So.....now.....what?

So: Like any good prize fighter who retires from their sport of boxing, only to come out of retirement for more money - I too have come out of blog-writing retirement for the lure of a big payday.  However, the only $$$ payday I see in the immediate horizon is a little known, and not often consumed, candy bar - that I have no interest in eating.  When suffering through a forced 6 week layoff from running I was faced with an option / choice - consider becoming a competitive eater, or, bide my time, eat smart and when I get cleared to run again - then do so, albeit carefully and gradually.  A challenge, but possible to do.

Now: when the results of an MRI came back almost a month ago - and contradicted what 2 doctors had said: Likely a torn tendon (5 to 6 months to heal, including surgery) - but hope for a stress fracture (cause that is only 2 to 3 months).  MRI results said a lot of funky Latin words describing tendons, bones, nerves, and other doctor stuff - but they said no tears and no breaks.  The docs said get running whenever I feel like I can, but be careful, smart and don't overdo it.

What: My first run was 2 very slow miles on the treadmill, that came about a week after several times on a stationary bike and elliptical.  During and after the run, the ankle was tender, but no worse feeling.  I took a few more days off and then 3 weeks ago I managed to string together a 20 mile week, almost all of it on a treadmill.  My last run of that week I ventured onto a trail.  My ankle didn't like the lateral side movement, so I was very careful about that.  I survived though.  And now I am up and running, not fast, but I am running again, and loving it.  My ankle is about 95% healed and getting better each day.  This week for the first time - it has not hurt while running on it - just mild pain when I touch it.  So: I don't touch it, or twist it.  My right knee is giving me some grief but after a chiropractic adjustment on it yesterday, realigning a bone with the kneecap - that feels better today too.

Each successive week I have increased mileage 5 miles per week and after this Saturday I will have run 35 miles this week - including a lap of the Falcon Trail on the Air Force Academy - a 13 mile trail run with about 1400' of gain.   I'll look to continue to increase another 5 miles in the upcoming weeks, maxing out at a 50 mile week, with a few less mile weeks in there to help recovery. Trying to run smart is a challenge to not overdo it, but so far, so good.

It's good to feel the burn in the quads and calves again.  It's good to run.