You probably know that several runners collapsed due to the heat in this year's race, including Kenilworth AC's last leg runner from whom I inherited the win. I knew that one of the collapsees was a Bromsgrove & Redditch runner on leg 8. I had been talking to their 'A' team runner while warming up. Phill Scarr, a friend of mine from university, is youngish (late twenties or early thirties), fittish (he'd probably make our scoring six on a good day) and (as an Oxford graduate) should be bright enough to treat the conditions with respect. I assumed it must be their 'B' team runner who collapsed.
Wishing to pass on the club's best wishes to whoever had collapsed, and to clear the nagging doubt in my mind, I kept trying to get in touch. Bromsgrove & Redditch AC don't appear to have a website, a telephone number, a postal address or any other means of contacting them. In many ways I think they're more of a secret society than a running club! I eventually tracked down contact details for Phill through the Oxford old boys' website about six weeks after the event.
I was wrong. This is Phill's reply, describing what happened, and how 'dying' in a race nearly meant something very different:
"Hi Nathan
Thanks for your e-mail.
They say that running is bad for you but I never really believed it before the Hilly!! From what I hear I was not the only one to suffer on the day.
I have no idea what actually happened as I have no recollection of any of the day but from what I can make out, I went missing from the road near the end of leg 8 and after 15 minutes of searching my team finally found me in the middle of a field with my face a strange blue colour - although I was still holding onto the baton!! From there I was air-lifted to Worcester hospital and then transfered to Intensive Care in Sutton Coldfield.
The diagnosis was severe heat stroke which then resulted in multiple organ failure. Basically my liver and kidney stopped working completly and they were worried about my brain function as my body temperature peaked at 41!! I was unconscious in Intensive Care for 10 days which must have been hell for my parents and girlfriend but thankfully I don't remember a thing.
When I finally came round everything had starting to work again (even the brain) though I was completly knackered and had lost over a stone in weight. I spent the next two weeks in hospital whilst my liver and kidney function stabilised and have been recouperating at home since. I have slowly been able to do more but it is still going to be off work for another month or so as I still get tired easily.
The way it is going I am hoping to make a full recovery which was unthinkable when I was in Intensive Care and I will get back running when physically possible. It is a good job my heart was healthy or I would have had no chance.
Thanks for your e-mail and hopefully see you at the Midland 6-Stage (even if I am not running).
All the best,
Phill."