I'll never forget the day it happend. It was April 1, 2006 and I had to call my parents to tell them that it was all over. With just two weeks left, there was no way I would be able to run the in the Boston Marathon.
It started when I was driving down the main street of town and saw a pop up camper with a for sale sign. I had always wanted a pop up camper and had been looking at both new and used. I pulled over and this one looked to be in great condition. After a few phone calls, a tour of the trailer and some negotiation, I made the purchase.
The seller delivered the camper to my house and we set it up together on the lawn. I kept it up for a few days and on April 1, I decided it was time to put it into the garage. So down it came, packed up nicely into its little box.
I called my parents to explain to them how I was tring to lower the front part of the camper using the crank. Unfortunately, the crank was not moving easily and I thought there was something that was locking it in place. Without reading the instructions, I turned the other handle. I explained to my parents how that was a big mistake.
The other handle was what secured the camper to the metal tube at the front. If you loosen it without it being attached to the car, the front end comes crashing down and in this case, I explained, crashes down right on my foot.
I continued to tell my parents how it was a good thing I had my cell phone with me because I was home alone and with the camper on my foot, I wasn't going anywhere. I was able to call 911, the rescure team was able to jack the camper off my foot which let loose the blood. When I woke up, I was in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
What was I to do? My foot was crushed and there were only two weeks left until the marathon. I guess the only thing I really could do was remind my parents of the date.
When they were finished laughing, they swore, as they do every year, that they would never again answer the phone on April 1.
(NOTE: The first part of the story was actually true, but the camper missed my foot by about 3 inches.)
Stay tuned for Boston Marathon - What Was I Thinking (Part Fourteen)
What Was I Thinking (Part one): In the Beginning
What Was I Thinking (Part two): Goodbye Reality
What Was I Thinking (Part three): The Point of No Return
What Was I Thinking (Part four): Super Dave
What Was I Thinking (Part five): My Follow Through
What Was I Thinking (Part six): The Rise of Marathon Martin
What Was I Thinking (Part Seven): Doctor, Doctor.... Give Me The News
What Was I Thinking (Part Eight): Train, Train, Train
What Was I Thinking (Part Nine): Show Me The Money
What Was I Thinking (Boston Marathon Part Ten): Double Trouble
What Was I Thinking (Boston Marathon Part Eleven): I Must Recap
What Was I Thinking (Boston Marathon Part Twelve): The End of the Road?
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