My First DNS – Spartan Race

DNS = Did Not Start.

That’s right.  Spartan Race marks my first ever Did Not Start.  I wish it wasn’t.  Out of all the races on my calendar, why did I have to fall ill and miss out on this race? It’s not fair, but there is nothing much I can do about it.

To say that I’m bummed is an understanding.

I know I stated that was I hesitant and unsure how I would go in this post. But I’m still mad, angry, bummed, and sad, that I couldn’t participate.

Wednesday afternoon I was feeling a bit off.  I took my temperature and it was 37.1.  Took some paracetamol and got a good night’s sleep.  The next day again, a mild temperature, but had gone by the end of the day.  The same again Friday.  I was hoping it was just a mild thing and that would be gone by the morning.

Ballarat on Friday night was cold though, and I was cold to the bone, so much so, that I didn’t leave the car unless I had to, because the cold air was hurting my back.  Not a good sign.

Saturday morning I woke up and I was roasting.  I was seriously on fire.  I don’t think it helped that Tom had given me a -16c down sleeping bag. So while he was cold during the night I slept like a log or toasty and warm. Could that have been attributed to my DNS some may say yes, but I’m going to say no though, you’ll see?

So I woke up roasting, but I was feeling ok.  I took my temperature at 39.3c. Yeah, not good.

Took more paracetamol, got changed into my spartan gear, got some orange juice, and ate half a banana.

I sat down, and I thought about doing the race, and not doing the race. I thought to myself I’ll do it unless I faint or spew, then I’m out.

Temp now 38.7c.

By not doing the race I would be letting not only myself but my team down.

But by doing the race I could be putting not only myself at further risk, by my team at risk too.

There was also this to think about:

5. I attest and verify that I am free from all illnesses, injuries and defects and that I am physically fit and sufficiently trained to participate in all activities associated with the Event.

Yep, I read the waiver, I knew it was in there.  I wasn’t free from illnesses, I had something, and I was feeling awful.

Temp is still in the mid 38’s.

By now I had the hot and cold sweats going.  Sitting there with a cold washcloth on my head it hit me, there is no way I can do this feeling this shitty.  I’ll just make myself worse.

The decision was made. I called the Team Captain, I told him I wouldn’t be there.  Tears were rolling down my face while I was talking to him.  I so wanted to do it, but I knew it wouldn’t be wise to. I felt like I was letting my team down.  I know they had a great time, and I know that there is next year, but it’s not the same.

We packed up the car and made a silent drive back home.  Where I curled up on the couch and slept for the rest of the day/weekend and possibly even the week.

All it took was a severe case of tonsillitis to take me out of the Spartan Race.

Some will say it’s mind over matter.  But I couldn’t run, let alone carry a sandbag or do a burpee.  It wouldn’t have been fair on my team to wait on me to finish when I wouldn’t be able to.

So even though I didn’t get to run Spartan, I know there will be other events, and I know I will participate in them, and I will be ready and most importantly not sick.


Have you ever DNS due to illness?

16 thoughts on “My First DNS – Spartan Race”

  1. If you are sick you are sick & everyone understands that. Sorry you are so bummed about the DNS, but far better you went home & took care of yourself than ending up in hospital from complications from over exertion. (((Hugs)))

    1. I girl that I was chatting to the day before the race, she ended up telling me that the girl that she ended up racing with on the day got taken away around the halfway point for hypothermia. Yeah I’m glad i didn’t do it.
      I just wish they would hurry up and release their “super” details, they removed it because it was during summer, and they haven’t put it back up yet.

  2. Sometimes different illness effect us in such bad ways that we cant control that our bodies don’t have the energy needed, and it may just put our health at risk more.
    I have run way too many marathons very sick, some even looking back I question if I should have done them. That expression, you’ll run the illness right out of you, isn’t exactly always accurate. In my case half the time it made it much much worse. And it can even push people to heart attacks and death, which is why its so important to listen to our bodies like you did!
    Spartan are different it’s not just one set of muscles you’d of been working your entire body, you made the right choice, and like you said their will always be another race:)
    I flew across the country once to race that I had to cancel on because I had to let an injury finish healing and it was the hardest thing ever not to line up at the start. So I totally understand where you are coming from. Sometimes the best choices we make can be some of the hardest because we wanted them so bad:) You’ll get it next year, that is for sure!

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