The Toughest Race I Didn't Run

I've been racing long enough now that I've been running some of the same races for three to four years now.  I have my favorites and my "traditions".  Once of those is the St. Patrick's Race in Fairfield, CT.

It is a four mile race and it takes place on the Sunday closet to St. Patrick's Day.  This year it was actually on the holiday.  It run by the beach and afterwards there is lots of food and music.  The beach is right there too so you can walk along it afterwards.

Everyone gets a little crazy in their costumes so its right up my ally.

Anyway, as you know, I sprained my ankle pretty badly a little over a month ago.  I thought I'd be fine for this race.  I thought it would be completely healed by now.  But I didn't listen to those who "told me so".  It is still swollen and while I've managed a few slow runs with Roxy, I didn't know how I'd fare in a race.

And so I traded having my ankle continue to heal and rest for attending the race.  It was one of the hardest choices I've made.  It sounds silly but I look forward to it all year and bowing out gracefully is sometimes much tougher than plowing through.

So I stayed home, rested my ankle and thought about all the races I will run in the future...hopefully that much sooner because my ankle will be up to full strength by spring.