Week Fourteen

If being stressed counted as exercise, I'm so ready to run a marathon, like, tomorrow!

But since it doesn't, I must admit to being alarmingly behind in both my training and my fundraising.


I no longer need physical therapy, but my ankles are still giving me a good bit of trouble. I'm not sure what to do about it - I have an elastic brace that is extremely uncomfortable and I can't see that it helps much if at all. I have a larger/bulky brace that has solid supports in it and keeps my ankle from wobbling nicely, but I can't fit both the brace and my orthopedics in my running shoes, and the brace has some elastic that sits under the arch of my foot and pulls on the arch when I run, throwing off my stride *roll eyes* I go on long walks without the brace, and the ankle feels weak and sore but I haven't rolled or otherwise hurt it. I believe going without the brace whenever safely possible will help strengthen the muscle/tendons/etc. but I'm still nervous about running on it without a brace. I think I need to learn how to tape it properly, and see if I can find real sports brace, I'm thinking the lace up kind, that doesn't pull on the arch (like the one pictured in my previous post).


Otherwise been a good week. Spending a good bit of time on the stationary bike at home, finally have things sorted out so I have access to the gym after hours, and I discovered a very pleasant new jogging route close to my neighborhood (except I'm forced to run on the roads because there are so many pine cones on the sidewalks *boo, hiss!* Grenade shaped land mines!)

Catching Up...

I think my current life is tainted with retribution for having been exceptionally graceful in a previous life... So I had a pulled muscle, and this was bad because it was the same muscle I pulled less than a year earlier. My Dr. and Physical Therapist agreed that I could and should continue running, just tone it back to about 3-4 miles; my first day back on the roads I promptly twisted my ankle. It wasn't too bad and 2-3 days later I was doing something around the house without my brace on and was reaching for something up on tip-toe, and rolled it. Little over a week later I'd been wearing my brace diligently, and been working out at the gym without mishap and was thought it was safe to wear cute shoes and go without my brace for a day because I was visiting relatives and not doing anything strenuous that would put my ankle in danger. Until much later that evening, I was leaving Barnes & Noble, and it had been raining out all afternoon/evening and the parking lot had several small lakes and I couldn't get to my car without going through one of them. My feet slid around in my now squelching wet shoes, and I rolled my ankle again. *exasperated sigh*

At this rate, because my training time and distances have been so limited due to injury, I'm beginning to wonder if I will be able to finish the marathon, or have to back down to the half. I'm stubborn enough I'd run on it anyway - and be the last one to come crawling across the finish line 7-8 hours later - but if I do that, the odds are VERY good I'll do semi-permanent damage... not sure what to do, and the cold weather doesn't help my disposition much (it may not be 30 degrees below with snow drifts and ice everywhere, but it's certainly cold enough to be unpleasant running outdoors).

On the up side it has be a very pleasant Holiday season for me. Despite being a little on the shy side I've made enough friends and family of friends have adopted me so that I'm not terribly lonely or homesick this fist Christmas away from my family or origin. I shall miss my family and friends back in MN very much, especially Kelli's annual Caroling Party, but I'll be back for a visit soon!!