Back At It With a Smile on My Face

     This was my first week back running again in more months than I would like to think about right now:)  Even though I have to take it slow, really slow as far as mileage goes.  I am pretty happy with how it is all working out so far, and I'd like to share my week with ya.




Monday - 1/2 Mile Run - Only mild pain for the most part, had a few odd sharp pains in the feet but I believe those were just a few area's getting used to running again.
3 Reps of 10 with the tendon strengthening exercises.

Tuesday - 1 Mile Run - Again only mild pain with each left foot step.  Today was a hard day to force myself to stop at one mile, because the rest of me was feeling too good.  But I was good and stopped when I should have.
4 Reps of 10 with the tendon strengthening exercises.

Wednesday - 1 1/2 Mile Run - Mild pain to start, moderate pain in the middle, and mild pain by the end.  The pain was from work the previous night, not from the running itself. 
1 Rep of 10 tendon strengthening exercises.

Thursday - Rest day - But I worked, and unfortunately 10 hours of work has given me quite a sore tendon today.
No reps of tendon strengthening today, didn't want to push it with the other pain.

Friday - 2 Mile Run - Mild pain to start, it actually felt like the pain subsided a little each lap today as the tendon stretched out.  Little sluggish running in 100 degree temp, but still loved it!

Saturday - TBD - Likely will go 1-2 miles - It's all going to depend on any inflammation or pain.

Sunday - Will be a rest day.

(Note:  I am still icing my tendon 3-6 times a day for 15 minute intervals as needed for the pain/inflammation.  Additionally, taking Naproxin to keep the inflammation down from the hours working on it.  I've also been using Kinesio taping on my injured tendon - Jury is still out on if it actually is of any benefit or just a useless method...)

     So that is it!  Not very impressive but truthfully it doesn't really matter, the fact is I have been able to run which is better than not!  
My theory that the injury will not get worse by running (since I didn't injury it running) has proven correct, and so far no amount of running has made the inflammation or tendon pain worsen (luckily).

     Work, well that is another story.  I am attempting to do all I can to avoid working on it in ways that aggravate it so much...  Additionally, I am considering finding a different 2nd job.  I might suck up my pride and go back to Marketing or Advertising.. desk job.. Arghhh....

     The only downside, I have my appointment with the Specialist Monday.  He's highly recommended by the other Dr's I have previously seen, additionally he's a runner and specifically works with a lot of professional athletes.  (Just FYI I only trust doctors opinions who are runners themselves!)  
There is a chance when I meet with him, he may tell me to hold off on running for a bit longer.  I'll hate it, but I plan on listening (since I will be paying him a small fortune to advise me:)

Tendon injuries can last years or life if not treated properly, and at this point I have been off for so long I'd rather just get it healed and move on with my life and the things I love to do pain free!  So whatever he recommends I'll comply!  I plan on being a lifelong runner, I'm not going to ruin it by ripping apart the tendon.   

     I look forward to the day that I can take a step, or run and not have pain each time my left foot hits the ground:)  I know I sound like I am in a lot of pain, and yes it hurts.  But truthfully the pain has subsided extensively from a month ago, right now on a scale of 1-10 the pain is around a 2-3, whereas before it was at a steady 9 or 10.  So significant progress has been made!  What I have been doing therapy wise, has been working!

     One thing I know, when I start getting into higher miles.  I need to get used to getting my butt out of bed earlier in the morning again:)  This week I have been hitting the track at 9 or 9:30.. Which puts me at around 95+ degree temps and next weeks supposed to be 100-102... Yup, I've gotten a bit too lazy since I haven't had to get up to run and beat the heat:)  Oh well, I'll work on it!  Setting an alarm is the least of my problems at this point:)

Did you all have a great week or running?  

Have you ever had to take a long time off for injury?  Did you find it extremely difficult to hold back and take it easy to start with too?  

Do you want to take a guess at what the Specialist is going to tell me Monday:) 

HAPPY RUNNING ALL!  FOR THOSE RACING THIS WEEKEND, GOOD LUCK!

Running Again If Even Just Low Mileage

So I wasn't going to post anything about how this week was going until later on in the week,  This being my first real week of running in many months as I work through the end of this injury.  But I couldn't help it.  I just love running, and even though I have only run now 2 days, it just feels so great and makes me want to share!

I'll post a better review later in the week.  But lets just say, day one went pretty good I went exactly as far as I planned and no more.  Day two went even better.  I went just a little farther than planned, but I had a stopping point and I forced myself to go no more than that.  Pain has been mild, and only worse on the one day I worked.  Lot's of icing has all the swelling back down, so tomorrow morning should shape up to be another great running day!

I am using my injury as my guide.  If it hurts or starts to get worse I will back off or stop.  But if it stays the same or even improves, well then I am running!

I didn't get this injury from running, which I why I think I can get back into it again.  Even though my next Dr. Appt. with a Specialist isn't until July 1st.  We'll see what he says.  But I'm being smart so I am not worried!

Not sure if I ever mentioned this.  It was an injury I got at work.  Sometimes at the library I have to push heavy carts that weigh several hundred pounds, and that stretches things.  Well we all know to warm up before and stretch after exercise.  But it didn't occur to me to do that at work:)  Well lesson learned, guess sometimes you have to learn things the hard way.  
Don't get me wrong, I have been very depressed at times with this layoff of my favorite sport.  But I keep trying to tell myself that things happen for a reason.  Maybe there was a race I would have run, and wasn't supposed to, maybe something worse could have happened.  Who knows, and likely I never will.  But apparently this is the deck of cards I was dealt and not much I can do about it.

I am lucky though, most people with achilles tendinitis/bursitis injuries like this don't take the time off to heal or keep running on them and create a worse or lifelong problem.  The average time I have heard through the many runners I have asked is 6-8 months if you do things right.  1-3+ years if you don't let it heal.
Well I may have taken forever to do it right, I quit running, but I didn't quit working until about a month ago for a few weeks to let it heal.  It's made a load of difference!

Anyhow my run Tuesday morning felt great.  I had a few moments where I felt no pain and just for that short time I just enjoyed every step!
The hardest thing about being a distance runner is having to force yourself to only run a few short laps at a time.  Very hard!  Because your body remembers and wants to just go, but at the same time I have to use my head and say stop!

It's going to be a long recovery process, this I know.  But I don't care as long as I am running again!
I've gotten so out of shape from so many months off and that's just part of it.  
I think the hardest part will be getting my lungs back in shape again and my one knee that has some torn cartilage (which only bothers me when the muscles around it aren't strong...  But I'm not worried about it, especially since I have to get back at this so slowly)!!!  
But oh well, that is part of the fun of running and the experience of it all!  Fingers crossed the rest of the week keeps going great!