Here is the latest word from Colorado Springs mountain runner Tommy Manning who competed in the World Mountain Running Championships in Albania on Sunday. Manning is a teacher at The Fountain Valley School. He writes:

Good news, bad news.

It was a bummer of a day for me personally, but an American woman won the gold medal and teammate Max King won the gold in the men's race. 
I started pretty hard in the 95-degree heat and was running in about 20th place at the top of the first lap.

I got passed by quite a few people on the downhill as predicted and then it was 'ballgame over.'

At three miles, halfway up the second lap, I had to stop.  I walked for most of the uphill on that lap.  At a water station, I stopped and drank at least one liter of water and watched about ten guys pass me.

By the time I got down to the bottom of the second lap, I was in a very bad place.  I told my manager that something was really wrong.  I was overheated and on the brink of heat stroke.  I must have drunk at least five liters of water during the race.

I finished in 79th place and had an EMT look after me for a while after finishing.  I'm fine now after some food, a lot of liquid, and a few hours of rest.  That was a weird experience - something I've never gone through in a race and don't want to do again.