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Healing-it seems to be a constant in my running life.
Healing from morton’s neuroma surgery, healing from broken ankles, healing from
fractures, healing from all of the overuse injuries of tendonitis and
inflammation. Well, here I am again,
healing from another broken ankle.
Mid July I was out for a short 4 mile run preparing for
Voyageur 50 Mile Trail Run. As I was happily running through the 95F heat and
humidity in the bright afternoon sun and being devoured by deer flies, I
stepped into a hole. It was covered by long grass and I never even saw it. I
had run this path 10000s of times. I
felt my leg collapse and my foot went deep into the 8” hole. I heard my ankle
pop and everything went black as I fell to the ground. A deer fly bit me in the
lip as I lay upon the ground, wondering what the hell just happened.
After a few minutes I tried to get up and fell back down. I
waited a few more minutes. The deer flies were everywhere, I had to get back
up. I made my way vertical and hobbled out the ankle, looking at the immediate swelling. I was 4 miles from my car. I tried to run out of there. Ugh.
Voyageur in 10 days and Superior 100 in a few months - that is all that I could think
about.
Had I been warned throughout the year that this was going to
happen: my sudden cold turning into double pneumonia, unable to attend Three
Days of Syllamo, unable to run Black Hills 50 M as dad was hospitalized the
night before? I was healthy and in great shape, I thought. Now not running Voyageur? Eventually not
running Superior 100? Not running Surph the Murph. All of the entries I had purchased. I’m so good at
ignoring warnings. Unfortunately. When I
thought about the warnings they became so clear: weakness in my ankles,
hobbling down the stairs, ignoring the pain of yet another neuroma, nerve pain
and numbness in both feet, unable to bend my knees past 90 degrees, cutting
open my shoes to allow more room for inflammation. Same old. Again. Crossing that line.
I had told myself I didn't want to be afraid of becoming injured. I told myself that I had stayed true to the 50K plan the previous year. I ran 6 50Ks, never going over that distance. I told myself I no longer wanted to 'fear' 100 mile training, I just needed to do it again. It had been a few years since my last finish.
I had told myself I didn't want to be afraid of becoming injured. I told myself that I had stayed true to the 50K plan the previous year. I ran 6 50Ks, never going over that distance. I told myself I no longer wanted to 'fear' 100 mile training, I just needed to do it again. It had been a few years since my last finish.
Azitala Yoga
Volunteering @ Voyageur instead of running
I went to the clinic a few days later and learned I had in
fact broke the bone. I was put into a boot for 10 weeks. No weight bearing
exercise, no driving ( not able to volunteer at Superior 100) no swimming, no biking. I was able to sit and practice chair yoga and
to sit and work upper body in the weight room. That was it. I learned patience. I found myself back to a
daily yoga practice, mediation, journaling, volunteering at races, church and prayer.
Now 4 months out from my injury I am able to practice yoga
daily without pain, I can lift and run. I am running 3 times a week: my Monday
evening run with Heather and Amy, a solo run Saturday and Sunday, not more than 6 miles at a time. I find that
this is enough for now. The distance will come. I am lifting 3-4 times weekly, putting on
muscle. I am going to Yoga Teacher Training beginning in
January to April and May to October. I
went to the Boreal Bliss Yoga Retreat a few weeks ago, it was SO wonderful.
I
am taking each day as it comes, grateful to God that I am healing, grateful that I am again healthy.
