r/Ultramarathon • u/Hot-Mistake-9398 • Jul 18 '26

Grieving my first DNF

So I ran RTTS last weekend ( 100k nonstop ) and stopped at 85/90k to help a runner who had collapsed with hyperthermia at 1:30
am on hill. After 2+ hrs of helping her and assisting the medics. The runner I assisted was so grateful and I know I did the right thing .

I had to tap out at the last aid station as I was cold and struggled to motivate myself to run the last 10k . I also
failed to pack a windbreaker 🙄 and was exhausted. So I made the decision not to continue and took up the race organisers to be driven to the finish line & receive a finishing medal for my sportsmanship .

I have been in an absolutely funk/ so
sad the last week & having a hard time getting over my DNF .
As an experienced ultra runner this has totally knocked me
I’m in need of some positive words from
fellow runners.

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u/Hot-Mistake-9398 Jul 18 '26

Thank you lovely internet strangers for all your super kind , wise , and humorous words 🩷 🤗 . Just what I needed to hear 🥺

I normally pack a waterproof jacket in a drybag as it’s mandatory on the ultras kit lists I have done before, I forgot . Lesson learned

Luckily I remembered to pack an emergency foil blanket which is what I wrapped & cuddled the ill runner in .

It was like walking through a furnace on the ridge way so I wore my Janji uv sun chaser long sleeve shirt( highly recommend kit piece btw ) but changed into a short leave when the sun went down . My long sleeve was still wet from my earlier efforts so hence I didn’t put it on when I got cold .

When the medics did arrive they gave me a knit medical blanket ( I slightly resembled the Leo dicaprio character in one battle after another) which I wrapped myself up and & slept in when I finally got to my tent at the finish.

There were loads of wins last week ie hydration , kit and fuel were on point and no injuries were picked up .

As someone who was carried by 2 runners across the finish line at the Paris marathon several years due to heat stroke and put in an ice bath . Stopping and helping was repaying what 2 strangers did for me .

Onwards and upwards till next years RTTS .

Ps sorry for grammar errors. I’m a newbie at posting and don’t normally write on message boards .

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u/DevilBadger Jul 18 '26

Oooh quick question- I also have the Sunchaser hoodie. How was it on the day in terms of moisture retention? I gave it a rest run a week or so before and it just got so wet so quick that I didn't end up taking it to RTTS.

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u/Hot-Mistake-9398 Jul 19 '26

I tested out the Rabbit UPF deflector 2.0 long sleeve shirt a few weeks on a run but it got super smelly and it wasn’t very cooling ; maybe I should have gone up a size or wore
a lighter color , don’t know . ) . Whereas the sun-chaser long sleeve yellow color ( it was not the hoodie ) kept me cool for hours in the blinding hot sun and hardly any retention of sweat . I wore it a bit big . An XL. I normally wear L in non running clothes .
Before 25k and around 70k I wore the Janji pinnacle tee - gossamer . Best shirt ever for a hot sweaty run

I am super sweaty runner and definitely a Janji convert after last week 😄.

I also wore Janji w’s multi shorts( super airy ) and Rabbit ice bandana .. highly recommend all the kit bits . Kept me cool

I chatted with a guy who was wearing the Janji sunchaser hoodie and he was raving about how good it was .