Denise, I feel for you. I know it would be terrible to DNF after all that work. It's the culmination of a years training. It's heartbreaking. But you did the right thing.

Before ever race, my husband makes me look him in the eye and say, "There is no shame in a DNF." He knows how stubborn I am and worries that I wold try to push through something nasty like you had and seriously hurt myself. I've finished many races. That's no longer what I think of as making me strong. Now I hope to have the strength to stop if I have to, because it's the right choice.

You made the right choice.

This year's training is going to be so much more fun with your husband training with you.

Take care.