DNS or risk heartbreak?
I'm signed up for Omaha 70.3 as my first half ironman (done 3 Olympic distances in the past and multiple half marathons.) We are 18 days out. Training was going great into week 12/18 - consistent 6 days a week training, solid bricks on Saturday, and up to 10 miles runs on Sunday.
I was feeling really confident overall until my Achilles just revolted. Its not a true rupture or full tear, just tendonitis, but the kind that's visibly swollen and makes even walking up and down stairs miserable.
After a month of PT, dry needling, shock wave (voodoo magic that somehow works) and rest, I'm just now getting back to running a 5K. I've been able to crank up my swimming as a way to maintain whatever cardio I've built, but it's not the same. I'm 32F and stuff just doesn't heal like it used to.
I have 18 days till race day and just broke down crying last night because I can't decide what to do. I feel faced with this impossible decision of just giving up now and salvaging travel/hotel costs or continuing to train however I can with the risk of getting even more heartbroken the closer we get if I don't heal in time or, worse, DNF the day of. I'm less worried about rupturing my Achilles totally during the race (though that is always a small possibility) and more just not being able to cross the finish line. (We are too close to race day to defer and there is also no other race within driving distance for me, so this feels like my one shot.) I've been a runner for years and its my strongest sport, so to feel like this comfort zone has been taken away and has really shook me.
If you were in my shoes, what would you do?
UPDATE: thank to everyone and the very thoughtful responses!!! I’m selfishly glad to see there wasn’t a clear consensus. Right now, I’m planning on asking Ironman if I can transfer to another race in the 1% chance they will let me and I buy myself more time but more likely, I plan to let this race go. Sucks to lose the entry fee but there’s an unbranded almost 70.3 within an hour drive in late July. Better to heal now, avoid the 7 hour drive and worse injury, and try again later.