Well...I should of re-thought this one. After feeling really good after last year's 12hr and winning it, I was hungry for more suffering this year. However, one small problem. Over the past 4months, I have had increased pain in my right heel. Running on it seems to flair it up. I had been training hard for the duathlon but, finally asked for help from one of my fellow interns in orthopedics. He suggested xrays and it was what I was afraid of-bone spur in my heel!! Check out that hook! Ughh. Ok..I'll run on it until the last week before I had to register and see how it feels. I was doing round the clock Ibuprofen and icing it. It felt better..so I thought. I didn't care. I saw some great competition registered and I wanted to be pushed even harder this year so I registered.
I choose to do the bike loop 1st. I took off on my single speed. Climbing on a switchback, my back wheel came off. Oops. Almost a bad crash. But, I quickly got the chain back on the cog and wheel fixed. This took a little time off but, long race to go. I came in 1:25 and beat my lap time from last year. Then, it was time for the run. I knew this was going to hurt but, it really hurt. It felt like "the hook" was coming through the bottom of my foot. I tried to alternate with walking some but, no relief. I started re-thinking my strategy. If I could be consistent with my bike times then, it could make up for my run times since running was more Carrie and Emily's strength.
I came in from the run, not happy with the time, and shot back out on the bike again for #2 bike loop. The pain didn't go away! Every climb, since I mostly stand on the single speed, caused pain to shoot through my foot. I've never felt this before MTN biking. But, I never rode after I ran to find out. I finished the 2nd bike loop and called it quits. I don't get credit for the 2nd bike loop because you have to complete a bike leg and run leg to equal one full loop. So, I had no choice but, to settle for 3rd place.
Emily ended up winning. Wendy ended up crashing and getting sutures in her arm. I had to do some more irrigating to one of her lacerations that didn't get sutured. I pulled more rocks out and butterflied it. Not sure it would hold though. She ended up spending 5 days in the hospital but, not sure what the complication was. I devoted the rest of my time helping Zdenek fight for 3rd 
place. The heat was taking it's toll on everyone. I knew what he needed in transition with food, drinks, and encouragement to make him faster and kept tabs on the few minutes that separated him from David Frei. Frei ended up winning 3rd over him by less than 60 seconds. What a race!"The hook" and I have an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon but, can't get in till August. No more running for me for a while. Next big race...Lumberjack 100 miles in Michigan.
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