I wouldn't do anything rash this early in your tri career. You've got time, race fees can be recovered or else it's a good donation to a great group of people, people always need vacations, etc. If your knee doesn't shape up give it time off. If your the sort of person who can go to a race and just take it easy and have fun then that might be an option (I am not one of those people). If your knee pain is muscle based, think about seeing a massage therapist. I had one take me from literally can't walk, or sit down in a chair (no joke) to easy light cycling in two days. I was doing back to back to back centuries on my bike and my quads weren't ready for that much stress and just knotted up.

To recap, don't give up yet, take it easy, and might just call this race a C due to training injury. Having this injury coming after a period of rest it sounds like it could just be soar muscles to me. I get very tight if I just punch out for a period of time without tapering down.

Lots of good advice above...Yes, it may be that this race may go down to "C" status...so what? It would still be good experience and it really is fun to take the watch off and just noodle a race.
The question you have to think about is this: Is this race worth the rest of my career? Racing hard on a questionable knee could cause problems you can't even imagine and lead to NO races next year, or the next...How long do you want to do this sport, or any sport for that matter? I meet folks all the time, young ones, who have blown out out a knee and now their exercise comes from poker.

I've iced and used anti-inflammatories. It usually feels better after a few days. I haven't done anything on it since Friday and today was the first day I could put pressure on it and it actually feels good. Problem is that's how it felt on Friday before I went on a run.

I'm not really the type to show up to a race and just take it easy, I tend to push myself. The second I have someone pass me on the bike or run I'll try to push it. I'm just a little too competitive. If it was a local race I would definitely just take the watch off and have fun. But knowing that my parents are flying to TX as well as friends driving down, yeah I'm pretty sure I would be pushing it.

I think Anton hit it on the head. Is this race worth the rest of my career? And no its not, I can look far enough in the future and realize that one race doesn't define me. I'm signed up for IMC 09 and that is my mega "A" race and I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize it.

I will also try and get as much money back or deferred as I can. I was in Baton Rouge on orders from NORTHCOM but that's not what injured my knee. I just don't think I eased back into it correctly. Good point on the flight insurance though, I'm kicking myself for not thinking about it.

Another wrench that has been thrown into the whole situation is that my landlord just informed us that he's facing foreclosure, so in the next 6 weeks we have to move out of our house, which means extra money and time for the move.

I appreciate all of the feedback, you guys bring up some good points. Triathlon doesn't just require endurance for the race but also for each season. I'm going to make sure that I'm healthy and ready for next season. I would hate to do permanent damage. Then I would end up just broke and out of shape, kind of like the Navy and Air Force :)

I have to get a jab in on the AF and Navy anytime I can :) That's great that you got your squadron involved in the half marathon. There's actually a lot of AF invloved in tri here on base.

I'm not going to try to cover all the questions you ask, you're a big boy, but I can say this;
Something similar happened to me 12 days from IMC in 2006.

If you decide to do the race 3 weeks from now DO NOT run another step from now until race day.
rest up and heal.
Consider it just a longer taper. Rest, rehab, and so on, and finish the race as best you can. Chances are that if you rest from now until then that you will be able to enjoy the day.
Try to push it now and no good will come of it.

Wrap it with an Ace bandage before you start the run leg just to remind you that you are injured. You'll get lots of sympathy from the crowd too.

best of luck,

PoC

Well, after all of the advice I ended up dropping the race. Not only do I have the knee issue but my landlord is facing foreclosure and I came home to a for sale sign in my front yard. So knowing that I wouldn't be at peak condition for the race and that I'm now going to spend more money moving into a different house I made the call to skip the race and focus on getting into the new house before the end of the month instead of waiting until after the race. I'm not exactly thrilled with the decision but life will go on. The sudden end to my race season will motivate me in the offseason to come back even stronger next year.

So instead of going on a long ride this Saturday I've got tickets to the Air Force/Utah football game and since I gave up beer this summer b/c of training I will have an ice cold 12 pack of Fat Tire to get me over the disappointment of not racing. But not to worry, Monday starts my offseason and I'm back to the grind.

Beads, we only make fun of the AF and Navy b/c it would just be stupid making fun of a Marine, kind of like those "Messing with Sasquatch" commercials.

And Longtall, we only make fun of the AF b/c we're jealous :)

The rep from EnduroSports says she can get me at least a partial if not full refund. My wife was suppose to call the airlines today. Their website states a $150 transfer fee (on a $180 dollar ticket), but my parents got a retro active $100 fee since their tickets were purchased a while ago, so we'll see.

Funny thing is that the only triahletes I know at work are Marines (active and retired). Sometimes I wish I could do a branch transfer, I've found that I get a long with Marines more than any other branch.

mmmm.... Fat Tire.... I've got beer on the brain since I picked up my tickets to TGWBF

Good luck with the house hunting and on getting your money back (which will help with finding a new house)