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[RC] Ouch! So that's what a pull at the finish feels like! - Ridecamp GuestPlease Reply to: Deb Ambrose mkkgs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ========================================== Hello, Well, on our 12th 50 miler, Lippy and I had our first pull. I had watched a friend get pulled in Florida earlier this year, and I was impressed by her good sportsmanship and positive attitude. I remember thinking, "Gee, I wonder what that feels like..." We came out of a water crossing at mile 53 on the Liberty Run 55, and Lippy struggled a little on the footing. He trotted off for about 10 steps, then righted himself, and we walked and jogged in for a 10th place finish in a very small field. Dang probably my only chance for a top ten! :-) By the time we presented, I was suspicious, and Dr. Ken Marcella saw the same thing I could hear on the trot out. Ka-thump, Ka-thump. He kindly gave me a chance to go ice him and see if we could get by. We came back, and no smokes. Dr. Marcella was as kind as he could be, but he was indeed lame. On flexion, it looked like he had twisted the fetlock, probably just where I felt, on the underwater footing. I spent about a half second flashing through the denial, bargaining, depression, grief, etc on my way to acceptance, and then we went back to our camp. It was funny, I felt worse the next day. Never angry or even sad, just disappointed. For who? For me! Which is not the most noble sensation in the world. But Lippy is travelling sound one week later, and I feel a little less bummed out each day. I thought of Nick Warhol's story of being pulled at the finish on his first Tevis. And my friend in Florida, patting her horse and saying thank you to the vet, and every other person who comes to the awards ceremony, to clap for the finishers, even though they won't get the t-shirt. It's made me look at our sport from a different side, and, hey, it probably builds character! Congrats to all the finishers! Deb Ambrose & Lippy Aberdeen, NC mkkgs at mindspring dot com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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