Just devastated

 Darrell, I won't go into the obvious about taking of yourself and your health.  That's already been said.  I will say just because you're not going to do this marathon doesn't mean that you can't do a marathon.  This is one of those....it's not the destination but the journey that matters things.  The victory is in the fact you CAN do a marathon.  That's what matters.

This should only be a temporary, minor setback.  Soon you'll be posting about your latest accomplishment and life will have gone on.  In the mean time take care of yourself, and your family.  Like the others have said, you and they are what really matters.

Duane

Ah, **** that just sucks.  I'm so sorry that it's being taken away from you when you are so close.  I think you have made the right decision &, in the future, when you do complete your first marathon - it will be even sweeter.  Good luck with all~

I get it.  Completely feel your pain and understand how upsetting this is.  That being said, the marathon does not even belong in the same sentence as the surgery.  Best of luck with the surgery.

Darrell,
My heart goes out to you, my friend!  But at the end of the day there will be a lot of other races.

Take care of yourself and your family.

Stay strong mentally!!

Your other brother Darrell

I feel your pain!

I'm registered for a 10 Mile run in April, and landed in the hospital requiring an emergency internal hernia repair on Dec 22.  In pre-op I was nagging the surgeon about making sure I was ready to be training NO LATER than February 1st.  The interns looked at me like a was a nut - lecturing my surgeon who stayed late to read my CT scan and get me into surgery ASAP before I perfed a bowel or worse.

I've been cleared for exercise, but a brisk 3 mile walk on Friday has me still sore today.  I will just go and do the best I can and hope I can make a good bounce back - and I will run my first 10 miler with you in my heart.  I hope I will be ready to finish for the both of us!

Sorry this has happened to you but hang in there.   You know it's best ... just make a new goal.  Pick a new race.  You will be good to go and not have lost much in your downtime.  

I'm actually afraid something like this is going to happen to me.  I have a bad abdominal wall failure that I'm holding out on repair for a tummy tuck at the same time.   I'm hoping no emergency arises and screws up my training and racing ... but if it does ... it's ok.  We have the rest of our life ahead of us as new healthy people.

Cheers.
Tom