Kevin needed some rest so Gator and David got him just past the Mississippi River for a good 3 hours of sleep, shower, and big breakfast. Bejan, John, and I are have taken over and will have him back on the road once he wakes up. His wrist and feet are a little swollen so I called my sister-in-law, Tammi, who happens to be one of the best PA's in Augusta. I'm headed out to pick up some dipsticks to check Kevin's gravity levels in his urine. Kevin thinks it's some kind of imbalance in his sodium levels but we cannot figure out if it's too much or not enough. Once he wakes up we'll check that, consult with Tammi, and go from there. I think he needs straight water for a little while. He never likes straight water because he thinks it is worthless with no calories present. He has been eating extremely well so calorie intake is not a problem right now.
One thing I'd like to point out to everyone at home keeping up is that he is about a full day ahead of last year's pace. One of the main goals for this year is a sub 10 day finish and he is on his way to that,and even a full 24+ hours ahead. 3rd place has been nice and is still in the crosshairs but being the carrot keeps a lot of pressure on a racer. They say this race doesn't really start until you cross the Mississippi so keep up the support and strap yourselves in for the final few days of this wild ride.
This will give Kevin about 13 hours of rest since we started 6 days and 18 hours ago. Sleep is critical right now and I think we can get back on pace and pass the guys who recently passed Kevin. They haven't gone down for rest recently and as we get closer to the steep mountains in West Virginia the rest is critical. Kevin's performance goes up after sleep and just makes sense right now. He knows this and wants this full 3 hours.
One other thing to consider is that Kevin was a full 8 hours behind Warner-Smith in Durango, CO and once Kevin slayed the Rocky Mountains he was only an hour behind him. He passed him in Kansas. With the Appalachian Mountains just ahead things will get interesting for the whole field of racers. A good balance of sleep can lead to some great performance when we get to the steep climbs of W. Virginia.
Be proud family, friends, and fans because he is the top American in the Race Across America!
keep on keepin' on,
Troy
Hell yeah guys! Keep going!
ReplyDeleteGO KEVIN!!!
Thanks for the updates T-roy......yell at the Kevinator for me out the van window.
ReplyDeleteTroy,
ReplyDeleteI'm curious as to what your sister said the dipsticks will reveal about gravity or sodium levels. How does that work?
If Kevin hasn't been drinking any water this whole time, I'd be shocked. Drinking water sounds like a good idea. With all the grape soda he's been drinking, the dipstick will probably turn purple. :)
Wendy
Get some much needed rest and keep up the great work Kevin, you have a great crew and your doing amazing!
ReplyDeleteRoll Kaiser Roll. Your entire team is doing a great job. Looks like ya'll are on top of everything. I must say that not only is Kevin proving to be one of the top riders but the crew is also one of the best. I might add you are also providing some of the best coverage which is nice for us lookie-loos. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteLA Tortue de Fer
You're doing great Kevin and have a sharp crew. I fully expect you to be on the finish podium.
ReplyDeleteLet the race begin!
Ok....John Denver will be on tap soon.....Take me onward country roads. Rest now baby the best is yet to come. Thinking of you. Hang tough and we are all praying while you rest. We want that swelling to decrease. You are doing AWESOME and we love to hear about your progress.
ReplyDeleteKevins swollen ankles and wrists could simply be edema caused by the workload put on them and the fact that they sit lower than the heart. Doctors have told me that when a body part sits lower than the heart while under extreme workload the pressure can cause the vains to leak plasma and thus the edema. Women often suffer the most from this during RAAM. That said it is probably not a bad idea to check sodium levels, but if he has too much the body generaly will sweat it out.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the great work Kevin and crew!
Kevin and crew continue their amazing quest. We too are much impressed with the Race Coverage! It's like riding right along with you.
ReplyDeleteKeving, rest and relax and roll over the WV hills, the Ocean is beckoning.
Franz & Eleonore
Per Velonews.com
ReplyDeleteSolo men
Statistically over its 29-year history, about half of the riders who attempt the Race Across America make it to the finish line. This year, despite the heat of the desert in the early miles, the howling headwinds of the mountain states and the torrential rain and thunder storms in the plains, the attrition rate among the solos had been lower than usual.
Strebel fourth
American Scott Dakus was the first to withdraw, just one and half days into the race when knee issues stopped him after 441 miles. Samim Rizvi of India made it 857 miles before succumbing to pneumonia and flu. Ian Fillinger of Canada made it 1,145 miles before having an accident — he’s apparently OK, though, as he and his crew were reportedly headed to Las Vegas! Austrian Georg Payer also had knee issues, pulling out Tuesday at mile 1,721. And late on Tuesday Mark Pattinson gave in to the severe case of “Shermer’s Neck” that had slowed him in recent days.
With no plans for calling it quits are the front runners, led by Jure Robic. While the gap between him and second-place rider Gerhard Gulewicz has shrunk from over 3 1/2 hours to about two hours, that gap on the road doesn’t reflect that Robic has a one hour-and-57-minute credit issued by RAAM officials when he was stopped by a flooded road.
Positions behind have changed, with Australian Matthew Warner-Smith now in third. On Tuesday afternoon Warner-Smith, who had reportedly been experiencing some hallucinations in recent days, gave a vague explanation for that morning’s 30 mph show of power in the Missouri night, “I was having a bit of an episode last night. I’m not sure what that was about,” he said with a chuckle. “That’s all fine—now.”
Swiss rider Thomas Strebel is now fourth with Kevin Kaiser having dropped back from third to fifth.
Way to go Kevinator!
ReplyDeleteWe are all proud of you. Get some rest and get the swelling down.
You are doing great!! I'm praying and routing for you.
GO KEVINATOR!!!!
Go Kevin! You are an animal! Top US finish, sub 10 hour finish, even a podium - all within reach. One mile at a time, brother!
ReplyDeleteThe US rando community is on your side!
George
http://thehudsonvalleyrandonneur.blogspot.com/