...I will not be running in the Big Sur Marathon.  I just wanted to bring you up to date.  Two and a half weeks ago, I outlined my ankle injury.  At first, I thought I may be back on my feet in a week or so.  As time went on and the ankle was slow to improve, my hopes waned.  Last weekend, I was able to go around without the cast.  By Monday, I was considering running.  I waited, based on past experience, that it helps to wait a few additional days to avoid a re-injury.  I ran yesterday with the thought that, if I could do 3-4 miles on Thursday and 8-12 on the weekend with no problems, then I would attempt Big Sur. 

Well, yesterday's run was great.  I worked hard to hold myself back.  I was free.  If Brian in his Blog is a runner reborn (good read, by the way), I was a runner reunited. 

Unfortunately, about 90 minutes after the run, I felt an all too familiar soreness and pain.  Today, it is better, just tender.  I think I will be able to do a short 3-4 mile run this weekend.  But yesterday's run made me realize that I have to concentrate on rehabilitation of the ankle and take it slow.  If 4 miles caused a flair-up, 26.2 miles may put me out for a month (or longer). 

This is an especially hard decision, since I was supposed to sherpa my wife through her first marathon.  Now she is on her own.  I know she doesn't need me for her to finish.  She has done the last 2+ weeks without me, including her 20.  She says it is ok, but I just feel bad.

Instead, I will get to have a great weekend with my wife and cheer her on for all I am worth.  I still have the Gorge Half-Marathon 6/6, Hood to Coast 8/27-28, and the Portland Marathon 10/3 to look forward to.

Thank you to everyone for your support, good wishes, and encouragement while I have been (and continue to) deal with this. Good luck to everyone racing this weekend, especially everyone going to Boston.  Well, not everyone going there - the Yankees can rot in Fenway - but everyone else.

Christine,

In an effort to maintain friendship, and since this is a running forum, I will try to minimize my feelings toward the Evil Empire on the Boards.  I won't mention things about how rooting for the Yankees is like rooting for the House to win in blackjack; that someone should wipe that darn (notice restraint in word choice there) smug smile off Jeter's face, anyone, please; or that I would rather stick a lit cigar up my nose than have the Red Sox lose to them.

Thanks for your well wishes on my ankle and support of my decision.  Really. 

Don, either your making an old reference to Bill Clinton or remarking on the Yankees.  If it is the Yanks, thanks for the thought, but it won't be happening tonight.  Nationally televised game.  Whoo Hoo.  It'll be fun.

Everyone (except Don),

Thanks for your support.  As it was mentioned in a PM I got, it is nice to have your collective shoulders to cry on.  Even Don's too, I guess.  I'll still file a race report, but from a spectator's point of view.  Cherie can handle the race details. 

Have a great weekend.