Abandonment...

I've hesitated to write this, as I don't want to sound alarmist, and I don't want any one to get the wrong message.

First, yesterday's 10-mile trail race for me turned out... not so well. For several reasons, not the least of which is that I DNF'd, the first time I've done that in a LONG time. I was lamenting the rain all week leading up to race day, and the trails turned out to be MUCH muddier than when I ran in that same park just a few weeks ago. Muddy to the point that it wasn't even enjoyable. And at about the 3 mile mark, I stepped on something wrong which wrenched my right forefoot completely (pushing the 5th metatarsal WAY up), and I felt something "pop" in my foot. From that point onm every time there was any slope upward to the right, or I had to make a right turn, it was excruciating. I knew I'd done some damage.

So I jogged on until I got to the 4 mile mark aid station, and told them I was hanging it up. I jogged part way to the start on the 5 mile course, and ended up walking the last half mile or so.

The reasons I hesitate to write this is that I don't really know what the extent of the damage is... My foot wasn't feeling any better this morning, and I spent a good part of the day on my feet. And I also don't want any one thinking that the shoes were in any way to blame. I wore the Trail Gloves, and they performed flawlessly. Sure, my feet got wet, but they also dried quickly. I didn't slip much in the mud -- there was no way ANY shoe wouldn't have slipped some. In fact, a friend of mine lost his shoe in the mud three times during the race... once right in front of me. But the Trail Gloves stuck on, gripped well, and felt great.

I'll update with more on this injury if it doesn't feel better tomorrow and I see a doctor...