FAIL at Wasatch 100, When I couldn't trust my body

I want to share the story of my experience at the Wasatch 100 race, where I ultimately had to DNF due to both physical and mental health issues. Leading up to the race, I faced several challenges, including a friend dropping out as my pacer and feeling sick beforehand. During the race, I battled a high heart rate, breathing difficulties, and intense headaches. Despite my efforts to stay positive and adjust my goals, my condition continued to worsen, and I eventually experienced panic attacks and vomiting. In the end, I made the tough decision to DNF at mile 56. It's disappointing, but I'm reflecting on the importance of trusting my body again.

takeaways

• Physical and mental health issues can greatly impact performance in endurance races.


• It's important to listen to your body and make adjustments to your goals and strategies when necessary.


• Sometimes, despite your best efforts, it's necessary to make the difficult decision to DNF for your own safety.


• Experiencing a DNF can be emotionally challenging and may require time to process and recover.


• Trusting your body again after a disappointing race can be a difficult but necessary step in moving forward.

Sound Bites

• "Well, shit. Wasatch 100, the story of when I didn't trust my body anymore and my first DNF. Let's get into it."


• "So on the you have to fill out a form to DNF. I filled that out and it said, why are you DNFing? And I just put broken."


• "Okay, well I seem to be needing to find some more confidence, but I'm gonna do a stage race in two weeks because I'm signed up for one. And then at the end of October, I'm gonna do Havelina 100. So we'll try another 100 miler. But wow, did not think it would DNF this race. I thought I could."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction: The Wasatch 100 and the First DNF

03:00 The First Signs of Trouble: Bathroom Issues and a Bad Attitude

05:02 Managing the Pace and Heart Rate on the Course

08:00 Struggling with Headaches, Breathing, and Heart Rate

13:32 Continuing with the Race: Topical Cooling and Adjusting Strategies

16:19 Worsening Symptoms and the Decision to DNF

29:34 Seeking Medical Help and Reflecting on the Experience

36:38 Looking Ahead: Recovering and Moving Forward