Carsey did the "Ridge to River" (team) Ironman type race today. She was scheduled for the running portion. AT the last minute the paddler (kayak) never showed, so Carsey was persuaded, quite under pressure, to ALSO do the paddling, despite never having done anything like it before. She had spent the night with her Dad, so I didn't see her until a few minutes before the race began. When I saw her, I KNEW something was wrong. She said her throat hurt and she felt "like she was going to throw up." I told her it was "just nerves". I should have trusted my instinct and not had her race. This girl is fast as the wind, and within a few feet of starting was in last place. She walked most of the foot race, then had to immediatley suit up to paddle. She did so, finished her second leg (paddling), hurried to the end of the course to join her team for the last part (obstacle course) where they had to RUN, again, to the finish line as a team. As soon as they finished she put her coat back on, and we left. She went to lunch with her Dad afterwards and again, I knew all was not right with my girl. She got home about an hour later and went right upstairs. I had errands to run, so didn't get to see her for about 3 hours. When I got home and went to check on her, she was lying on the couch still dressed exactly as she had come home. She looked glassy eyed and out of it. When I touched her she was burning up - took her temp and it was 103! I felt horrible. Why had I let the pressure of her teammates (ie: their parents) persuade me to put them first over my own child? She ended up having Strep Throat. True, I didn't know she was sick until moments before, but I KNEW she wasn't acting herself, and when I felt that instinct to protect her (remove her from the races) I instead was unwilling to disappoint the others and pushed aside my own gut feelings. All will turn out fine in the end, but I still feel like I didn't put her first, even though I was actually there to support her.