Breaking Away

I guess its good to be well-mineralized.

Though it reminds me of how my dad used to call me a "rock-head".

Glad its good news!

Michael Enright wrote:I guess its good to be well-mineralized.

Though it reminds me of how my dad used to call me a "rock-head".

Glad its good news!

Two more days and I'll try getting around without this accursed brace on my leg. It throws off ... well, pretty much everything.

I think you should just get another that matches for the left foot, and wearing both you might start a new footwear trend - the fashionistas in NYC would be paying top dollar for those!

Michael Enright wrote:I think you should just get another that matches for the left foot, and wearing both you might start a new footwear trend - the fashionistas in NYC would be paying top dollar for those!

Either that, or the Galactic Empire...

Glad things seem to be improving and that there was no break. Interesting learning the history of your foot. Another example of what is considered "evidence based" at the time changes with other evidence coming into view. What is amazing to me is the ability of the human body to adapt in spite of what is thrown at it.



At any rate, hope you're back on the trails soon!

Mark B wrote:

Michael Enright wrote:I think you should just get another that matches for the left foot, and wearing both you might start a new footwear trend - the fashionistas in NYC would be paying top dollar for those!

Either that, or the Galactic Empire...

What's that quote? "I find your lack of faith disturbing." Perfect!

I think you may be on to something - the anti-minimalist footwear movement! Sketchers could even make a butt-toning version.....

jon c wrote:Glad things seem to be improving and that there was no break. Interesting learning the history of your foot. Another example of what is considered "evidence based" at the time changes with other evidence coming into view. What is amazing to me is the ability of the human body to adapt in spite of what is thrown at it.

At any rate, hope you're back on the trails soon!

Thanks, Jon! I had a PT tell me once that the human body can accommodate a wide variety of dysfunction before it breaks down. If you think about it, it's totally logical. If members of our species had to be physiologically "perfect" to survive, we'd never have made it this far.

There's probably a bigger life lesson in that somewhere about the fundamental balance of "what you've got" vs. "what you do with it"... but that's grist for another conversation.

Michael Enright wrote:What's that quote? "I find your lack of faith disturbing." Perfect!

Well, that and the *thump* *thump* *thump* noise I make when I walk.

John Kilpatrick wrote:I think you may be on to something - the anti-minimalist footwear movement! Sketchers could even make a butt-toning version.....

Eeek! Anti-minimalist? Perish the thought! Though I am working my glutes a lot trying to keep from toppling over in this thing.

Sorry about the ankle but glad it's not broken! I hope the swelling continues to subside and you're up and running around comfortably soon!

Julie wrote:Sorry about the ankle but glad it's not broken! I hope the swelling continues to subside and you're up and running around comfortably soon!

Thanks, Julie! I'm testing the foot/ankle without the boot (or a mega-dose of Vitamin I) this morning to see how it goes. There's a little discomfort and some crunching going down the stairs, but that might just be because it was locked in the boot for so long. We'll see.

Running, I'm afraid, is not going to be happening immediately.

Rest. Recover. Come back stronger.

The boot makes a nice fashion statement, though.

Ken Mello wrote:Rest. Recover. Come back stronger.

The boot makes a nice fashion statement, though.

Thanks, Ken. And a very good idea. I'm not 100% sure that I'm done with the boot yet. The ankle is still pretty stiff, and I'm getting some pain radiating around the outside edge of my foot, right in that area where the 5th metatarsal connects with the cuboid in the tarsometatarsal joint area.

Required visual aids:





The opportunities for possible injury in that part of the foot are just stunning.

Now, if I wasn't in an HMO, I suspect they would have given me an MRI by now. The doctor said one wasn't really necessary... because the indication of soft tissue damage will be if the injury heals slowly. Now, I can understand that perspective (MRIs aren't cheap, after all, and this is managed care), but a part of me would really like to know if I've screwed myself over for the next few months. Ah well, I guess time will tell.

I got to add another name to the list of virtual running friends I've finally met in person.

Today, Clark Wierda (aka, Traveller), passed through town on a huge drive through the West. We had lunch together at a local restaurant overlooking the Columbia River and chatted for a couple of hours. It's always great to see people whose training you've been following from afar.

Alita snapped this photo before he headed off on his way:



Safe travels, Clark!

Day 2 Post Boot

One upside of having the boot off is that I get more chances to ice the foot and ankle. Hopefully that will help speed up the process.

The downside is that it's a bit sore. Of course, I stopped taking 600mg of ibuprofin every six hours at the same time I took off the boot, so that's not a surprise.

I can walk on it, with a little discomfort, but I can tell I won't be running on it anytime soon. Still too raw feeling.

Just catching up here and sorry to hear about this set back with injury. Seems you are doing what you can to come back healthy. Stay the course best wishes as you repair yourself.

sounds quite painful! I hope the extra icing helps.

How are you holding up mentally not being able to run for awhile?

Kenny B. wrote:Just catching up here and sorry to hear about this set back with injury. Seems you are doing what you can to come back healthy. Stay the course best wishes as you repair yourself.

Thanks, Kenny. I have to be patient. I know that pushing it too fast at this point will only delay recovery.

Julie wrote:sounds quite painful! I hope the extra icing helps.

How are you holding up mentally not being able to run for awhile?

So far, so good, Julie. I've worked past most of the panic stage of getting hurt in the first week of a marathon training cycle, but I'm still antsy not knowing how much training I'm going to be missing. I'm doing the Tecumseh Trail Marathon in December, so I need to get back to hills and trails as soon as I'm able. To do that, this foot/ankle has to be not only fixed, but strong.

Don't push things, Mark and let that foot heal. You really won't lose much at all, but if you go back to fast, you'll lose a lot more.

Michele "1L" Keane wrote:Don't push things, Mark and let that foot heal. You really won't lose much at all, but if you go back to fast, you'll lose a lot more.

That's a very good point, Michele. Especially since my training for Tecumseh involves pushing my feet and ankles in ways they've never been pushed before. Lots and lots of hills (up and down) and lots of trail work. If I make it through this process intact, I'll be the better for it.

Mark B wrote:

Michele "1L" Keane wrote:Don't push things, Mark and let that foot heal. You really won't lose much at all, but if you go back to fast, you'll lose a lot more.

That's a very good point, Michele. Especially since my training for Tecumseh involves pushing my feet and ankles in ways they've never been pushed before. Lots and lots of hills (up and down) and lots of trail work. If I make it through this process intact, I'll be the better for it.

Yep very good advice for Michele, just let it take it's course Mark. I am glad to hear you have the boot off.

Now I'm not an expert but I'm not sure how much ice is going to help at this point. You might want to look into using something like Traumeel which should help with any inflammation but also help with muscle and joint pain.

Normally I'm a fan for ice when an injury first happens to help keep swelling down. After that it is blood flow that helps heal an injured area. My take on from what I have read and knowledge of what I have done for past injuries is that I want as much blood flow as possible to the area to help heal the injured site.

Also from my looking into it with feet stress fractures the feet take longer to heal due to blood taking longer to travel to that area, so I would say you might want to use a heating pad to help promote blood flow to the area.

I think it is great that you are off the 600mg ibuprofin sure it is good to take away pain but the pain you feel is from blood flow to the injured site. I stopped take ibuprofin a long time ago. As long as you can stand a little pain I'm willing to beat if you increase blood flow to the site of the injury you will heal much faster.

Again I can be wrong but just my 2 cents, do some research on it and see what you find.

Schuey wrote:

Mark B wrote:

Michele "1L" Keane wrote:Don't push things, Mark and let that foot heal. You really won't lose much at all, but if you go back to fast, you'll lose a lot more.

That's a very good point, Michele. Especially since my training for Tecumseh involves pushing my feet and ankles in ways they've never been pushed before. Lots and lots of hills (up and down) and lots of trail work. If I make it through this process intact, I'll be the better for it.

Yep very good advice for Michele, just let it take it's course Mark. I am glad to hear you have the boot off.

Now I'm not an expert but I'm not sure how much ice is going to help at this point. You might want to look into using something like Traumeel which should help with any inflammation but also help with muscle and joint pain.

Normally I'm a fan for ice when an injury first happens to help keep swelling down. After that it is blood flow that helps heal an injured area. My take on from what I have read and knowledge of what I have done for past injuries is that I want as much blood flow as possible to the area to help heal the injured site.

Also from my looking into it with feet stress fractures the feet take longer to heal due to blood taking longer to travel to that area, so I would say you might want to use a heating pad to help promote blood flow to the area.

I think it is great that you are off the 600mg ibuprofin sure it is good to take away pain but the pain you feel is from blood flow to the injured site. I stopped take ibuprofin a long time ago. As long as you can stand a little pain I'm willing to beat if you increase blood flow to the site of the injury you will heal much faster.

Again I can be wrong but just my 2 cents, do some research on it and see what you find.

All very good points, Schuey, thanks!

I'll ponder them while I'm not out trying to find animated emoticons that convey just how crazy I'm feeling due to a lack of running.

Just think of it as taper training. If you can't train the body, train the mind.

Golly, Mark...I saw your injury out on FB but missed that you were in your boot somewhere along the way. We could have compared notes I'm glad you are back on two feet, just keep the doctors in the loop. I ran (no kidding there...at least kept trying to run) on a torn achilles tendon for almost (and probably, in reality, more than) a year! It took the MRI to show what was really going on. Yes, it was expensive but at least it demonstrated the injury and expedited the cure.

Mark B wrote:

All very good points, Schuey, thanks!

I'll ponder them while I'm not out trying to find animated emoticons that convey just how crazy I'm feeling due to a lack of running.

Mike MacLellan wrote:Just think of it as taper training. If you can't train the body, train the mind.

Hahahahahaha!!! That is too funny. On a serious note, thinking about you and hope you get back to the trails before too long....

Mike MacLellan wrote:Just think of it as taper training. If you can't train the body, train the mind.

Oh, I don't think you'd want my family to know you're suggesting I switch into taper mode, Mike. I may be going a little stir crazy, but it's NOTHING compared to how I can get...

Paula Sue wrote:Golly, Mark...I saw your injury out on FB but missed that you were in your boot somewhere along the way. We could have compared notes I'm glad you are back on two feet, just keep the doctors in the loop. I ran (no kidding there...at least kept trying to run) on a torn achilles tendon for almost (and probably, in reality, more than) a year! It took the MRI to show what was really going on. Yes, it was expensive but at least it demonstrated the injury and expedited the cure.

You're absolutely right, Paula Sue. If my foot/ankle problems linger, or even fail to improve at a reasonable rate, I'll be pestering them for another look. I don't think I knew about your achilles tear. Yipes! It's better now, right?

John Kilpatrick wrote:

Mark B wrote:

All very good points, Schuey, thanks!

I'll ponder them while I'm not out trying to find animated emoticons that convey just how crazy I'm feeling due to a lack of running.

Mike MacLellan wrote:Just think of it as taper training. If you can't train the body, train the mind.

Hahahahahaha!!! That is too funny. On a serious note, thinking about you and hope you get back to the trails before too long....

No charge for the comedy, John! And since I'm not running, I have to do SOMETHING to keep this blog alive. I could post video of me doing alphabet exercises (A...... B...... C......), but I'm not thinking that'll be a big draw.

Thanks for the positive thoughts. I'm hopeful that maybe another week of rest and rehab work will get me ready to at least try running. The last thing I want to do is go out and re-injure a weakened joint and REALLY take me out of commission.