8/3/10 - Easy 3 Miles...easing back in...

3 Miles
20:55
7:20, 6:47, 6:47

On Monday, I got some recommendations and called up the MultiSport Health Center and got a 3:30 appt. All the nerves I felt were unfounded, as Dr. Leist came in, talked with me, asked me questions about the pain, when, where, how, etc. He took a look at my Achilles, did some "tests" to test strength, balance, flexibility and made his assessment. Long and short, it's going to require some Active Release Therapy (ART), exercises on my part, and (my favorite part) to keep running.

After therapy and stretching, he told me to run 2-3 miles, especially since that was the pain threshold it seemed my last time out running, a couple of times between visits. My next appt was scheduled for Friday, but I had to move it to the following week on Tuesday @ 3:30.

So, I got out this afternoon in the blazing heat for 3 easy miles. So that I didn't strand myself if the pain set in while out on the run, I opted against an out and back route, and just did the 1-mile loop right outside my place. I focused on, as odd as this sounds, regardless of discomfort, maintaining my stride as close to normal as possible. Didn't want to change footstrike, stride length, arm motion, etc. I wanted to run as normal as possible, so that if there was great discomfort or pain, I'd be able to accurately report back.

All in all, the discomfort was present, but not unbearable. I tried to put it in terms of my 2-a-days... would I be able to run 7-8-miles like this? The answer was definitely yes. It wouldn't have been fun to run feeling that way, but compared to Saturday, it was a pure delight to get 3-miles without it increasing into full-fledged PAIN.

I got in some stretching before having to head out the door for a long night at J # 2, where I was on my feet all day and fortunately felt no after-effects.

I know this is only one run, and I've only had one therapy session, but boy does this make the outlook seem just a little brighter. I can tell you that my habits, my attitude towards my running and towards the trials have all taken a hit. I'm having trouble getting my body back into the routine of being up early to do things...even though I'm not doing what I was before (running), I need to at least maintain the habit.

My mission this week is to get my body back into that routine. It won't be long till I'm able to get back to 2-a-day running, even if it's not 15-17-miles/day, but when I am cleared to start ramping up mileage, I'm going to start with 4 and 4, 5 and 5, 6 and 6 and so on until I'm back up to 8 and 8 regularly. To do that, though, my sleeping and other actions need to be in line with it.

Here's to hoping....