The fall heard around the world...

Well, maybe only heard around Tara's world.

This is definitely something I never would have thought would happen to me. Knee injury, sure, strained muscles, yes, sprangs, possible....a broken ankle, never.( Car screeching sound....say again?!) Just 2 weeks from Chicago, I am going through such a wave of emotion. Why me, cry. Be strong, search for races...and repeat.

Going back to last Friday before the race, I was very excited at the fact that I had made it to taper, NOT injured! This would be my first marathon with out needing a taped or wrapped body part, or icy hot slathered on a certain area.( Thanks to George's training method/belief) I had made it and was dancing around my apartment to that Chicago Marathon rap that night. ( yes, I dance alone in my apartment) Not only had I made it to tapper without a lasting injury, but with a high possibility in running a 3:40 marathon. * Sigh


Saturday morning, I woke up, and my body ( or the universe) was telling me I should run Sunday; I really wasn't feeling it Saturday. ( I'm guessing still racing lingering fatigue)...But after 3o mins sitting on my sofa, I got myself up and dressed, and left.

I was set to run 14-16 miles Saturday morning, I decided to do 15. After meeting up with the group, we began our trek to the towpath. ( note: The towpath is actually one of my favorite paths to run. Yes, I've noticed the rocks, and slightly have rolled my ankles before, but NEVER would I ever expect this as a result.)

Heading out, I noticed a girl from another group take a fall. As we passed her, I noticed her bloody knees, and friends attending to her, as they stood her up, I remember thinking to myself, I hope she's OK, ans how scary that would be. ( Universe warning?)

Well, as we continued done the towpath, I actually rolled my right ankle twice, at two separate times. The rolls were good enough, to throw me off my stride, and have to shake out my ankle. Ironic, is after the second roll I joked, that maybe God was giving me a sign, I should not be running that day. ( Universe warning?)

To side track a bit, I'm not really a religious person. I do believe in a higher being ( God) and that the universe can indeed send you signs. Also, that intuition is a powerful thing, and is what I have been trying to listen to much more this year. So, in hind sight, I had several signs, I just chose to ignore them...*sigh. So, obviously, I'm still not listening to my instincts,and need to learn to do so more.

Back to the fall, according to the Garmin, it happened at 5.5 miles. All I can tell you, is on second I was running, the next, I was hard on the ground, and the ankle instantly hurt. Literally I fell, and instantly went to grab my ankle, that was very much hurting, I had no tears, just pure fear...fear that it was sprang, and there went Chicago. I didn't even feel my cuts, it was my friends whom pointed them out to me.
I had dirt everywhere! All over my legs, arms, hands, white tank top, blood was dripping down my leg...I was quite the sight.

My group that I run with are amazing by the way. ( if I knew how you guys linked other blogs to your blog, I would, but sorry, I'm technology challenged:) I don't remember much, but I believe it was Beth, and Steph that ran for help, while Amy, Liz and Skip stayed to assist. I probably had the group stopped for 10 minutes, and felt bad; they were running their 20 miler, and I had stopped them. Ughe.

Honestly, a lot of it was a blur. I think it was Liz that noted to go back to the lock where we just used the restroom. I hugged my friends, and they began their way to George, and I began my way to the closest lock.( which I though was 5)

I'll some this up, I actually had sat my ass at Lock 6 for quite some time. ( thinking it was 5) I was so fixated on my ankle,and what it meant for my season, that it actually took me awhile to realize this was not the lock that had the restrooms. So after sitting there for probably 30 minutes, I started my walk to lock 5, which took probably another 8-10 minutes.

At lock 5, a group of runners, came to my aid, and one was a doctor! They offered me a ride to a hospital, and help. But I had no cell, not wallet, no ID. If I left to a hospital, one my group would never know where I was, two, how would I get to my car after an ER visit. ( honestly, I still firmly believed it was a sprang, not a fracture, so I didn;t think the ER was needed.) So after a few minutes, they left...and I found a bench to lay down on, and elevate my foot on the table.

I sat here for, I'm guessing, 3o minutes, at which time, I started to think that I had missed George, when I was sitting at lock 6 for so long. I began to feel a little lost on what to do.I sat up, and limped my way to the little bridge at lock 5and stood there for another 10-15 minutes, and also saw Beth and the group run by. Which really made me think I missed George.

SO, I jogged/hobbled my way to Fletcher's, about 2 miles away. I knew Fletcher's was populated with people, and remembered seeing a Ragnar support table. Yes, it was uncomfortable, but painful, not so much.

I arrived at Fletcher, and the Ragnar volunteer saw I was in distress, and I basically yelled, " I need help".
The ladies of Ragnar were very sweet, and helpful to me. The sat me down, elevated my foot, and brought me ice from the boathouse to place on my ankle. They offered me a phone, but I have no numbers memorized to call...dam cell phones.
( i was thinking if worse comes to worse, and if I was not going to see any of my friends, or coach, I was going to call 911 as a last resort.)

Then I see Liz, Amy, and Skip!! What a relief. I don't remember much from this conversation, but I did remember they would come get me at Fletchers. Thank you guys! At least i knew, that I definitely had a ride coming, and two George would definitely be at the island.

Up until this point, I had no tears, just was in "survival" mode. Maybe it was the shock, or what, but it wasn't' until after my friends yelled bye to me, and I watched them run off to the distance, did I start crying.

Well, time passed, and there he was, George! It's like I could here music in my ears, " aaahhhhh". Same sounds you would hear if you just envisioned an angel. Rescue was here, and words, maybe encouraging or maybe truthful, but words from an expert is what I desperately needed to hear. (Sorry, George, seeing you was such a relief, the tears flowed more because of it. )
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Fastforwad to Maggie taking me to urgent care: After a two and half hour wait, in a crowded undecorated waiting room, and bad patient care, I was told I fractured my distal end of my fibula. All I heard was "fracture" and "fibula"...then in my head " no Chicago or MCM". Maggie, who is basically my sister, knew it was time to get that PA to shut up and leave, and held me.

And now, I'm here. After a full 24 hours of tears, then another 24 of did this really happen, I'm heading to the doctor today to get a much better idea of it all. ( and hopefully a walking cast, because crutches SUCK!)

Thank you everyone for helping, and loving me during this time. Without all your support, I'd be a crumbled mess on the floor crying.