DNF

I suffered my first DNF. DNF (did not finish). I saw an orthopedic doc on Friday morning. Family doc and ortho doc have both said I have torn meniscus in my right knee. Most likely goes back to volleyball. Running has bothered it from time to time, but never enough to stop training. But...

Then I started working with Marquis. His workouts over the last year have put stress on my knee in way different than running so I'm going to be looking at surgery. I noticed it last August when I ran the Glow Run 5K and taped it. Then in February after walking for two days at Steve's 100 mile race on the way home in the car it was killing me and that was when I thought about going to the doctor. But I didn't. So here I am now.

Anyway, confirmation of torn meniscus, run a 10K, I was fine. Run a half marathon the next weekend...not so much. It was a tough course, I know that, I've run it before. But there was a mile of trail that was slanted sideways, hills, lots of down hill, which is especially hard, and never flat or straight. When I came out of that section and climbed the dam I knew I had to make the decision while I was close to the finish line, did I quit or did I walk the rest of the way. At that point, I knew if I went on I would have to finish. I also knew that Steve would catch me on his second loop of the marathon. He was 14th, second best marathon time he's ever had, and he has ran this race every year it's been in existence which is pretty cool, I think.

I made the best decision. The wise decision. Not the one I wanted, but I quit 7 miles in. 10K to go. I hated it. I still feel like a quitter.

Anyway, I'm going to get it fixed and then see when I can start back up and will pick my "come back". No rush, of course.

I'm not a quitter. I may be dead last, but by golly I'm going to finish. I don't give up on relationships, I will fight to the death for what I believe in.

I'm going to end with the easy verse, but it's one of my favorites:

2 Timothy 4:7

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

If I gave you the verse before and after, it's actually a lot to think about. But in this case, I just want to say, I did not finish. And for me, that's what it's about. Finishing. Anyone can sign up and get the tee shirt with their registration. But you have to finish to get the medal, to get the reward. And that always means something to me.

So I will nurse my wounded knee and my wounded ego and eventually never get over it.

Do you ever feel like a quitter? Does it hurt you as much as it does me?

(I have a picture from the starting line, but it's really bad so I'm not sharing. I didn't finish, I don't have to show a bad picture. New rule.)