The Aftermath...

"Richard"

"Richard"

I could hear a commotion.  I just couldn't place it.  It was like a dream.  Then I realised I was in the dream.  I was at the centre of the commotion.  I came round surrounded by an ambulance crew.

I was on my side, but didn't know where I was.  I was confused.  George, a fellow Kingston Wheeler who had stopped when he saw me on the ground wearing my club jersey, was with the ambulance crew, talking to me, reassuring me.  I was not making much sense.  I was confused. 

"Have I finished?" I asked.

The ambulance moved me onto a back board, then loaded me into the ambulance.  I was still confused.  I wiggled my fingers and toes to make sure they still worked.  They did.  My arm was numb.  The siren started up and the ambulance lurched up the hill and delivered me to the medical centre.  I was worried.  Was I injured?  What was this going to cost me?

I had not finished. My race ended a little over a kilometre short.  I'd made it to Alpe d'Huez, just not through the town. I'd done 173km, just not the final 1.4km to the finish.  It appears that I had gone into serious oxygen debt.  The brain upstairs just wasn't getting enough O2.  It needed more.  And the only solution was to close down a few ancillary organs.  So it shut down the limbs and then turned out the lights..

I was transferred to a bunk in the medical centre and for the first time I felt OK.  I stretched and felt no pain.  I tried to move all my limbs and they responded.  The good doctors checked me over and stuck me on the oxygen. My blood oxygen level had dropped way below the recommended level.  Basically I was in there until my oxygen levels recovered to 90%.  Two hours later and I was free to leave, feeling just about Ok, albeit pretty much drained.  But the main feeling was the relief.  I wasn't injured and it hadn't cost me.

Many thanks must go to my clubmate George for all his assistance.  In particular for calling my wife (thankfully I had completed the "in case of emergency" details) while I lay on the road between my bike and an ambulance - which can't have been a nice call to make.  And also for recovering my bike, helmet, etc.  Greatly appreciated.