Thursday, July 17, 2008

Crashed and Burned!!!



It has been a while since my last update, and this one I wish I could say no news is good news, but that is not the case. After the race in Iowa I took a few days off for I was really spent, more emotionally than physically, so I took some down time and then got right back on the horse. Ran 2 5ks for John Smyth and the EBS crew which pays for a lot of my travel. In those local 5ks I was 5th in both running 15:58 for one and 15:38 for the other, both feeling pretty good, I just don’t have the speed like I used to but will get it back soon. Then was doing a ride, it had been raining and was starting to dry, and I was doing down a decent at about 30 or so and before I knew it was sliding across the payment. My first thought was did I hurt my collar bone and the answer was no and then I looked at my leg and the road rash was not a good sight. I rode the 5 miles, yeah that is how close I was to home bleeding a little but probably was so far deep into the skin for any blood to really come out, it was just a bright pinkish burn all down my left leg. I cleaned it with the help of good friend Mark McClinton and then went home thinking, ok I will be good in three or four days. Little did I know what all was happening. The almost 3rd degree burn was one of the most painful things I have endured, I wish this on no one, and I’m sure some are saying it can’t be that bad, but when my coach who is an ER doctor looks and say this is a lot worse than I imagined, well that pretty much sums it up. So here I am 13 days later, no race in Chattanooga, no race in New York, and just trying to do a little something. If it were not for my mom and here healing touch, I am really not sure I would be ready for another week, but I hope to be back full throttle by Monday, well at least back to putting in the volume and then racing again in late August in Chicago.
Now on to another story, my birthday was on Monday and it was three years to the day that I decided to go after this and well in my mind at least start the process of leaving Hilton Head and doing something with my gifts. I was at a Party the other night thrown by Jennifer Parker and I looked around at all the people who came to wish my a happy birthday and felt like the luckiest person on the planet, so see where I have come in three years and how fortunate I am to have all these people in my life is truly amazing and I am so thankful, I am truly blessed and not a day goes by that I don’t realize and feel how loved I am and my hope is that all those who give to me that in someway I have been able to give you piece of me and loved you as much as I feel loved. To everyone who is reading this I love you and thank you from all of my being!!!!! Don’t ever give up on your own dreams look what has happened in three years of my dreaming… Dream Bigger!!!!!

1 comment:

Rachel said...

How sweet Eric. Smap and I love you too :) I hate that you are having to miss so many races. Maybe it happened for a reason? Who knows...the year I broke my elbow was my best year racing...I broke it the week before the Chattanooga race too!!! Anyway, my comeback race was the big Nashville race at the end of the summer (Sept or Aug ??)..I had the BEST and fastest race of my career that day. My swim was a little slower because I couldn't pull with my left arm, but it was a great race. So, maybe this all happened for a reason???
You'll kick butt. We believe in you!
Rach