down. At the green flag, I get a decent start but knowing the riders around me, I know that the Ducs and fast guys on the SVs are going to be coming by shortly so again, I just hit a pace and try to use the session to re-learn the track. 3-4 laps in, I can feel the rear traction going off and back off some more. After 6 laps, I'm REALLY relieved to be coming back to the pits - not DFL but waaaay back. There's time now to cool off. Generator off, warmers on to slow the heat cycle and wait for race 16 and 17 (yes, in this heat, I have back-to-back races) I am grateful for the chance to strip off the leathers and sit in my shorts and t-shirt and try to cool myself… and drink and drink some more. After an hour or so, we look at the schedule and decide to hook up the charger and warmers again about halfway through race 13 - the Pro-level Formula One (Sponsored by Toyota - the big money race of the day). Normally we have more AMA guys in this one but with the Mid Ohio races, they're a little down on entrants. That being said, this race is usually dominated by Jeff Tigert (development rider for Honda Racing) - and Jeremy Toye (owner/Lee's Cycle Racing - San Diego and tester/contributor - Roadracing World). This is a 12-lap race and now it's getting REALLY FREAKING HOT. At the green flag, the field is away and Tigert and Toye make it a race between themselves but the heat has BUGGERED them. Tigert quoted from the WSMC board:
Like I said, it's freaking HOT! And I have two back-to-back races to go… Trying to stay hydrated. You can't believe how much you CAN drink and how much you MUST drink. Race 16 is BOTT Heavyweight. 2 cylinders, 1200cc. This is mostly the litre-class twins. Higbee's other class (when he's at Willow and not AMA racing) and I'm going to race in Race 17 - Formula 50 (for those of us with the birth certificate to prove we're among the "senior citizen racers") Because of the back-to-back races, I have to FILL the tank - normally I burn 3.5 litres in a 6-lap race. By the roll-out to the warmup for Race 16, I've cooled down a bit but there's a delay as they're doing a track inspection after an earlier get-off and I'm idling, worrying about the heat in the engine and debating whether to shut it down and have to re-start the total-loss electrical system (with another race to follow without recharging) - I decide to leave it running. Legs and thighs are burning. Sun is beating down - you can SEE the field getting agitated in the heat waiting for clearance. We're cleared out for the sighting lap and we grid up for Formula Twins. I'm feeling OK - not great - but at the green flag, I get a decent start and am fourth going into turn one and just LOSE it. Rear end breaks loose accelerating out of 1 and I keep it loose (having high-sided HERE before, I tend to keep it lit up when loose and NOT rolling off the instant the rear end gets sideways) but it's obvious that the tires are GONE… so I just slack off through turn two and am willing to just hit a pace and have a safe race and just see the checkered flag and HOPE I have enough steam at the end for the next race. A couple laps into the race, my left hip and leg are really on the edge of tolerable. Toes are cramping and I'm fighting a charley horse in the left calf. It's just not fun anymore. At the checker, I'm done. I figure that I'm shot and just want to pull in but on the cool-down lap, the breeze brings me back a bit. I decide to at least take the warm-up lap for Race 17 (Formula 50) to see how it feels… so I pull into the hot-pit lane, get checked-in and pull out for my sighting lap AGAIN and pull onto the grid and decide to take the green flag and just slack off, get my points for completing the race and not really TRY anything. My left calf is TWANGING and the toes of both feet are cramping-curling. I'm getting a new muscle tightening in my left thigh - tha'ts a new one. It's pretty distracting… but I figure I can do it at a relaxed pace. The F-50 race is no-restrictions (except age). Most of the bikes are litrebikes and I'm always hopelessly outclassed so just try for consistency and overall points. Today I'm willing to let 'em go and just ride my own race out in the breeze - and by 6 laps, I'm actually relaxed and at the checker am READY to head to the pits and get the hell OUTTA my gear and DRINK and DRINK MORE. Four times out on the track and I haven't REALLY raced at all today. I'm not just done, I'm FREAKING DONE. I pull into the pits and almost can't stand up. Get the bike on the stand in the shade and sit on the tailgate of the truck and just...can't...move. Taking off the helmet is an effort and it takes concentration to get the strength to take off the leathers. This is like bicycle racing used to be for me back in the day - finishing a race and being unable to stand. NOT pretty. I'm into the water again… and again… and as I start to pull the leathers, the first charley horse hits me HARD. Not unexpected but painful as usual. I fall back into the bed of the truck and ask for help getting the leathers off and it's a familiar feeling having people "undressing" me out of my leathers. At least it's not the Medical crew pulling off the leathers this time. I'm done, I'm freaking DONE. Sunny's packing up the pit, loading stuff in the car and I'm unable to find the motivation or strength to get off my ass. I pour water over my head and I'm just beaten, beat, tired and want to go home and shower and sleep. Seems like a half hour and I'm up to helping take down the shade, load the bike in the truck and we're heading home. It WAS a good day. I have NO repairs, NO damage, finished ALL my races. Time to shower and sleep. I go to CVS pharmacy to pick up some Suero (electolyte replacement - similar to Pedialyte) - and chug a few ounces and some more water. Nursing the Suero for a couple hours (2-4 ounces an hour) - I can suppress the cramps. I'm able to sleep without being disabled by the cramps. It's over. This would normally be called a race report but not today. | ||
| Paint_shaker |
Slaughter, I hear about the heat. At Road Atlanta I had 3 fans blowing on me and drinking water and I was still sweating like a stuck pig!! At the end of the weekend I felt like someone ran over me with a semi truck! Must... drink... water... Must... race... Must... drink ... water.... | ||
| Rubberdown |
You must keep your chemical balance correct. I use Nuuns tablets in water or E'lyte in water. If you just drink lots of water you will dilute your blood chemistry. Sweating is a good sign. When you stop sweating in the heat; worry. This past weekend I rode the GSA 700 miles from the Gulf of MExico to CMP on thursday in 95 degree heat. Rode 5 long practice sessions on Friday, 4 practices and 4 races between Sat. and Sun., and rode 2 hours home. I was tired but o.k. I believe the electrolytes really help. I stay away from the sugared and herbed ones. | ||
| Slaughter |
I can't imagine the heat in Atlanta. We often travel to the area on the job and when it's hot there, it's often HUMID. I was dying in 85 degree heat in Marietta! | ||
| Alessio66xb12r |
very nice report i'm sure willows springs is a nice circuit ( have some video of that from the web) same length ( a little less) as Misano maybe faster..same heat in this season. "4 races" in one day ...in the geat...must be "crazy" ,your engine wants to kill you...IN THE HEAT. The BIG BORE VS liter bikes ... i experienced that frustration( personally i love the xb and i consider that bike a fantastic race bike with fantastic handling/feeling...and a fantastic engine limitation). "DOMINANTLY right handed...had them flipped"...TUTTO IL MONDO E' PAESE again nice story bye Alessio | ||
| Rubberdown |
Slaughter, I re-read your post ... now I'm whooped. That's a hell of a day! Don't ya'll have a winter race series?  | ||
| Slaughter |
What Rubberdown said about electrolytes is TOTALLY CORRECT! You're sweating out a ton of sodium, potassium, magnesium and other trace minerals. Normally, you can reduce the electrolyte losses in your diet but at the rate we were sweating, it couldn't really be done just by food and water - really needed electrolyte replacement. Pedialyte (click)and Suero (click) are both commonly used out at Willow by the racers. I also tend to eat a couple bananas in the AM and one about mid-day - plus about a quarter pound of ham (loads of salt) in addition to all the other usual lunch stuff... but for Sunday, it just wasn't possible to replace the electrolytes by simply eating and I only had water in the cooler... so I was sweating out the electrolytes like crazy (shirt was solid salt at the end of the day) I've also used a home-brew recipe (from my doc) - but I'm usually behind schedule (out of time, waiting til the last minute) - though it DOES work well: 2 quarts water 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt substitute (made with potassium chloride) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 package Kool-Aid or other flavoring (optional) OR 2 teaspoons vanilla (or other) extract I've eliminated the sugar and flavorings and substituted 1 quart orange juice and reduced the water by 1 qt ... and like it better. But I gotta remember to drink it BEFORE getting hammered. I'll usually deliberately start hydrating the day BEFORE the racing (or bicycling or hiking or other activity) but this day - I was just flat-out-screwed-up and should have started with the electrolyte replacement FIRST THING in the AM - and not relied on the potassium in the bananas or sodium in the salt... just NOT ENOUGH. At least the electrolyte replacement in the Suero kept the cramps away. This was the first time that I'd experienced cramp relief by drinking electrolyte replacement drinks AFTER the fact. | ||
| Doerman |
How did the poor cornerworkers hold up in the blazing sun? I hope none of them keeled over from heat stroke. | ||
| Slaughter |
The cornerworkers are SMARTER than the racers, that's how. They can control themselves better. | ||
| Fdl3 |
I drank a quart of water just reading through this post...!  | ||
| Fresnobuell |
I was starting to sweat halfway thru that post! I have been at a trackday near 100 degrees. I couldn't imagine doing it at 114. | ||
| Slaughter |
3 out of my 4 races (barely) made Roadracing World: http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?artic le=37428 Middleweight Twins Heavyweight Twins Formula 50 I was too far back on Formula Twins to make it into RRW. Besides, it's just Club racing. Nobody's gonna retire young and wealthy on the winnings! |
