Returning From Running Injury

 The ankle mishap put a huge dent into my fitness. In fact it set me back to the start. In the first 3 weeks I could do no running and limited cycling and swimming. Nothing that maintained or improved my fitness. I use Training Peaks which I highly suggest to anyone and everyone who runs, rides or does multi sport. 

As of last Sunday my 42 day average stress score (a formula Training Peaks uses to measure the stress of the training taking into account the duration and the intensity) sat at 50. My 7 day average was 51. That simply means that I was fit for a normal human but not really fit to my standards and the 7 day average said I wasn`t doing anything to become more fit. 

The age old question is how to do you increase your fitness after injury to ensure you won`t set yourself back. 

This past week I did it this way: 

1. Recovery days were below the average or in this case below 50. 

2. General days were kept at the average. 

4. Improvement days were allowed to be free of constraint. 

The week looked like this. Total Stress 487

Monday: 31

Tuesday: 102

Wednesday: 52

Thursday: 66

Friday: 37

Saturday: 77

Sunday: 122 

My 7 day average is 56

My 42 day average is 51

To give some perspective, in December, January and part of February while gearing up for Ironman 70.3 Oman my weekly TSS was above 800. If I tried to execute an 800 Stress Score this week I would probably put to much strain on my ankle and quite possibly develop strain somewhere else. It is really boring to be this cautious and this specific but it will make sure I come out of this ankle thing stronger. 

Shoe of the Week 

New Balance Super Comp Trainer

My thinking for my ankle was that I needed stiffness and maximum cushioning in my running shoe. I bought this shoe for that reason. 

Highlights

1. 47MM in the heel and 39 MM in the forefoot. That will make you taller. 

2. Carbon Fiber propulsion plate that is specific to the stack height of this shoe. 

3. Fuel Cell foam which is resilient and alive on feel. 

The first 2-3 runs I was deciding whether I made the right choice. The shoe felt stiff and a bit firm for my ankle. Then all of the sudden it began to feel like butter. The midsole softened up and came alive. Running in it felt smooth and with that stack height and those other features there was no stress on my feet or ankles. 

If you are looking for a shoe to completely take the road out of the equation (don`t want to feel the road) this is a great option. 

Double the Trouble - Double the Fun

One week ago today we arrived home. Cooper {black lab} and I had spent 4 days getting to know each other driving from North Carolina home to California. In June of this year Cooper was picked up by animal control on the streets of Clarksville TN. After spending just 4 days with him Iˇve determined that before being picked up Cooper was a survivor. He survived living on a farm, in the back country or on the streets of Clarksville. He can dumpster dive like no dog I have seen, is quick to peel gum of the street and has a nose for anything edible. He also has a rather vicious protection mechanism that I found just after meeting him. 

None of that dissuaded me from brining him home. He is not 100% Lab but his general disposition is 100% Lab. He is sweet to the core and aims to please. 

The guy who picked chose Cooper from the shelter did a great job taking care of him. That includes training him. Less than two months after he had brought Cooper home he moved to Fayetteville, NC and had to enter the Army school of his dreams. He had to give Cooper up. Our son who grew up with Labs quickly decided to adopt him. The only problem is his young wife could not handle the pressure. Young Labs can be a handful and young nervous labs just overwhelming. He bonded immediately with our son but his wife told him she could not. Mary (my wife) was on the way to visit after a long stint abroad. When she arrived she fell in love with Cooper. Two days after she got home I was on a plane to pick him up. 

This week we have focused on the things he knows. Sitting, staying, heeling and come when called. We have also been training him on rules of the house. Because he aims to please he picks up on everything after once or twice. 

For me personally it has been a grind. Berlin and I were on easy street. Morning walk with friends and an afternoon session where she could run and play with friends until she dropped. Today the morning walk with both dogs is a half hour earlier. We are trying to avoid other dogs and people. It has been working fine but it is a half hour earlier. Then in the afternoon, Berlin and I do our normal afternoon play session. After I get Berlin home I turnaround and take Cooper out for an extended leash walk. 

Three walks a day plus my running or riding is really taking a toll. By the time I actually get to dinner I am fairly exhausted. I know this is temporary. We are working on giving Cooper a life he deserves. One where he doe not need to fight for his meal or fight to defend himself. Essentially give him the life Berlin has. There is a slight rush to all of this since I am leaving for Europe on September 1st for a week and then again at the end of September for 3 weeks. 

He is a special dog and I can`t wait for the day Berlin can share him with all of her friends. Double the trouble but also double the fun. 

Injury Recovery

 It took 3 weeks to recover from the heavy ankle sprain. It is the longest in recent memory I have had to hold off running. I started back 3 weeks to the day after the injury. I found that more flexibility in the shoe felt better than less. I managed 17 miles total for the week. My account of how I did it is below. 

Patience 

There is no other world that comes to mind. As a younger man that word did not exist. I am not sure you can have patience in all things when you are younger. Since my plan is to be running for years and years to come I know time off would not hurt me. Be patient. 

Don`t Rush 

Early on in the three I rushed to therapy. It only made the swelling and pain worse. So this is what I did. 

1. Started swimming right away. It was hard to swim with a stiff injured foot but it was not painful. 

2. As soon as I could put my foot into a bike shoe I got on the bike trainer and pedaled for 45 minutes every other day. I was not building or maintains fitness just moving the legs. 

3. One morning I woke up and my first step out of bed was not searing pain running up my leg. I gave it two more mornings to make sure it was real. Both of those days I stepped on the floor pain free. 

4. From there I started riding out doors. 

Swelling and Pain 

The swelling and movement pain continued. I would wake up in the morning with limited swelling and pain. Then both would grow through the day. That is when I started the actual work. 8 days out from my first run I started taking Aleeve. I kept it in my system 24 hours a day. In the evening I would soak my foot and ankle in an epsom salt bath. 6 days after that process the swelling was gone. Most importantly it would not come back during the day. I stuck with the protocol until that first run. 

Not 100% 

4 weeks into this the foot is still there. It doesn`t hurt much but I can always feel it. Never in my wildest dreams did I know how uneven our world is. Running down the road is treacherous. My left foot and ankle feel every divot and crack in the road. Stepping of or back on a curb requires thought. I must remain patient with my running for now. Never pushing the pace or the distance. 5 miles was my longest run last week, maybe it will be 6 this week. 

The morale of this story: 

Always wear a light when it is dark.