December is always a month that I take off from
Endurance and enjoy the holidays, but this year would be different. My
friend Claire called me 2 weeks before Goethe and said you know if you go to
Goethe and do a 100, I'll go and ride with you and our friend Andie would go and
crew for us. It was an offer I could not refuse, and after my husbands
blessing I decided that we would go.
We arrived almost at dark on Thursday. the
only request our crew Andie had was that we were near to the port a
potties. We surveyed camp quickly and saw Jim Holland. He was saving
a space next to him, but since it was almost dark he gave it to us and even
backed up my trailer into the tight spot. we were not near the port a
potties though because they were not any until Friday pm!!! Jim was
wonderful to park next to and shared his wonderful heated warm shower with
us. It was so much better than the camp shower we would have had to put
up. We were also parked next to Sue Jackson and the 5 of us had a blast
talking on Thursday night. Buddy Gleason joined us and we ended up all
standing in Jim's heated trailer.
the 6 am start came early, but wow what a beautiful
sunrise we watched over Goethe. We were out there attempting a 100.
I had attempted 3 before and Claire 1, would this be the first
completion???
the trails were great except for about 4 miles of
deep sand on the first loop that would also be the last 2 loops. we had a
blast and our horses looked great. At the 55 mile mark Claire and I caught
Jim right after we started and rode with him as the sunset over Goethe, and it
seemed more pretty than the sunrise. I had eaten and drank all day well
but I was craving meat on this loop for some strange reason. I would have
eaten a chicken leg out of a trash can if I could have found one!!! we
came in from that loop to find the in timer over at the vets so we pulsed down
and then vetted through. I put Sweetie in her pen and was still ravenous
and craving meat of some sort. andie put a stew on and then I decided I
did not feel well, thought I was going to throw up first, and then decided I was
dizzy. I told Andie and I took my helmet off, and the next thing I knew I was
laying on my trailer floor with Andie and Claire over me. Claire ran for
our friend Sandy Thompson who is a nurse and she came and checked me just as she
was about to get on her horse to go out on her last loop. I told her to go
on and then 2 nice vets came in to check on me. then I had this wonderful
man who I cannot remember his name come check on me. His wife was a 50
miler and I believe he used to be a emt. He was a runner and talked to me
about how I felt and asked me if I was considering going back out, the
competitiveness in me wanted to finish that ride but I knew it was time to quit
especially after he told me how elevated my pulse was. the hardest thing I
did that weekend was hand the ride manager my card and rider opt
out....
I was happy to be alive that night and as the night
went on all the wonderful elves came to my aid. after the nice vets and
the nice runner man, Tamra Schoech came with hot chicken 100 mile soup, I was
still starving, then latter she let me take a hot shower in their horse
trailer. I went to bed and then woke up an hour or so later feeling yucky
again and Andie came to check on me. I sent her forSandy because I knew
she and Sara should have finished by then. a few seconds later I heard
something in my trailer and said Sandy and there she was to take me to her warm
sofa in her trailer. Andie had not actually found Sandy she had just came
on her own to check on me. She had just ridden 100 miles and was
taking care of me, what a woman!!! On her sofa I was really exhausted
still but could not sleep, and was delighted to hear her and Sara's ride story
that day. Sara also became another elf by giving me several of her energy
packets that helped revive me. Sandy checked on me and her mare all night
long and fixed me chicken cordon bleu and a can of tuna at 6am! I was
still craving meat. Another nurse elf who I know wants to remain anonymous
came and checked my heart that am because it had became somewhat out of
rhythm.
Claire had made it with Jim to 85 miles and then
had to abort the 100 also with her horses ankle being ever so slightly
swollen. but she and andie were great and came to get me to go home after
they had packed everything but me and my horse.
I would like to thank all the wonderful people who
helped me especially Sandy! I love this sport that we call endurance and
one of the reasons why is people like Claire, Andie, Dinah,Jim, Sara, Tamra,
Lynn, Tracy and Sandy!!! I hope my 5th attempt at a 100 is
successful.
Happy Holidays!!
Alicia Mansuetti
Patrolons Star
Davanna Dave
and ARK Tracer Blue
PS FYI, if you are curious as to why I was so
weak that night, after a battery of tests on my heart on Monday I found out
that I had a simple UTI infection which the doctors said could cause stroke or
heart attack like symptoms. I had never heard of such a
thing!!!!!!!!!!
