Hotel Hypoxia and the big night out

7:30 am drive to the hospital

    Three weeks to go.  The countdown has begun.  I am really starting to miss Annie and home.  Today was my final arterial VO2 test which involves getting an arterial catheter in the wrist along with a venous line in the other arm.  The doctor was brought in from Copenhagen to insert the catheter and according to everyone else, it had gone quite smoothly.  He gave it 2 tries on me today and could not get it inserted.  It is not painful but I am really not good with the procedure.  I was so sweaty and feeling very nauseous and after 2 tries I was done.  I would have passed out. The VO2 testing was a double.  The first being at normoxia (local altitude) the second is at hypoxia (simulated 2500m)  I ended up doing the VO2 without the lines in and was about 20 seconds short of my original VO2 at hypoxia and I did a lot better on the hypoxic VO2.

old photo-test with catheters in

    After my double test I was shuttled back for crappy lunch and an extra 3 hours in my room.  I was blown.  The testing just mentally cracks you.  I only spent about 40 minutes on the bike for 2 VO2 tests but the masks and the sim. altitude is tough.  I zoned out, slept a bit, talked with my wonderful wife and surfed the internet.  I recovered some brain function a bit to do a little math homework.
    Tonight was the night the researchers set up to recover the morale of the group.  We needed a change of scenery and a night out was just what we needed.  Pizza and drinks in Les Rousses.

no crappy pasta tonight-look at the happiness

   I ordered the pizza napoletana which has tomatoes, mozzarella and anchovies.  It was awesome.  I passed on the beer and had a glass of red wine since we are in France. 

A few from the "other" table seemed to be enjoying themselves quite a bit as the table looked like a recycling bin for glass bottles.  We were then shuttled back to our luxury accommodations at the Hypoxic Hotel.