- nothing for the faint hearted -
After all that build up and ambitious expectations I owe those who are reading my blog a report about the race. Since I ran it and finished it...
But I am not quite sure how to write about all this. On top of all the usual stuff which happens in those races there was a bit of an unfortunate "accident" at the end of the race involving my humble self. Just a few hundred yards from the finish. Myself lying there in the heather and not being able to get myself on my feet again for a prolonged duration... Actually the last 250 yards (or 300, not sure) took me 20 minutes which explain my rather slow split for the last section from Bein Glas... Maybe I get this off my chest before talking about the other 99% of the race...
Firstly: I AM FINE, and fit amd healthy! and thanks for all the helpful hands I have seen whilst lingering there on the side of the track between the ticks and ants... Alan and Athole from Garscube, Marco, Silke, Michael, John, Colette and a few faces I cannot remember their names... And sorry for frightening you my friends!
So what happened? I was about to finish the race. In the forest next to Tyndrum and I could already hear the bagpipes. 8:10 of running time had just passed so there was no PB today but I was not running to badly since I had just passed 6 or 7 runners over the last 3 miles...
Two MTB bikers came the opposite direction cycling next to each other and just accelerated to swing up that little incline in was just descending... I had little choice and leave the path and ran on the narrow bit to the left to avoid a collision. I have to admit that I was not quite capable of performing swift and controlled movements
anymore. After running for 8 hours and 10 minutes! In the heat! So without the required precision of placing my feet correctly after that sudden movement I caught a tree root or a rock, not sure, and rather suddenly hit the ground. Chest first.
That considerable impact did take my breath away first but when I tried to pick myself up I noticed something in my chest was not quite right. In fact I noticed soon some considerable heart palpitations. There were two walkers who checked if I was ok and instead of the usual "I am fine" I replied that something with my heart was not quite right. Forgive me the lack of diplomacy. I may have sparked the impression I had suffered a heart attack.
Ultra runners will understand that at the end of a race the brain does not function to its full capacity since the blood sugar is used elsewhere...But I frankly did not quite know what to do, what to say and what was going on. I knew that I did not have a heart attack since there was no pain or any of the known symptoms but maybe I did leave the impression that I may have had one...In fact I have had incidents of that condition when I was a child and in my early teens. But the condition is harmless (I have been told).
Anyway, I was left with a speeding heart rate (about 240bpm, fast but faint) which at the moment did not do the proper job of supplying the required blood to my arms and legs to support too much activity... so to speak. So I decided to lay down and let it settle. But whenever I tried to pick myself up I felt rather weak and decided to lay down again. So I decided to phone Silke to help me out. Since she was only a couple of minutes away I thought that would be best. Well she did not pick up the phone but thankfully I spotted Athole from Garscube and asked him if he could get her... and so on...Silke appeared together with more friends and helpful people and tried all sorts of tricks to get me on my feet. Including pouring cold water down my neck. That did not quite work. Although I started shivering... jada jada. Finally I was persuaded to walk to the finish and indeed I could walk albeit slowly. And finished (wearing a fleece!)...
I know that all did not look nice and I felt miserable.
So instead of finishing in a time of 8:11 or 8:12 I finished in 8:31. And ended up on the podium as 3rd Scottish Vet. Still not bad at all!
But let me assure you again I am fine! In fact an hour after the race I was feeling great and enjoying the activities at the finish.
This is all quite a long post now - although it covers only one percent of the race - so I'll rather write a separate post about the other 99% ...
watch this space!
