I drove up to Pine Mountain, GA, last Saturday and met some friends for a nice dinner Saturday evening. I got up Sunday morning to run the Callaway Gardens Marathon. I was in the hotel dining room for oatmeal and coffee by six o'clock, and planned to drive to the race site by 6:30. The drive time was only five minutes, and since it's a small race, I didn't want to stand in the cold for long before the 7:00 early start. Back in my room after breakfast, I started to feel a bit lightheaded and my stomach was unsettled.
What to do? I had to make a quick decision because 7:00 was fast approaching. I just couldn't imagine running, or even walking, feeling the way I did. I decided I'd lie down for a few minutes and see if felt better in time for the regular 8:00 start. Of course, if I did that, I'd have the pressure of making the six hour cutoff.
I woke up again at 8:30, so that decision was made. I went back to sleep for another hour, waking up around 9:30. This after having gone to bed very early the night before. I still don't know what it was, but it must have been some minor bug to make me sleep that much. So, another 8-hour drive home with no medal.
The curious thing is that this has happened twice before in the last couple of years. As I was driving, I wondered if it could have been some emotional, psychosomatic thing. But with the early start, I would have had seven hours to complete the event, and the weather seemed nice. Good friends were there to provide great company. So, I ruled that out.
I still don't know it was, but I hope it doesn't happen again. Being somewhat of a miser, I hate spending the entry fee, hotel room, and gasoline and not do the marathon. Hope this week goes better in Tallahassee.
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