Well. I survived. It was brutal. The hardest race we have ever done. I told a friend last night that we pushed the limit and it pushed back.

17.2 miles. Of that 17.2 miles there was only about a mile total that was actually runable. The course was very hill and very technical. Rock, rocks and more rocks. For some reason, I was having trouble getting gels or anything else semi-solid down. I had a liter or sports drink in my pack and that went down fine. I managed two gels for 4.5 hours and lots of coke. I was not nauseous, they just would not go down. Probably because there was no zone 2. Does that make sense? We were pegged the entire time because of the terrain.

Anyhoo, I passed my hubs on his way back from AS#2, and we figured he was at that time, about 10 miles in, around 20 mins ahead. That was exactly what we thought. I figured by the time the race was over he would be 40 mins or so in front.

At 12 miles they took us up a wall, super steep. Right after that I lost my "stuff' for a bit. I was really loopy and stumbly, so I just stopped running ( which was laughable to begin with) and walked as fast as I could. I was so light headed I was paranoid about going down and cracking my skull.

At 14 miles I forced a gel and kept it down. Three miles to go. Hubs will be waiting, and I know he will take care of me when I get to the end. At 15 miles I am trudging up a hill and I look up and there is a guy in the middle of the trail with his hands on his knees bent over. Just finished barfing. I look again...My hubs! Oh nooooooo. He was a mess. He had been vomiting for 4 miles. Even water came right back up.

So now even though I felt like crap, I had to get him out. So I walked him the last two miles. I could see his quads just spasm in cramps. He had to sit down multiple times and put his head between his knees. Now I am 5'3" and he is 6'6" and 220 pounds. If he goes down I am screwed. I kept him going and we walked it out together. Got him across the finish line asked for medical and they replied, " medical?, we do not have medical. Search and rescue is here, maybe they can help."

WHAT? on a course like this no medical? So I got the search and rescue guys and they took his vitals and we got a coke down him. Got him cleaned up and changed. More coke and some water. Got clean clothes on, and got in the car and drove 2 hours home. I got some chicken soup down him last night and he rallied, polished off half a bag of chips and went to bed.

So we are both very sore today and tired, but no injuries, which is a miracle. It was the hardest race mentally I have ever done. I have never wanted to just stop before. Not in any adventure races or in both 1/2 irons. I think because you could not get into a pace and relax. It was exhausting. The North Face Challenge was tough, this was just brutal. Not doing this one again.

We have no idea what happened to him. He was fine until mile 12. I checked his hydration pack. He drank 1.5 liters of sports drink. He said he drank at the aid stations, took his S-caps for salt. No idea. He feels really bad about it, but I told him heck, it happens to everyone eventually. He is a big guy and has lots of surface area so it is harder for him with sweat loss than us smaller folks.

My goal today is to move enough to not freeze in place! And eat!