Well, against doctors orders I went out for a run today. I was told if I *must* run to only run a mile. Oops. But really, I can't spend more time donning wool pants, beanie, sports bra, jacket, headphones, headlamp, compression sleeves, and running shoes to spend less time running than getting dressed. Oh, and it was all black. I suck at this road running thing.
The big question everyone is wondering is, how does it feel compared to Bryce? Bryce I was lucky enough to sprain an ankle 10 miles into a 100 miler, this time it was 10 days before. The area, type, and level of sprains are different. With Bryce pain was minimal for 50 miles but every step felt off, like it was just a bit out of place, and I spent hours focusing on form hoping to refrain from limping. This time pain was immediate. Tonighy however it was simply a little tender. Each landing/push off I could feel all the little muscles, tendons, and ligaments working in perfectly orchestrated movements- nothing was out of place or moving wrong. After a half mile the tenderness was gone.
That said, if I roll this over a rock, land wrong, or re-sprain it just once during the white rim it's going to hurt like no other and likely put me out. So, perfect landings are on the schedule! Since just doing ROM stretches I can slip my talus out of place (so unstable) I need to be careful.
I needed that run. I was going crazy. Not being able to cross-train (too close to 100 miler) and not being able to run... Mentally I needed it. Physically too. I think of an old physical therapist who loved to send me (injured) out running because I'd always come back better. She'd laugh, because that's not the way things are supposed to work, and say simply "your body really loves running."
Sure hope so. I get to do a lot of it soon!
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