LondonSkaters Speed Team - Speed Skating & Rollerblading Club in London

Tammy · Joined: 24 Jan 2006 Posts: 144 Location: Twickenham

Well that was the hardest physical endurance test I've ever experienced. Two problems - the extreme heat, and the lack of others to pace.

Only 9 over 50s women started and 7 finished. A Danish woman won in an incredible 1.33 – 9 minutes ahead of the silver medalist and a full 15 minutes ahead of bronze. After that the rest of us limped home at 2 minutes intervals. I only just made the 2 hour cut off at 1.56. Then I collapsed. If Andy, Glenn and Sol hadn’t poured water over me, supported my head and shoved recovery drink into me I would still be lying on a pavement in Germany. I fell on the last lap – no reason except exhaustion – and my knee is now balloon shape.

All the UK women experienced symptoms of heat exhaustion. For Sol it was a blinding headache. Pammie said it was like a crawling feeling on her skin. I felt clammy and shivery. Any advice? I should probably have taken more salt.

But even with the collapsing and balloon-knee I wouldn’t have missed the experience. It was fantastic to be part of such an elite event, and to be supported by the team.

Any many thanks to Mike for giving me such good advice for the U turns (lunge in, cross out) which worked fine. It was great not to be worried about them.

sol · Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 6:58 pm Subject:

I personally think that everone who finished the Masters race deserves a medal! It was the hottest time of the day, the temperature must have been in mid-thirties celsius. I had to stop after second lap as I couldn't cope with the heat and a blinding headache that resulted. I still have the headache!
Tammy and Pammy were absolutely the stars of the day for me! You are both stark raving mad! Laughing

Well done!

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5914

Looks like the 6th post on this thread turned into a bit of a prophecy