July 2021 was the fall, spring 2021 was the peak. After using the pandemic’s WFH and travel less time to build running I managed to kick ass in the first quarter of the year running times I hadn’t seen since my 30s. We got a cabin in April up in Blue Ridge near the Benton MacKaye trail and I found a local 3 mile up and back section with a great view to trail run.
Then it happened. Down hill on the trail at PR time and my right foot rolled. I fell hard and the heat in my ankle was burning. I continued out of ego and made it to the bottom but it swelled like a balloon. I later recalled jumping off of the truck bed and a burn in my ankle and have memory of that being not quite right. Then again running in VA it just kept rolling. I should have gone to a doctor but didn’t.
What happened? Well it all came back, work got stressful and I didn’t find other exercises- I just stopped. Work picked up and I began to stress eat. In 12 months I had gained all the weight back and then some. Now I’m more than I’ve ever been and it’s disturbing.
Even hiking is hard. I tried to do my annual trek on the AT and had to abort because the pain in my right foot was immense. Now I had arch pain and it was so debilitating that I couldn’t walk for a day. Just hung out at the cabin and RICE. That was a scene – called my neighbor in Blue Ridge and he came and got me
Last month I finally went to a podiatrist. Initial decision was to do PT and strengthen my ankle. Did get an MRI and there is scarring on my ligaments which likely means they are stretched. And a bone spur in my Arch. He want’s to sell me a $450 shoe insert. And said that my foot is leaning in. He also said we don’t worry about bone spurs but I think that’s an issue too. Anyway – My PT professional is fantastic. Christine is patient and fun, getting my ankle stronger and hopefully I can continue. She recommended a drug-store insert to start and I can always get those super feet ones at running stores. I also switched back to Saucony – a pair I had abandoned for my Adidas for now but will get wider soled shoes.
First and foremost I need to find a path to health with better eating. I’m walking and jogging again – not going to run hard for a while. Gotta drop the weight though.