So, I’ve been talking to a few people since Sunday’s race, as I’ve been feeling so sore and crappy… I had never had cramps before and I had no idea what was happening. For what I am piecing together now, I ODed (that’s my husband’s term) on caffeine.

I was dehydrated to start with and I had no idea. Then I had the equivalent of 4 cups of coffee (and I can barely tolerate one cup) and drunk very little water/Gatorade on the course (just 2 cups of G and half a gel). I basically run high on caffeine, like I was Lance on EPO, and nothing else!!! (Is it even ok that caffeine is legal??)

A few people who know about this (and mostly my awesome friend Tessa who is a superstar and has had enough awful experiences with dehydration to make her an expert) have no idea how I managed to keep running on those conditions. I was told I probably should have ended in the hospital by a few. The pains I had in my feet and leg in the last 4 miles and when I stopped were so bad, I really thought they were going to burst or break apart. It’s probably why I now, 3 days later still feel like crap: all that mega-micro tearing!!

Sunday I was super tired but uberhyper. I had to take some melatonin to fall asleep. Monday I was a mess. I felt like I had done a marathon the day before. Sore and Tired and Bloated. Perfect timing for the useless Columbus holiday, so I napped for TWO hours!!! I was a mess all day. Tuesday and today, I am still super sore and dehydrated. As I finally managed to understand the gravity of what happened, last night I started “drowning” myself in water, as I was told I should do. I still didn’t get up to pee once.

This is pretty bad, for a half, guys. Something about enzymes and the liver and the kidneys and stuff. And it could have ended way worse for what I have been told. I have no idea how I didn’t notice what I was getting myself into and what I was feeling. Race head I guess.

I think, because I thought my PR was so far away, I’d just do whatever. I literally did whatever. Then someone, who reads my posts and knows more than me about myself, reminded that I also had a caffeine  issue in the last race… I looked it up, it’s true! I only had two cups of coffee, but it raised my heart rate so much, I was scared at the start…

Anyway, just a gentle reminder that our health is still at stake in these races… This was my 125th race, my 47th half or longer distance and I still make mistakes… Just because I had never had cramps, doesn’t mean I shouldn’t know the symptoms of dehydration or what to do during/after. Stay safe guys. I’ll do my best here.