This weekend’s Diez Vista 50k was my first ultra distance race of the season. I’d done much of my training over the past couple of months right on the course itself. I felt prepared and felt stronger and faster than ever.

My ‘A’ goal was to finish in under 5 hours, but I decided I’d be content with closer to 5:15 in case it wasn’t my day. Aside from a technical section along the ridge early on, the course was very runnable, with some good climbs, and right up my alley.

I managed to finish in 5:04:37 for 9th place overall, but the race was far from a success.

I’m writing this as I sit in the emergency room the day after the race, waiting for the results of an x-ray on my ankle. I’m on crutches, unable to put any weight on my left foot since having sat down after the race.

I’ve thought the race through moment by moment as I rationalized continuing to run in pain that only worsened and it seems so obvious now what decision I should have made. Here’s what was going through my mind at the time.