Dave Meets *M*A*S*H at Chicago Marathon!

OK, it’s tough, but I will say it. I had to drop out of the Chicago Marathon after 21 miles due to severe cramping. I tried everything I could to keep moving, but in the end I felt that covering the last five miles in the 80 plus degree weather could have been very dangerous to my health.

They put me on a shuttle back to the finish line. On the shuttle I could not sit as the cramping was horrible. I almost vomited on the shuttle. It was a terrible, bumpy ride that seemed to take forever.

When they dropped me at the finish area (Jackson and Lake Shore Drive), I felt so sick, I could not even walk. A medical official saw me and put me in a wheelchair and wheeled me into the medical tent. They took my vitals. Seems as though I lost at least five pounds during the race. That is roughly two liters of water weight. BAD.

There were sick people all over the place. Looked like the MASH unit from TV. They should have given me IV fluids but they said since my BP and pulse were fine, they just wanted me to eat and drink.  The cramps were getting worse. They asked me to lie down on a medical cot. Two massage therapists came over to me and tried to help me. I was in tears from the pain.

This was not a good experience. I had just completed a 48 mile backpacking trip in Grand Canyon and I could not complete the Chicago Marathon.

Race conditions had started at green, but quickly went to yellow and then to red as the temps soared. The sun was so hot, I guess I was not able to keep up. Sorry, but 80 plus degrees is just too hot for me personally to run a marathon. Better to drop out than to end up in a morgue. Thanks for all of your concern, especially friends and readers that were tracking my run. I am feeling better now.

One thing though. I will never give up. I will waddle on well into the future. I simply know to stay away from HOT marathons!