Albuquerque Half Aftermath

If you've finished reading the Recap from my half this weekend, you're probably not ready to read another novel, so just keep this on the back burner until you're ready!

First off, let me say that I was very thankful at the race on Saturday...I made sure to thank every single volunteer while out on the course.  Since these races are all operated locally, the organizers use middle school and high school kids to work the aid stations, gear check, chip pick-up, handing out medals, and so on.  So, I made sure to thank them for spending their Saturday morning with a bunch of smelly, sweaty, runners!

So, here's the story!
 
Once I crossed the finished line, I went to hunt down water.  I got dizzy a few times and this plugged up ear thing that's happened to me before, but it subsided with just a few seconds of holding myself up using a fence!  I had to walk down the "finishers chute" which is just a fenced in area where parents drop off their kids at the elementary school.  Then I had to walk around the fence and back the way I came (which was past the finish line), down a grassy embankment and to the middle of the grassy knoll, finally finding a table with water bottles on it.  I decided to grab my friend (we'll call her She to protect the innocent) a water bottle and head back to the finish line, since I knew she'd be running in soon.  Fast forward past the 2 more times I felt dizzy and had to grab onto the reliable fence!  Here She comes!

Once she crossed, I handed her the water explaining that it was so far away.  We exited out of the "finishers chute" and I grabbed my gear bag.  She leaned up against the wall as I was checking my official time and see how I placed in my age group.  I walked back over to her and said I was 56th in my age group and she just nodded her head up and down.  I realized she might be having the dizzy's and ear troubles I was, so I just let it slide.  Then she just sort of had this blank stare.  I reached into my bag and grabbed an orange I brought and started peeling it immediately.  I handed her a slice and she ate it right away, so I handed her another slice.  She took a small bite out of it and her hand fell limp, she dropped her sunglasses and her water bottle, and her eyes started rolling into the back of her head.  I grabbed her arm and started poking her chest bone screaming her name.  Some guy heard my and just as he got to her other side, she passed out right into his arms!  We slowly helped her to a sitting position.

In a few seconds she opened her eyes and looked up and gave that "how the hell did I get here" look!  I fed her the rest of the orange and she ate a breakfast bar and drank some energy drink.  I also poured some cool water over her head.  I sat with her for a while and asked if she wanted to try standing up again.  She did of course, so we stood up and she leaned against the wall as if to give herself a moment to focus, and her eyes just went blank again!  I quickly ran to get more water and energy drink while 2 guys made sure she didn't fall over!

When I got back I decided to move her to a small stoop a few feet away, so she could sit down again, but not all the way on the ground.  She finished another breakfast bar and some more water and was looking and talking normal now.  We decided to try it one more time, but to keep moving.  I had offered to go get my car which was half a mile away and drive her to her car, but she said the walk would be nice.  We walked for about 15 minutes and I knew she'd be fine after that.  I got the "I'm home safe" text and was so glad I was there to help her.  Usually after races, she grabs a water and goes straight to her car to go home.  That could've ended very badly.

Anywho, to make a short story longer, this was her first half marathon (hopefully this incident didn't scare her away for good), and she just didn't know how to properly fuel herself.  All that coupled with the heat made her go from bad to worse in a matter of seconds.  So, make sure you know what you're doing when you're going into a big race like this.

As for me, I went home, showered up, and had a pretty busy rest of the day.  I had a 2 hour study session for my class.  The GF hit her 25 pound weight loss goal (YAY!) so we went to dinner to celebrate! 

Started with the salad bar, smothered in everything I like!



Finished with an AMAZING prime rib and just one of those yucky steak fries!

Then we headed to the movies to see The Lucky One with Zac Efron.  It's one of those Nick Sparks tear jerkers, but was really good (if you're into that sort of thing).  Very romantic chick flick for sure!

I was supposed to go have a drink at my Bro's new restaurant, but I was spent from the long day with no nap time.  Once my head hit the pillow I was done.  Quite an eventful day!

Take care of yourselves!

~Chix