So if running has ever been a paralleled metaphor for life this just had to happen. The first week of training started off and sure enough I caught the edge of an office chair and rolled my left ankle again. I can't recall how many this makes it, but my left ankle has taken more than two dozen rolls and sprains. With that said I thought I'd reflect on my approach to training with a sprained ankle and offer some insight on what or what not to do. This is according to me with the DISCLAIMER: damn it I'm a runner not a doctor!
But................Luckily I know someone who is! Dr. Kotarski is a Naturopathic Doctor in Seattle's Ballard District. The first course of action was of course Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Having been down this path before I carry (2) ace bandages, (2) Mueller ankle braces, (1) Mueller knee brace, and several ibuprofen. The second course was a combination of three prescriptions that I can't pronounce so you'll have to check out her website.
The sprained ankle occurred on Friday with a scheduled 6 miler for Saturday. Nope, no go, I was hobbled. So I set in motion my plans for cross training and core work that did not involve pounding my feet against the pavement. Simple sit-ups, leg lifts from the floor, push-ups, and alot of stretches. I will most likely be adding Yoga which will also be a first for me, but that might have to be another post. I started looking for a new bicycle as well so I could continue working on my leg condition and anaerobic conditioning.
Sunday I actually had full movement of my ankle so all wrapped up we went for a hike up in the hills. Surprisingly I made the 4 mile hike with no problem and was able to enjoy the views I normally pass by on my runs. So by Tuesday I had schemed that I was all patched up and ready to go. I decided after work I would try my regular after work run and see how I could do. I have been using Queen Anne for hill training and I figure two or three miles with those hills will be worthy of a workout and keep the pounding on my ankle to a minimum. I was able to complete my runs but they were short, two on Tuesday and my ankle was sore, four on Wednesday and I felt ok, three on Thursday and felt great so I completed an eight miler on Saturday around Lake Youngs.
This was probably not a recommended approach but I do not sit still very well. This ankle sprain recovery was the fastest I have ever experienced and I thought I should put that out there for anyone trying to recover from that blast of defeat you feel when you fall on your ass in pain hearing ligaments tearing apart in your ankle.
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Coast to Coast
I started blogging without really understanding how to blog. This is my attempt to rectify this and consolidate my posts under one heading. My first was an infrequent posting during training for the my first marathon. I have started training for another and remembered writing about the first when several comparisons struck me. It has been two years since the first marathon and much has changed. In this, I will be more flexible with topics (random as they may be), more attentive to posting, and full of pictures instead of too many words and wit.
Since starting the first blog and training for the Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon we have had several amazing changes. A successful first marathon is one in which you cross the finish line. For those that followed the First 26 or went back in time on me, Jessie and I manged to stick it out together and complete the grueling course that put us on the freeway completely exposed to 20 mile per hour head on wind at the 20 mile mark. We crossed with smiles on our face with a 4:15 engraving on the reverse of our finishers medal!
Since that time we have been married, ran many more races and moved across the country. In between this marathon and the last was a very interesting one. Tybee Run Fest! for those of you who have been to Tybee Island and for those of you who haven't, this is a race everyone should attempt. It's 26.2 miles in total broken down into "manageable" chunks. What seemed like a great idea turned out to be be more difficult than the whole 26. Dividing up 26.2 miles into a 5k night run, a 10k morning run, half marathon just after the 10k, 2.8 mile beach run ( yes if the tide is high you will be in soft shifting sand or up to your knees in water), followed by a 1 mile "sprint" ( I was reduced to shuffling by this point) Check it out for yourself though critztybeerun .
We married and of course our wedding day centered around what???... a 5k race of course. The Glen Iris 5K, with proceeds going to the local library, which coincidentally was where we met in Savannah. Now this wasn't some bride running in her gown, this is running, we had running shirts made up and the wedding party all ran along with friends and family. No not together, this is RUNNING, we raced. Both mothers took first and the bride took third in respective age groups.
So back to training........ SEATTLE!!!!!!!!! Rock n Roll!! (Today is Super Bowl Sunday by the way so GO HAWKS!!!!) Once again this is turning into a family gathering and we can't wait! It's definitely a running thing! Whenever we travel we search out a great run or race, it's just a fun way to run on vacation with a bunch of strangers on closed streets and you can't get lost.
Now running in Washington is not like every other place. One mile run may equal one mile rise. But as I intend to document here, this is going to be fun. We trained before in the heat and now there is frost on the ground. I use to get up at 4:45 to beat the heat and now I wait until the temperature has raised above 40F. I'm starting this training schedule with a sprained ankle. Rolled it right at the first weekend of training so lets hope this is a fluke. I had some acupuncture immediately after which was a first for me. Since Washington allows Naturopathic Medicine, I had some needles poked in me and I must say, I have never recovered so well from a sprain. I'm ever the skeptic so I must say I definitely feel the difference.
So, enough with the boring. Lets run this place!
Since starting the first blog and training for the Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon we have had several amazing changes. A successful first marathon is one in which you cross the finish line. For those that followed the First 26 or went back in time on me, Jessie and I manged to stick it out together and complete the grueling course that put us on the freeway completely exposed to 20 mile per hour head on wind at the 20 mile mark. We crossed with smiles on our face with a 4:15 engraving on the reverse of our finishers medal!
Since that time we have been married, ran many more races and moved across the country. In between this marathon and the last was a very interesting one. Tybee Run Fest! for those of you who have been to Tybee Island and for those of you who haven't, this is a race everyone should attempt. It's 26.2 miles in total broken down into "manageable" chunks. What seemed like a great idea turned out to be be more difficult than the whole 26. Dividing up 26.2 miles into a 5k night run, a 10k morning run, half marathon just after the 10k, 2.8 mile beach run ( yes if the tide is high you will be in soft shifting sand or up to your knees in water), followed by a 1 mile "sprint" ( I was reduced to shuffling by this point) Check it out for yourself though critztybeerun .
We married and of course our wedding day centered around what???... a 5k race of course. The Glen Iris 5K, with proceeds going to the local library, which coincidentally was where we met in Savannah. Now this wasn't some bride running in her gown, this is running, we had running shirts made up and the wedding party all ran along with friends and family. No not together, this is RUNNING, we raced. Both mothers took first and the bride took third in respective age groups.
So back to training........ SEATTLE!!!!!!!!! Rock n Roll!! (Today is Super Bowl Sunday by the way so GO HAWKS!!!!) Once again this is turning into a family gathering and we can't wait! It's definitely a running thing! Whenever we travel we search out a great run or race, it's just a fun way to run on vacation with a bunch of strangers on closed streets and you can't get lost.
Now running in Washington is not like every other place. One mile run may equal one mile rise. But as I intend to document here, this is going to be fun. We trained before in the heat and now there is frost on the ground. I use to get up at 4:45 to beat the heat and now I wait until the temperature has raised above 40F. I'm starting this training schedule with a sprained ankle. Rolled it right at the first weekend of training so lets hope this is a fluke. I had some acupuncture immediately after which was a first for me. Since Washington allows Naturopathic Medicine, I had some needles poked in me and I must say, I have never recovered so well from a sprain. I'm ever the skeptic so I must say I definitely feel the difference.
So, enough with the boring. Lets run this place!
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