Around 4am, 6 hours before my debut in any 5K race I take a walk on the Annual Turkey Trot race course. It was so windy that the wind blew me off my feet while I was taking this shot. It turns out due to the high winds race officials changed the route from the ice roadway, and instead we would run to Scott base, New Zealand's Antarctic station.
At this point in the race I had tripped on a rock while fumbling with my i-pod. You see, it freezes up and doesn't actually work in these cold temperatures. I was adjusting the heat pad that was wrapped around it in my pocket. I limped back to the finish line from here, refusing a ride 3 times from the ambulance.
With a wind chill of 9F/-12C in 33 knot winds I am not sure if I would recommend someone do this as a first time runner. Or for that matter to any sane person.
Limping to the finish line I kept friends and officials waiting outside in a mad cold morning showing up last, BUT on my own and not in an ambulance! Turns out I sprained my ankle which is now hostage to a large brace that I will have to wear for the next few weeks.
Lesson here... ALWAYS pay attention when running on volcanic rocks and ice. AND night workers should adjust their schedule accordingly when running a morning race.
After sleeping off my defeat I wake in time for midnight Thanksgiving dinner with friends. The names and faces are hidden to protect the lives of the innocent. To find where I was sitting, just look for the bottles of wine on the table. If you were wondering, yes those are king crab legs, of course though, not mine.
Pain relief comes in many forms, laughter will always be your guiding light.
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