I finally feel somewhat back to normal. Well, "normal" is relative, because I've never really been "normal". More like that weird chick that says odd things at the wrong time. Yeah, that's me.
But, I'm so happy to say that I've now been on SEVEN runs. Whoaaaa. Yes, seven. THIS makes me feel like my normal self. Happier. More energetic. Less anxious. I'm still kinda dealing with that stubborn staph thing, and my throat is still slightly recovering, but being able to run, even just the three to four miles I've been covering, makes EVERYTHING okay. What running does to my body and mind is truly amazing, and I'm so grateful for it.
I plan to keep my miles low and at recovery effort/pace for a while. This is to both baby my foot/ankle in coming back and to build a strong base, as the longer amount of time spent building the foundation, the higher the peak in the long run...pun intended.
So, here's what I'm doing. Like I mentioned, I haven't run more than four miles yet, right around 8:00 pace. I basically run a set distance for three days straight, then take a day off, then bump up one mile the next day, then bump back down a mile the next day, before bumping back up to that one more mile for three days in a row. Did you follow that? Because I'm not sure I even did... Yeah, so, basically, I'm running to a mileage threshold. Once I'm confident my foot/ankle is ready at that mileage, I move on...
Lotssss of strengthening. The minute I get back from running, I do calf raises on my stairwell, towel curls with my toes, dorsal and plantar flexion stretches, and then I get frozen cauliflower ice right on that sucker. Okay, but seriously, Cooper eats a bag of frozen cauliflower every day. Our freezer is overflowing with that mess... weird. Is this normal??
Mm k. So what else. What's been discovered is that my ankles, especially my problem foot/ankle, are extremely hyper mobile, which means, well, I'm messed up. My ankles can stretch so far to the inside that it looks like they may snap off. So yeah, that's not normal (I told you I wasn't normal). This is basically a structural issue that I just need to learn to manage (baby what my mama gave me). My hip and glut area is also very weak and tight though (yeah, yeah, tight ass...), which can also be contributing to my foot/ankle issues. So, with a PT, I'm having dry needling done on my hip/glut, trigger point therapy on my calves, and massage done to my foot with a graston-like tool that helps break up inflammation/scar tissue. I'll also continue with ART therapy, and I have a nighttime regimen of resistance band exercises (monster walks, side steps, leg raises, squats; etc. blah blah).
So yeah, this is all a lot, but I'm focused on getting it under control so I can really get back out there as I wish. I'm sure all of this mess will get old after a while; it's sooooo easy to neglect stretching/strengthening; etc. post-run in favor of heading to the fridge for some chocolate and wine, BUT, it's super important. So far all is feeling good, and it's fun being able to look forward to my next 26.2 again.
So, that's that! I'm happy and healthy and hope you are too. I'm very appreciative for all the support over the past weeks. Runners ARE. THE. BEST!
Happy Running!
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