Swam very slow and easy at first...actually started in the back. It helped.

Feel better! ?

Felt flat!
My first sense of something wrong is that after an easy swim I couldn't find my bike legs. It's always a little tough for a short while, but this never seemed to feel right.
First crash was on a wet bridge when the guy in front of a train of us hit his brakes and we all went down HARD on that wooden bridge. twisted my seat but the bike otherwise seemed fine.
There were a lot of RUDE passers during the first few miles. I was sure I'd catch them later because I was pacing wisely. (little did I know).
2nd crash was some sort of front tire wash out on a large wet root as I was cornering. Face planted in to the dirt. Yes, actually hit my face on the ground.
But no more crashes after that.

Got progressively weaker as the ride went on. But still didn't know that I was in trouble. Thought I was saving it for the run. I just assumed I was suffering the usual issues I encounter in the mud.


Nothing. Maybe drink more I guess.

The transition to running legs was particularly hard, but I just accepted it as the outcome of 1:45:00 of hard riding. But when my legs finally came back to me, my cardio system didn't. Things just kept going down hill no matter how slowly I ran.
Whenever I stopped running I got faint and had to hold on to things to stay upright. I stopped at each aid station and took water and Gatorade.
One great guy, named Owen, saw me in distress and stayed with me until I finished. He found me early in my 2nd lap (his 1st). I was reduced to walking the ups and giving it everything I had to keep barely moving on the flats.

collapsed in the medical tent


Some undiagnosed medical condition


After I crossed the finish line I needed help to stay vertical. I had someone help me to the misting tent where I sat and talked for about 10 minutes while drinking fluids.
Then I got up and needed help again, so was taken to the medical tent where I laid on a stretcher with an ice pack on my neck and head. After 5 minutes of that I asked a medic to take my blood pressure and found it was 80ish/60ish.
So he laid me back down and put in an IV.

During the IV my leg muscles all began to Charlie horse while one of the medics tried to help by burying his knuckles in to my cramping muscles. All I could do was lay there and take it! ;(

After 20 minutes I was able to get up without passing out and wandered around and enjoyed visiting with fellow athletes.