Was this unnecessary drama?

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I ran a race this morning. I probably shouldn't have, I've been feeling a bit off for a few days, not ill as such but lacking in energy, but I'm a runner, so I ran it.

I started OK, struggled in the very windy conditions as the race progressed, but finished in an embarrassingly slow time (for me).

It's a small local race where I know a lot of the other runners, but I felt very tired and not at all sociable at the finish, so I collected my stuff and laid down with my eyes shut for a while. TBH I just wanted to shut my eyes and get my head down.

I've been running these races for 20 years and no one has seen me like this before, so it created quite a bit of fuss, people coming to check, first aiders sent, which I really didn't want. Multiple offers to fetch DP for me, who had checked on me and knew I just needed a few mins to myself.

Should I have got a better grip and made myself stay upright?

No, you clearly needed the rest and can’t be responsible for other people creating drama around you. Hope you feel better.

Laying down with your eyes shut in the middle of everyone finishing the race etc was either naive as bound to attract attention, OR if you really couldn’t carry on standing, a sign that actually you did need care and attention. Did they check your blood pressure etc?

I didn't lay down on the finish line 😆I took myself off to a grassy spot a few yards away from where everyone was gathering.

They would have been in hot water if they hadn't checked you properly and you then had a cardiac arrest. Think you brought this drama on yourself, don't think anyone else did anything wrong.

It wasn't the "official" checks, I understand that, it was all the other people.

They were just being nice. I'd go and check on someone who was on the floor after a race.

Should I have got a better grip and made myself stay upright?

Yes, once the first person came and asked you if you were ok.

The fact you drew the attention of multiple people who were worried enough to ask if they should get your DH, means you should probably have given sitting up a go.

Nowt to worry about though.

They were being good people. It’s important we check on each other. You sound embarrassed but you really don’t have to be.

“I felt unwell after completing a race today and nobody came to check on me. I could have been really ill. AIBU to feel a bit neglected?”

And no you shouldn’t have forced yourself to be upright. If you needed to lie down you have every right to do so!

Nobody was unreasonable here. Of course you should have listened to your body and laid down if that's what you needed. The people around you were absolutely right to check on you.

They were being kind and concerned. Surely you’d have done the same if you’d seen a usually strong runner struggling like you were?

it would probably have been helpful if your DH had sat quietly next to to fend off unwanted attention.

I meant was I being unecessarily dramatic, not them?

Oh. I misread the post as being about everyone really. I don't think it was dramatic of you to lie down after a race. I've certainly seen plenty of people do it. I guess it's unusual for you.

Not if you sat up straight away when you realised so many people were worried.

Nobody did anything wrong. You needed to rest so you lay on the grass. People noticed this and checked you were OK. You said you were Ok just tired.
All good.

No, you weren’t unnecessarily dramatic, you needed a rest and a ‘moment’

And they were not unnecessarily fussing, a usually fit runner who seems to have had an uncharacteristic ‘crash’ needs checking.

Did you actually lay down in a heap some distance from the finish line and expect no one to notice?

’…I’ve been running in this race for 20 years, they all know me and would realise this was very unusual for me to just to gather up my stuff and lie down with my eyes closed…im
not sure how I feel about it! Should they have checked I was ok??’

Maybe you really were quite unwell. If you couldn't sit up and insist you were fine after the first person started asking if you were OK then something probably was off and you needed checking.

People were just being nice.

don’t overthink it.

I understand why it would feel annoying but it would probably feel worse if no-one checked on you and you had needed a bit of help. They were just being nice.

Lesson learned re running when not well. Hope you get well soon.