Multi-napping

Today was the women’s Road race and it was heaps easier than yesterday for many reasons. One is that the race starts later (3:45 PM) which made for a reasonable morning call. Two is the race is shorter and we will not be at the race (in the city) as long (but still late in the evening). Three is that there is only 3 women for Ken to take care of with me helping. Four is that I don’t have to go in the car so I can relax (a bit) in the pit area with the soigneurs and USA staff.
Being in the pit area also allows me to do a bit more pin trading which is infectious. You pull out a pin and say “Change” which is the unofficial word for those who want to trade. You start to trade and others who also want to trade see you and suddenly there is quite a small gathering of people wanting to trade. Like I said — infectious.
Today was a day of multi napping. A bunch of short power naps to be precise. Our team van was parked just behind the team cabana’s so after the women would pass by, I would go in the team van and take a short cat nap. Gloria (US team physician) would be cool enough to wake me just before they would come zipping by each lap so I could go out to the street/course and be ready if the girls needed me or also if Ken needed me to help with anything. Then again straight back to the van for another 20 min cat nap. Each lap took about 23 minutes. The race was 9 laps and I think I took at least 5 or 6 naps.
Speaking of naps (and I do nap a lot) our apartment complex was next to the US Sports Med. apartment complex. Our garages were almost face to face. So, sometimes when we would need something (a favor) we could easily walk from our garage (where we worked on and stored bikes) to theirs. They even used some of our garage to store a few things. Some of the things they stored at our garage was fridges, drinks (coke, water, etc.) but most of all massage tables and those sort of divider blinds you see in doctors offices. About 6 or 7 feet tall. Sort of accordion like with about 3 or 4 sections making them about 6 or so feet wide. So in the corner of our garage, I put two massage tables together and surrounded them with two or three of the blinds. Very top secret as only Ken and I knew they were there and what I did with them. Once I was napping and someone was asking for me (I was not completely out of it/asleep) and Ken said he did not see me but would tell me they were looking for them when he did see me. Again he had my back when I needed a short rest/nap.
Later on after I returned from the Games back to the US, Ken said that he used the secret sleeping/naping area because his roommate was a bit of a snoring champion. Wonder if that guy got a gold medal for his snoring efforts? At least Ken got a good sleep. Massage tables make for decent beds.