I had been treated during my training season this year by the ART team of Faye, Tony and Darren in Blair, NE. with great success. The result was that I arrived heathly and injury free for the race. Then one of those stupid accidents happened. The morning before the race I stepped out of the shower, slipped and rammed my left foot into the base of the toilet. My forth toe immediately swelled up and started turning purple. As I applied ice to my foot I told my husband to take me down to the ART tent to see if it was broken.

When I arrived, Faye and Tony determined that it was not broken. They called Larry Svihlik from Chicago over to evaluate the situation. He carefully taped my foot with a substance he called "Human Duct Tape" and made sure that there would be no "hot spots" to cause friction during the 112 mile bike ride and the marathon. With some advice on Ibruprofin and Arnica from the team, I went home to rest and ice the injury.

The swim portion of the race, 2.4 miles, went well. The bike was terribly windy, but my foot survived fine. I had some trouble getting my running shoe over my swollen foot, but surprisingly I started the run with little pain. As the marathon progressed, the foot did feel worse but I knew I would finish.

I reached the finish line in second place in my age group--I was thrilled and amazed that I had finished at all. Today, four days later, my entire foot is multi-colored and swollen, but I have a medal, a award trophy, and priceless memories. In a few days I should be pretty well healed.

I know without the help I received at the ART tent I wouldn't have had a successful race.

Thanks to all of the ART team in Kona, Hawaii. I know from the hundreds of athtletes who visited the ART tent last week that there are many stories of thanks.