Off the Trail Again

After a couple weeks running again, my Achilles was feeling better...but not great. I'd say it was about 75-80%; easy runs were fine, even on trails, but I could tell it wasn't ready to be pushed.

I planned on running Bloomsday last weekend, but the day before the race I felt some unusual bumps (very small) on the inside of my Achilles right where I was having all the pain in March. Just to be safe I popped in to see a doctor to make sure it wasn't a small tear or anything that would keep me from running Bloomsday.  The doctor (a sports medicine guy who does work with the WSU student-athletes) diagnosed it as tendinosis.  Basically, he said, it's worse than tendinitis - my tendon has degenerated - and I'm at an increased risk for a rupture.  Not good. He set me up with a new physical therapist that specializes in foot and ankle stuff for athletes.

So I skipped Bloomsday and stopped running again for a week. My appointment with the PT was yesterday, and the news was optimistic.  He said that I have a mild case of tendinosis, and that he expects that I'll likely make a full recovery. He also said that the injured area is higher than the usual risk area for rupture, so I'm not in the high risk category. 

The plan:

I'm leaving for Germany this week for a two week trip.  I won't be running the GutsMuths Rennsteiglaug ultramarathon. That's a bummer -- I've been having some sour luck with my international races the last couple years. Even if I was cleared to give it a shot, my training the last two months has been so low that it's not even worth calling it training, so I'm not in any shape to race a 45-mile trail course anyway.

I am allowed to run, but only on very flat surfaces, and - for now - no more than five miles every other day.  When we get back from Germany, I'll get an updated game-plan from my PT.  Man, it would be great to get some good news then.

Mentally, I'm preparing myself for a several month recovery.  Sounds like this Achilles - even if I get back to full speed - will be something I have to deal with the rest of my running career.  

With Sadie on Moscow Mt. a couple weeks ago

-Scott

On the Trail Again

I've been given the go-ahead by my physical therapist to start some light running again.  Finally. Four weeks off because of some annoying Achilles tendinitis had me a little stir crazy.  

In the last week, I've been on five easy runs ranging from two miles to ten miles.  The painful burning (tendinitis) is gone, but there is still some lingering tightness. 

I'm told that more massage and more light running with help loosen up the tightness.  So my fingers are crossed that I'll be up to full speed before I head off to Germany in a month. My catchphrase over the past week has been "cautiously optimistic." 

Here are a few photos from my Sunday run with Buzz and Sadie.

Keep running!

-Scott