Quitter?

So, for probably the first time in my life, I quit before the end of a workout yesterday.  Here is the scenario:

There was four of us (me, Bailey, Wilson, and Smitty) biking a total of 75 miles starting in New Albany Sunday at 11:00 AM.  It was HOT and I was not feeling the greatest.  I had been in Cleveland the night before celebrating with friends.  In terms of preparing for a long ride, I did almost everything wrong:

 

1.  Ran 16 miles in the scorching heat the day prior

2.  Did not hydrate after the run like I should have

3.  Drank 4 or 5 drinks with my friends the night before

4.  Got no more than 5 hours of sleep the night before

5.  Started the right at 11:00 AM - just in time to bike the hottest part of the day

6.  The ride started at 11:00 AM and I was in a hurry to get back from Cleveland that I had eaten very little for breakfast - and we biked through lunch.

7.  Did not drink my fluids (Infinit - fat girl juice) during the ride

8.  I had a friend in the hospital for 2 days the prior week from heat exhaustion that occurred during the MusselMan 1/2 Ironman

 

If I had only done 2 or 3 of the above mentioned items, I would have probably been fine.  But all 8 put me over the edge.  I was getting goose bumps, seeing bright spots, and my heart rate was off the charts (170s when it is usually 130-145).  So - I called it quits. My husband picked me up at mile 60 while the rest of the group finished the ride for a total of 75 miles or so.

 

Do I feel like a quitter?  Kind of.  Could I have finished the ride with out dying?  Probably.  Could it have all been in my head - due to my friend passing out the prior week and me seeing her delirious?  Maybe.  Do I regret making a celebration with some major friend with some major life occurrences a priority?  Never. 

 

Moral of the story is prep for your training and don't be an idiot.  You CAN have friends and do an Ironman - I promise!  But you have GOT to think through how you are going to make it all balance.  Also, be nice to a loved one so that they will pick you up when you are smart enough to know when enough is enough:)

Margaret