Home Current News News Archive Shop/Advertise Ridecamp Classified Events Learn/AERC
Endurance.Net Home Ridecamp Archives
ridecamp@endurance.net
[Archives Index]   [Date Index]   [Thread Index]   [Author Index]   [Subject Index]

[RC] Ouch! So that's what a pull at the finish feels like! - Ridecamp Guest

Please 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!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=