What’s next?

A quick update before I dive into “what’s next”:

It’s been just about 3 months since my surgery.  The doctor said it would be 6 weeks before I was good, and three months before I was real good.  I wrote that down so I would remember it correctly.  So am I “real good”?

I am able to run and bike without any pain.  I have some discomfort on my long swims or kick sets, but nothing that would make me stop.  My ankle is stronger today than pre-injury, but I still come up a bit short when it comes to flexibility.  I could work on that, but I think forcing the flexibility could cause more problems that it solves.

Am I real good?  I’m not sure, but I am sure that I’m good enough!

In two weeks I’m going to do my first triathlon in over a year, a sprint.  I didn’t say “just a sprint” because to me it is much more than that.  Not only is it the next leg in my journey back, but it is also the first race I had to cancel due to my injury.  Needless to say I suspect it will be an emotional race.

This race is special:  I’m a sweeper, meaning I (and a group of other runners) will be doing the run leg carrying the US and service flags.  I’m going to be carrying the Navy flag in honor of my friend Chris “Doc” Goehner.  It’s going to be an awesome finish, one I hope the crowd appreciates as much as I appreciate the honor of carrying the flag!

The question I have, and a race day decision I suspect, is whether I will do the entire race on my own, and then run it again, carrying the flag with the rest of the guys.  I change my mind daily on what to do, and probably will again half a dozen times before I commit one way or the other.  Whatever I decide to do I’d bet that I cross the line smiling!

Last year in review

I haven’t posted an update in 10 months.  I knew time was ticking, but just couldn’t find it in me to write.  Looking back over my last few posts I can see why:  too much uncertainty and nothing good to say.  It’s funny to me to go back and read what I did write.  I wonder if all of our lives would look differently retrospectively?  So here’s what happened in short:

Around mid-June 2012 I fell off a ladder.  I ended up tearing multiple ligaments and fracturing a key bone.  I call it key because it absorbs a lot of the impact when you run.  I went through 2 months in a removable cast and another two in a splint.  I did a couple of months of rehab, and after 6 months was finally ready to run.

Running was painful.  After several months of rehab, trying to run, and waiting I ended up having surgery to remove scar tissue and clean up the ankle.  I’m now  approaching the 3 month mark where I am supposed to be “really good”.  That is relative.  Compared to pre-injury it isn’t accurate, but compared to pre-surgery it is true.  Only time will tell how good it gets.

Before surgery, I think it was while I was waiting for an appointment with the surgeon, I snuck in a race, a duathlon.  I was very out of shape and ended up walking a couple of times on the last run.  I was certainly less than satisfied with my performance, but I was using an old measuring stick.  It’s time for a new one!

I’ve been working with a new coach – who is taking things slowly and cautiously.  She is also focusing a lot of time working on core strength and flexibility, something I’ve never done before.  I still do a lot of rehab exercises, because I want both ankles to be stronger than pre-injury to hopefully prevent this level of injury from happening again.

I don’t have a lot going on this year – it is devoted to building base and preparing for next year.  I have signed up for three races:  a triathlon (more about that later), a 10K in the mountains of Colorado, and another duathlon in AZ.

I think I’ll leave it at that as it gives me something to write about in the future.  For now it’s time to wrap this up and get to my rehab!

Patience.  I must be patient in my recovery and hopefully anyone reading will continue to have patience with my writings.