Behind The Scenes

ESPN anchor Sara Walsh gets the boot but plays through the pain

 

 

Astute viewers may have noticed ESPN anchor Sara Walsh wearing some rather un-fashionable footwear on-air this week.

“I tried to really take advantage of some great weather and I overdid it on the running and ended up with a stress fracture,” said Walsh, who returns to the expanded, Emmy Award-winning Fantasy Football Now beginning Sept. 9 on ESPN2 (Sundays, 11 a.m. ET). “Turns out sitting on the couch is the safest form of exercise.”

Fear not though, the injury will not sideline Walsh, who has been getting reps on NFL Live and NFL Kickoff in addition to her SportsCenter anchor duties.

Front Row chased down Walsh — it wasn’t too hard — to get an injury update.

ESPN’s Sara Walsh

What’s the prognosis? How long will you be in the walking boot?
At least two weeks, but just between us and NOT my doctor, that boot is coming off at the beach this weekend. I have standards.

You had knee injuries as a student-athlete – how does this injury compare?
This really doesn’t compare. I’ve fractured my foot before in college and just played through it for a few games. I actually considered running before I went in for the x-rays though, and therein lies my addiction to running.

Probably not ideal to have a bad wheel on the sprawling Bristol campus or, for that matter, working with some of the merry pranksters that populate ESPN?
I was wondering where the sympathy was for me when I had to park my car about three miles from the building. If it’s the middle of the day, it’s easier finding a spot in Times Square than on our campus! That boot is heavy and I was sweating like a marathoner by the time I got to the entrance.

Cris Carter and Darren Woodson had a good time on NFL Kickoff pointing at my stylish boot and making fun of me. Basically they wanted to see me run in my classy combo of boot and stiletto. I gave them my best Usain Bolt.

In the picture you tweeted (@Sara_Walsh) (above in gallery), we see a large bulldog — is he able to help you any way with your injury?
That’s my English Bulldog who is an enormous baby — unless you happen to be a potential intruder reading this. He was completely frightened by the boot when I walked in and wanted nothing to do with it. And really, he’s the one in the household that a little running wouldn’t hurt!

Very cool that Eric LeGrand tweeted at you, right?
I am good friends with Eric and he saw the picture on Twitter and reached out to ask what happened. He is the best and everyday teaches all of us we have nothing to complain about.

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