there is a fine line between tough and crazy.

there is this video going around the internet of this high school senior. two weeks ago, she was running a x-country race and during the race, about 400 metres to go, her leg breaks. she keeps on going, and it breaks in several more places with about 200 metres left in the race. at about 45 feet from the finish, she falls, cannot get back up, and crawls to the finish where a race official picks her up and carries her to medical attention. she has since had several surgeries, and will doubtless have several more, to install rods & pins to stabilize her leg. she's hoping to return to school soon, on crutches -- she refuses to consider a wheelchair.

there is no doubt this girl is tough. i admire her. but, that doesn't necessarily mean i think others should follow suit. not everyone can withstand the pain of a shattered leg -- and with good reason. the pain is a signal to stop before things get worse. according to this young lady, the worst thing she could imagine was not finishing the race. many people would consider shattering an already broken leg in an attempt to finish the race worse than not finishing it.

but, to me -- this is worst thing: she completed the race in 20:24. that includes crawling 45 feet for a finish that's about 4 minutes faster than my personal best. i do have a high tolerance for pain... perhaps my legs are broken, and i don't even know it.