My partner, in the mixed double category of the MR340 paddling race, Stan Hanson, did just that on Wednesday. Stan had been hoping that a flare up of elbow tendinitis would calm down in time for the race, but after testing it out last weekend, and consulting with his orthopaedic surgeon, he decided he had to make that extremely tough decision of backing out.
It was a difficult phone call; so much disappointment. We discussed the options, including just paddling as much as we could to experience the river, knowing we would likely not finish. But Stan did not think that would be fair to me, and I worried that any further paddling would set his healing back, potentially worsening his injury.
We may no longer be paddling together in this race, but we are still a team. I will be switching over to the women's solo category, cruising the race in my Kruger Dreamcatcher, and Stan will run the bank, offering me much needed and appreciated support during the race.
Thank-you Stan.
1 comment:
Hey Dawn:
Sorry to hear about Stan. Those are always tough decisions. There is one cool thing for Stan ... I understand the "community" of support teams grows to know each other and help each other out as they support their respective paddlers. Something the racers can't pay much attention to. It's not racing, but is a shared experience that only a few people in the world ever see.
Be safe in your travels.
Dan
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